Thursday, February 04, 2010

Another Cocker

Here are the first stages of Maddie, the last in my run of Cocker Spaniels that I have had the pleasure to draw. She has definitely been the most challenging out of the bunch to get right because of her colouring. I am told she is lemon and white with her ‘lemon’ being more of a light tan colour, which is straight forward enough if you have the right coloured pencils.

This is the one colour that coloured pencil manufacturers either omit from their range or haven’t got right in my opinion so I need to play around with what I have. Lots of experimenting – mainly on scrap paper so as not to ruin my drawing:) Think I’m going in the right direction now which is where you want to be heading.

'Maddie'
A Work in Progress
Copyright Laura Hardie 2010

8 comments:

Teresa said...

That is a difficult color to pinpoint. I usually have problems trying to get those light brownish colors without going too yellow or too grey.

Xan's Art said...

Wonderful. How do you preserve the white bits, like thin whiskers amongst the rest of the fur? Do you just work carefully around it, or do you impress it in the paper beforehand?
I'm in awe of the sharp detail you get with your pencils. What kind of paper or other surface do you like to work on?

Crystal Cook said...

I know that people tell you this all the time, but your work is just stunning, I love this cocker spaniel! Every piece that you do just amazes me. I especially like her eyes and her mouth and the color of her fur is perfect. Lovely!

"JeanneG" said...

I agree with Crystal. I love everything you do. I wanna draw like you in fact. I have troubles like Teresa said with the tans but I just ordered a bunch of different ones and hopefully my Golden Retriever I'm going to be doing won't turn out Pink, yellow, or grey. I have found that the Luminance have verying degrees of several of their colors like most do with their greys. And I got some nice light tan in Pablos.

Gillian McMurray said...

What unusual colouring but a beautiful girl. You've done her proud.

Kim Ratigan said...

I find that there are too many red based browns in the CP lines. Prismacolor used to have 2 great lighter tones but they discontinued them. Can't remember what the beige was called but the other yellow was Deco yellow, which was beautiful over other colors.
Anyway, long preamble just to say that she looks beautiful! I think you've nailed the colors no problem at all!

Laura said...

Hi Teresa, That's the problem I find - they are either too yellow or the browns are too dark. Takes a bit of experimentation dependant on the dogs colouring:)

Hi Xan, to preserve the white bits in the fur I am known to draw carefully around them but more often than not, like 95% of the time, I work back into it with an electric eraser and then 'tidy'up' with my pencils. Add more whiskers, and work back into it with my pencils and so on. I've tried indenting the paper beforehand but much prefer the finished result using an electric eraser. It has to be one of the things I couldn't do without if I'm being honest:D

The paper I work on is Fabriano Artistico hot pressed watercolour paper (140lb) and I use this pretty much all the time. I have tried other papers but always go back to my favourite:)

Thank you so much Crystal for your kind words:)

Thank you Jeanne:D I'm actually using the Brown Ochres from Luminance to get the 'tan' colour I am after. They are not as 'yellow' as the other brands:)

Hi Gillian, she does have unusual colouring doesn't she. I'm certainly a lot happier with getting it right on paper now which is good:D

Thank you Kim:D Isn't typical how colours that could help are discontinued - story of my life:D

Xan's Art said...

Thanks Laura. Electric eraser on hot press watercolor. Mostly. :) Got it.
I used to have an electric eraser. Hm. I'm so impressed with your colored pencil work (and some others I've been seeing lately), it's tempting me to take up (yet another!) medium more seriously!