MATERIALS
• Prismacolor Premier coloured pencils:
Eyes: PC916 Canary Yellow,PC941 Light Umber, PC943 Burnt Ochre, PC948 Sepia,PC935 Black
Fur: PC1051 Warm Grey,PC1074 French Grey, PC941 Light Umber, PC943 Burnt Ochre, PC948 Sepia, PC946 Dark Brown, PC947 Dark Umber, PC935 Black
Rocks and background:PC1051 Warm Grey, PC943 Burnt Ochre, PC944 Terra Cotta, PC949 Silver and Graphite Pencils 2B & 3B
• Graphite Pencils HB, 2B, 3B, 6B
• Putty Rubber
• Prismacolor Sharpener
• Renoir University 300gsm Smooth White Cartridge Paper
• Solid board to clip paper
• Tissues or paper towels
• Fixative
STEP ONE
Start with the eyes, building up layers of colour, light colours first building to dark. Take care not to colour the whole area inside the eyes, leaving areas of white paper for showing the special ‘glint’ in their eyes. The first colour Canary Yellow will be the base colour. Light Umber is used to add shadow for depth on the inside of the eyes around the edges, followed by Burnt Ochre to add more depth and colour. PC948 Sepia and PC935 Black for the pupil, leaving white paper for the special ‘glint’ in the dog’s eyes and for the highlights.
This stage is crucial, as the character and true essence of the animal starts with their eyes, ie; their expression, character, colour, softness, light etc. Keep building up the inside of the eyes using a soft hand, taking notice of light, dark, form, shape and depth.
STEP TWO
Continue layering with colour for the nose, remembering to leave some white paper for the lightest lights and silver for the next lightest. Move on to start to build the fur surrounding the eyes and onto the dog’s face using pencils, with a nice point, which will bring out the separation of the fur layer over layer. Softly build curved lines following the flow and direction of the dog’s fur, layering over colours from light to dark, paying attention to light and dark, shade and highlight. Leave any light areas white paper. Continue with this pattern, following the direction of the fur, working outwards from the eye area.
STEP THREE
Continue building up the fur, from the eyes outwards into the broader areas of the dogs face, moving to the dog’s right ear (working from left to right of the paper to prevent smudging). The nose can be completed at this stage and it should have the look of a ‘cold wet nose’. Continue layering light colours to dark, using a soft hand to apply line over line, building up the layers of fur. Do not use a back and forward motion, but more of a sweeping soft motion following the furs direction. Use the darkest colour for shadows under fur that is highlighted, as per Tyler’s lovely highlighted tufts of fur under his eyes. Leave white paper for the lightest highlights and use silver for the subtle shadows over the white, which picks up the glossy coat of the dog.
STEP FOUR
Move onto the body of the dog and the background areas, filling in the elements of space the dog is set in. Keep building up layers of colours from light to dark using different strokes and applying varying pressure to achieve the depth of colour and texture that suits your subject. In this example I put Tyler in a natural setting, showing rocks behind him which he loved to dig under, finding lizards! It is good to put an animal in the scene where they are most comfortable, their natural environment, as it will bring out his/her true character. Take reference photos to use more than one photo if needed to make a composition from both the animal and a different background, if unable to get a photo of the dog in the scene you would like.
STEP FIVE
Move into the final stages of the drawing, completing the background and working on the foreground. Add detail to the dog’s fur in this stage. To achieve the white fur over the background colour I used a putty rubber to draw the wispy fluffy edges of the fur in over the graphite background. This sets the background behind the dog. I then built up the background shadows and area under the dog’s chin. To give the white fur some definition, use the 2B Graphite, PC1051 Warm Grey and PC949 Silver to add some shadows. Fine tune the detail and add character marks, ie; the freckle near Tyler’s nose, his collar and the fine shadows between the eyes using a soft HB graphite pencil. Add wispy bits of fur around the edges of the dog, using a light colour blended with darks. This will soften the overall coat of the dog.
STEP SIX AND FINAL STEP
The finished artwork should look like a work of art, not a photograph. Take the time to go over the whole drawing carefully and add the final touches of detail and then put it aside and walk away, so as not to fiddle with it, which, from experience, can overwork a drawing. It is time now to sign your work. To finish, I use a good quality fixative to spray my work lightly to prevent smudging. Use an acid free, colour free fixative. By doing this it protects the drawing from smudges, light damage and transference of the pencil dust sticking to the glass once the drawing is framed.
ARTIST’S HINTS AND TIPS
• Choose a subject that is pleasing to you and make lots of small sketches getting familiar with your subject. For example; wildlife animals are easier to find in wildlife parks and sanctuaries where they are visible. Spend time getting to know their habitat, pay attention to their features ie; shape, fur texture, feet, claws,feathers, their eyes and so on.
• Take lots of reference photos and notes.
• Learn to draw before trying to paint, as this will improve your overall experience and technique, making your work more balanced and appealing. To do this, draw from life to master perspective.
• Try different mediums and find one that suits your style and preference best.
•Also try a variety of substrates, pertaining to the different mediums. For example I like to use different watercolour papers from smooth to rough, depending on my subject. For oil paintings I use linen for pet portraits due to its smoother surface and cotton canvas for landscapes.
• When starting oil painting, learn to use the three primary colours only ie; red, blue, yellow and mix these three to make most of the colours for your subject. Add Titanium White for lightening the colours. Buy a colour wheel to help with learning about colour and tone.
• Mistakes happen often, allow your self to make many, which will be rewarding in the long run. It is better to leave a mistake, than try to fix it. Sometimes mistakes can improve a painting. If it is unfixable, paint over it, tear it up or start again.
• Never copy or compare yourself to others, be true to yourself and find your uniqueness. It is not important how many artworks you sell, it is more important to enjoy the journey.
• Explore your creativity and enjoy yourself. Have fun!
