Northern Times Newspaper Article

A newspaper editor from my home town of Kapuskasing has published an article about my Pentagon commission piece. To read click the following link:

http://www.kapuskasingtimes.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2668322

US Pentagon police k-9 dog logo/design/artwork drawing

Custom artwork commission completed!

After many weeks, this commission is now pending client approval! I'm so very happy with the design and how it turned out. Final size of this colored pencil drawing is about 13" x 17" with some room for cropping should the artwork be adorned with a smaller mat opening.

My sincere thank you to all who have followed the many updates to this post and for those who took the time to comment and share your thoughts on my blog!

Super small print!

I don't think I've ever had to reproduce something so small, especially text. The only part that was impossible for me to draw legibly were the three minute stars above the eagle's head (inside the circular seal). Working at this size, I found it extremely difficult to draw each letter straight and to have all the letters in the text align perfectly. The text below the eagle/Pentagon inside the circle seal reads Semper Vigilans translated to English means "Always on Watch", which is the last part I am adding to the artwork.

For those of you who are wondering, the white text was firstly drawn using a light graphite pencil and then indented using a fine pointed tool. The blue color was applied using the side of a blue colored pencil lead to prevent from coloring inside the indentations.

Pentagon Police drawing the badge...

I was able to draw most of the badge today with only a small circular area to complete. I kept the best (worst) for last....the details in that small has very small lettering which will be difficult to reproduce. I will need a steady hand for sure...

Pentagon artwork update

I am satisfied with the look of the US Pentagon building now that the coloring stage is completed. In the next sitting, I will start the preliminary sketch of the US Pentagon Police Department (USPPD) badge.

Application of color using Prismacolor pencils

During today's sitting, I was confident enough to start the coloring stage of the Pentagon building. I mainly used 20% and 60% french grays, ginger root and black Prismacolor pencils. I also used Prismacolor Verithin gray and black pencils to define the borders and achieve sharper lines. This is the first time I use them and fine them very hard and perfect for detailing.

Pentagon Building drawing update

It's hard to believe the amount of time I spent simply sketching the layout of the Pentagon building...I lost track somewhere after about 3-4hrs. This is such a complicated structure that I have to consult several different reference photographs almost every few seconds just to ensure that I am drawing it correctly and to scale. Proportions and exactness are everything in this piece!

Pentagon US flag drawing update

At last the red stripes on the flag are almost completed! I still need to fill in a small area under the lab's chin where the stripes run from 11 to 5 o'clock position due to the fold in the flag. I will most likely leave that for when after I complete the top of the Pentagon building...which is my next task.

Star spangled banner...shinny US flag

What a change in color and texture on this drawing as I start to work on the flag. I'm almost done the stars/blue area of the US flag and it seems I can't wait to add the red stripes! The additional color should give this portrait some "zing" and the dogs' coloration might appear less "dull".

Black Labrador Retreiver working dog-update on drawing

During this morning's sitting, I was able to complete most of Turk's portrait. Compared to the Belgian Malinois and the German shepherd, his coat is very shinny like most of the black labs I've seen. Once I complete the neck fur, I'll start to work on the bright red and blue colors of the American flag.

police dog artwork progress

Turk, the dog I am currently working on is a black Labrador retriever. He is now retired from detection duties at the Pentagon. Having him featured on the artwork is a nice way to honor and remember him for his years of service as a detection dog for the US government.

Police dog artwork update

I just purchased a large format flatbet scanner and I dont' regret one penny I spent! Although I've reduced the resolution on the images above, one can still see much clearer detail than on my previous posts of the Pentagon Artwork. K-9 Kira is coming along just fine...minus a few gray hairs (at the request of the client).

Sketch of German Shepherd Military Police Dog Kira

During today's sitting, I managed to complete K-9 Robbi's neck fur and began working on the second dog in this portrait. I started to refine the sketch of K-9 Kira, adding more detail using an HB graphite pencil to guide me through the coloring stage. Kira is a German Shepherd/Malinois cross owned by Officer P. Sherman of the Pentagon Police K-9 Detection Unit.

Malinois K-9 Dog Drawing update

After two more sittings, I've managed to do most of the detail on Robbi's head and neck using colored pencils and blending/burnishing technique. The scan above seems to be reflecting some of the colored pencil and so ends up blurring out some finer detail.

I ordered a new large format scanner and hope to receive it this week to try it as it seems my older scanner is starting to act up (most likely the optical light mechanism is going).

Police K-9 Robbi drawing update

After much sketching, I have now been working on adding color to the first dog featured on the US Pentagon Artwork. I'm quite pleased at how the colors are layering on this paper however, there is not much room for error as erasing is virtually impossible! I am taking my sweet time with this one so as not to mess it up part way through...that would be a disaster.

Change of focus...

I'm taking a break from working in pastels on the spoonbill birds painting to work on my next commission. This is the preliminary sketch of the military police artwork of the US Pentagon K-9 bomb detection dogs. I should begin working very soon on the first dog pictured above using colored pencils.