Mr SHIZ HANDBOOK ISBN: 978-0-9569891-0-9 First published in Great Britain 2011 by Olivier “MrShiz” Roubieu Mrshiz.com Info@mrshiz.com Copyright © Olivier “Mr Shiz” Roubieu. Disclaimer Some of the examples shown in this book can be dangerous and need to be done with caution and with supervision. If you choose to reproduce anything from this book, you will assume all responsibilities. Therefore I decline any responsibility, should you harm yourself. So take care while painting, and enjoy it. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in form or by any means without the prior written permission from the publisher. Printed and bound in the England.
“If you never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something, the sky’s the limit”. MrShiz
Introduction.............................................................7 Drawing.................................................................10 Colours.................................................................24 Airbrushing...........................................................36 Graffiti...................................................................62 Body painting........................................................98 My artwork..........................................................118 Tags....................................................................122 Thanks................................................................125
Firstly let me introduce the book. First of all, thanks for buying my handbook. It took me a while to write it as I wanted it to be complete with as much information as possible. I have gained my skills in many places, with many people and in different ways. The one that had the biggest impact on my career, has to be a book by Stan Lee so It felt like the next productive step to pass on some knowledge in paper form. As you go through the pages of my book, I would like you to remember that these are my techniques. Some will be right for you and some won’t so make sure to always question what you’re taught, this will allow you to grow and improve as an artist. Allow myself to introduce..............Myself. I grew up in France in a small town called Montsoult, 30 km from Paris. My paps was my first introduction to art as he himself is an artist. Growing up, he would give my sister and I tips and show us ways to paint and always stressed the importance of the proportions in art. In 1995 I went to “George Sand” Art college, near my hometown for 2 years. Where I learned the basics of drawing, painting, colours and many more skills. My favourite teacher was Mrs Greppi, she gave me the “bug“ about art. When I left college, looking back I realise that I was painfully bad at drawing and painting but I was very eager to learn. After many late nights drawing in the spare rooms of a hostel in London, where I was staying at the time to improve my English language skills, my skills also developed as an artist. As an exercise I used to go to the museums on Cromwell road, London and practice drawing from the sculptures and the more I went the better I became. In 2006 I was determined to earn a living as an artist, so I went to Portobello market accompanied with some T-shirts I had designed. I soon realised that people were more interested in getting their clothes customised, than buying my designs so, I concentrated on graffiti and airbrushing. My first wall was very bad but 6 years later and having had painted more than 600 paintings I am starting to paint photo-realism without pictures as I am always trying to challenge myself. I always try to paint as well as I can, copying the one and only true master, the one I pray to... 7
Material These are some of the things I use the most.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26.
Roller Bucket Compressor and hose Spray cans Spray guns Airbrush 0.5mm Mini compressor Mask Reel Nail polish remover Heat gun Spray mount Liquid latex (body) Airbrush paints Gloves Masking tape Caps Airbrush body paints Brushes Acrylic paints Fine line tape (1.5mm and 3mm) Water-based marker pens Liquid latex (face) Face paints Pencils, pen etc... Last but not least, music.
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The mechanical pencil In 1822, Sampson mordan and John Isaac Hawkins, issued the first refillable pencil. The first spring-loaded mechanical pencil saw the light in 1877. In 1938, thinner leads were produced, starting by 0.9 mm, then followed by 0.5 and 0.3 mm etc... Many pencils were registered since then, but with a similar design.
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First things first... Pencils come in different thicknesses, soft or hard, dark or light. I use a 0.5mm 2B lead as it gives me a wide variety of shades and it’s clean to use.
Common mechanical pencil lead thicknesses. 0.9 mm = good for landscapes and fading. 0.7 mm = good for drawing portraits and fading. 0.5 mm = good all around. 0.3 mm = good for technical drawing and fine details.
Pencils towards 10H are very hard, light and do not bleed (smudge). Pencils towards 10B are very soft, dark and bleed.
I like to use 2B leads as they allow me to get soft shades if I press lightly or dark shades if I press hard. 2B isn’t too soft so it doesn’t bleed much if I touch the lines with my hand while drawing. If you find it hard to keep your paper clean try a harder grade, if you find your lead isn’t dark enough try a softer grade. 12
Paper I love drawing on 120g or 180g Bristol paper but, the ultimate is regular 80g copy paper. It cost on average 1p per page it’s smooth and once you get used to it you can find it anywhere easily. I never use thick and rough drawing books as they make a mess and it’s harder to be accurate on them. A smooth sheet is ideal for drawing graffiti, people, cars etc...
Drawing volumes At first, only draw at a 30° angle until you are comfortable with 3D drawing. The lines are either straight or at a 30° angle, this way you don’t have to think to much about the accuracy of your proportions.
To understand how volumes work, all you need to do is to move the shape to one side at a 30° angle, then you connect all the corners together.
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The Bevel After drawing for a minute, your pencil will get a bevel. Only turn it to draw a thin line, then turn it back to keep the bevel.
Fading If you are using a 2B or 4B lead: The harder you press, the darker the line gets. The softer you press, the lighter the line gets.
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Construction lines Every time I’m draw, I always start with the construction lines. They allow me to be accurate and to keep the proportions correct.
Light box If you want to do a clean drawing without showing the construction lines you can use a light box or a window in order to copy your drawing onto a new sheet of paper. Tips 1. To be clean when you’re drawing you can use a small piece of paper to rest your hand and It will avoid unnecessary smudging. 2. When you’re drawing a curve always place your hand on the inside and turn your paper if you find it necessary. It is easier to anchor your wrist and spin your fingers than the other way around. 15
How to draw a face? Every time you draw a face whether it’s a man or a woman, start by the construction lines. Then place simplified features (the nose, mouth and eyes). At this point, depending on the details added you can make it a man, woman or child. If you are a beginner practice this technique before trying to draw a baby as the features of a baby are very different.
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Direction The direction of the face is done by a cross. Depending on where you place it, your character will look up, down, left or right and so on... The Human body To draw the human body accurately in motion or in still, the best way is to draw a skeleton with circles where the articulations are. This way it is easy to respect the proportions from the beginning.
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Start by imagining a pose, then draw it using the skeleton and the circles.
After, add volumes around the bone structure, and the joints.
Finally you have enough guides to draw freely, knowing you will respect the proportions in your drawing.
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Very important The point of the example below is to demonstrate and to give you an understanding of the importance of working on a picture as a whole rather than focusing solely on one area.
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Drawing a car When I’m drawing a car I always start by drawing two rectangles and two wheels. The next step is to choose the style of the car you want to draw. Step 3 and step 4 are for the curves and the shades. Drawing a car is very similar to drawing a person. You start by the skeleton then move on to the volumes and add details.
The style When you are drawing the first step with the rectangles and circles, it helps if you already have the style of car in mind. I made the rectangles below quite low as I knew I was about to draw a Sports car. If I wanted to draw a Pick up truck for example. I would draw a rectangle, then a square on top of it and two circles allowing more space between the tyres and the body work to show the springs etc...
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Paint & colours The story of paint goes as far back as the caveman. They used to paint in caves and on rocks using only natural pigments(red ochre). They didn’t use a binder (one of the 3 elements that make paint). They used to place the pigment on their lips and spit it onto the walls and often on their hands leaving reverse hand prints. The reason it lasted so long is because they painted in caves, away from direct sunlight and rain. After a while the pigment fossilised and became part of the rock it was painted on. The first binder used was egg yolk. Once mixed with the pigment, it allows the paint to harden and to stick together therefore making it resilient to sunlight and water.
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The Primary colours
The Primary colours are the ones that can’t be obtained by mixing other colours. Many people mistake red and ultra-marine blue for primaries but, you can obtain them by mixing Magenta Yellow and Cyan.
The Secondary colours
The Secondary colours are obtained by mixing 2 primary colours together at a 50% ratio. If you mix Yellow and Magenta equally, you will get Dark Orange. If you mix Cyan and Magenta equally, you will get Purple. If you mix Yellow and Cyan equally, you will get Green. If you mix Magenta, Cyan and Yellow at a 33% ratio you will get Black. So if you mix these colours on a computer you will obtain Jet Black. If you mix these 3 colours yourself, in most cases you will get Dark Brown as it is very hard to be accurate when mixing manually. Tip Sometimes it can be hard to find the right primary colours. You can find them inside cereal boxes, newspapers and crisp packets... They display The CMYK colours for the printers. 27
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Mixing the colours Here you can see some examples of how to mix the primary colours with White together in order to achieve other colours. The size of the squares show the percentage of the primary colour and their results.
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What is paint is made of? Paint is made of pigment, binder and solvent. Pigment Natural (Clay, Calcium Carbonate, Mica, Silicas etc...) or synthetic. Binder The binder or vehicle is used to create a bound between all 3 components of the paint and will also determine the durability, flexibility and shine. The binder can be made of different resins and oils such as Acrylic, Polyurethane, Polyester, Epoxy, Linseed Oil etc... Solvent The solvent is used to reduce the viscosity (thickness) of the paint. The more solvent or diluent is added, the thinner the paint will be. The solvent for water-based paint is water. The solvent for oil-based paints can be White Spirit, Petroleum distillate, Alcohols and more. (Additives) In modern paints, additives are often added to improve flexibility, curability, adhesion etc... The usual suspects Here are the most common paints available and what they contain. Gouache : Pigment, Water and Gum Arabic. Acrylic : Pigment, Water and Polymer Resin. Oil : Pigment, Spirit Of Turpentine, Linseed Oil. Once the solvent has evaporated you are left with the pigment and the binder that become hard and resilient. 31
Prep and finish 1. Cleaning The first thing to do is to ensure the surface you’re about to paint is dust-free. 2. Sanding In most cases you will need to sand down the surface to give it a key (rough feel) for the paint to stick to. 3. Primer After you’ve cleaned the surface with a de-greaser (aerosol degreaser or water with a little bit of washing up liquid) if you are painting on metal, wood or plastic you will need to paint 2 light coats of primer on your surface. 4. Base coat The primer will not give you a good finish so, you will have to paint a base coat to get a clean and opaque surface to work on. Painting 2 to 3 light coats of water-based paint will give you a perfect base to start your artwork. If you are working using oil-based paints you will need to work in heavier (wet) coats, refer to their labels. 5. Artwork Now you are ready to start painting your artwork. Paint as many coats as you like, remembering to allow enough flash off time (drying time). You can use a heat gun, U.V. light or paint booth to heat cure your paint and speed up the drying process. Be careful when using a heat gun to never stay in one spot for too long or you’ll blister (damage) the paint. 6. Clear coat (lacquer) After you’ve finished the artwork, it is necessary with some paints (water-based paint) to apply a clear lacquer to protect the artwork and also give it a gloss look, unless you are using a mat lacquer. Never paint on a glossy surface or the paint will come off. 32
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Sanding Sand paper comes in different “grits” from very coarse to very fine. Below are some examples of what they are good for. There are more grades available but, they can be hard to find. I’m only displaying the ones that, you can easily buy in DIY and specialists shops.
Grits
Purposes
40.................. Very quick removal of material and leaves deep marks 80..................................Quick removal of material and leaves marks 120.....................Good for walls, wood and glass and leaves marks 180.....................Good for walls, wood and glass and leaves marks 320.............Good for wood, plastic and metal and leaves a few marks 400.................Good for sanding down a car and leaves a few marks 600...............For sanding metal, it takes longer and leaves no marks 800........................For metal, plastic and wood and leaves no marks 1000.....................For sanding paint and lacquer and leaves no marks 1200.....................For sanding paint and lacquer and leaves no marks 1500.....................For sanding paint and lacquer and leaves no marks
Filler Wall filler: for walls and ceiling and indoor use (not for wood) Wood filler: for indoor/outdoor use on wood (great for arts & crafts) Metal filler: for cars and other metals. Fibre glass: when a hole is too big for filler alone. Expanding foam: Ideal to fill gaps in walls and great for sculpting.
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Painting in coats When painting with water-based paints, you need to paint in dust (thin) coats so, the paint doesn’t run (drip). Each coat acts as a platform and creates a key for the following coat. The clear lacquer is thicker and will not run when painted in wet (thick) coats providing, you paint 2 dust coats prior to it and you allow for the correct curing time.
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The airbrush Abner Peeler created the first airbrush in 1888. He wanted to paint watercolours without affecting the other colours underneath. His first design wasn’t practical and it took a further 4 years to be fully functional. In 1893 Charles Burdick invented the first atomising airbrush (similar to the ones we use today). After a century of improvements, there are now lots of different airbrushes, ranging from top feed to bottom feed with different needle sizes.
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The basics The first thing you need to learn or adjust to, is the way you hold and use an airbrush. I taught myself but, after going on a course 2 years later, I realised that I was using the wrong technique. A lot of people I talk to are making the same mistake and it is harder to adjust than to get it right, right from the start.
The handling Start by holding your airbrush like a pen. It has to be comfortable and you need to be able to rock the trigger back and forth. Always use your airbrush with 2 hands unless, you’re holding a stencil.
Pressure Whether you are using a compressor or a mini compressor it needs to have a tank. The capacity isn’t important but you need one. Set the pressure to more or less 40 psi or 2 bars. If you’re painting on the skin for example you can reduce the pressure to avoid paint lift. 38
Using the trigger Hold your airbrush in the starting position. You can practice with the compressor disconnected at this point.
Press down on the trigger to release the pressure alone.
Start pulling back slowly to release the paint.
The more you pull, the more paint will come out. If you pull the trigger back all the way, you need to stand further away from your artwork to avoid drips.
This is the hard part. Every time you paint a line you need to push your finger forward to stop the paint flow but, keep the air coming out. DO NOT LIFT YOUR FINGER UP TO STOP THE PAINT FLOW. Otherwise you will have dots and splatters on your work. 39
Exercises Here are some exercises for you for you to do, the rest is all practice. I work free hand and rarely use masking tape so as far as learning the techniques that I use, they’re all on the pages below. Get started Have a go to get the feel of using an airbrush. Remember to keep the pressure going every time you stop the paint flow.
Lines The first exercise is to paint some parallel lines of the same thickness. To get nice lines, press down then start moving in the direction you’re about to paint. Now pull back the trigger as you’re moving then push it forward (keep pressing down to release the air) and keep moving before stopping. This will give you nice lines with no build up or dots before and after.
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Distance The more you pull back on the trigger the more you need to move further away from your artwork. To work on the details you need to be close and press lightly. When you want to fill a large area with paint, stand about half a foot (15 cm) away from your canvas and pull back half way. Do not try to fill the whole area in one go, as it will run. Instead, to obtain a nice opaque effect in a large area, paint light coats and do a few layers.
Fine details To do very fine details you can unscrew the front ring at the tip of the airbrush but, be careful not to bend the exposed needle.
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Cleaning Using an airbrush can be frustrating as it has to be very clean to work properly. The best way to clean it is to use Acetone. I use nail polish remover as it’s cheaper and you can find it anywhere. When you’re taking apart your airbrush and you’re scared you won’t know how to put it back together you can film yourself taking it apart. NEVER scrape the body of the airbrush with a piece of metal or the next time you use it the paint will stick to it and you will have a hard time cleaning it every time after that until you buy a new airbrush.
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Compressors Mini compressors are good for airbrushing. They are quiet and portable but, you can’t use spray guns with them.
A regular compressor is good for airbrushing and also to allow you to use air tools, spray guns and more. They are very loud and can be a bit bulky to transport. When using these types of compressors it is recommended to use ear defenders.
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Protection Ear defenders, a dust mask and a pair of gloves are a must when you are using a compressor. If you are using hazardous chemicals you also need overalls, eye protection and breathing equipment.
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Troubleshoot Using an airbrush can sometimes be frustrating. The pressure of the tank, the paint you use and the cleanliness of the airbrush will determine how well it operates. You can find below some examples of problems you may come across. In most cases, your airbrush needs to be taken apart and cleaned. Below are some examples of what to look out for... Dot at the end of a line You lifted your finger off the trigger (naughty). Practice painting without lifting up your finger allowing the air to come out regardless.
The paint isn’t consistent Your airbrush is dirty, the paint is too thick or in some rare occasions your output pressure is too high.
Unable to paint the details If some paint is coming out when you’re only releasing the air, untighten the bolt holding the needle and push the needle forward.
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Bevel After painting for a while, and mainly when you’re using white paint (don’t ask) your lines will get thick or with a bevel. Unscrew the front ring and pick the dry paint of the tip of the needle with your nails. Splatter Occasionally when you pull the trigger and nothing comes out. This is because some dry paint is stuck in the nozzle. When you can see that the paint isn’t coming out, blast a few bursts to clear it. Spitting If you pull back the trigger without pressing down. Some paint will build up and when you press down it will be released onto your artwork. I often do it on purpose for special effects.
Important 1. Once you’ve finished painting, throw away the paint that was in the cup. Don’t put it back in the bottle or it will clog up your airbrush the next time you use it. 47
Caricature babe I believe a picture paints a thousand words, this is why I have displayed the step by step in this book without a comment on each picture as I feel it is pretty self explanatory. I do understand that we all learn differently so, at the end of each chapter you can see a detailed step by step painting. I always paint freehand as I like the freedom of it and then I clean up the edges afterwards. Most airbrush artists work differently by using masking tape or stencils from the start. Try both techniques and see which one suits you best. Sometimes however, I need to use tape or stencils as shown on the skateboard further on.
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Finishing up When painting around the edges use freehand stencils (step 5) to do the background. You can paint the sky without using them but, you might overspray some paint on the girl in the process.
When Painting using spray cans (I never do it this way) as the paint is thicker it is most likely that there would be an overspray onto the artwork.
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Remember If your airbrush is misbehaving...
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...clean it.
Lady in the airbrush This canvas was mainly done freehand on this page. This is the way I usually start then I add the details later on. Some people would prefer to paint the airbrush completely, then mask it off and paint the girl afterwards. It’s up to you to use the technique you like best.
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Using masking tape As opposed to the previous painting, I used masking tape to clean up the contour. You can see in the first picture on this page, the edges are very sharp and unattractive. This is why when I’m using this technique, I do it well before the end so when I add more detail I therefore hide the harsh line left by the tape.
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Sarah I used a picture of Sarah, who I painted on a few weeks earlier.
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In steps 7 and 9, I used my airbrush sideways to avoid overspray. This is a technique used by graffiti artists and very useful when airbrushing. See the explanation in the next chapter (Turning the can)
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True fire Step by step of the “true fire” effect painted on a skateboard. Steps are based on the pictures overleaf. Step 1 Sand down the board to give it a key (180), then clean the dust off with a wet cloth and then a dry one. Step 2 to 13 Between coats you can use a heat gun to speed up drying time and to heat cure the paint. Step 6 You need to paint White flames first, in order to cover the Orange flames. I use White mixed with Yellow so you can’t see the overspray thus saving you time and efforts. Step 8 Using spray mount, spray the back of your stencil and position it on the board.
Step 9 To avoid black overspray on the rest of the artwork use the negative side of your stencil to paint the cut out areas. All steps There are different ways to mix the paint. You can pour it in a plastic cup and then into the airbrush. I often mix it directly in the airbrush’s cup and stir using a cotton bud. 56
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Portrait There are 3 main techniques when tracing your artwork onto the canvas. The first one is the hardest but, the most gratifying when you get it right and this is to draw the construction lines then sketch it out freehand. The second is a lot easier and it is to use a grid. The third is the easiest but, also the least gratifying, this is to use a projector. I rarely do it but I thought it would be a good idea to give and use different techniques throughout this book so you can pursue with the one which is right for you.
Credits Photo: Andre Belmont www.andrebelmont.com
Trace the picture using a projector.
As I’m painting it on a Paint the basic Skin large canvas I used a tones and hair colour. spray gun for the hair. 58
Start adding features to the face.
It is very important to Now you can work on add detail to the over- any part of the paintall picture. ing because the proportions are right.
Add more hair evenly. After painting the lips Paint the eyes and pink, spray some on the eyelashes Black. the cheek while it’s in the airbrush.
Work on the darkest Add the top layers of layers of the hair first. the hair and remember most of it will be covered. 59
Even though a lot of the hair colours will disappear, you will see them at the end.
In this step I’ve added another Beige colour in the hair.
Now that the Beige colours are in place, use Brown to define the hair.
The face was a bit dark so I used transparent White to brighten it up.
Yet another colour on To paint the glitter effect on her eyelids I reduced the pressure to a minimum to get a the hair. splatter. You can also do this by pulling back the trigger a few times before pushing down.
Using Dark Brown, I added depth to the face and hair.
The last step was to paint very fine hair with a Light Beige. 60
Finished artwork.
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Aerosol can The first aerosol can was invented by a Norwegian chemical engineer in 1926. In 1949, Edward Seymour developed an aluminium paint and as he needed to demonstrate his product, his wife suggested to insert the paint in an aerosol can. It took some years for graffiti to become what it is today but, has definitely improved dramatically from its first appearance. However graffiti really took off in New York in the late 70’s true pioneers (Taki 183, Seen, Cope, T kid and Lady pink to name a few) started writing their names on trains and walls and gave graffiti meaning. In 1982 and 1983 “Wild style“ and “Style wars“ turned graffiti into a movement which included hip-hop, Djs and B-boys.
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Before we start For legal reasons, I need to tell you not to paint illegally, as it would upset narrow-minded people. It’s all good If you are new to spray painting, you will now be spoilt for choice, when it comes to paint and caps you can buy your paint in most art shops and you can find plenty of legal walls around the world to paint on. Can control Whether it’s a deodorant or insect repellent at some point we’ve all used an aerosol can but, with a deodorant you only press down fully on the nozzle. If you press fully on the cap of a spray can allot of paint will come out and if you press lightly a little bit of paint will come out. “Can control” is the ability to control the paint flow. If you can paint thin lines and lines of the same thickness over a few feet (a meter or so) you have good “can control“. Remember that practice makes perfect... How to find a nickname? We all have a tag (nickname). Some people are given a tag, some get a tag with a meaning and others (me including) make up a word. I wrote the alphabet and crossed out the letters I didn’t like sketching with and was left with 7 letters, from these 7 letters I made up the name Shiz. Funny enough I didn’t know that it was already a slang word...When I found out what it meant (the Shiz = the shit = good) I thought, that’ll do me. 64
Safety Spray painting is dangerous to your health and you should use some of the basic protection. A mask suitable for hazardous chemicals and gloves. Do not use paper masks as they are not suitable.
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The different styles When it comes to graffiti, there are 7 main styles that you can see and paint on the walls.
Tag
Throw up
Character
Piece
3D letters
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Photo-realism
Hyper-realism
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Transforming letters When you’re drawing letters, try to distort them as much as you can. Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
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Adding Mojo Start sketching and keep adding style to your letters. Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
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Technique These are some of the techniques I use when I’m painting.
Turning the can If you aim the can downwards (as shown below) with the cap as close to the wall as possible, you will get a clean edge near the cap and a blur int the direction that you’re spraying. This technique can be used in any direction by simply turning the can. This is called “cutbacks” and it’s explained further in the next few pages.
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Distance Thin lines Hold the spray can as close to the wall as you can.
Tracing Hold the spray can 2” or 5cm away from the wall.
Fills and small fades Hold the spray can 6” or 15cm away from the wall.
Large fades Hold the spray can 15” or 38cm away from the wall.
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Cutbacks To get sharp edges you can use cutbacks by simply aiming your can sideways towards the area to be filled to obtain a sharp edge.
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Splashes To get splashes, spray some paint into a cup and fling it onto the wall. If you want small drips only use a little bit paint and if you want big drips use a lot. This works best when you’re using a fat cap (pink dot) like the one shown in the first picture.
Careful Remember to stand clear when you’re flinging the paint as it goes every where.
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Tape cap If you want to paint a sprinkle of paint droplets you can do it by pressing lightly on the cap but, if you have a large area to paint you might find this technique easier on your index finger. Using masking tape stick it to one side of the can then, keep it tight and stick it to the opposite side. In the 4th step, pull until a bit of paint comes out. Then in step 5, wiggle the cap gently to stop the flow (this ensures it’s on tight). Step 6, paint only using the side of the can pressing the tape softly.
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Shiz cap The world famous, Shiz cap... It’s similar to a stencil cap although, using a bottle as a cap is great for cleanliness, as it doesn’t spit and you don’t need to keep emptying the excess paint because, it runs through to the bottom of the bottle, allowing you to paint for about a minute nonstop.
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Caps When you’re spray painting, the caps are as important as the paint you use. At the beginning you might want to use a few different caps for ease or effects. As you grow more comfortable, you will find yourself using less caps. I use a fat and a skinny cap for my work but, it depends on the job. I might use an ultra fat cap or maybe a needle cap to create certain effects. There are lots of caps available to buy and they are all good for different uses. Some are more versatile than others and some only get used for one particular reason. I have pictured a few to explain how they work... See overleaf for details. My favourite caps My favourite caps have red numbers 1
2
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5 6
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Caps explained Depending on how you press on the cap you will obtain a different effect. The best thing to do is to try them out yourself. This is what I use some of them for: Thin lines 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 14 Soft edges, blurs 13 16 23 28 Fills All the caps Quick fills 21 22 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Fades 23 28 29 32 Textures 8 12 20 Tags 17 18 28 29 32 Throw ups 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Backgrounds 8 17 18 20 21 22 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Versatile caps 4 28 29 32 If there was only one? 29 78
Spray paint A wide variety of spray paint is available. They range from low pressure to high pressure depending on the sort of artwork you want to do. The most common cans are 400ml, but they also come in bigger format (600ml, 800ml) and smaller sizes (250ml, 150ml).
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Car step by step To paint this car, I drew 2 squares on the picture and then I painted 2 squares on the wall. If you use a grid to paint a picture accurately you can do any size squares (and any amount) and you don’t need to measure them on the wall. The more confident you grow, the less squares you can use. Once you have painted a few lines (steps 2 and 3) you can start adding colours so that it doesn’t get too confusing.
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Fawnya step by step As an artist writing a book, it took me a while to decide whether or not to display my mistakes. Then it occurred to me that it might be a good idea to show you so then you can avoid them. In order to get the scale right when you’re painting you need to step back far enough from the wall, so that you can spot any errors you have made. It also helps a lot if you squint.
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As you will see in the following pages I scaled the head too small and I didn’t step back far enough to check the proportions. If you realise that you’ve made an error in the scale get rid of what you’ve done and start again. The time you spent looking at the picture whilst painting won’t be in vain and you’ll find it won’t take long to fix it.
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Correcting the scale On this page, you can see the details being painted again in the right dimensions. Redoing the face was quick as I had already done it once and I remembered Fawnya’s facial features well.
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Details Model name and details: Fawnya Frolic Fawnya.frolic.com
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Understanding the shadows When drawing 3D, it can be hard to know where the shadows are. Take pictures with a light source on the side of some objects. Use different materials, shapes, tools etc...I’ve used a see-through ruler, wooden pencils and plastics in order to get different textures, shapes and shadows. When I’m painting a 3D, I start by doing an arrow or an X to mark my light source once I’ve decided where I want it to be.
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3D letters I started with 2 vanishing points (when you stand at the entrance of a tunnel and all the lines seem to go towards one point this is called the “vanishing point“) one on the left and one on the right. I traced a few lines towards these points and built up my letters one by one.
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Step 7
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Tips It is recommended to paint the background such as the sky and the sea at the beginning of the painting. If you concentrate on your letters and then paint the background you will get an overspray of paint on them. If you want to paint a straight line on the wall, you can hold the spray can with 2 hands and lock your elbows on your chest. Paint a dot then move to one side and, paint another dot and so on (step 7).
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The Chrome effect In order to paint realistic chrome you need to remember one rule, the Black and the White must be sharp where they join in the chrome. If one colour is fuzzy the art will look shiny but, it won’t have the gloss effect that chrome has. In the picture below, you can see that all the lines are sharp where they meet which is a major thing when using this technique.
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Bike girl Copyrights can sometimes be a problem when you’re painting from a picture. Here are a few tips on how to avoid disappointment. 1. Take the picture yourself. 2. Modify the picture beyond recognition. 3. Ask for the photographers permission. Photo-sharing websites are also a great way to be in touch with the owner of the picture.
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Tracing For an idea on how to trace accurately on the wall, place a spray can alongside your picture to match the lines then holding that position, walk towards the wall and paint a line in the same direction - for example if you are painting a face, place the spray can alongside the jaw line on the picture and then trace the same line on the wall.
Cheating Sometimes when I paint I need to “cheat“ or change some things from the original picture in order to make the painting look good. Other times you may find you have to stick to the picture even though you might think it could be improved. For example, in the 7th picture I thought I needed to add a front wheel.
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Vinicio I chose a picture of my beloved granddad as the last step by step of this chapter. It can be very rewarding to paint a photo-realistic portrait of an old person as they have interesting features and definition. The picture You will need a good quality picture with lots of detail. Before you start you need to study the picture and understand everything that you see so when it comes to painting it you will make fewer mistakes and have a clearer image of what you will be painting. Colours Use as many colours as you can to achieve a realistic look.
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Start by tracing the construction lines.
Now paint the jaw line. Very roughly, place the facial features.
Add more details to the face.
Using Black, define the facial features.
Then a Medium skin tone.
Paint the light coming Add detail using a from the side. Medium brown. 95
Now add a Light skin tone.
Use Dark Purple and Cover some of the Paint some Beige on Black to add detail. harsh lines with Pink. most of the face.
Add depth using Transparent Black.
Work on the sharp light, on the cheek.
Paint the hair.
Define the eyes, nose Paint the scalp, allow- Paint some hair over and mouth. ing to see through. the scalp and finish up. 96
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Body painting At the beginning, people used to paint on themselves using natural pigments such as clay or henna for ceremonial purposes. Body painting has evolved over the years and it still used for weddings and other means in certain communities. There is also an increasing demand in films; many big-budget movies rely on body painting and prosthetics in order to create monsters, androids or simple cuts and bruises.
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Turning a body into a canvas Painting on a person is different to painting on a flat surface, such as a wall or a canvas because you have to create all of the visual. A person’s body can add to the artwork aesthetically but, it can also be difficult to achieve your initial goal as the paint can smudge, crack and fade. This is due to the skin breathing.
Which paint to use? I always use non-toxic water-based paints. Some come in a liquid form that you can use with an airbrush and others are applied with brushes and sponges. You can buy body and face paints online and in makeup shops. Read reviews before you purchase them as some may not be suitable for the sort of artwork you wish to do. For copyrights reasons I cannot give the names of the products I personally use. 100
How to find a model? The best way to start body painting is to paint on a friend. It is a lot easier at the beginning to paint on someone you know, than on someone you don’t. Once you feel more confident you can choose to paint on anyone. Social networks can be a good place to find people interested and it is a good step before working on models as this can be intimidating at first. There are professional websites and agencies that you can use to get in touch with experienced models. Some will be keen to work with you to enhance their portfolios and will work on TFP (trade for prints,) basis. This way a photographer, a model and a body painter can get together and do a shoot where usually no one involved charges a fee.
The model release form When you are painting and taking pictures of a model, ALWAYS sign a model release form to ensure you have the rights to use, display and modify the pictures. There are a few types of model releases varying between full rights to the photographer to shared rights between all involved. 101
New products Whenever using new products you should always try them on yourself first to make sure they are safe. When using liquid latex and other professional products always ask your models if they have a known intolerance to them.
Try it yourself Being painted by a stranger can be a bit embarrassing and it is important for you to make your model feel at ease. The best way to know what it feels like is to try it yourself. I did a photo shoot for a photographer and this time I was on the other side of the camera and you guessed it, I was in my birthday suit. It taught me the importance of feeling comfortable in front of a stranger and also an understanding that some poses can be difficult to hold for a long time. 102
What should you paint first? At first, it is easier to paint on someone’s face, arm or back than the entire body. If you are planning to paint a person fully nude, make sure to talk to your model a few days before painting. It is important to make sure that they are comfortable with being nude in front of you and also in front of the camera. NEVER pressure a model to be painted nude!
My mate Dave... If I had a penny every time someone asked me to come and watch... Even though this might be obvious to most people it is not a good thing to have people with you if they don’t need to be there. When I work, I always have the minimum amount of people present depending on the shoot (Photographer, makeup artist, manager etc...)
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The photo shoot Sometimes I paint for shows and events but, mainly it’s for a photo shoot. When you are taking pictures afterwards (or if you have a photographer) always listen to your models and make sure they are comfortable with their poses. Remember that this is art and it has to be tasteful. It is also good to take a break during the photo shoot so the model and photographer and artist can bounce ideas off of one another.
Equipment and location If you are starting in this field chances are you don’t own a great camera and you don’t have access to a studio but, you can still take very good shots by having bright lights in the room instead of using the built in flash in your camera. Note that the more light that you use the hotter the room will get so you may have to turn them on and off to keep the area cool. Used properly a blank white wall can be as good as a studio backdrop but, in my opinion there is nothing better than doing a shoot outside or in a flat where you can see (and use) the furniture.
The models Having worked with friends to experienced professionals, I soon realised that even though everyone can model when using professionals the whole experience becomes effortless. Whether it be the model intuitively knowing which pose to strike or understanding what would make the shot look good. That being said, you might not be able to paint on professional models for different reasons whether it’s financial or whether you’re not yet confident enough. If that’s the case think of some poses you might want to do beforehand and direct the person you are painting to achieve the desired pose. 104
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The first one... For your first painting on a person it’s advised to start on the arm or the back of a clothed model. You will feel a lot more relaxed whilst painting on the skin without nudity. Some are more comfortable than others but, for you personally as a first experience you will find it easier.
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Stephanie Wyatt As a step up from the previous page you can paint on a model’s arm and chest. At this point it can be a good thing for the model to keep her bra on, making it easier for you to paint.
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Sarah I painted on Sarah with 2 different sizes marker pens. Using marker pens can be very good for graffiti or tattoo-like paintings as they have sharp edges. However you must be very careful about which pens you buy as most of them are not suitable for the skin, therefore the only ones I use are water-based and non-toxic markers. I painted this design freehand starting with my tag followed by the stars and the arrows. In step 6 I asked her to put her hands on my head to avoid moving as it can be hard for the model to remain steady whilst standing. In step 7 I’ve positioned my arm on her body so I could rest my hand on it to avoid smudges. Model: Sarah Tuffs
Photographer: David Byng
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Byngphoto.co.uk
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Mystique Mel This painting was so far the hardest I’ve ever done as it involved some preparation and a lot of work on the day itself. I was very happy to have chosen Melanie for this shoot because she was great fun to work with and also didn’t complain about the long process. I used Liquid Latex to glue the scale onto her skin but, remember you should always ask the model if they have a known allergy to the products you use to make sure they will not have an allergic reaction.
I cut some small squares in a very thin shower curtain.
Then I glued many beads onto the squares using a glue gun.
I cut some long and wavy shapes Also some round shapes. in a foam mat. 114
Here are the props sorted by cat- I glued all the shapes using liquid egory to facilitate the work. Latex and an old brush which I threw away afterwards.
The beads on the upper body are stuck on and it’s time for the round shapes.
I’m using Latex around the shapes as well as underneath to make sure they will stick well.
Once the Latex dries, it becomes This is the whole body nearly clear. done. 115
The Latex and the paint I used on the whole body isn’t suitable for the face where I used Face Paints and the adequate Latex.
Mel’s body before being painted.
Mel’s body after being painted.
I painted most of the body with a I painted the darker areas with sponge and I used a brush for the my airbrush and some Black. hard to reach places. 116
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Photo: Ed Dempsi
Why thank you... Special thanks Thanks to those who made it possible to get from there to here... My family, Mrs Greppi, Mobusy, Reoh, One Two, Mizzie, JXC, 303DB, 2Rise, Stan Lee, Gerry, Kader, Saad, Simon Murray, Seak (who made me want to graff) Brisk, Mone, Sekiu, Banksy (for turning Leake st into a H.O.F.) Melanie, Hollie Leanne (thank you so much) Strid, Sophie. Thanks and Shout outs Twerk, James Caffyn, Hayden, Drax, Doze, Robbo, Deus, Care, Ease, Frames, Blam, Bonzai, Smug, Blaze, Phorm, Hules, Shoom, Ruiz, Joeppo, Datachump, Spy, Riot, Olivia, Kem, Mef, Basik, Gnasher, Dais, Eska, Pikto, Ambret, Ebee, Mer, Tml stars, Dicer, Inca, Art Jaz, G, Voia Strife, Tizer, Ink Fetish, Guillaume, Neonita, Jassik, Mad C, Aseb, Cemo, Urgio, Astek, Ican, Oustem, As, The Dark, Tona, Don, Pak, Ed Dempsi, Leeone, Seyer, Reak, Blavoe, Favour, Freehand, Chuck,Title, Carl, Hush, Vinyl, Darren Clarke, Don kiddick, wrist, Asher, 3rd Man, Vibes, Love pusher, Dank, Budzz 909, Exist, Dep, Letty, Sharron, Bantu, Marie, Akut, Shye, Trans 1, Teaser, Nerv, Frank styles, Insane, Chris, Andy Seize, Motor, David Byng, Andre Belmont, Wisher, Trev, Box spinner, Adrian Lourie, Ashley, Genti, Bonnie May, 2Kold, Zombie, Ler, David Cole, Zadok, Spacehop, Fawnya, Stephanie, Sarah, Hek, Cageone, Elite, Inkie, Cheo, Henry, Raer, Klaus, Craig Fraser, Lorena, Mehdi, Polar, Sled, Parlee, Rich Simmons, Solo one, Ventza, Darren John, Cry, Sian, Zoe, Atom, 4 give, Antonella, Franco. And...Me for not giving up against all odds.
Written and published by Mr Shiz September 2011 125
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