Pain: God of the Rain - Sketch

Er, well, this sketch didn't start out with an outright intention to draw Pain (aka "AL," the "Akatsuki Leader") from the Naruto series, I was just trying to practice different face angles.

But when it became apparent that the face had an almost snobby or arrogant look, I decided today almost on a whim... why not try drawing Pain again?

I had tried to draw him almost a year ago when he first appeared... but not with much success. My art was too clean, or too resemblant of Kishimoto's, there was virtually no difference, and I didn't feel like it was my own work at all. I guess that was what started me on my little slump for a year since then, too... gah.

Anyway, I'm glad I tried Pain again on this sketch. He fit this profile very well, due to his delusions of godhood. Cross-hatching like a madman helped a LOT in developing my own look for him, as opposed to Kishimoto's... I think.

Unfortunately, it's still just a pencil sketch (and I didn't really work on cleaning it up either) but well, I haven't put anything up here in forever, so I figured I might as well while my scanner was cooperating for once. Uh, I may go back to it and draw and add the other five Pains too, already working on the fat one.

(What a pain, though... sorry, couldn't resist! XD )

P.S. Is it just me, or is anybody having an awful time trying to draw these forehead protectors? I don't envy Kishimoto for having to draw them on EVERY character's head. I'd totally understand if if he employs an assistant just for that part!