Hello hello! Welcome back for our next episode featuring my personal Dune collection of illustrations. This one was a bit challenging for me since I wanted it to have an oil-painting feel to it. Many oil painters of the old days used raw umber for their underpainting, which yielded a warm reddish tone that I really like.
Who were they?
The Sardaukar were renowned and feared throughout the Known Universe of Dune for their fanatic zeal, superior fighting abilities, and formidable swordsmanship. Members of the Sardaukar were raised from a young age in a ferocious natural environment that saw almost half of the recruiters die before the age of 11. They were loyal to the Emperor and were part of a massive plot between the Harkonnens and the Emperor to kill the Atreides family in disguise as they became rulers of Dune.
Painting process
Below you can see exactly how I painted this piece. It started on a really rough silhouette, but just like a sculptor would do, I just carved out pieces of my rough until it got closer and closer to what I was after. The video speeds a few hours down to 1:42 minutes so it is really digestible for anyone who would like to see how this was made from start to finish. 😊
- I knew they needed to be beefy
- Swords and short-blades were a must
- Some elements that add to their mystery (face-covering helmet) were helpful in conveying the story
- Ornamented suits could suggest their link to royalty (The Emperor) and some designs could also suggest their personal view of the sacrality of their duty.
- I wanted to go for the 3/4 view of the character because of the anticipation it causes. I wanted viewers to feel like they've just come across this legionnaire, who hasn't seen them yet. The tension sets as if the warrior turns his head just a little bit, the viewer would be spotted (and likely killed 😜).
If you are a painter, I'd really recommend not only watching those but also recording your painting process so you can watch it later and figure out your struggles! In time, you'll be able to cut your painting time short by learning how the shortcuts you've taken in previous paintings. 😋
This is it for today, folks! I hope you enjoyed the ride! It's always great to share those with you and hear your thoughts on them. Thanks for tagging along and for returning back here from time to time!
Wishing you all the best!
Your bro,
Galiant