How to Paint a Griffin in Acrylics: Create Atmosphere with a Limited Colour Palette
Stone mythical creatures can make intriguing objects, especially when lit starkly by moonlight. In this demonstration, I explore how to paint a pair of stone griffins sourced from my photos of statues at Coombe Abbey Park in Warwickshire (UK). These stone carvings hark back to the mid-19th century and carry decades of weather within their mossy forms.
I placed the griffins roughly in the centre of the artboard and, with the use of soft pencils, sketched the shapes. I took time over this before adding darker lines. The rooftops in the background provide a sense of space and location. At this stage, I viewed the image as basic areas rather than detail. Once I was happy with the drawing, I used the lid of a jam jar to draw the full moon. I placed it to the right of the griffin heads to light up the faces of these stone sentinels. I ensured the drawing was sufficiently dark to show through the glaze to be applied next.
I placed a cherry-sized dollop each of burnt sienna and cadmium red acrylic paint into a shallow dish and added a few drops of water. I then used a stiff brush to swirl the mixture around until it formed a thin, even mixture, suitable for applying as a glaze. This glaze aims to kill the white surface and adds a warm undercurrent to the art surface. Sometimes, I will add another glaze once the first is dry to deepen the hue.
With a fine sable, I mixed viridian green with varying amounts of phthalo blue, burnt umber and white. I moved the greyish green paint into the direction of the carvings, such as the wings and hind legs. This injects energy into the griffins. Despite being stone, they possess innate power that suggests these mysterious creatures could transform into live creatures and fly off. For now, the dirty green evokes weathered stone, moss and time.
With the chief shapes laid down, I added dark strokes via a separate sable, reserved for darks, and described the undersides of the griffins and the wings’ feathers. For this, I used burnt Umber and Phthalo Blue to create a rich black. Acrylics, being a fast-drying medium, often require extra water to retain flow. Weather conditions will affect the drying time. Here, I had about ten minutes of play.
The griffins began to look sculptural and regal. The combination of light and shadow also helped transform flat shapes into three-dimensional forms. With a stiff brush, I plied on phthalo blue and burnt umber to create the same black as for the griffins’ shadows and blocked in the background. I pushed the paint right up to the roofline. I used a soft sable for delicate outlines to gain control. The griffins suddenly stand out against the dark background.
With a clean, fine sable, I dabbed titanium white with a little burnt sienna to attain a golden, creamy colour. I carefully applied this mixture to the moon, avoiding areas reserved for the craters. Notice how the moon appears to glow against the rusty background. The next stage will emphasise the moon as a light source.
Around the moon, I mixed Phthalo Blue, Burnt Umber and varying amounts of white. I aimed for a patchy feel to the sky to suggest the undersides of clouds and a brooding horizon. This echoes the ominous feel of the griffins. But I made sure not to make the sky as dark as the buildings. At this mid-stage of the painting, I will often touch up the main subject matter, in this case, to sharpen detail on the griffins’ carvings.
I dabbed cool highlights via a pale Viridian mixture to suggest the moonlight hitting the heads, upper wings and breasts of the griffins.
With a fine sable, I mixed a dirty rusty colour, consisting of burnt sienna, a little burnt umber, and white then dabbed this mix around the horizon. In places, I will darken the mixture with phthalo blue as I worked into the upper sky. Acrylics, being a fast-drying paint, means no blending is possible. Instead, I matched the bluish hue to the upper sky. I like the patchy result, which suggests a scudding underbelly to the clouds during an angry sunset.
The griffins glow under a full moon and a brooding sky. This shows the many tones achievable via a limited palette and simple art techniques. The blacks heighten the aged stone and the rusty-coloured sunset provides colour contrast against the greenish stone colours.
Key Lessons from this Art Demonstration
- To apply a reddish glaze to create a warm undertone.
- To use a limited palette to set a brooding atmosphere.
- To apply mid-tones to suggest the carved texture of stone.
- To judge large tonal areas against one another.
- To match background colours so one blends into another even after each area has dried.
Art Materials Used
- Soft pencils of HB and 2B.
- A4-sized primed painting surface.
- For the underglaze: I used acrylic paint: Burnt Sienna and Cadmium Red.
- For the main painting: acrylics of: Titanium white, Viridian Green, Burnt Umber, Phthalo Blue and Burnt Sienna.
- Brushes: Medium flat bristles and fine sables.
- A pot of water and a shallow dish for the washes and colour mixing
Step 1: Drawing the Griffins and Forming the Composition
Action: Sketch the composition by the use of soft pencilsI placed the griffins roughly in the centre of the artboard and, with the use of soft pencils, sketched the shapes. I took time over this before adding darker lines. The rooftops in the background provide a sense of space and location. At this stage, I viewed the image as basic areas rather than detail. Once I was happy with the drawing, I used the lid of a jam jar to draw the full moon. I placed it to the right of the griffin heads to light up the faces of these stone sentinels. I ensured the drawing was sufficiently dark to show through the glaze to be applied next.
Step 2: Applying a Warm-Coloured Ground
Action: Apply the reddish glaze onto the art surface.I placed a cherry-sized dollop each of burnt sienna and cadmium red acrylic paint into a shallow dish and added a few drops of water. I then used a stiff brush to swirl the mixture around until it formed a thin, even mixture, suitable for applying as a glaze. This glaze aims to kill the white surface and adds a warm undercurrent to the art surface. Sometimes, I will add another glaze once the first is dry to deepen the hue.
Step 3: Blocking In the Griffins
Action: Suggest the mid-tones of the griffins with a fine sable loaded with greenish pigment.With a fine sable, I mixed viridian green with varying amounts of phthalo blue, burnt umber and white. I moved the greyish green paint into the direction of the carvings, such as the wings and hind legs. This injects energy into the griffins. Despite being stone, they possess innate power that suggests these mysterious creatures could transform into live creatures and fly off. For now, the dirty green evokes weathered stone, moss and time.
Step 4: Developing Form and Structure
Action: With a separate sable, apply burnt umber on to the shaded areas of the griffins.With the chief shapes laid down, I added dark strokes via a separate sable, reserved for darks, and described the undersides of the griffins and the wings’ feathers. For this, I used burnt Umber and Phthalo Blue to create a rich black. Acrylics, being a fast-drying medium, often require extra water to retain flow. Weather conditions will affect the drying time. Here, I had about ten minutes of play.
Step 5: Introducing the Moon and Atmospheric Background
Action: With a stiff bristle brush, block in the dark buildings in the background.The griffins began to look sculptural and regal. The combination of light and shadow also helped transform flat shapes into three-dimensional forms. With a stiff brush, I plied on phthalo blue and burnt umber to create the same black as for the griffins’ shadows and blocked in the background. I pushed the paint right up to the roofline. I used a soft sable for delicate outlines to gain control. The griffins suddenly stand out against the dark background.
Step 6 Painting in the Full Moon
Action: Paint in the moon via a fine sable with golden-cream hues.With a clean, fine sable, I dabbed titanium white with a little burnt sienna to attain a golden, creamy colour. I carefully applied this mixture to the moon, avoiding areas reserved for the craters. Notice how the moon appears to glow against the rusty background. The next stage will emphasise the moon as a light source.
Step 7: Painting a Brooding Sky
Action: With a soft sable, apply a dusky hue to the sky.Around the moon, I mixed Phthalo Blue, Burnt Umber and varying amounts of white. I aimed for a patchy feel to the sky to suggest the undersides of clouds and a brooding horizon. This echoes the ominous feel of the griffins. But I made sure not to make the sky as dark as the buildings. At this mid-stage of the painting, I will often touch up the main subject matter, in this case, to sharpen detail on the griffins’ carvings.
I dabbed cool highlights via a pale Viridian mixture to suggest the moonlight hitting the heads, upper wings and breasts of the griffins.
Step 8: Final Adjustments and Unifying the Composition
Action: With a rusty colour mix on a soft sable, dab details to the moon and blend the horizon.With a fine sable, I mixed a dirty rusty colour, consisting of burnt sienna, a little burnt umber, and white then dabbed this mix around the horizon. In places, I will darken the mixture with phthalo blue as I worked into the upper sky. Acrylics, being a fast-drying paint, means no blending is possible. Instead, I matched the bluish hue to the upper sky. I like the patchy result, which suggests a scudding underbelly to the clouds during an angry sunset.
The Finished Painting
The completed painting relies upon atmosphere rather than intricacy. The moon, the roofline and the stone guardians work together to create a sense of mystery and drama.The griffins glow under a full moon and a brooding sky. This shows the many tones achievable via a limited palette and simple art techniques. The blacks heighten the aged stone and the rusty-coloured sunset provides colour contrast against the greenish stone colours.
Further Reading
Paint a green moonlit sky with acrylics: Moon project Part 1Paint the moon with Inktense pencils: Moon project Part 2
Visit my sister art blog, Oil Painting Medic, and read how to paint a lighthouse in oil.
Visit my sister art blog, Oil Painting Medic, and read how to paint a lighthouse in oil.
Or explore my other Articles on this site on Acrylics
Or see my latest posts and what’s trending on this Mobile Art Studio site.
Or see my latest posts and what’s trending on this Mobile Art Studio site.
Comments
Post a Comment