Asher: Step 5
In this step I will be finishing off the lower half of the Ernie doll. As I re-read the previous steps, I realize that I keep repeating the description of the dark-to-light, mid-tone-to-highlight process. These five images should illustrate that process a little better.
In Image 1, I have mixed four different mid-tone colors, and very quickly chopped them in to place. At this point I am only concerned with the most general form.
Image 2 shows the same four colors once they have been blended a bit.
In Image 3, I have used a dark blue and black to paint the darkest areas and further define some of the major wrinkles. It is at this point that it is easy to get carried away and muddy up the whole thing. This is far more likely if the mid-tones are painted in too light. It is much easier to correct for too-dark mid-tones, but of course the preferred method is to paint them so that no correction is needed at all.
In Image 4, the main highlights have been blended in to give the pants their final color and define the lesser wrinkles.
Image 5 shows the finished pants and shoes. A few final highlights were added in pure white to the pants to really make them pop. Once again, this is an easy place to get carried away. The highlights only work because of their contrast with the rest of the colors…add too many and you end up with white pants. The shoes were painted in the same way.
