Have you guys seen these time lapsed screen recordings of people who create digital masterpieces on YouTube? Here are a few of the better ones I have seen. The first four are all done by the same guy:

YouTube - GHOST WHISPERER - Speed Painting by Nico Di Mattia

YouTube - SPIDER-MAN Speed Painting by Nico Di Mattia

YouTube - MEGAN FOX - speedpainting by Nico Di Mattia

YouTube - BUMBLEBEE - Speed Painting by Nico Di Mattia

YouTube - SPEED PAINTING - Scarlett Johansson by mediamaster

YouTube - Speed Painting Photorealism... Again.

YouTube - Digital Painting Photo-Realism Again

I got inspired by these videos and have now been working on one of these myself. So far I am about 4 hours in. I estimate it will take me up to 10 or so to finish it. I am recording it session by session and hope to speed up the completed process into a video like these.

Those are amazing, I only dream of being able to do something like that.
I am interested to see you your finished piece Hybrix.

Yeah I love those things, I could watch them for hours. In fact, the only channel I'm subscribed to on youtube is a time lapsed speed painting one.

This is the first time I've seen "speed painting". That Nico di Mattia is really good. I like the way he does the faces (I wonder if he'll make a good make up artist too, haha) especially the eyes.

I always loved what could be done on paint. I used to do alterations for pixel games and get some money for the graphics designs, now I just stick with signiture making, but awsome videos man.

Just an update on this. I'm still working on it. I'm about 7 hours into mine now. It's the first one I've attempted so it takes a bit longer. I'll condense it into a few minutes though so it should be comparable to the ones in the OP by the time I'm finished.

How many more hours are you going to put into it?.
I have a problem of never being happy with I have done, other people may look and say to me that looks good but I always look at a drawing I have done and think I could add some shade here, remove some from there, do this do, that kind of thing.

I cant imagine what I would be like with the gear that those guys are using I would never be away from the computer!.

Really all you need is Photoshop and a a tablet such as one of these:

Wacom Intuos4 - Product Overview

They range from under $100 to a few hundred for a bigger one.

Anyway, I think I will put 2-4 more hours into it. It's hard to be sure since I haven't done one of these before but based on the progress I have made so far my guess is no more than 10 hours total. The trick is finding the motivation to sit down and go for it for several hours at a time. Usually I get a good hour in and need to take a break. It's actually a little nervewracking to draw on video because you find yourself being extra careful so the video looks good instead of just doing what comes naturally.

I would be really interested in seeing your work, because it would add a connection since I know you. Plus, I love stuff like this. I envy the patience and just plain talent that goes into these.

Also, spiderman<3

I would have been done with it by now but the last few days have been hectic *ahem*. I hope to have it up next week sometime though.

I'm about 8 hours in now.