This piece kinda came out of nowhere. Just started doodling with my tablet. Doing basic line art and then building on top of that with different greytones.
Deciding to take it farther, I threw basic color ideas up to begin painting. Very freeform; experimenting with different brushes -really just going all over the place..
Continuing what I did before, but starting to bring highlights and shadows out, as well as fixing things like the posture and face. Playing with the overall hues again to find a better balance, as well.
Throwing more texture in, as well as a filtered photo I took for the far background. I make sure and paint all over it and bend it to my will, so it doesn't feel just Photoshop-ed in.
I do the same for the dirt by his feet. And then more tweaking... more finishing... more everything... and I'm done. And then I add the trickled of blood that makes the whole piece!
And then I had a little fun with a logo version.