Resurrection of a Painting - Part Three

After deciding upon an image (see part two) and collecting reference I began the drawing for the final painting. I started with a harmonic armature within which I placed the figure and other elements. An armatures can help to create order amongst the various various elements and to the whole:

After transferring this to the canvas the wash drawing was begun:

The reference came from many different places. I took photos of my friend and student Juan Pablo:

Drew Struzen's Star Wars posters have wonderful renderings of light effects. They really are a modern interpretation of halos.  Illustrator Mike Sass uses similar effects on his art for the Star Wars game Knights of the Old Republic:

For sky, drapery and flag I looked to Titian:

I found this image of a lake in Alberta and used it as a source for the rocks at front:

For the clouds, Cagnacci's Assumption of Mary Magdalene:

The broken gates I borrowed from Casper David Friedrich:

The cross comes from San Filipo Neri church in Florence:

And the Hubble space telescope provided the cosmos:

Mix it all up and shake real hard:

Anastasis 

The final painting is now in the private collection of His Eminence Mauro Cardinal Piacenza in Vatican City.