Arctic Wolf WIP for critique

[Picasso2]

Hi Mike
Having seen Linda's great snow leopard demonstration, I was inspired to try this Arctic Grey Wolf called "Axel" that my husband photographed when we visited the International Wolf Centre at Ely, Minnesota last year. All the white hair is proving a challenge and I'm not sure how to tackle his whiskers as they are very hard to see against the white hair. Any comments and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Regards
Jean

[PogArtTi]

If it was me, I'd mark the bottom line of the white whisker with darker tone, just to accent the single whisker's direction of growing
I belief there's always much more shadows within the fur, where's lots of hair...
So the darker tone (just dark enough) to support the direction of growth of the white whisker over the white fur - might be beneficial
The rest of the whisker - if it has to be white - I'd try to use some more opaque white (if possible) to make it noticeable enough for the viewer...

It's only my personal clue, I know you'll get much more professional advice from experienced artists in here

[LindasPencils]

Hi Jean,
This is great! You seem to have a real affinity for the technique. A couple of things - remember when drawing on toned paper to allow the paper colour to come through, you do not have to cover every bit. Yes, I realise this was a white wolf, but if you had allowed more areas of tan to show you would have achieved a greated contrast and the wolf would have appeared 'whiter'. Sounds crazy, but it can work that way. It also means those areas of paper become shadow and forms and shapes of the animal.
Also, you seem very concious of using each line to create an individual hair. Like graphite, remember the lines you draw are not always a hair, but become shadows that create hairs. Try and be a bit more relaxed and loose with linework, not so deliberatly drawing a hair each time.
I love the way you have used purples and blues in the nose and ears, this works really well. Also note you have taken the blue into the fur to create shadows and contrast, this is good too. You could push that a bit more which would make your white stand out further.
I think your pencils (Derwents?Fabers? I cannot remember) may be letting you down a bit. White is difficult to put down on tone paper. I would suggest you think about getting either a softer white pencil like a Prismacolour to overlay. If you have been using Prismas than even more effective would be a soft white pastel stick to sock some bright whites in highlighted areas. This can also work on the whiskers. Soft Pastel should draw over the pencil, just be careful not to over do it. And it is great for adding that white highlight in the eye.
Really good work Jean, it is fun to see you streching yourself like this and achieve such good results.

[Darkhorse]

Hi Jean, I agree with what has already been said by Linda and Artur and cant really add any more to it regarding your technique, but, and really this is a personal opinion only, I would like to see you bring the neck and chest down a little more, at the moment the head is not 'sitting' on anything and looks a little lost. Have a look at other animal portraits and most artists will try and include a good amount of neck and chest into their portraits.
You could try a white gel pen for whiskers, but as Linda said don't overwork it. A very fine, light touch is all that is needed.
Other than that a brilliant job, I love his soft fluffy ears.
Bev

[Picasso2]

Thanks so much for your suggestions and comments, Bev. Much appreciated as this is my first real attempt at coloured pencils.
Regards
Jean

[PogArtTi]

"the head is not 'sitting' on anything and looks a little lost."

Yes, that's a good thought Bev

[Laurene]

Hi Jean. I'm just seeing this now and I truly admire how you've rendered the whites here. Whites and blacks are so difficult. As Linda observed, your use of blues and violets add a life and richness to the darks.

[Picasso2]

Thanks for the encouragement, Laurene. Obviously more work to do, judging from the other comments, so will keep trying!
Regards
Jean