Pencil & Fur: Pet Studies

A custom colored pencil portrait commissioned to capture the distinct look and personality of a beloved companion. Layered with fine colored pencil strokes to build up realistic fur textures, warm eye highlights, and that gentle expression.

Progress

Working through the layers on this commissioned dog portrait. Using mostly Faber-Castell colored pencils and pastels to build up the warm tones and fur texture in the face before moving down to the rest of the coat.

Challenge

Low-light reference photos mean having to infer a lot of shadow structure and form on the fly. Using Faber-Castell colored pencils for precise fur details and pastels for smooth base gradients to bring back the natural depth and warmth.