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.

OSWOA - Setting Sun I

This is another painting I started while in Magnetawan with the Outdoor Painters' Group in October.

If you would like more information about OSWOA please go to my post on 12 March 2010.

The OSWOA shown here is an original watercolour painting using Artist quality Windsor & Newton paint on 300lb. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. It is priced at $40.00 and sold unframed.

ACEO - Repose 1

This is a scene we often see while out on the lake in the boat.

If you would like more information about ACEO please go to my post on 11 March 2010.

The ACEO shown here is an original watercolour painting using Artist quality Windsor & Newton paint on 300lb. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. It is priced at $20.00 and sold unframed.

Buckhorn Artists' Group Blog- Show Updates

I have updated the Buckhorn Artists' Group blog with a listing of shows some of the various artists in the Group are exhibiting their work in during the month of January.

If you get a chance come out and visit them at one or all of the shows.