Mark Ryden’s paintings are incredibly detailed, unusual (and quite often strange) portraits with an often classical look about them, until – in this instance – you realise the slightly creepy subject is in a dress made of meat.
This video of Ryden painting Incarnation makes his work look effortless in a way that I could only dream of being able to do. Obviously the video doesn’t include planning, sketches and similar, but it’s still impressive that he’s able to do such a large, detailed painting so quickly. Unfortunately the final part, adding most of the detail and finishing touches, is left out, but I like that I’m left wondering. I do like that he has a stack of photographs of meat to his left.
If you’re wondering where you’ve heard Ryden’s name before, he was responsible for the cover art for Michael Jackson’s Dangerous, though his own portraits are far more interesting.