I Finished the Daemon Prince

Transcript

We’re in the final stretches. I did more work once everything was dry—added darker lines in, and it looks phenomenal. So happy with how this turned out.

The Finishing Checklist

Today’s plan: base work, retouch the chains, add Vallejo thick mud to the back, paint that brown, and handle any remaining touchups. Starting with burnt umber—the most holy of browns.

Base and Crystal Work

Got the base done, then started working the crystal. Using dark umber air paint—it’s pretty transparent, so it takes a couple coats. The goal is to slowly work it up on top of the green so it looks muddy and dirty at the bottom without ruining the marble effect. Came back with my nice brush to blend the edges for a smoother transition.

Dirty Down Rust Magic

Tried something bold: Dirty Down Rust, intentionally trying not to activate it fully. The idea was to have orange coming out from underneath him like he’s corrupting the ground. Applied it to the base, let some activate naturally to run down through the cracks. Exactly what I wanted—then dry brushed lighter browns over it.

Chrome Scratches on the Mask

Touched up the chains where they’d rub with Montell liquid chrome. Then attempted very thin scratches on the mask—already hit the dents with chrome and you can see how much it adds. Very easy to overdo this, so just a few subtle scratchy marks. It dries fast and adds a lot to the eye.

The Blood Effect Debate

The base is done. I keep going back and forth on blood effects. The chains should be cutting into him, and I didn’t paint bruising on the skin because I’d planned on covering it with blood. But what color would a demon’s blood be? Would demons even have blood? I can make custom blood from UV glue in any color. In the end, I decided to think on it rather than risk overdoing it.

The Concept

The dirt is intentionally muted and realistic—this demon was summoned from somewhere else. He’s not from this world, which is why he stands out so crazy. The crystal might be from where he came from, or maybe not, but it’s definitely not natural to where it is.

Photography

Set up a photo station: laptop stand, cell phone holder, and a Philips smart bulb for hue control. My photographing skills need work, but I love how the model turned out. Need to make some proper backdrops if I’m doing more of this. Now to write some lore and get this guy submitted to the competition.