Monday 27 October 2014

Another Doggy Portrait Step by Step

I met a lovely lady during one of my workshops and she asked me to do a bit of tuition with her, and even though she is a very good painter without my help,  she wants to learn watercolour and loosen up a bit.

I went to her house where I had the privilege of meeting Jenny, her lovely little dog..... a dog in waiting (to be painted that is!!) I asked Linda to send me some images and loved this one which has a quirky tilt to her head and shows her personality perfectly. 

So here is another step by step... seem to remember to do the doggy ones and another white dog too!



A loose drawing just to get the nose eyes and mouth in the right place and a little paint applied and bled out to the surrounding areas... colours used

Burnt Sienna
Permanent Rose
Raw Sienna
Indigo

As many of you will know I don't always draw but with commissions I do generally do a sketch to get the features in the right place.....if I am painting for myself, and I don't get a good enough likeness, there is no-one to check it but obviously when the owner will see the painting of her pet, it has to look like her pet!!

While the face is drying I add some background, here you can see the colours used and mixed on the paper, this will be darkened as the portrait progresses but also helps me get some shape into the composition at this early stage. I can see on here that the nostrils aren't quite right but that can be lifted at a later stage.

A bit more detail added to the right eye and nose and under her chin. I am keeping as much of her white as possible at this stage and will add shaded areas as it progresses. I work on areas as they dry so I am often working on another painting at the same time. Too often a painting is spoiled because we don't wait for the paint to dry... a sure recipe for mud (see  my blog about mixing mud here)

More work on the eyes and nose, background darkened and collar added in. Also added a bit more of her body but washed most of that away as I don't want the eye to be led there.

Can see the edge of the background at the top is too defined so will look at that....

So softened the diagonal edge and started to add more tone to the face, adding areas of paint where I see tone on the photo, softening edges as I go. I have worked more around the eyes and added a few highlights with white gouache both in the eyes and for some fur around the nose and mouth. I have added a touch of detail to the left ear but washed away so it is just a hint. Can see an area, left of her chin which doesn't look right and when I check the image can see I need to bring the shape round a bit.. the wonders of technology, seeing on screen makes these things stand out so much more.



Also added a bit more around her collar... hope she likes!!







11 comments:

  1. That's absolutely fantastic Judith. And good of you to share your techniques so freely.

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    1. Thanks Tom.... part of what my art journey is about is the sharing. I was itching to help people in the last year of classes I went to... can't help myself as I know it can be learned and can then bring so much pleasure to people....

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  2. A lovely doggy portrait Judith, btw am attending a two day w/shop with Jean Haines who is Adelaide next week, cannot wait

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    1. Oh how fantastic Lorraine... you will love it!! Will be excited to hear how it all went...do let me know....

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    1. Thanks Bev, I wish I could remember to do them all the time..... I get really mad especially when a painting turns out well and I haven't taken the photos....they are a great reference for me as well!!

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  4. Thank you so much Judith, that is so helpful, I do love your style. I am trying to loosen up my painting but always end up fiddling tips for understanding when to stop?

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    1. Loosening up isn't that easy but the best advice I can give you is not to commit to too many hard edges too soon, they are much harder to lose than add if that makes sense. When you lose a lot of edges to start with the time to stop is as you see the subject appearing...that point is different for everyone. At my workshops sometimes people think something is finished, other think more detail is needed and it is really down to how you, as an individual "sees" something... tricky I know!!! At a recent session I did stop someone well before she would have stopped as I felt she had something magical happening and asked her to look at it and maybe it was finished? We asked the whole group and they too thought it might be finished but I always leave it with the individual to make the final decision....

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  5. generous and magical as always this little girl is just gorgeous Im hearing you but struggling to obey you lol I know what I should and shouldn't be doing but some devil in me says "snatch that and just make a few more adjustments" and then its spoiled lol but I do try to tread carefully and slowly but my nature screams rebellion at that gentle slow approach I don't think Ive ever approached ANYTHING gently or slowly. Thanks again for generously sharing your time and knowledge with us who hang off every word and bush stroke :)

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  6. oooops forgot to say for me I like to see the photo you are working from so I can refer back to it and try to make sense of what marks you make and why and where if that makes sense to you :)

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  7. awwwwwwww what a sweet little girl thanks so much for that not only is she adorable I can now go back and see how and why you placed things where you did (obviously not her eyes and nose) lol but shading etc thanks again :)

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