Black Labrador Retriever X portrait | Coloured pencil drawing
DUSKY
Portrait size: 8" x 10"
Completed: July 2020
25th May 2020
" Hi Karen
My husband is 60 this August and I’m hoping to get a pet portrait of our black cross lab / golden retriever as a surprise gift for him - she’s black so getting well lit photos can be difficult ! I’ve got loads of photos of her but these have all been taken on a phone. Would I need to choose one myself or am I able to send a selection for you to look at in order to choose the best one to work from ? "
" Hi Karen
My husband is 60 this August and I’m hoping to get a pet portrait of our black cross lab / golden retriever as a surprise gift for him - she’s black so getting well lit photos can be difficult ! I’ve got loads of photos of her but these have all been taken on a phone. Would I need to choose one myself or am I able to send a selection for you to look at in order to choose the best one to work from ? "
I had the opportunity to create a beautiful portrait of a female black Labrador cross called Dusky, as a birthday gift for a client's husband in 2020. The client, Julia, graciously provided access to her Google Photos, allowing me to select the ideal images of Dusky. With these, I crafted a few compositions using an editing program. I uploaded these images to a password-protected webpage for Julia's review and selection. This allowed her to monitor the portrait's progress without the concern of inadvertent access by others. This collaborative process allowed Julia to be involved in the progression of the portrait, offering valuable input along the way, resulting in a satisfying and personalised final product for her husband. In this article, you can follow the progress of the portrait and see how it came together.
The level of realism in my coloured pencil portraits depends on the quality of the photographs. High-resolution images allow me to zoom in and capture the smallest details. Over the years, my technique has evolved, making my work ever more detailed. This meticulous approach is why coloured pencil portraits take longer to create than acrylics and oil pastels and are generally more expensive. For my drawings, I only use professional-grade products to ensure high-quality art. The pencils I use are all lightfast, and I specifically use paper known for its archival properties.
As the portrait approached completion, Julia was able to monitor the progress on the dedicated web page that I had established for her and emailed me a few times to let me know she was happy. She did not make any requests for alterations during the process of creating the portrait; however, the option for adjustments is always present if there is a need for modification, addition, or subtraction. Once the drawing is finalised, the likelihood of making any changes decreases significantly.
Upon completion of the portrait, I uploaded an image onto Duskys' designated page on this website so she could review any potential alterations prior to approving the final portrait. The portrait was then treated with a fixative and securely packaged ready for delivery. I began the portrait on May 28th and it was completed on July 9th. Six weeks is the typical duration for a small portrait of this complexity, as I work on multiple portraits simultaneously. If someone required a portrait within a shorter timeframe, I will work exclusively on that portrait.
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Customer Testimonial
" Just to say thanks Karen for the beautiful pencil portrait you did of
our Lab x Retriever Dusky. I really enjoyed following along as you created it and the result is absolutely stunning - so lifelike ! My husband loves his birthday gift and I would recommend your portrait service to anyone. Thanks again Best wishes, Julia " |
Below is a brief video that scans the finished pencil portrait of Dusky, offering a closer view of the intricate details and final touches of the artwork. Photographs often fail to convey the full detail.
