At this point, I’m working with the black and white at the same time, going back
and fourth between the 2 colors to obtain the desired effect. Here, good airbrush
control is highly recommended or you might end up with some features that are
too strong. Start light, step back and analyze. You can always come back to add
some paint but removing it is not possible. You have to compare this as sculpting.
If you’re a bit uneasy about attempting certain lines or details on your painting, it’s
always a good idea to practice some quick dagger strokes on some paper next to
you, just before attempting them on your painting. When I work on some tight de-
tails like the wrinkles at the eyes, I’ll usually bring down my pressure around 30PSI
and work as close as quarter inch away from the surface.
Here is a closer shot of the eye and mouth area. Study your reference picture and pay at-
tention to the details. These are what will make your painting stand out and give it some
realism.
Another good example of working close is with the eyebrows. I’ll bring the pressure
down as much as 20 to 25PSI to get those fine squiggly dagger strokes while
keeping with the same airbrush throughout.The beauty of working with black and
white is that you can almost always come back to fix a mistake. Example, if you do
a wrinkle too dark with the black, you can lighten it with some white, something
that would be almost impossible to do with color. This is why I find that doing mono-
chrome type paintings are a must for those who want to bring their airbrush han-
dling skills to another level without worrying about color recipes. Get used to your
airbrush. You can do some great looking monochrome paintings with other colors
than black. Try it with some blue, sepia or even some green!
Except for the wrinkles on the forehead, I’m just about done with the face.
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