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Coloured Pencil Strokes
Completed Pet Portrait
These pencil pet portraits used smooth paper. The artist blended the soft pencil and a putty rubber was used to highlight. For more about realistic pencil portraits, see the "Pencil Portrait" link at the bottom of the page.
Pencil pet portrait where the artist has left the background white.
2. Colours were layered gradually to blend them - at least four or five were needed to achieve the right look in any one area. The eye below shows the variety of coloured pencil strokes the artist has used.
Light is made from spectral colour - accurate reproduction through mixing creates luminescence and texture in the finished pet portrait. Using predominately ready-made colours from the pencils would result in a dull-looking, lifeless portrait.
1. Pet Portrait Showing Grid
Soft coloured pencils are best for mixing: for this pet portrait the artist used the Derwent Coloursoft range. These pencils are soft and quite oily. The paper was textured to aid blending and colour depth. A grid system helped the artist retain proportions when enlarging from the dog's photo (courtesy: PD Photo.org)
The artist used a finegrain paper for Shane's pet portrait (below) as opposed to a heavygrain (above). Again, the artist paid attention to colour, not being afraid to add greens, blues and pinks to the dog's coat.
In this portrait, the artist used a colourless Blender Pencil.
Pencil strokes on fur
Photo
Portrait - Please Click
In this pet portrait the artist made use of the white of the paper for the fur against a grey background.
Click portraits to enlarge.
Other Portrait Tutorials
Cow Portraits, Various Media
Coloured Pencil Portraits
This Artist uses
Pencilsketch.co.uk
Pet Portraits; Portrait Drawings of Children; Families and Weddings; Realism, Sketches, Nudes, Figurative and Abstract Art by UK Pencil Artist.
(Click for enlargements)
The sample below compares the richness of a mixed black with the rather flat-looking colour straight from the pencil.
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These examples from Gulu's Pet Portrait show how the artist "builds" colour before blending.
Minimalist pet portraits present an interesting challenge for the artist. Above, quick lines were used, and fine details ignored. Olive's elegant limbs suit this simple portrait style.
In the pet portrait below the artist aimed to capture form and movement using as few lines as possible.
Of course pet photos are often difficult to take! But at least with modern technology we can take selections of photos easily, meaning an artist can often find a favourable composition to enhance a pet portrait's end result.
Pet portraits make wonderful gifts!
Contact the Artist to commission a pet portrait in pencil or coloured pencil.
The artist works from your favourite pet photos. Please see the main pet portraits page for pricing and FAQs.
5. Composing Pet Portraits
Background
Some pet portraits are enhanced by a "blank canvas", which gives a clean finish and focuses attention onto the animal, as below.
Alternatively, background may be integral to a pet portrait's theme. Roderigo is best remembered in the garden:
The cat in the following pet portait is predominately red-orange, so the artist has used a dark green-blue behind. These colours are opposites on the colour wheel, and known as "complimentary" colours:
Photo
Portrait showing repeating forms (please click)
Portrait
A classically eye-pleasing composition for all kinds of pictures is the triangle, noticable in the horse portrait below. More unusually, the two dogs take up a cross formation which holds the portrait together.
Composition
For the best pet portrait, the artist needs to look for a good composition amongst the photos available (often cropping is needed).
In the photo below, the tail was cut off and the animal positioned too near the bottom edge. Slight alterations by the artist rectified these things - otherwise, it's a beautifully composed photo.
Note the numerous repeating shapes (some inverted) that help balance the finished pet portrait:
Cat Portrait
Colour Wheel
