Space has always held a fascination for kids and adults, so it’s likely you’ll get requests for types of characters, event villains and bounty hunters, who are part of those sci-fi stories. I hope this bounty hunter-inspired design is helpful as you receive requests for space villains.
Materials
• Paradise dark green face paint
• Paradise black face paint
• Paradise red face paint
• Paradise brown face paint
• Paradise yellow face paint
• Paradise gold face paint
• Paradise grey face paint
• TAG pearl black face paint
• TAG pearl white face paint
• Diamond FX white face paint
• Diamond FX black face paint
• Kryvaline Glowgaze large split cake
• 1/2-inch flat brush
• #1 round brush
• #2 round brush
• #5 round brush
• Blending brush
• Sponge
Tutorial
Begin by loading your 1/2-inch flat brush with Paradise dark green, which is a perfect color for our bounty hunter, and some TAG pearl white. Create the basic helmet shape for the bounty hunter, and also add two half circle shapes above the eyebrows for his shoulders. Clean the brush and add a little more TAG pearl to the left side of the helmet. Load some Paradise black and pearl black to the right side of the helmet. On the far ends of his shoulders, add some small patches of gold, which is in keeping with his body armor.
Load your #5 round brush with Paradise red with a little dark brown mixed in and create a curve along the front of the helmet with a straight piece coming down in the center. The bounty hunter’s armor is pretty beat up, so you want a dingy red for this, which is why we’re adding the dark brown.
We’re going to deepen the shadows on the right side of the image now by using our original red and green, but adding a little Paradise black or TAG pearl black. These black are softer than the Diamond FX or Wolfe black, so that’s why I use them for shadows. Always pay close attention to where the light is coming from so you can put your shadows in the right place with any design.
Mix a little pearl white and yellow to make some marks just above the red visor on either side of the helmet. Rinse your brush and use TAG white to make some highlights and rough reflective spots on the helmet and armor. You can tap these with your finger tip to get them to blend a little.
Using your softer blacks, like the Paradise black or the TAG pearl black, add a little extra black in areas like at the neck just under the helmet and other areas where you’d like more shadow. Use a dry brush (a blending brush with short bristles works best) to blend the shadows into the rest of the design.
Use the Diamond FX white (or Wolfe white) to add your highlights with the #1 round brush.
Sponge the background with splotches of color from the Kryvaline Glowgaze large split cake. You’re creating a nebula effect with the color.
Near the hairline, add some Paradise black or TAG pearl black to finish off your dramatic space background. Also use the #1 round brush with the Diamond FX white to add stars and starbursts.
As your final step, add the antennae which is the left of your bounty hunter’s helmet. It’s best to add this after you’ve completed the background. I used a little Paradise grey to make the line and the small V-shape attached to the top. Then I added a little white to the left side and a little black to the right side for the highlight and shadow.
For a more cartoon-like design, which would take less time, you could use flat colors and omit the shadows. Kids would still love it.
I hope you enjoy the design!
Beth MacKinney is the owner of and primary face painter for Face Paint Pizzazz in the NW Chicago suburbs. She also writes for Examiner.com as the Chicago Face Painting Examiner.