Finishing stages of portrait drawing of black labrador


Untitled Black Lab
Graphite on Paper, 17x22 cm
Sheona Hamilton-Grant. All rights reserved.

Finished and awaiting approval (and a name).
Below: the vital steps that led me to the end result.
Following on from where I left off last week here are steps 4, 5, 6 and 7.

Step 4
Here more work has been done on the bone structure and depth. This was done by refining the layer of 4B and adding to the nose and mouth. Remembering to follow the lay of the hair.Work has also begun on the longer hairs around the neck.

Step 5
More emphasis is brought to the jaw line and start given to the ear. Invisible on the scan: work was also refined around the eyes.

Step 6
This step was all about getting more hair blocked in and establishing movement and texture to the neck. The ear also takes on a little more shape and texture. At this stage I am only working with a 2B and varying the layers over the blocked darks.


Step 7
This step is were the nose and the lighter areas of the head get "covered" in hair.
After which I was unhappy. A niggling annoying feeling.
When this is the case, best to mirror the image. This showed (and as suspected) the nose and muzzle were not quite right nor was the mouth and the outer eye.
This is crucial step. The changes are minute (sometimes in can be only a stroke) but I feel make a massive change to the overall accuracy.



The finished portrait mirrored with small changes made.

A gorgeous chap: he was great company -
At last it felt right beating back memory demons! I lost my Lambda 9 years ago and still feel the void.
If only he had a brother: I'd love to make his acquaintance...

Comments

Arti said…
Thats awesome sketch, Sheona..thanks for sharing the WIP.I hope to see a human face WIP soon! :)
9:03 am
Unknown said…
Great job Sheona. I enjoyed the WIP. very interesting to watch and read your comments.
2:38 pm
artbykarieann said…
This is wonderful, love the detail and your very helpful hints along the way
6:19 pm
Unknown said…
Hello and thank you. Managed to get the various stages digitalised. Explaining is always a challenge in itself. I hope I've managed to answer a few questions:)
9:41 pm
Caio Fern said…
hi Sheona ! it is great the way you show every step .very generous . and the rhodesian ridgeack is wonderful too.
12:53 am
Lisa Ullrich said…
Sheona, I just love your work. It is absolutely beautiful and inspiring to me.
4:46 pm
Unknown said…
Caio hello there! Thank you and you are very welcome

Lisa Thank you too. Love sharing what I have learned. Please peek back any time:)
7:58 pm
Rush said…
artful and so real..really feel like shaking hands with those palms..amazing work!!
8:58 pm
Ruthie Redden said…
beautiful, so full of life. i do love your delicious detail
12:12 pm
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