Lamia

STARDUST. OMG.

It was definitely one of my favorite books of all time (hearts for Neil Gaiman!) but the MOVIE rocks so much. Seriously, I've already seen it twice. If you haven't seen it yet and you're even a casual fan of fantasy GO TO THE THEATER RIGHT NOW. It's one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Something for everyone. Great acting. Gah. Loved it.

Okay, sorry, enough raving. My favorite character by far in the book was the Witch Queen, Lamia. I've always admired the evil women in stories. Sure, they usually meet a horrible end, but they enjoy themselves while they're alive and wicked. Anyway, I adored Lamia and seriously felt bad for her at points. Michelle Pfeiffer has always been one of my favorite actresses, but she NAILED the part of Lamia in Stardust. So, I had to paint her.

This was a quicky, really. Here's the reference shot from a still of the film: [link] . I liked the long view, even though I'm crap with landscapes (as you can clearly see XD). The background is basically a lot of smudged oils (I didn't even bother with the building...sheesh I'm lazy) and Lamia was mostly airbrush tools and blenders. I'm not too sure about the lighting on her skin. I was trying to go for something slightly brighter and more dramatic than the reference, and I probably shouldn't have. XD Oh well. At least she looks a tad bit creepier this way.

A few days, Painter IX.
Character (c) Neil Gaiman, Michelle Pfieffer, Paramount Pictures, and...whoever else has their name on that copyright.