Tut's crown and head

Took me seven hours to work the underpainting of the crown and the head. Obviously not all done - when I work with color I'll be putting the details in place.

 Here is the whole painting so far...

And here is the pharaoh's head. The reference photo I am using here shows the face rather "flat" but I digged out ever photo and book showing this throne that I have, and made the face more lifelike.

Tut's Throne - background all blocked

Now I have blocked the background - but it will not stay this smooth in the finished painting. Years have crumbled the gold foil of the chair and it is quite wrinkled.

Tut's Throne - right pillar and background

Today I lightened the pillar on the right a bit - it was dry enough. Then I painted the cartouches to the left of the pharaoh's head and blocked in the bakcground between him and the left pillar. Added some preliminary shadows there too.

Tut's Throne - pillar on the right

Finished the underpainting of the pillar on the right - I'll wait for it to dry and then add lights to soften the colors which are now too dark.