Hi, my name is Davide Brugnettini, I am a big movie fan and figure painter! I have previously appeared in The Figurementors Magazine and this is my first tutorial here on the official website. I hope you will enjoy this little piece about how I painted Snake Plissken from the cult classic Escape From New York!

In 1988, due to a 400% increase in crime, the US government turned all of Manhattan into a maximum-security prison. The inmates, all sentenced to life imprisonment, are left to fend for themselves. In 1997, Snake Plissken, a decorated former war hero turned criminal, is about to enter the facility.  

Meanwhile, the presidential plane, enroute to a summit on global security and military strategy, is hijacked by terrorists from the American National Liberation Front. Their suicide mission is to crash the plane. Fortunately, the President is saved by ejecting himself into an escape pod just before the plane crashes into Manhattan, but is immediately kidnapped.  

Police High Commissioner Hauk decides to send Snake Plissken to retrieve the President and his secret documents, including an audiotape of his speech. Plissken is promised a clean criminal record if he can complete the mission within 24 hours. However, if he fails to complete the mission, two micro-bombs implanted in his neck will be detonated.  

Arriving in Manhattan, Snake meets a taxi driver who informs him that the President is being held prisoner by a domineering figure known as the ‘Duke’, who is considered the ruler of New York. The taxi driver accompanies Snake to ‘Mind’s’ mansion, where he discovers his former partner in crime, Harold Helman, and his partner Maggie, who manage to reach the President. Together, they manage to free the President. Although Snake is captured by the Duke’s men, she manages to escape. Together with the taxi driver, the four flee by car across one of the mine bridges, pursued by the Duke. Only Snake and the President survive.

The police hoist the President over the prison wall and he kills the Duke. Snake deactivates the microbombs in her body on the wire after handing the precious tape to Hauk. However, during the satellite broadcast of the President’s international conference, Snake walks away, destroying the original tape that the taxi driver had replaced, playing his favourite song. 

Painting Snake Plissken – Early Stages

Today, I will explain how I painted the Snake model by ATTABOI 3D Models. The model was sculpted by Maestro Roberta Fontana, who is famous for her ultra-realistic sculptures. I must say that it is very impressive to see a 1/9th exact reproduction of Kurt Russel’s face on my workbench. Escape from New York is one of my favourite films and, for modellers of my generation, a reference point for dystopian sci-fi movies.  

Every time I see this John Carpenter milestone; it takes me back to my teenage years. When I started painting it, I felt like I was creating one of those stylishly designed posters that were in vogue at the time. It’s a must-have piece for all Generation X kids. 

Now, let’s get down to business and tackle this little masterpiece exhaustively. To paint the model of an actor, I chose a realistic approach instead of using strong chiaroscuro or fantasy painting techniques like OSL or NMM. I referred to a photo from the 1999 film Escape from New York, even though my model does not have a jacket. The rest of the model looks good.

I split the pieces to enhance the overall appearance. I painted the base Matt Black (Molotow) and the Azimuth Light White (Molotow) before joining the pieces. To prime the entire piece, I covered the painted parts in black. I began with the skin, which was the most complex part of the job. To achieve a realistic skin tone, I used an airbrush technique called ‘spotting’, which was taught to me by Simona Bordonaro. First, I applied a layer of AK Basic Shade and lightly highlighted it with the Sunny Skin Tone. Then, I sprayed a series of very diluted colour tones (about 90%) with a very low compressor pressure (+/- 0.8). 

While photographing the piece, I realised that it is difficult to show the stains. To achieve the desired effect, I used three passes of the same colours. This technique requires careful attention to detail to remove any drops that are too large or not in harmony with the piece. 

I used Casandora Yellow, Drakenhof Nightshade, Athonian Camoshade, and Druchii Red of Baal. 

Painting Snake Plissken – Refinements

Although the colours I used on the face and respective areas are not immediately noticeable, they are all GW colours. Using these products for stains will produce better results than using regular colours. After colouring, I meticulously worked on the hair, beard, and eyebrows, adding volume one line at a time with a brush. For both the beard and eyebrows, I used AK Deep Brown, lightening with AK Cork and darkening with Copper Brown from the Vallejo Xpress colour range. 

I used this colour as a base for the hair and then lightened it with AK Deep Brown. The final outcome is a face that appears both natural and well-defined. 

I will promptly attend to the bandage and waistcoat, which are painted in plain AK Black, lightened with the legendary Nightmare Darkness and a small amount of AK Ivory (mixed with 50% Nightmare Darkness). For the tank top hinges, I used AK Natural Steel with a thread of AK Black to increase detail. The model would be incomplete without the Cobra that gives the character his name. 

Painting the Cobra

I had some difficulty finding a suitable reference for the cobra because the initial options were all black. In the end, I chose a realistic cobra with warm brown and yellow tones that complement the face well. I used AK Deep Yellow as a base and applied a ‘wash’ of VALLEJO Copper Brown. The belly was lightened with AK Ivory. To create the various shades on the piece, I mixed AK Deep Brown for both the belly and the cobra scales. 

I replicated the typical designs of this snake using acrylic markers, which are easier to handle but cannot be shaded. I then added the scales to give depth. 

 After experimenting with colours and the airbrush, I came across the beautiful Adelmo wooden base and completed the piece. I attempted to capture the extent of the work done in a photograph. 

It was a pleasure to write for the figurementors once again, and I hope to have both entertained and inspired you with my show and tell. The snake model can be found on Attaboi’s website at https://www.attaboi3dmodels.com/product-page/snake. 

I thoroughly enjoyed myself and look forward to the next opportunity. Cheers, Davide.