WIP. Husky portrait.

pugwash · Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 1380 Location: Perth

Thids is the first in a set of four commissioned paintings, all of huskies.
Painted in pastel on Mi-Tientes paper.
This is the reference photo. I'm leaving out the distracting background and the working harness

First step is a very basic drawing to make sure everythings in the right place. I pay special attention to the triangle formed by the eyes and the nose. Once I get that right it all comes together easily.

Next I go over some of the lines strengthing them here and there.

Next is to work on the nose and eyes. I always do this early in the painting as the eyes especially are the most important part of the portrait. If I get this right at the beginning it gives me confidence that the painting will be a success.

OK. The eyes look all right, not finished yet but they look in focus, and they're both looking in the same direction. (very important for huskies. ... Why?....Crevasses!)
Now I can start blocking the white part of the head,although I actually use a light grey pastel for this. After I put in the dark patches I rub it in with my finger to completely cover the paper. I use the same finger, now covered in pastel to smudge in the shadows in the ears.

More to come.

pugwash · Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 1380 Location: Perth

Hi again. Now I've added some colour over the 'undercoat' of light grey.
A little warmer colour under the chin and pink in the ears, trying to keep a sense of where the light is coming from.

Continuing to build up the white fur. I'm allowing the grey to show through to help model the shape of the dog's head although it's hard to see on the photo.

I'm getting stuck into the ears now. All those lovely furry bits I paint with lots of short little strokes. The dark smudges that I put in earlier help to give the ears depth. Are we having fun yet?

I've put in the background which I've kept deliberately cold to reflect the origins of the breed (Siberia), added a little more colour to the eyes, and that's about it. It's a pity the camera hasn't picked up the subleties of shades of white which define the shape of the head. It looks a bit flat on the photo.

And that's another one finished. I just need to the dog's name into the mount and install it in the frame. His name by the way is "SPYDER"
Three more to go.
Thanks for looking.

marri · Joined: 28 Aug 2009 Posts: 267 Location: Western Australia

Our over the back fence neighbour has three of these bloody things and they are howling non stop tonight, hence I am awake and whinging all over your thread. Apologies Clive, great painting but terrible subject matter.

altheau · Joined: 30 Sep 2009 Posts: 148

This is lovely Clive. He is a lovely looking dog to!

I really like your dogs, they look so lively