Adi Granov

Another Daredevil cover, this time going all the way back to 2012. This was also traditionally painted, but I did some digital enhancements to the background colours.

I've done a number of DareDevil covers over the years, but this one is still my favourite. I think it was from 2018.

This was when I was really getting into the stride with acrylic paints and the whole sculptural, weighty forms thing I'm still chasing.

Finally the finished MK3 commission

Acrylic paint on watercolour board, 20x15 inches. Varnished and photographed.

The only thing I ever touch up are flat blacks as they never photograph flat, which is super annoying.

I think my next commission opening will be for Lake Como Con in May, but probably not for anything this large.

I wanted to take a photo where it shows the painting in a natural context without any adjustments. I don't do digital adjustments to my paintings for print as I try to get them as I want them physically, but I don't really have control over the printing results.

Iron Man MK3 commission is done. Painted in acrylic paint on watercolour board.

MK3 commission in progress
Grisaille finished. The volume and depth are good, so time for colour. Going kinda slow as I spent most of the day yesterday looking for some new music to listen to, only to end up playing the same old stuff.
Anyway, this is, as usual, acrylic paint on watercolour board.

One World Under Doom

This started out as me messing around on canvas for the first time. It seems most of my recent covers are kind of accidental. I'll put some proper effort in on the next one!

I sometimes use fluid acrylics, but it always feels like it's missing the buttery quality I prefer.

I use primarily heavy body acrylics on the grisaille stage because it allows me more control than more liquid paint. It's personal preference. I add slow drying medium and water to adjust the thickness and opacity, or glazing medium for layering brush strokes.

More progress on the MK3 commission

Acrylic paint on watercolour board

Iron Man MK3 commission in progress

Acrylic paint on watercolour board

This Wolverine commission (I call it the Matador variant!) is now a cover

If it feels appropriate I tend to send these high level commissions to Marvel for potential use, but since they weren't commissioned for a particular purpose I never know where they might end up.

Two 9x10 acrylic paintings Tamsin Isles will have at OAX this weekend

Only managed to get two done because as usual my simple plans got a bit too complicated.

Do you ever get the feeling someone is watching you?

Blade done for a friend's birthday
Acrylic paint on watercolour board

If I ever do an Extremis 2, I'll find a way to squeeze in a Porsche and a Panerai!

One thing I never get credit for but am quite proud of is that I drew Tony in an Audi in Extremis and then Audi became a partner on the film and he drives an R8. I spent a very long time debating what kind of car he would be chauffeured in, and before RDJ "my" Tony had an Audi and wore a Tag Heuer.

I think you can really see a direct link between my style on Extremis and my work on the movie and even the movie itself. I think the first Iron Man really embraced so many aspects of Extremis.

The designs weren't finalised yet, but Jon loved this image so much he mounted a big print of it above his office door with the words "plausibility" below it.

It was the first keyframe I did for the Iron Man movie. Jon Favreau was so into the look of Extremis he kept asking me to do stuff in that style, so simultaneously with the work on the Mk3 and the Iron Monger I started doing these kinds of comic book-ish images.

Since I posted the Extremis 01 cover yesterday, along with the ground punch cover which celebrated 20 years this year, they were probably the most important images which launched my career along with inspiring the MCU, etc. Here is what I would say is the most important image I ever did for the MCU.

I was so broke and concerned with surviving that I was completely unaware of the impact this was going to have. I wanted to do the best job possible, and I think I did, but I am not sure anyone expected the ripple effect this story and art was going to have.

2025 will mark both the 20th anniversary or Iron Man Extremis and my move to the UK. Both quite monumental events in my life.
I painted this cover for Extremis 01 sometime in 2004, I think probably in the summer. I remember painting 02 during that year's Wizard World Chicago.

The Muscle Girl bar in Tokyo was really fun.

Anti-Venom painting done for Marvel Snap

Acrylic paint on watercolour board

I declare war

😉

Acrylic paint

But for all the extreme bodybuilder details, such as all of the smaller muscles, tendons and veins which are so lean and exaggerated, especially in this case in the armpit area, I look at photos of bodybuilders.

It's quite a bit of work, especially with poses where the muscles are stretched and flexed in extreme ways, especially twisting. I have a lot of experience with anatomy, so I can get the basic shapes laid out, and I have a couple of anatomical figures by my desk.

New Opeth is still amazing. My favourite album in years.

Acrylic paint for this monstrosity