I got this idea recently to make a tribute to Frazetta, my idea is to paint a Zulu Warrior (inspired by a TV show I was watching when I was kid... long long time ago). For me this hommage need to be grande, so It has to be the biggest canvas I've ever painted. Putting into it, almost, everything I've learned about the craft of picture making. I did studies, dust off my Bridgman collection, made capture of the TV Show, download hundred of pictures of the work of Frazetta. Eventually I started drawing. Then only I started panicking. I never painted a black person, succesfully. The skin seems dark, but in fact highly reflective, sligthly mosturized, it will make the darkest Senegalese bright and blue like the sky. I couldn't wrap my head around this complex problem. I looked at few frazetta for an answers, but in most case he relied on 1 or 2 colors with strong emphasis on value and reflection. But I dont want to go the monochrome way. On my desk I have a figurine of a Masai girl, and I started doing some test with her. I end up using alizarin, brunt umber, cobalt and ultramarine blue.
The figurine is done by Spencer Davis, look at his website.
Here is the Zulu himself, heavy and thick a la Frazetta. The paper is a full sheet of Arches Watercolors Paper. His right hand (too small at the moment will hold a spear). I will post my progress from time to time.
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