German Pointer

[Scribbler]

This is a graphite "workout" after watching the Video about drawing hair. The paper I used is a simple Sketching paper 90gms from Canson. This is a shorthair dog.
I need a few years of exercise before I will see the light at the end of the tunnel. Mike, I hope you can see that there is a small step forward when compared to the Boxer and the Rabbit from 2020 and 2023. I have tried to follow your advice -"know what you are drawing" - and "observe."
Mike, I look forward to your comprehensive critique that will give me guidance toward the right way out of the tunnel.

[Mike Sibley]

Mike, I look forward to your comprehensive critique that will give me guidance toward the right way out of the tunnel.

So.... no pressure on me then!

Well.... this is super. You're absolutely 100% heading in the right direction... and quite far into the journey, too.

BELA-Pointer.jpg

I enlarged it a bit, so I could see it clearly to critique. I can plainly see how you studied the layers in the hair, and established them. There are no outlined edges - none! You've used value changes and, in the ears, thickness to create a line where one was needed.

The pupils are the darkest value, which draws our eye straight to the face. I'm guessing these are amber eyes (like a Weimaraner)? It's a long time since I saw or drew a German Pointer.

There's some lovely negative drawing around the bottom lip, and where the light chest hairs overlap the darker ones at the right. And the chest hairs are there is we look for them, but not so detailed that they draw our attention away from the face.

And to top it all... what a lovely expression!

I could go on and on... the solid three-dimensional shaping in the face, for example, but... it's looking good, Bela. Very good!

I found I would draw something every so often that made a leap forwards. I think of them as "mileposts" on the journey. Not only that, but I think this is one for you.

[Scribbler]

So.... no pressure on me then!

No, non what so ever

The pupils are the darkest value, which draws our eye straight to the face. I'm guessing these are amber eyes (like a Weimaraner)? It's a long time since I saw or drew a German Pointer.

Yes, the eyes were amber or hazel-ish

I could go on and on... the solid three-dimensional shaping in the face, for example, but... it's looking good, Bela. Very good!
I found I would draw something every so often that made a leap forwards. I think of them as "mileposts" on the journey. Not only that, but I think this is one for you.

I did not expect this Mike. You know this is all thanks to you. I am so grateful to you for all your work to help others and me grow. This is a "milepost" I will remember for sure.
That said - my next challenge will be a dog with long hair. She is a mixed breed called Maia—a lovely little creature. I am afraid there will be a lot of

So.... no pressure on me then!

for you coming up.
Kind regards

[Mike Sibley]

That said - my next challenge will be a dog with long hair. She is a mixed breed called Maia—a lovely little creature. I am afraid there will be a lot of "So.... no pressure on me then!" for you coming up.

What the heck! Bring it on! I can stand the pressure...

Coincidentally, I was critiquing an exercise, involving hair, on my Intermediate course at Drawspace this morning, That artist has made the break from copying her references to intuitively inventing the hair.

So this might be relevant to you, too, and I'm sure Luzia won't mind (no time to edit, so here it is as written):

EXERCISE 3
<< I found the longer hair easier to do then the short light hair. >>
I find the same. Short hair needs a lot more thought - probably because there are so many ends, where you need to avoid repetition and pattern. Or at least try to make them look more random. But with long hair, you can be more expressive.

Also, short hair describes the underlying three-dimensional form, so that had to be taken into account. And long hair simply hangs over the surface, hiding all the smaller features from view.

603.jpg

< I might have over-thought it a bit. >>
I don't see any evidence of that. If you were working like I do - one small area at a time - overworking or overthinking is not going to be much of a problem, since it's all very localised. And by working only on a small area, I find the amount of thinking required is minimised. It's much easier to just "go with the flow" and work intuitively.

<< I also noticed the more I looked at the reference, the more I copied and the more I stopped enjoying it. So I had to put it away so I couldn't look at it, and I went back to creating hair! >>
I am so pleased to hear that! I use the reference to establish the positions and shapes of the major features in the hair, then I put it away. Well, I might glance at it from time to time for inspiration. But the reference plays no part. I invent the background and then midground in that order - always working forwards - until I can draw the foreground features.

And there is no reason for those to be hair-by-hair perfect. If you ruffled that dog's hair the main features would settle back into their recognisable forms, but the individual hairs would almost certainly be positioned differently.

<< I did struggle with getting the long background hairs darker than my midground and foreground hair. >>
Again, there's no sign of that. Working, as I said, from background to foreground means the very deepest darkest depths are established first. Not necessarily all of them, just in the area that you're working. Now you know the full range of values available. Granted, it does take some experience to ensure you don't use foreground values in the background, but that quickly becomes apparent. And it's easy to correct at any stage.

These two are another excellent result. Both have depth I could push my fingers into. You've correctly used the values of the lower layer to define the edges of the next one up (no outline). All your edges are sharp, and your curves smooth and consistent.

Your short hairs are as good as your long ones. That's especially true of the way the lower layer emerges from beneath the higher one. And the intensity of the shadows varies. Light and white hair reflects a lot of light internally within itself, so shadows tend to be lighter, soft-edged, more muted, and often vary in value.

Your highlights in the long hair are smoothly produced and glow and, in places, the areas in shade are pushed so far back they almost disappear, which is entirely natural and adds a lot to the sense of reality. It also, of course, creates more depth and contrast, so it also increases the intensity of your highlights. Don't forget you can use cast shadows too. Use anything that may help to clarify your intentions and to add three-dimensionality and depth.

I really feel you were experiencing every lock as though it was real - that you were modelling it rather than drawing it - and that's exactly as it should be.

Well done!

[Scribbler]

Thanks for all the valuable advice, Mike. It will be good to have them with me in the battle. I took some photos of the dog today. However, I decided to draw Ozzy, a Yorkipoo gentleman. Lady Maia must wait. I hope to start tomorrow and I go on total radio silence. Only the sound of your voice from the videos of drawing hair will break the silence while I work.

[Mike Sibley]

If you need any assistance at any point, just post the drawing as it is. We'll all be happy to guide you through it.

And - needless to say - we're looking forward to seeing the finished result!

[LindasPencils]

awww, Scribbler, this is lovely. Keep going, this is a wonderful work.
L.

[Scribbler]

If you need any assistance at any point, just post the drawing as it is. We'll all be happy to guide you through it.

And - needless to say - we're looking forward to seeing the finished result!

Thank you, Mike. I was very tempted to ask for advice, but I thought to fight this one on my own. However, this will not be the rule. I think I might stumble on a few challenges in the future. So, if that offer stands, I will be happy to use it.

[Scribbler]

awww, Scribbler, this is lovely. Keep going, this is a wonderful work.
L.

Thank You so much Linda.
Kind regards

[Mike Sibley]

...I think I might stumble on a few challenges in the future. So, if that offer stands, I will be happy to use it.

Always!