Can. Ch. Shanbro's Charisma

It is another snowy day but is a lot milder 23F (-5C).

The bad news came this morning when my daughter called to let us know her dog Sully (Can. Ch. Shanbro's Charisma) would have to be put down today due to health reasons.

We all knew it was just a matter of time; but at age 12 even though his strong and fun loving spirit wanted to stay with us, unfortunately his body was no longer willing.














Sully is now resting peacefully beside She-Ra (see post on 04 August 2014) under the elm tree at the back of the barn with all the other family pets in this sheltered place.

He is another of the noble and loving souls whose time among us is far too short. He will be sorely missed.

Kyora

Kyora is has learned many things over the past couple of months and is proving that she is almost as smart as I thought she would be when I first spent some time with her when she was at the Peterborough Humane Society.

She has learned not to chase the cats and has made friends with the horses and even Tai likes her, which is a big change for him considering he would chase after She-Ra if she went out in the pasture with me and chases after the cats if they cross through the paddock.














For the most part she comes when she is called and stays in sight when we go for a walk through the fields and woodland.

I posted this photograph of her while she waited to see which path I will follow through the fields before she goes charging off ahead of me.

Kyora

It is slightly warmer today starting the morning off at 40F (4C) and again more rain, but it is much better than snow.

My new pound puppy, Kyoria is gradually learning that some of the bad habits she learned at her previous home are not acceptable in her new home. It took less than a week to housebreak her and get her to stay off the furniture, but her bad habit of jumping up on people and biting in what she thinks is play will take a little more time but I am sure she will learn.













She is also learning some of the basic commands, like sit, wait, don't pull and okay. It will probably be another week or two before I can trust her to come when called and let her off the leash when going out for a walk.

I will post another picture of her at a later date when we can let her off lead.

She-Ra

Last night my dog She-Ra passed away quietly in her sleep at age 14.

I found her this morning lying beside my car as though waiting to greet me and escort me to the barn as she always did every morning. Unfortunately for me her faithful, loyal and loving spirit had already crossed over to the other side.














We will bury her later today under the elm tree at the back of the barn where she will join all my other animals who have found their final resting place in a sheltered corner of a peaceful pasture.

She may not be here in body any more, but I know her spirit will continue to roam freely as she always did.














She will be sorely missed.

Sully - A Work in Progress

Today I was painting with the Buckhorn Tuesday Painting Group and I chose to work on a portrait of Christine's dog Sully.

I transferred the image (see post on 13 January 2014) onto Omni 70lb. drawing paper and working from left to right started putting in the background shading and defining the outline of the body.














I will post this painting at a later date once more of the work on Sully has been completed.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and enjoy the artwork. I hope you will return often.

Sully - A Work in Progress

A nice sunny day and it is supposed to reach above the freezing mark by this afternoon, so since I was not planning on going out today I decided that I would start on a portrait of Christine's dog Sully.

I went through the many photographs I have taken of him over the years and chose to do a full body drawing of him looking straight at you with his usual happy and alert expression on his face.














After doing a number of small sketches this is the one I liked the best and I have just started working on the outline drawing.

I will post this piece at a later date once I have finished the outline drawing, transferred it onto the paper and started to work on the graphite pencil drawing.

Tassy and Tracker

At this point I look for any slight smudges that may have occurred during the course of layering in all the details and remove them with a white eraser.

After signing the painting I like to spray a final light layer of fixative over the surface to prevent any of the graphite moving from where it has been placed.



I hope you have enjoyed seeing the way I work on dog head studies from the original sketch through to the completed drawing.

I would like to thank Ms. Mary Ellen Lomax of Bowmanville, Ontario for commissioning me to do this original 11" x 14" framed graphite pencil drawing.

Thank you for taking the time to look at my artwork and I hope you will return often.

Drawing the German Shorthaired Pointer - Markings

Now that I have completed Tracker's head it is time to put the markings on Tassy.

This is the time consuming part and a lot of care must be taken as it is very easy to get lost in the placement of the markings.

I started by lightly indicating the masses of freckles at the front of the neck and the direction of the hair whorls.

There was also an almost circular spot where the solid markings of the neck met the freckled mass which I put in as another marker.

Gradually more of the freckles were put into the neck following the direction of the hair.

Care was taken to follow the size and shape of some of the larger spots on the neck and top of the shoulder.

Once the markings were finished I lightly added in a little shadow to the white areas to indicate the muscle mass in the shoulder.

Drawing the German Shorthaired Pointer - Muzzle

For the most part the cheek area is put in with short vertical strokes.

It is an almost flat surface except at the bottom where it meets the lower jaw and curves slightly.

Once the cheek had been completed I marked in the muscle mass at the bottom of the jaw, the placement of the veins in the muzzle and the edge of the dark markings. Tracker is almost finished at this point.

The muscles in the lower jaw are given shape and the dark area of the muzzle it filled in using a mixture of straight and curved lines.

The small dots where the whiskers appear are darkened slightly and the shadow around them is given a little more definition.

Drawing the German Shorthaired Pointer - Nose

Last time I was working on this piece I was not happy with the placement of the nostrils. Rather than work on the painting and make a number of changes and having to erase and rework the drawing which could make a mess beyond being able to repair it, I reworked the nose on a piece of tracing paper.

At this stage I certainly didn't want to end up having to start the entire painting over from scratch.

Finally I was pleased with the nose and transferred the drawing to the paper.

Once again I started with the nostrils, outlining the darkest lines in first as a guide and then worked the lighter areas gradually darkened them.

Once the nostrils were complete I started on the front flat part of the nose which by adding in the shading gives definition to the outer edges of the nostril.

Before I started on the upper part of the nose I lightly added a layer of graphite down the bridge of the nose to set the shape as well as at the base of the nasal bone just above the depression to use as a marker.

I darkened in the back part of the nostril and the bottom edge of the nose and then I added a little shading over the top of the nostrils.

Working below the nose I shaded in the upper lip and lightly indicated the whiskers, which show as the small dots on the flew (upper lip).

Going back to the stop I worked down the bridge of the nose and put the shadows in for the depression under the bottom of the nasal bone.I then completed the upper part of the nose, added more shadows to the side of the nose and beneath it.

The dotted lines of the whiskers were put in and a little more shading was put on the muzzle with curved lines to create the illusion of roundness. Then the upper lip was darkened and the edge of the lips were given more shape and shadows until they were completed.

The jaw line was given a little more definition and the shadows in front of the ear were strengthened. The top edge of the jaw was filled in as was the area below the eye and along the sharp edge of the cheek.

Drawing the German Shorthaired Pointer - Ear and Brow

Now I am going to finish the ear; working from the front edge of the ear leather back towards the first fold which is about the middle of the ear.

Working in the darkest areas first I gradually build up layers of graphite in the shadows and shading to give definition to the way the ear leather folds.

There will only one or two layers of graphite in the lightest areas.

Then I complete the back part of the ear in the same manner until the entire ear is complete.

I worked a little on the nostrils of the nose and put a little shading under them, but I am not happy with the placement and will need to rework that later.

Going back up to the top of the skull I lightly filled in the area to join both side of the skull as a starting point to be sure the tone is the same value.

From there I once again started in the darkest area using for the most part lines bent in the direction the areas curve to help create the illusion of roundness.

Once I reach the eye orb I take care to define the shadow above the eyelid and to place the high light on the lid itself so it looks as though there is a depression behind the lid.

Drawing the German Shorthaired Pointer -First Stage

I am going to start on the other dog and get most of the head completed before I do the markings on the first one.

I like to start with the high lit edge of the ear and get a little shadow and shape under the top fold. Then mark in the lines for the folds on the ear leather and put in a little contrast to establish a difference from the bottom of the ear flap of the second dog from the profile of the first one.

Then  I added a little shading to indicate the brow lines over the eyes before moving on to the ear on the other side of the head.

Working over the top side of the skull to the center of the head and adding some shadows to create the illusion of a rounded shape.

The area around the far eye is given definition and shape, before working down to the chin and putting in a little shadow from the upper lip.

Since the second dog is mainly white in colour I put in the shadings on the body to indicate the muscle mass of the shoulder and some of the shadows in the throat. I also added the few markings the dog has on the neck.

Next I finished the area above the far eye, adding more shading and details.

Then back to working on the ear I brought the shadow down the length of the front edge of the ear and gave some definition to the bottom of the cheek.

From there I added more shading at the bottom of the ear leather and defined the shadow behind the front edge of the ear.

I started adding shape to the fold on the ear leather, gradually adding dark against the highlights and creating the illusion of a third dimension in the painting.

I always find it a good idea to take a step back from the piece I am working on and look at the entire painting and make sure it is balanced.

Otherwise by being too focused on the small area I am working on it is easy to lose sight of the entire piece.

Thank you for coming to look at my artwork.

Drawing the German Shorthaired Pointer - Muzzle

After lightly sketching in areas of dark shadow and the highlights as well as the centre line on the bridge of the nose I began adding the shading to the lower part of the head.

The painting was working so well I lost track of time and forgot to stop and take photographs after I had finished the jaws, bridge of the nose and muzzle. I will try and make sure I stop to take the photographs when working on the other dog's head.

I still have to put all the markings on this dog, but I will do that later.

Drawing the German Shorthaired Pointer - Top of Head

Now it is time to get the top of the skull finished and work my way down towards the muzzle.

The first thing I filled in was the small area above the eye. It has a fair amount of high lit areas and the layers of graphite were gradually built up to blend with the surrounding area.

I then worked on finishing the solid marking at the back of the neck and below the ear; darkening the area for the shadows and using curved lines to create the illusion of roundness. Later I will put all the freckles into the coat.

Going back to the area between the eyes the shadows and highlights were slowly working in down and across the bridge of the nose to just below the stop between the eyes.

Working above the sharp edge of the cheek bone, the flat section of the cheek was put in and the shadow area below was joined to complete the front edge of the cheek bone.

The area below the eye was then filled in and some of the small veins which are close to the surface of the skin just above the cheek bone were given a little definition. I then put in the shadow beneath another of the veins just below the front edge of the cheek and across the top of the muzzle.

More detail was added to the corner of the mouth, shadowing was added along the bottom of the jaw and the hollow in the cheek where the tendons run where given a little more definition.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and look at the artwork. I hope you will return often.

Drawing the German Shorthaired Pointer - Eye Lid and Cheek

I wanted to get the eye lids and area around the eye completed today but just couldn't get started. So I added some shading down the front of the neck and worked on putting in the markings on the shoulder.

It is time consuming to get each of the markings in its exact location on the body and on this dog there are a lot of small freckles yet to be done.

I moved upward and rounded the bottom of the cheek slightly and darkened the shadow beneath the jaw giving it a more defined outline.

Working below the sharp edge of the cheek bone I added more shading and indicated areas of highlight.

I did a little more work at the top of the skull and added more shading before I finally started to work on the eye lid and the area around the eye.

The first thing I put in is the tear duct in the corner of the eye and lightly indicate the skin surrounding it. Once that is in place it acts as a guide for the lower eye lid.

The upper eye lid is drawn and the shadow put into the bottom and in the crease. The highlight on the top edge of the eye lid gradually darkens towards the far side of the lid.

The furrows above the eye lid are gradually drawn in and defined.

Drawing the German Shorthaired Pointer - Nose

The next area to be put in is the nose. This acts as a reference for the centre line of the face.

I start by placing a small, light shadow to use as a guide where the bridge of the nose and the top portion of the muzzle meet.

The centre line which divides the two halves of the flat front portion of the nose between the nostrils is put in first and the top edge of the nose pad is darkened.

The curved lines on the top of the nose are shaded in the direction of the nose as it goes along the bridge of the nose.

The shadow under the flap of skin below the nostril is put in which gives it its shape.

The lower edge of the upper lip is strengthened and given a more definite shape. The shadow under the lip is darkened to give a little depth.

The area of the muzzle below the nose is given shape and the whisker lines are indicated.

I then start working my way back up the bridge of the nose giving more shape and confirming the existing lines with a soft line of graphite.

Working with the lines following the curve of the skull I add in shading in front of the ear, gradually building layers of graphite.

The leading edge of the ear flap shows more clearly against the shadows beneath it which seems to push it forward.

The lines on the cheek are put in vertically to indicate the flatness
of the area as opposed to the roundness of the skull.

Next I go back and darken the area around the far eye adding in the furrows above the eye and a little more shadow under the far side ear flap.

As you can see so far other than putting the eyes in on the other dog nothing has been done with him, yet.

Drawing the German Shorthaired Pointer - Ears

Once the eyes have been completed, the next step is to start with the ears.

With the light coming from the upper left hand side of the picture, I like to indicate the highlight areas and lightly define the top of the head and the edge of the ear flap.

The shadow cast by the ear flap and below the jaw is lightly indicated on the neck and I added a few of her markings. The shadow cast by the ear folds are put in for reference with the dark areas marked in lightly. I also added a little definition to one of the nostrils.

Much of the ear is still left with the white of the paper showing. It is easier to add more dark gradually than to try and remove a dark shadow in the wrong place.

The top edge of the ear is given more definition and more of the shadows in the ear folds are indicated. The top of the ear gradually takes shape as more layers of graphite are slowly built up creating depth.

Gradually the shadows and shadings are added with the lightest of the highlights still being the white of the paper.

With the first ear completed it was time to work on the little bit of the far ear that shows. The base of this ear defines the shape of the skull above the other eye.

I then worked on the far eye and started the area around it.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and enjoy the artwork.

Drawing the German Shorthaired Pointer - Eyes

The most important part of an animal portrait is to get the eyes correct.

If the eye isn't right, no matter how well the rest of the painting is, there is something not believable about it. This is why I do the eyes almost always at the very beginning of the painting.

I marked in the upper corner of my paper the direction of the light source. This is the easiest way to keep the highlights on both dogs in the same direction. I did Tassy's eye first.

From the highlight in the eye to the bottom there is reflected light within the eye (for a more detailed explanation see my posting on 07 August 2011).

The irises on both dogs are a lighter brown than what is called for in the breed standards for some of the other dog breeds which require very dark eyes.

Then I worked on Tracker's eyes being sure that the tops of the eye lids were on the same angle as the rest of the head.

Note the difference in the shape of the eyes. You have to be careful to get the position and shape of the eye and have it correct for the angle of the head.

Drawing the German Shorthaired Pointer - Final Drawing

The nice thing about using tracing paper for my drawings is that I can easily do the final drawing in the reverse.

Looking at any drawing in the reverse whether you take the main lines like I do or look at your sketch in a mirror, or even turn it upside down; it gives you a different perspective of the image and allows you to see anything that looks out of place quite quickly.

The added advantage is that all my final lines are darkened and ready to transfer to my drawing paper; without my having to do it a second time or darken the back of my outline drawing.

I have found that "scribbling" over the back of the drawing with a softer pencil and then transferring the drawing often leaves a lot of loose graphite on the good paper which can be smeared and create a mess.

As you can see each dog was drawn on a separate piece of paper. It is here that I decide where the best position is to have the dogs overlapping each other to create interest instead of having them separated with a space between them. The two drawings are taped together so they don't move.

Then two small pieces of low tack tape is used to hold the drawing in place on the acid free paper while the outline is transferred to down. That way the image doesn't shift which is time consuming to correct and often causes damage to the fine paper.

Drawing the German Shorthaired Pointer - Outline Sketch

Almost all of my drawings are done on tracing paper. I don't use an eraser on my sketches preferring to work the lines until they are correct.

When the sketch gets too messy I use another piece of tracing paper, take the "good" lines and continue working on the drawing.

The major shapes of the head are indicated first as basic shapes. I prefer to use triangles, squares and rectangles and round the corners off rather than use circles and join the pieces with lines. Each person needs to find which way works best for them.

Then angles are lightly blocked in to give a three dimensional effect which also makes both sides of the head balance in perspective. That way one eye doesn't end up higher than the other or the nose isn't quite where it should be.

From there the drawing is gradually refined to show the folds on the ears, the roundness on the top of the skull, the sharp plane on the top of the cheeks and the curve at the bottom. Details are added to the nose and eyes being very sure that they are in the correct place and at the proper angle.

Once I am reasonably happy with the outline sketch it is time to work on the final drawing which will be transferred to the acid free drawing paper.

Thank you for coming to look at my artwork and I hope you will return often.