Pet Portrait ppt

Pet Portrait People keep asking me: "How do you do it?" Especially beginning artists are often floundering, struggling with how and where to begin. Colored pencil seems like an easy medium to use, but to achieve any kind of mastery, it can become exceedingly difficult and unforgiving. There is only so much erasing you can do before the board or paper no longer yields the pigments without damage, and blending and layering can easily result in "mud." So, here I am going to present the basic process I use, although it will vary with each piece. Other artists work differently, but this is how my technique evolved over the years. The subject: while I am working from a photo, this is one of my dogs, so it helps to have her sitting next to me as I work. In any project, a good reference photo or two will go a long way toward a successful piece of art. Image size: 12" x 16". This is a common size for pet portraits and one that yields the desired results in a reasonable amount of time. I'll try to keep track of that time, too. Medium: Prismacolor Colored Pencils Note: the images of each stage are large to show better detail (30-50k). If you are on a slow connection, they will take a while to load. Colors are close, but not true; I can spend only so much time on correcting the scans, and we're talking about the overall process. I will list the colors I use in each step. Stage 1 I start with a light pencil sketch on the board, with as few lines as possible. Depending on my reference photos, I sometimes spend considerable time working out the proportions on paper, then transferring the final version to the board. I use various types of illustration board or, as in this case, colored matboard (Crescent # 1024, a bluish gray). Bristol board is about the lightest I work on. In this image, I've started to block in the dog's outline in two colors: Sepia and Goldenrod. The lower portion still shows the graphite pencil outline. I erase the pencil marks as I go along, because the graphite will dirty whatever colors I lay over it. Stage 2 The entire image is now blocked in, and I've added two more colors to hint at the highlights: White and Cream. At this stage, I get an overall feel on how the picture works. I start to see the personality and expression of the animal. If I am dissatisfied, I might start over at the sketch stage, adjusting the areas I feel are weak. Not a great loss, because I haven't invested that much time yet, in this case about 1 ½ hours (could be considerably more if I am working from poor photos). Next, I will detail the eyes and face, my second "check point." Stage 3 The eyes and face make or break the portrait. At this stage, I work slowly and cautiously. This is also where an understanding of anatomy (like the flews and the lay of the hair), from study and observation, particularly comes in handy. Without it, I would not be able to extrapolate the necessary detail from some of the poor photos I often work from. New colors: Dark Brown, Dark Umber, Burnt Ochre, Sienna Brown, Mineral Orange, Black, Jasmine, Cool Grey 90%, Cool Grey 10%, French Grey 90%, French Grey 50%, Cloud Blue, Raw Umber, Yellow Ochre, Light Peach Time: About 2 hours From here on, I pretty much work from the top down, laying down more and more color and detail. The muzzle needs more work, as (The colors in this scan are closer to true than the previous ones) does most of the face. Stage 4 Stepping back. As the portrait progresses, I step back often (about three to four feet, or more when I work on larger pieces) to view the entire effect. It's easy to get lost in the detail, and stepping back provides a way of checking the work. New colors: at this stage I pretty much work with what I've used so far. I might add different percentage greys, like French Grey 50%, but by now I have a fair grip on the palette for this piece, which also allows me to work under artificial "daylight", particularly in the short daylight hours of winter. I did add Bronze as I started working the belly area. Time: couldn't keep track of it, but somewhere between 8-10 hours; it will take at least another two hours to reach stage 5 Artistic Interpretation. The photos supplied by clients are often small, unclear, and of the wrong color, which is why I ask for several. Even when I take my own, as in this case, the pose may be perfect, but the lighting less than ideal, the exposure wrong, the wrong film, or any number of problems. Knowing the subject as intimately as I do, I've adjusted for the photo's shortcomings, as well as for faded colors in the dog's neck area (where a distinct black band earned her her name). I can't always do that with someone else's pet, but multiple photos, taken under a variety of circumstances and lighting, as well as interviews with the client and/or observing the pet at home (if possible) will usually yield a fairly accurate image of the animal I am working on. To show the relationship between painting and photo I'll add a proportional side-by-side on the final page. . Pet Portrait People keep asking me: "How do you do it?" Especially beginning artists. toward a successful piece of art. Image size: 12" x 16". This is a common size for pet portraits and one that yields the desired results in a reasonable amount of time. I'll try. with someone else's pet, but multiple photos, taken under a variety of circumstances and lighting, as well as interviews with the client and/or observing the pet at home (if possible)