This is step by step guide to illustrate the process of creation a complex picture. In our everyday life we can see a lot of sporty wear but pretty poor details such as jewellery, drapery and decoration. I choose Induism as the great source of deep ideas and beautiful images. This image represents Krishna, 8-th Avatar of Vishnu, painted in classical style.

More then 15 pictures below shows the process.

I used aquarel paper, aquarel colors and pencils; brushes #1, 2 and aqua-brushes size S and M. The work started with the full sketch with all details. Usually I avoid such sketches and paint when I feel all picture in my heart, without pencil`s sketch. But this is so complex picture I need all details symmetrically organized. A started with red rubins on the  crown.

 

The crown is the most complex jewellery on the picture, with elegant design and precious stones. I did it from the front elements to back.

 

To make deep shadows on the crown`s design use brown color.

 

Start to paint gold jewellery of Krishna with light yellow color.

 

Make shadows of gold on jewellery.

 

Finish all shadows of gewellery with brown color. It`s the final view.

 

Start the garland with green leaves separates flowers from each others.

 

Finish the garland of roses with several shadows of rose colors.

 

Start to paint Krishna`s zephir with the shadows of red and crimson.

 

Finish  with red and crimson clolrs.

 

Krishna wears in Indian trouses called "dhoti". This is a rectangular  fabric winds to the legs and hips and forms a kind of  bloomers. As Krishna is the Avatar of Vishnu, the colors of dhoty is traditionally the same - yellow. I started painting with the light yellow color.

 

Painting of dhoti is the same as another drapery, with all shadows of gold.

 

 

First of all this is the more dark violet color to make shadows formed the picture.

 

I used 4 colors of blue-violet gamma to draw Krishna`s skin. Before wash out all lines seemed too light, it is normal for aqua pencils.

 

 

Wash out pencil`s lines with water-brush (or an ordinary brush as well). Important thing is to wash it along line`s direction.

 

 

On that step I used black ink to paint Krishna`s hair. The same ink used for eyes and eyebrows.

 

The best way to paint the nimbus is to use aqua pencils. It is important to make lines directly around and radially from Krishna`s head. I used 3 colors of yellow.

 

 

Wash out the pencil`s lines with water-brush carefully with the direction of lines. Now thw work is complete!

 

 

Well, I have to note such work should be a meditation. While you paint details you learn more about it, and partly about youself. Music in New Agw style, meditative music or mantras is the best company for such work. And at the end you should make a step out of work and drop perfectionism. This is not easy to stop as you think to make something better. But the point is to stop anyway and make a glance to the work and say "I did it as perfect as it could be done". Then it will be a real experience inside.