WWWIP Week 9 Crimsyn Cosplay
This week I am painting everything that needs paint, whether it be the weapon, limbs, props, etc. I use the same technique everytime I paint, but I change the colors to what is necessary. Also, it’s too cold where I live to use spray paint right now, so, unfortunately, everything needed to be hand painted.
Step One: Priming
The first step I always do before applying paint to anything is to prime the surface. Priming creates a richer and smoother result with applying the paint. In my experience, I have found that gesso is one of the best options to prime Thibra with.
Step Two: Base Color
After the gesso has completely dried, I added a couple coats of a dark, solid color as a base. Make sure to get in all the nooks and crannies with this step, because if you miss a spot then it may show the white gesso in the end!
In choosing a specific base color, I typically pick the darkest shade I plan on using with the entire paint job. Half the time I use black, but for this character, I used a dark brown because I want him to look dirty and old. Therefore, I felt like a dark brown was more appropriate rather than a black color as a base.
Step Three: Gradients
Once the base color is applied to EVERY part of the piece, the color blocking and gradient colors are next. In this step, I basically mapped and blended out all of the colors in the areas that I wanted. With Fiddlesticks, there wasn’t much craziness with the colors since everything was either silver or wooden. Moreover, I just applied the colors where I felt they belonged and blended them in the best I could.
To achieve the wooden gradient, I wanted it to be more natural, so I actually mixed my paint while I was applying it. This creates a more natural look. Additionally, I added some forced highlights and shadows to specific areas that I wanted.
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Step Four: Details
The last step in the painting process is to add any intricate designs or details you have on your cosplay. At first, I didn’t think I had any small details to deal with. I figured the texture looked fine on its own; however, in a last minute decision, I went back and detail painted the limbs and any other wood areas. I took the dark brown color that I used for the base and painted it into the carvings in the wooden texture to create more depth. Other than that, I was pretty satisfied with the final paint job!
While waiting for the paint to dry between layers, I was working on the smaller details in the costume such as hand sewing and stitching. This upcoming last week will be fully dedicated to final details in hopes to finish the costume! Katsucon is so close!!!