![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPE0I46RvognBceVUHMwklu3qsWLQ1eh8w1ctBwtJOlFo8dgmFy8cpjdwH-b_ybkrfrRlsJlrgLad4zTjzhHegxpyL6dWncYfWcOk7rt3ufzqRhyfwzVW3c-eQV7f4Ur1eGSehs_NEaBA/s400/kolref1.jpg)
I have many different ways of working from thumbnail, to sketch, to final. In this instance I had the added challenge of getting a likeness of a character linked to a specific real person. So I gathered reference after the thumbnail (which I do not always do). When I got this job I was very excited because I am a fan of the Kolchak tv series and Darren McGavin. However, I knew this was going to be a challenge because both the A.D. and I wanted it to look like Mr. McGavin. So after coming up with a thumbnail I liked, I went and got the DVDs of the
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZSQphRUiuvY_vdZRKuHvcbCre4dyrOyKVe-FKBW60HfAjuvb_btE7-SExhIzHoE7IMCtRj1TyJrsH_Lik0_x2ydlGS9SpfaiMpSPyHW47zadHuGK56J-bkvRhwF1oegszgyMPH55HjxE/s200/kolref1-5.jpg)
first two Kolchak TV movies (much nicer
looking and cinematic than the later series)
and combed it for shots that would fit my thumbnail. I couldn't find the exact shot I wanted, but I found two that when pieced together would work. The next step was to shoot myself in a similar pose to Kolchak because I wanted more information to work with than the screen shots gave me. I also searched the internet for the camera that he used, I never found the exact one, but I did find a similar model.
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I have now put together the reference I need, next the trick was to get what I needed out of the ref. I started with a rough lay-in from the screen grabs. Then, using the photos of myself and my own sense of idealization I began to redesign and render. I wanted to push a bit more of a tough rugged Clint Eastwood, or Tommy Lee Jones look, so I added a bit more structure to the face (especially the nose and chin) and squared off the jaw a little more. I also wanted more of a stern look to his squint, so I furrowed the brow and deepened the creases. I used the ref of me quite a bit in the hands, and tilted the shoulders to give a sense of movement. The challenge was to do all of this while maintaining the likeness.
After finishing up, I then paint the final illustration primarily from the final sketch. I only refer back to the photos if I need a little more information. This was a pretty tight sketch so I don't remember doing that too much here.
EDIT:
I was asked about the "zombie", here is the reference for him. It's me again, and an anatomical head used as ref to help zombify me. I normally just make up the zombification, but I wanted a very real, almost clinical look to this guy. I also distorted the proportion in the shadow to give him a quirky, supernatural vibe.