Design a vampire

Richard Tilbury covers the process of digitally creating a vampire character, from the concept stage through to the final refinements.

Before beginning any sort of project I usually begin by doing a bit of research into the subject and gathering some reference material. In this case I searched Google for images relating to vampires and the numerous incarnations that have appeared over the years. When you look into the topic of vampires you'll realize how many different interpretations exist, from the early vision of Count Orlok in the Nosferatu film through to the classic character portrayed by the ubiquitous Christopher Lee. Then at the opposite end of the spectrum are the more modern takes that are evident in the Blade and Underworld series'. Suffice to say there is no single and consistent concept that springs to mind when you think of a vampire.

This poses an initial problem as I can't decide in my mind what the character should look like, and what type of aura I want him to convey. Should he be a sickly, cowering type that hides from human contact, or have a more powerful and charming persona exuding status and sophistication? These issues led to decisions over the costume design and posture, and with so many question marks it was necessary to start with some thumbnail sketches to try and resolve the problem.

Thumbnail sketches

It's very good practice to make a series of small and swift sketches before starting a final design as it will help clarify things and also suggest artistic directions that you may not have previously considered. In this instance I begin with a few silhouettes to try out some poses (Fig.01).

You can see here that a simple silhouette can convey much about a character (#1 – 3), providing an insight into their proportions and clothing, for example. I decided to make a few head studies to explore the type of qualities and look he should have, and to try and decide on his demeanor (Fig.02). Should he look imposing and more human like or perhaps be eerie with exaggerated features that resemble more of a sub-human or monster?

You can see that the top left sketch resembles Nosferatu (#1) and has a very different feel to the version seen middle-right. The bottom-left character looks more like a monster, whereas the top-right sketch looks more modern and contemporary in context (#2). Each has a different quality, and by making a series of sketches such as these we can begin to formulate an idea and turn a vague notion into a clearer vision.

Usually there is not one single sketch that looks right over and above everything else, but rather there are aspects that prove to be likeable in each. In this instance I like the more charismatic quality to number 4 compared to the left-hand column, but I also think that the long hair in number 2 adds a certain feminine quality which contrasts well with the notion of a physically powerful being, lending him a certain dynamic. I also like the robe/cape shown bottom-right (#6) which adds a classic look, as well as providing a lyricism through the flowing lines of the fabric.

By making these quick sketches I have already been able to decide on a few components that I would like to include in my design, so I can now go back to the pose. The one that strikes me the most is number 1 (see Fig.01). It doesn't feel as domineering as 2 or 3, but with the extended arm it seems a little creepy and mysterious, without being too obvious.

Favoring this posture I begin on some variations (Fig.03). I have made the decision to give the character a robe and long hair, but if the robe envelops his body there will be little room for detail; I don't want the majority of the concept to be made up entirely of this element! To add some interest I open the front in order to include some anatomy which will contrast well with the dark clothing (#1). Version 2 looks somewhat surprised, as though he's been disturbed and has looked around to face the viewer. This combined with his more hunched shoulders gives him a creepy quality, which I like but is not in keeping with a powerful presence.

I've decided to add another arm to version 1 for the bottom 2 thumbnails, but version 3 is the one that seems to work best, as 4 appears to be too gestural and makes too strong a statement.

Blocking in

The first step is to add a neutral background, which I generally do by filling the entire canvas with a tertiary gray of some kind, and then paint random strokes over it using a textured brush of some description. On a separate layer I then begin by blocking in the character in rough, bold strokes, focusing on the main volumes and areas of color (Fig.04).

I have used a custom brush to add the textured effect, which was modified from a photo of broken glass, of all things (see inset). Much of the other blocking in is done using the standard Hard Round Airbrushes and Chalk brushes that Photoshop provides.

I always keep the background as a separate layer as it makes it easy to change the color scheme and lighting, as we will see later in this tutorial. In fact, I think it would be interesting to have the bottom of the image a touch darker and have the character almost emerge out of this darkness. To do this, I select a gray/green color (Fig.05 – see inset) and on a new layer I add a Gradient (Foreground to Transparent), and then set the layer blending mode to Multiply.

You can also see that I have now started to block in the main shadow areas across the face and torso, and have better defined the head.

The character at this point appears to be looking slightly to his left, whilst the thumbnail sketch confronts the viewer directly. So I change this here, as well as tidy up the hair shape which looks a little windswept (Fig.06). The other issue was that his robe was open very low on his torso, which was looking a little risqué, so I amended this and started to paint in some fabric folds.

So far the Photoshop file has been divided into three layers: the background, the gradient and the character himself. Continuing on the character layer I start to use a grayscale palette to work on the skin. This is so I can focus on the tonal range, but I also want him to have very pale and lifeless flesh to create a ghostly, non-human appearance and a suggestion of the undead (Fig.07). Although pure coincidence, I really like the expression in the thumbnail (see inset). It suggests to me a look of sorrow, or some forlorn hope which I really want to capture.

Part of the reason I've painted the skin in black and white is that I can overlay a color, retaining the tonal values but with the option of making hue changes at any point during the process. In Fig.08 you can see a dull ochre color on the left, set to Normal mode, but when changed to Overlay (see right inset) it adds a certain glow, whilst maintaining the ghostly quality.

In compliance with the bottom-left thumbnail in Fig.03, I've added the character's left arm (Fig.09). You can also see at this point the layer structure on the right-hand side palette, with the separate color overlay for the skin.

I notice here that the figure looks a little wobbly on his feet, so I rotate him slightly to make him more upright (Fig.10). I also add some fancy brocade around the sleeve and torso to add some interest, and start to form some of the folds in the robe, all of which is done on the character layer.

Building the detail

At this point I am starting to realize that because I have used my thumbnail as a starting point, which was obviously done quickly and not accurately, I have transferred many of the problems across to my final version; namely the proportioning. Not only does the character look very tall, but the rib cage looks too low down, and his left arm is also too long. Sometimes having these exaggerations can help a design, and in this case the small head and long arm does somehow lend our vampire a creepier presence. In fact, a smaller head is often a good device to make a character seem more heroic and portray a sense of power!

However, I have decided to squash everything up a little, which I do using the Edit > Transform > Scale tool. I duplicate the right arm, and on a new layer move it to a better position, using the Eraser Tool to blend it in with the original layer before merging the two together. In Fig.11 you can see the original position highlighted in red and how it has been altered.

With the anatomical proportions improved I start to work on some more detailing, namely fixing him on the ground. I consider the idea of having the robe hide his legs, or making the bottom part of the painting dark to create the impression of him floating, but I settle on some boots, along with a small decorative element to his robe (Fig.12). I add another gradient to make the bottom part of the painting darker, which also emphasizes his skin color.

I've been moving the robe detail around but it never really seems to work until I place it at the top of his left boot, which immediately feels right. I've also added another small focal point to the bottom section of the picture.

One other part of the design which has been causing me some problems is the hands, which look rather too symmetrical – as though he is sitting on a throne. I've thought about the nature of vampires and their reputation of being able to charm and seduce their victims, and so I've decided to change his left hand to a more beckoning gesture (Fig.13).

It's always good to have a distinct lack of symmetry in your characters to make them more believable, but in Fig.14 you can see that the naval is far from being central to the torso and head, and looks awkward as a result.

Refining

I alter the shape of the hair, making it less bouffant, and I add some length and highlights on a different layer, just in case I want to reverse it or leave it short (Fig.15). You can also see that I have created a new layer called "eye color", which is set to Overlay and shows the red tint around the eyes.

You will have noticed that the background color has changed throughout this tutorial, which is the advantage of keeping it separate to the character. You may wish to change the tonal values etc. – or in this instance add some textural detail in the form of a blood spatter (Fig.16). I created this custom brush a while ago and thought, with some subtle use, could prove appropriate to this particular painting. I added a new layer for this effect.

The painting is almost complete now, but after having altered the right arm and hand it has since seemed inconsistent with the other one. The thin wrist and angle of the forearm does not feel right and again mimics the thumbnail too closely. After using a mirror and some careful posing, I decide on a different gesture, the result of which can be seen in Fig.17.

Conclusion

This has been a fun project as I have never painted a vampire before and more particularly because I did not have a clear idea about how he would look before starting out.

It's interesting to see how an idea or feeling evolves during the painting process, and you will have noticed how the character has transformed during this tutorial. There are aspects which perhaps do not follow strict rules, such as how the robe fits around the body (I am sure some fashion experts could point out some of the problems to me!), but from an artistic perspective I like the flow and rhythm it has created.

The boot design and hand gestures have certainly been improvised along the way, and the fact that one sleeve is torn and ragged compared to the other was also unintentional. However, part of the fascination with anything creative is the fact that it can suggest its own direction and surprise you on the way!
Here is the final version (Fig.18).

To see more by Richard Tilbury, check out Digital Painting Techniques: Volume 4
Digital Painting Techniques: Volume 5
Digital Painting Techniques: Volume 7
Beginner's Guide to Digital Painting in Photoshop Elements
Beginner's Guide to Digital Painting in Photoshop
Photoshop for 3D Artists
and Prime - The Definitive Digital Art Collection

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