If you’re a horror fan, you know that some cinematic faces are burned into our collective nightmares forever. For me, it’s the chilling, fractured gaze of Regan MacNeil from The Exorcist.
I recently wanted to pay tribute to this iconic horror moment, but I didn't want to make just another dark, gritty movie poster. I wanted to completely reinvent it. To do that, I experimented with a brand-new abstract stencil effect I’ve been developing.
Here is a look behind the scenes at how I brought this vibrant, radioactive piece to life!
The Concept: Subverting Classic Horror
Traditional horror art relies heavily on deep shadows, blood reds, and muted grays. While that works perfectly for setting a mood on screen, I wanted this canvas to bring an entirely different energy into a room.
My goal was Pop-Horror—fusing the unsettling, visceral imagery of The Exorcist with the high-voltage, graphic look of modern street art.
Step 1: Deconstructing the Face (The New Stencil Effect)
The core of this painting relies on a new digital and manual stencil technique I’ve been perfecting. Instead of copying a photo directly, the goal of this effect is to deconstruct the subject into high-contrast, organic shapes.
-
Isolating the Terror: I focused heavily on Regan's most expressive features—the intense, piercing eyes and the scarred distortion of her face.
-
Abstract Mapping: Using my new technique, I mapped out the shadows and highlights, turning them into fluid, abstract "islands."
-
The Neon Outline: To give it that signature punch, I introduced a sharp, electric-pink outline that traces the borders between the shapes. This creates a brilliant "halo" effect that makes the entire portrait vibrate visually.
Step 2: Choosing the "Radioactive" Palette
To match the energy of the stencil work, the colours had to be loud. I chose an acidic, contrasting palette
Step 3: Layering onto the Canvas
Once the stencil map and color theory were locked in, it was time to paint. Working on a stretched canvas, I layered the acrylics carefully to ensure the neon hues maintained their absolute purity without muddying into one another.
The texture of the canvas itself plays a huge role here. Because the stencil design is so flat and graphic, the raw weave of the canvas underneath adds a gritty, tactile dimension that reminds you this is a raw, hand-painted piece.
The Final Result
When you step back from the easel, the magic of the stencil effect really takes over. From far away, the abstract shapes seamlessly snap together to reveal Regan’s unmistakable, terrifying gaze. Up close, it dissolves back into an awesome, chaotic matrix of neon shapes and lines.
This painting was an absolute blast to create, and it’s convinced me that this new stencil effect has a ton of potential for future icons.
What do you think? Who should I run through my new stencil effect next? Let me know in the comments below, and head over to the shop if you're ready to bring a piece of modern horror history into your own collection!
Add comment
Comments