Weimaraner portrait drawing using graphite, charcoal and colored pencils

I love creating all sorts of portrait poses for my clients!  The following dog drawing was composed using two of the client's photos which features a puppy shot as the main pose and a smaller vignette of the same dog as an adult, portraying one of Addie's favorite pastime. 

For this drawing, I used mainly graphite pencils along with a touch of colored pencils on the main pose. I felt we really had to capture the Weimaraner's impressive pale blue eyes and the unusual brown nose and tones in her shinny fur. In addition, the mauve and green colours of the collar seems to liven up the whole composition.

I really like how the shimmering silver grey tones of  Addy's coat turned out...coupled with that adorably sweet expression, it definitely has become one of my favorite commissions to have had the opportunity to draw!!

So, if you happen to know anyone who might be interested in having a portrait of their furry, scaly or feathery companion, I'd be forever grateful if you could share my website www.colettetheriault.com with them! ♥

"Addie"

Silver Gray Weimaraner 

11"x14"

enhanced graphite drawing

COMMISSION

Asian Snow Leopard Drawing using graphite, charcoal and colored pencils...SOLD!

I am so very thrilled to announce that "Peaceful Repose" has found his forever home!
Before shipping the artwork, I took the opportunity to do a final scan of the drawing with my new scanner.  I now have a pretty good digital representation of the artwork before it leaves for its final destination.

 "Peaceful Repose"

Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia)

size: 9"x11"

graphite, charcoal and colored pencils

To view the reference image used for this artwork and the work in progress, click here

To read more about the snow leopard, visit my website here

Cat drawing in need of a title

I am still contemplating whether to call this feline drawing finished and might even change the crop ratio on the image ever so slightly (the cat is too low)....I think I will darken parts of the blurred out area behind the cat as the foreground looks too dark compared to the rest of the boards (might even just lighten the foreground too).

The cat was actually laying down on a wooden dock which explains her fore paw clutching in between the boards. She was seemingly content as she watched me, sprawled out on my belly, taking her photo. I really loved her expression, how relaxed she was and the perspective... which is the main reason for drawing this pose.

The home stretch...

With the foreground and a bit of the back paw left to do, I call this the home stretch!

Click on the image for a larger view.

Today's work in the studio...

I am feeling quite relieved that I was able to accomplish much of the body and front legs of the cat today. I have a client commission in pastel to get to work on but I feel the need to finish the lazy cat before the studio becomes full of colorful dust!

A bit of progress on the lazy cat

Here's the latest on the cat drawing...the top paw is not quite done yet.

More of the cat revealed!

Here is the latest update from the cat drawing. Although it may not appear so, some of the areas of white fur actually have quite a bit of detail which is not discernible at this size/scan. I will reserve that for the final post once the artwork is completed.

Cat continued... coming to life on paper

There still are a few more touch ups to be done to this cat's face but she is definitely starting to look like how I want her to. The original reference photo is rather dark due to the shadow on her black fur so I want to add some definition rather than solid blackness in those areas.

In the next steps, the position of the rest of her body will slowly be revealed... so stay tuned!!

Those Staring Green Eyes...

Well, this is it for today...I wanted to go to sleep feeling good that I colored those greens eyes so I would not put my pencils down until I did just that.  I will be going back and most likely reshaping the eyes some as I am just too tired for that tonight and want to look at her with fresh eyes tomorrow!

I used Rembrandt Polychromos colored pencils which are oil based, rather than the conventional wax based pencils.

New Dog Portrait on the easel

A commission I am currently working on (graphite enhanced with colored pencil). Unfortunately, the original mock image is very bad but I am able to use other clearer reference stock photos of this breed to help me add the detail to Colonel's portrait. Colonel is a flat-coated retriever who recently passed and is missed terribly by his human family.

Labradoodle dog portrait commission

I loved creating this graphite/charcoal pet portrait of Coco, the black Labrador-standard poodle cross. I almost entirely used 8B graphite (almost charcoal in consistency and darkness) for this artwork.
The messy semi-curly fur and the highlights of the black fur were the most interesting and fun parts to do...until I decided it was best to color her tongue pink and add some subtle brown highlights to her muzzle and color her eyes brown. I just could not get myself to draw the tongue and eyes in shades of grey and so I convinced the client she would look more lively with the added coloring.
So now, I guess this drawing would be best described as a "colored pencil enhanced graphite dog portrait". Size 10"x10".