New Dog Portrait

[leeds1]

Mike, I am about to start on drawing the attached dog portrait for a friend. Do you have any overall comments/tips with regards to how to achieve the fur texture for this specific project?

[Mike Sibley]

Mike, I am about to start on drawing the attached dog portrait for a friend. Do you have any overall comments/tips with regard to how to achieve the fur texture for this specific project?

Personally, I'd do two things before drawing began. The first is to describe to myself what I'm seeing - given that I can't place my hands on the subject.

In this case, I think the hair will feel silky and smooth. The skin will be loose, which is to say that it will move under my fingers. If I brush the hair the wrong way, I'll feel my fingers catch as they pull each layer upright.

Then, I'd take a really long and in-depth look at reference. Here, the left-hand dog provides far more information, so let's stick with that one.

Three-dimensional shaping and shading are more dominant than the hair texture.
However, the texture absolutely has to be described.
Wherever I look, I can see very subtle evidence of layers in the hair. Looking between the left-hand eye and the left-hand ear, there are at least five edges between layers. The distance between those layers tells us how long individual hairs are.

DAVID-Boxers.jpg

I've tried to enhance the layers and edges. If you look at the folds across the neck and body, the top edge of each displays the hair as it parts and curves over behind the fold. I think that's really important. It's subtle but absolutely described the hair that covers the entire body.

So, you could draw it as a smooth three-dimensional dog, but I think that would be an error. How deep you look, and how deep you execute the detail within the hair, is up to your personal interpretation. But that detail has to exist somewhere.

Physically, I'd be using very short lines to build up every part. It's easy to think, "well, this area looks smooth and flat, so I'll just shade it to look solid", but that won't work. Take the time to build it up with your short lines, because sufficient will remain visible to subtly suggest the actual hair.

Finally - and this is pure personal taste - I like the hint of tongue in the left-hand dog. But the mouth of the right-hand dog reminds me of a fish out of water. I'd want to, at least partially, close it.

[leeds1]

Mike, attached is the finished portrait of the Dog Brothers that I completed for a friend of mine. Would appreciate, as always, any critique comments from you! I used steadtler lead holder pencils 2H, HB and 2B, the paper you sent over to me previously and applied a Matte spray at the the end.

[Mike Sibley]

David, this is super! With a single suggestion and one exception.

Before I continue, I have no doubt your friend will see this and recognise the dogs. So, what I'm about to say doesn't count - well, not much.

First, consider adding key highlights to the eyes. There aren't any in the reference, but don't let that stop you. They make a world of difference. I once received an email from a photographer who said he'd been painting out the "pesky highlights" in every portrait he'd ever worked on... and now regretted it, having read my book. They are a natural and very useful occurrence.

DAVIDP-Brothers-dtl.jpg

Theoretically, they shouldn't be present - especially in the right-hand dog - because the top curves of the eyeballs are at least partially hidden by the protruding top eyelids. But, as I said, don't let that stop you!

I've given the left-hand dog's left-hand eye a pure white highlight and a secondary reflection across the top of the eyeball. Then added another highlight in its right-hand eye, which I dulled down. The brilliance of the first draws you to the dog and ADDS LIFE. The second just adds balance.

Then I did the same for the right-hand dog, but dulled them even more, and reduced them in size. Possibly this dog doesn't need them, but I'd still try to include at least a hint. You do, however, have to be careful with the positioning, or you might make the dogs look up instead of straight ahead. All that said, I wouldn't attempt to add them now (especially as it's fixed). Just bear it in mind for future drawings.

The exception is the two noses. I'm certain you drew what you thought you were seeing, rather than first working out what they really looked like. BUT both are acceptable - in that your friend simply isn't going to notice anything wrong. But both are misshapen. The left-hand dog is close to reality, but not the right-hand dog. If you're not sure about something in a reference, look online and find something similar and more detailed that you can study.

Talking of the right-hand dog... I mentioned that the "gasping fish" mouth troubled me. But it is true to that dog, and I think you've handled it very well. It's present but by no means dominant.

As for everything else... super! They have hair I could push my fingers into, and that grows in realistic layers. That said, don't get carried away with detail - you could have gently softened the left-hand dog with distance. That would throw more prominence on its head. Otherwise, the feet, the claws, the tongue, are all looking good. The wood looks realistic too.

If you aren't thoroughly pleased with this... you should be!

[PogArtTi]

I’m stunned with such skilful drawing, it’s really is very detailed and mastered artwork.
Congratulations

[leeds1]

Thanks for your helpful comments Mike. It is amazing the big difference that the eye highlights make!
I do see the nose issue too

[leeds1]

Thank you also PogArtTi for your kind words. Mike is a really good teacher and mentor!!