Nüwa by Sergio Calvo

Hi guys!!

I want to offer you some steps to the Nüwa process throughout these weeks. Surely, some of the images you have seen on Facebook, Patreon, Instagram or in the Celestial Miniatures group but I want to share my experience with all of you. Let’s start!

The choice of Nüwa was not easy, all the models offered me many options and ideas, but since I could only paint one, I have choosen Nüwa for several reasons. The first one was because I could link human skin with the scales of a reptile. Also, I came up with the idea of ​​creating a certain effect around it as a stage. But about this, we’ll see it later!

In the first days I was working on a color scheme; I worked the hair, shoulder and I was defining the tail scales little by little.

I wanted it to have the appearance of a reptile, but getting some points that were considered more metallic. In addition, as I already had in mind the effect I wanted to create I needed to focus certain aspects such as light to highlight both the tail and some areas of Nüwa’s body.

Finally, I decided for more golden and greenish colors to give a higher contrast to the white hair. In addition, I played with metal stuff and small details to get a warmer look at the top and colder at the bottom.

My idea was to have a contrast that would allow to differentiate a calmer or relaxed character in the skin and a more aggressive one, the animal, represented in the tail.

And this contrast was enhanced when I finished painting the face in the following days.

Next, came the part of representing the effect of Sci-fi liquid breaking through Nüwa. I had already worked water effects on my Patreon but now I wanted to go further and try to create a wave that had movement.

Therefore, create a framework around it as if it were a wall, and I tried to find the effect that creates a wave before breaking. As you can see, I was also painting it, placing in the background dark colors that represented the depth of these liquid and in the upper part the foam.

The connection between liquid and Nüwa had to be reflected in some area, and I chose the hand and that form of DNA to represent it. I used the same colors as in the water, playing with the palm of the hand – darker – and the central area of ​​the DNA – whiter -.

Now that you know the process, and my crazy mind, hahaha
At the end I would like to show you some final pictures