How to paint a zombie pin-up in Photoshop

05. Face the facts

zombie face

The face becomes more creepy and rotten looking. I constantly change my mind and I create a lot of different layers for all the wrinkles and the blood. I also add some dirty colours, such as green or purple.

06. Poster girl

zombie influences

My painting is inspired by the zombie visual references that most people are aware of. For the sky and background figures I draw heavily on the design of the well-known poster for the 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead. I think of my image as a kind of tribute or parody.

07. Apply sun block

zombie lights

A sun that's either rising or setting complicates matters. A strong backlight means your characters appear darker than usual. You have to work carefully with the silhouettes. In addition, all your tones will turn to orange or yellow. Using different layers for your adjustments is the best approach to take.

Words: Serge Birault

Serge Birault is a freelance illustrator and has worked for the mobile phone industry and several web design agencies. He's well versed in Actionscript development, 3D modelling and animation software.

This article originally appeared in ImagineFX magazine issue 62.

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