So, I got this idea stuck in my head recently – wanted to try creating some artwork based on Corpse Husband. You know, his whole vibe is pretty unique, and I thought it’d be a cool challenge, especially since, well, the whole face reveal thing isn’t happening.
Getting Started
First thing I did was just soak in the aesthetic. I spent some time listening to his music again, scrolling through fan interpretations, and looking at the few official visuals there are, mostly focusing on the mask and the general mood. Didn’t need exact face references, obviously, but wanted to capture the feel. The mask shape, the hint of curly hair sometimes shown, that deep, dark atmosphere – that’s what I grabbed onto.
Sketching it Out
I fired up my tablet and started sketching. Kept it really loose at first. Just trying to get the mask placement right on the canvas. Played around with the angle a bit. Should it be straight on? Slightly tilted? Decided on a slight tilt, felt a bit more dynamic. Then I roughed in some hair around the top and sides. Didn’t go crazy detailed yet, just shapes.
- Focused on the iconic mask shape.
- Blocked in where the hair would be.
- Considered the overall composition – mostly a close-up.
Building it Up
Once the rough sketch felt okay, I started refining it. Made the lines for the mask cleaner, more defined. Added a bit more structure to the hair, making it look like actual strands instead of a blob. I decided to keep the style somewhat gritty, not perfectly smooth.
Then came the base colors. Pretty straightforward here: dark grey, almost black, for the mask. A really dark brown for the hair. I left the background simple for now, just a flat dark color, maybe a deep muted red, I think it was.
Adding the Dimension
This is where it started to come alive. I began adding shadows and highlights. Thought about a single light source, maybe off to the side, to create some drama. Put shadows under the hair where it meets the mask, and gave the mask itself some form, making it look less flat. Added some subtle highlights along the edges where the light might hit. Making it look tangible was key.
I spent a good while on the hair texture next. Didn’t want perfect curls, just that slightly messy look. Used a textured brush to dab in different shades, building it up layer by layer. Added some highlights to make individual strands pop a little.
Finishing Touches
Okay, nearly there. Looked at the whole thing. Felt it needed… something more. I played with adding a very subtle texture overlay onto the mask, just to give it a bit of a fabric feel. Then I messed with the overall color balance. Added a slight color grade, pushing the shadows towards blue and keeping the midtones slightly warm, just to enhance that moody vibe. Maybe added a soft vignette effect to draw the eye towards the center.
Stepped back, looked at it again. Made a few tiny tweaks here and there – adjusted a shadow, brightened a highlight. Called it done when I stopped fiddling and just felt satisfied with the overall look.
And that’s pretty much how I went about creating my Corpse Husband piece. It was a fun process, mostly about capturing a feeling rather than a likeness. Just putting my own spin on that iconic mask and mood.
