Gates The Comic by Hal Hefner, Presented by Heavy Metal

Many of you know my digital artwork only, specifically from Gates, my online comic book. BUT, what you may or may not know is that at heart, I am a painter. Some may say, but you’re a comic book artist? Well in some respects sure, but when it really comes down to it, I’m at my heart and soul, a painter and a storyteller. I just use comics as one of various mediums to tel my stories.

When I first signed up for the Comikaze Expo in November, I was under the impression that it was  hybrid art show/comic convention. So I decided I wanted to sell some of my art that people could take home with them.

I love photoshop and all of the terrific things you can do with it…but it lacks one major thing: a physical piece of unique art that someone can own.

So I bought some new canvases. created some sketches, pulled out the acrylic paints and went to town. Below you will see some videos, and several paintings showing my process and the end result of the paintings. (Some of which are still for sale so please contact me if you are interested)

Here is a few simple rules I learned to live by before tackling a painting. This applies to both digital and acrylic paintings.

5 quick tips to keep any artist from going insane while executing an acrylic painting.

1) Come up with a good sketch first.

2) Execute a color sample wash, so you have a feel for a color scheme.

3) When creating a paint pallet, use out of the jar colors only to start with, never use paints without mixing them as it looks too manufactured.

4) Don’t be afraid to draw with the paintbrush and change what you started with.

5) Over-thinking leads to overworking a painting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VIDEO: Here’s a video of my work, and the process in which I work in when using acrylic paints.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOMH2qW8KZE[/youtube]

 

 

MIXED MEDIA PAINTING: Mixed media piece, of the very important hieroglyphic, in the Gates Universe. I also have this glyph tattooed on me. I used, matte medium, glue, sand, chalk, guache, watercolor, ink acrylic, cardboard, wood and nails. And the sketch is already done, on my arm.