This week I’m sharing a time lapse of my Krampus inspired painting, been as it’s Krampusnacht and all that! Oh, and a quick poem from the misunderstood horned goat god himself…..

So many hours and layers......my drawing hand is now aptly claw-like. Krampus has been a favourite character of mine since I was a teenager. Having discovered an Austrian postcard depicting this peculiar demonic companion to a seemingly accepting Saint Nick, I was confused and then utterly delighted. One of these days I'm going to get myself over to the Tyrol for a proper Krampus parade, horned up to the merry eyeballs.

When drawing this piece I realized plastic and baubles take a good getting into before they resemble themselves, very satisfying when you finally achieve a texture that's been driving you nuts. Still work to go on the horns and extra highlights generally, and to decide on a light direction to try and unite the elements a little more, but almost there...... It's all practice. And practice makes stiff fingers and crossed eyes and an empty cafetiere.

Gruss Vom Krampus time lapse

Painted in Procreate. Animated using Motionleap and edited with InShot

Music : Yeah Yeah Yeahs ‘Spitting Off the Edge of the World’ and snuck in some Krampus soundtrack elements to add creep…….

Geek stuff:

As usual I primarily used spray-can medium nozzle brush for drawing and shading, it’s my absolute comfort zone-my equivalent to a soft pencil. For some of the textures I have compiled a little tutorial video below.

Hair and fur; layering up and building texture dark to light using the default Procreate hair brushes in the Materials folder- as well as a set of ‘Nilyn’ hair stroke brushes which are available free to download and import online.

Sequinned skirt: Possibly the first time I used this brush, and now it’s become a ‘sequin’ brush for me, so perfect. It’s the default brush in Procreate’s ‘Abstract’ folder called ‘Opticon’.

Background: Another win with the default Procreate ‘clouds’ brush, in the ‘elements’ folder. Using a large brush and low opacity and gradually adding more dynamic shapes u til a spooky cloudscape is achieved!

The font is ‘Medusa’ with a Gaussian blur layer behind, I love this font and the fun of rasterising and smudging the hell out of it.

Brush tutorial in Procreate

And now a poem……

Always the meanie-it gets my goat

When all I want is to care for and dote

On kiddiwinks good, bad and in between

I’m really not keen on removing your spleen

I’d rather hang out and do something fun

I leave art supplies but you grumble a ton

It’s not out of spite I wrap you up coal

I encourage artistic practice for the soul

I don’t have a list, you’re not under surveillance

Not like St Nick minions who run out of patience

With elves on shelves keeping an eye

On every wrong doing, the Yuletide spies

Me, I’m a hoot, I’ll show you a time

I eat from a trough and my beard too is sublime

I don’t get the deal with rosy cheeked Santa

He’s high on elf bars and chilled cans of Fanta

Father Christmas and all that jazz

He spends his December off on the razz

I’m the one working hard on the books

Admin assistant and on tenterhooks

For the one day of the year my ‘boss’ does some work

Gets dressed up in red and acts like a jerk

I know I look scary, with horns and all the rest

I’m beast with the biggest of hearts in my chest

I’m not gunna bundle you into a sack

If your behaviour this year was slack

I’d never make you into a pie

I’d give you a cuddle, I’m just really shy……

Misunderstood for so many years

Feared by all, it brings me to tears

Underneath the monstrous demeanour

Is a fun loving guy and pro trampoliner

I won some trophies back in the day

My reputation got trashed and they took them away

I’ve a spring in my step, a twinkle in my eye

I’m kind, I’m Krampus! …………………And I love to lie……..

🖤Gruß vom Krampus🖤 Misunderstood monsters and a texture brush geek out

©KARIS HARRINGTON 2024