Coloring Dark Skin on Kraft

Hi Guys!

So as promised, I worked up a step by step for you in coloring ethnic skin tones on kraft. 

I was a little more ' in my element ' doing this one and I hope you like it.

The colors are very similar to what you would use on white paper (see tutorial for white here) with this one difference: Because we are looking for a darker shade of skin there is no need to start off with whites and creams. In fact, this is where kraft is in its element because we're halfway there before we start. ;)

OK! So lets get started!

Step 1 we're going to work the shadows with light umber. Just nice easy circular strokes.

Follow the umber with (step 2) burnt ochre. So you're covering the light umber with the burnt ochre and coming in toward the center just a bit further.

Step 3) All over with goldenrod. (below)

He's looking a little jaundiced at this point but don't panic.

Step 4) working the shadows with sienna brown.

Step 5) begin blending with pink (very lightly) and add a wee bit of process red in the deepest shadows for "punch".

Steps 6&7)

ok, I know this looks like a lot but it isn't really.

The yellow ochre, jasmine and peach is a layering combo that works wonderfully to blend the tones together. If your image is too pinky peachy, add more yellow, if its too yellow, add more peach etc. You get the idea.

The dark brown is added in the shadows to re-depthen them. (They may have lost some depth with the blending).

It really starts coming alive now.

Step 8) This is just so exciting! Burnt Ochre and Dark Brown is used now for further contouring and depth.

This is where you get an inkling of what Geppetto felt when Pinocchio came to life.You know what I mean? It's like the image starts to breathe when your back is turned! lol

Step 9) The final magic touch: Black. Black grounds everything . It adds realism and the shadows darkest depths.

ps) I added the hair colors on the side in case you were wondering what I did.;)

And here he is all finished!

Really you could go in and tweak and tweak til the cows come home but at some point you've got to say "enough ".

It's a tough call.

But I think he's pretty cute as he is. :)

happy coloring!