12/21/04 - This is the fourth stage of the cover painting for "The Wicked" by J. Newman

I usually work from the background to the foreground, and from the top down. At this stage, I started to add color and texture to the background using brush, sponge and thumb. Alizarin Crimson and Windsor Violet were added to the palette, and I took the opportunity to begin modeling the Moloch figure with the violet color. Things always look dark and messy in the underpainting, but the image will tighten up when I begin to add the mid-tones and pull out the highlights with more opaque color, later on.

Necessary Evil Press, 2007
Acrylic Polymer & Ink on Illustration Board, 8 x 11-1/2"