Pet Portraits in Focus: The Progress of a Lifelike Coloured Pencil Portrait of Maggot the Boxer24/11/2024 This marks the fifth portrait I've completed in the past year for my friend Jet. She initially commissioned two portraits of her beautiful Boxer dogs, Carrot and Fungus, and decided to wait until her third pup matured before asking me to create another, named Maggot. Additionally, last year's commissions also included pencil portraits featuring her mother's dogs, Masuda and Kudu, as well as Watson, another Boxer dog belonging to her friend Mark. Each portrait has a dedicated progress page, accessible via the provided links, showcasing the creation process. Jet possesses an extraordinary talent for photography, and her selections for reference photos will always represent the very best available. In this specific image, Maggot is engaging in direct eye contact with the viewer, creating a powerful connection. However, one ear appears slightly askew, which can distract from the primary focus on her eyes. Therefore, it was decided to adjust her ear to align it with the other one for a more cohesive look. An ear from a secondary photograph was superimposed onto the reference image, allowing for a simplified working process. It is important to recognise that there is no singular requirement for a reference image. Any photograph selected by me as the artist reflects the optimal stance and composition; however, the ideal reference photo is one that the pet owner believes captures the essence of their pet most accurately. It is important to preserve distinctive characteristics in a dog's portrait, such as a subtly raised lip or an unusually angled ear, in order to authentically represent their individuality. As a traditional artist specialising in lifelike portraiture, I always start with the eyes. They must be accurately rendered, as any discrepancy can compromise the entire portrait. It's much easier to begin anew at this early stage than to invest hours into a portrait, only to realise it just can't be salvaged. Despite having over 40 years of experience in the field, I continue to adhere to this rule. When using coloured pencils, it is crucial to recognise that, unlike other mediums, overworking any area, especially the eyes, can place undue pressure on the paper's surface, potentially leading to tears. Therefore, careful planning throughout the process is essential to avoid overworking these areas. Both images above demonstrate the layering technique that I utilise in all of my coloured pencil drawings. By applying additional layers, I am able to enhance the details and achieve a more realistic representation in the artwork. The depiction of this area of the eye may involve the use of numerous colours, each consisting of five or six primary hues. Additionally, contrasts and highlights are incorporated using lighter and darker pigments from the same colour family. The extensive colour palette offered by the Caran d'Ache Luminance pencil range is the sole reason I favour this brand over many others. The artwork is finalised when I apply the highlights with the most pressure, creating slight indentations in the paper that enhance the realism of the piece. This is why I advise customers to contact me during the drawing process if they wish to request any modifications. This portrait is a work in progress, and updates will be added to this blog as it nears completion. Additionally, a brief time-lapse showcasing the detailed creation of the left eye will also be shared here in the upcoming days.
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In October 2023, my friend Jet asked me to create four coloured pencil portraits. One portrait was intended as a gift for Jet's friend, another for her mother, and the other two were portraits of her beloved Boxer dogs. I have known Jet for over three decades, and during this time, I have had the pleasure of creating pencil portraits of her dogs on several occasions. Here are all four portraits displayed with additional information about each individual. You can access a link below each image to learn more. CarrotCreating a drawing of a white dog on white paper may seem challenging at first, but it's quite easy. Since white fur is composed of shades of grey, white paper provides the perfect base for such a portrait. Drawing this particular portrait of a white boxer dog required a bit of creative problem-solving regarding the body. Still, I was able to use a different dog's body to complete the portrait. If you're interested in learning more about this portrait, you can click on the link below. WatsonThe reference photo for the portrait depicted Watson wearing a thick blue collar. However, the photo was cropped short, leaving little of his body visible. Additional images were required, particularly in a similar pose, to complete the body and ensure accuracy. I also used some artistic license too. If you want to learn more about this portrait, please follow the link below. FungusJet's reference photo of Fungus was ideal. The image was a large, high-resolution file with incredible detailing that remained sharp even when zooming in. Taken outdoors, it had a perfect balance of light thanks to natural daylight, which is always the best option for pet photos. The collar, which was present in the photo but not included in the drawing, covered the throat area. To ensure accuracy, I referenced a second image of Fungus. Also, the chest area was not fully visible in the photo, so I had to extend it to complete the image. Click the link below to read more. This video shows the three drawings side by side. There is no sound. Kudu (Left) and MasudaCreating this drawing was difficult, especially Kudu, the little grey dog. In the reference image, Kudu was wearing a harness that covered most of his body, so much of the details were missing. To ensure precision, I had to use other reference photos. Ordinarily, I may research a breed before embarking on such a challenging drawing. However, in this case, both dogs were mixed breeds, which made it even more difficult. Despite this, my friend was aware of the difficulties involved and graciously accepted that the final result may not be an accurate representation. THE PROBLEMS WITH REMOVING COLLARSAll the dogs in the photos wore either a collar or a harness, which were removed in the drawing as per Jet's request. Fortunately, Jet provided me with a collection of photos of each dog to make the process relatively easy. The photos were incredibly helpful as they provided me with a clear view of the intricate details that were obscured by the collars in the reference photos. However, there may be instances where the removal of collars, especially harnesses, is a difficult task, especially if they hide crucial details. In such a scenario, removing them can only be considered if additional photographs are made available. If you're interested in a custom coloured pencil portrait of your pet, a loved one, or any other subject, you can visit my commissions page or send me an email at: [email protected] to share your ideas for the portrait.
It is always lovely to receive feedback from clients. Every single one of my commissions are created with care and you do get attached to the pet. You know you're unlikely to ever meet them in the flesh, but could pick them out in a crowd, having spent so many hours staring at and creating, their beautiful faces with all their tiny markings and (im)perfections. A thank you from a happy customer is a celebratory one. The fact that someone takes the time to send an email and to tell me how well the portrait was received, always brings a great sigh of relief knowing that they appreciated the time spent on the portrait. I thought I would share it here. Here is the framed portrait of Dougal, a Red Fox Labrador completed in coloured pencils. What a beautiful dog he is. If you want to see more of my coloured pencil art (including Rua, Dougal's sister), click here. If you are thinking of booking your own bespoke commission, find out more here. A BIG THANK YOU to Karen for her fantastic piece of work to complete |
Dudley the Springer Spaniel - 9" x 12" in AcrylicsThe composition was delightful, but the small size of the photo caused pixelation upon zooming in, obscuring the details in the face, particularly around the eyes. The commissioner was delighted with the composition, which led me to request more close-up photographs of Dudley in a setting with less sunlight. By integrating all the photos, I was able to enhance the background and foreground while subtly adjusting the colors on his head, preserving the preferred posture. Despite the challenge, the composition made the ideal portrait and I was pleased with the completed painting. |
"Just wanted to let you know that mum loves her portrait and we all cried our eyes out when we first saw it. What you've done is so special and we couldn't have asked for a better painting to remember him by. It captures his brilliant personality so well. I'll definitely be recommending you to my spaniel loving friends!
Picture of framed painting to follow soon!
Andrea xx."
Diarmid emailed me an excellent photo of himself, his girlfriend Max, and their little French Bulldog, Kyla, standing in front of the iconic red phone box from the movie 'Local Hero' during their visit to Pennan in Aberdeenshire. Since the phone box covered only half the background and the rest added no value to the composition, we decided to omit the background entirely and simply inscribe 'Pennan' in the portrait's corner. The mobile phone image tended to obscure details, but the precision of the coloured pencils restored the sharpness, and I thoroughly enjoyed crafting this portrait—I always relish a challenge! |
"Hi Karen , Hope you had a lovely Christmas. Wanted to drop you a note to say that Max absolutely loved the portrait! She couldn't believe how well you'd captured the detail from the photo and was thrilled to pieces! We've already recommended you to friends and family and am sure we'll use your amazing skills again in the the future. Have a great New Year!! Diarmid"
" Hi Karen,
I have just been looking at some of your work on your website and I am looking for someone to do a portrait of my dog for a Christmas present. What kind of prices do you charge please? I will attach some pictures as an idea of which one I would choose. Thank you :) "
Archival qualities of my artwork
" Do the pencil pictures keep? They don't fade or anything do they? "
I've spent numerous years sourcing the finest quality, archival, and lightfast art materials to ensure the durability of my portraits. The Caran d'Ache Luminance pencils I use in my colored pencil drawings are lightfast, ensuring they don't fade like regular pencils. The colours stay vivid for over a century, and the use of archival paper additionally prolongs the life of the portraits. I always provide an after care sheet with my portraits, which offers advice regarding framing. When you take it to a framer, the glass you choose with the frame can help to add extra protection to the portrait too. This can extend the lifespan of your portrait even more.
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