Zelda portrait in progress - start to finish
January 10 I’m starting a portrait of Zelda, a Top Twenty Doberman. Commissioned by Doberman breeder Susan R. as a gift to Zelda's owner...
Kevin Roeckl
Apr 5, 202519 min read
Rayne portrait in progress - The importance of paper color
In 2017 I created this complex portrait of “Rayne”, the 5th portrait I’ve done for Patti Fetzer after each of her beloved Dobermans...
Kevin Roeckl
Apr 4, 20252 min read
Portrait of Breeze
I want to share this sweet portrait of “Breeze” I created in the late 1990’s. This is an example of a simple background scene being...
Kevin Roeckl
Mar 30, 20251 min read
Zelda portrait finished!
I’m often amazed at the eloquence with which my client writes about their loved one. Diane’s words helped me capture Zelda’s strong and...
Kevin Roeckl
Mar 18, 20255 min read
Zelda portrait in progress 11 - one little tweak...
Three posts ago I described how I exaggerated the highlights on top of Zelda’s nose in order to make it stand out from the green...
Kevin Roeckl
Mar 18, 20252 min read
Zelda portrait in progress 10 - How to make a grassy lawn
The figure of Zelda is finished and now I’m putting in the grass around her feet. 1 Starting to fill in the grass.... 2 These are all...
Kevin Roeckl
Mar 13, 20254 min read
Zelda portrait in progress 9 - Fire in her eyes
Fire in her eyes, and the music I listen to in the studio, the “playlist to her soul”. (Read the captions) These 5 pics show how I...
Kevin Roeckl
Mar 7, 20254 min read
Zelda portrait in progress 8 - Glitches with studio time...
As I worked my way forward on Zelda’s body to her shoulders, I wanted to do her head next. Her ears are finished, which was my first day...
Kevin Roeckl
Feb 28, 20251 min read
Zelda portrait in progress 7 - Back after a long break
Resuming work on Zelda, the portrait of the Top Twenty show Doberman, after a VERY long break for health issues. Now working on her...
Kevin Roeckl
Feb 20, 20251 min read
Zelda portrait in progress 6 - First the ears...
When I shared this in-progress picture with Diane today I wrote: “I started working on Zelda’s head today. I re-read what you wrote about...
Kevin Roeckl
Jan 23, 20251 min read
Zelda portrait in progress 5 - Keeping it correct
Continuing to build Zelda’s musculature and the shapes of her body, the muscles and bone — her structure. A correct Doberman should look...
Kevin Roeckl
Jan 20, 20251 min read
Zelda portrait in progress 4 - About pencil pressure...
Lots of colored pencil artists believe it’s necessary to build up lots of layers with light pressure to achieve a solid color. I don’t...
Kevin Roeckl
Jan 17, 20252 min read
Zelda portrait in progress 3 - Attaching the muscles
Putting in Zelda's musculature. This has to be exactly precise to capture her structure…her beautifully correct structure. By working in...
Kevin Roeckl
Jan 15, 20252 min read
Zelda portrait in progress 2 - All the colors
Continuing work on Zelda. Photo taken in the studio today. These are all the greys, black, brown, and blue pencils I’m using for her...
Kevin Roeckl
Jan 14, 20251 min read
Zelda portrait in progress 1 - Decisions to be made
I’m starting a portrait of Zelda, a Top Twenty Doberman. Commissioned by Doberman breeder Susan R. as a gift to Zelda's owner Diane. ...
Kevin Roeckl
Jan 11, 20252 min read
Autumn - "Autumn Afternoon"
🍁 In honor of Fall, I’ve been sharing autumn artworks from my 40-year career. ...And finally we get to the Doberman autumn pic for all...
Kevin Roeckl
Oct 13, 20241 min read
Cooper portrait in progress - start to finish
April 2 I'm starting another portrait of a Doberman with a special story. Maura Reilly asked if she could get on my wait list for a...
Kevin Roeckl
Jun 12, 202410 min read
Cooper portrait finished!
This portrait was a surprise gift from Maura Reilly to Diane and Michael Schurman. On Facebook Diane wrote: “You’ve made Michael and I so...
Kevin Roeckl
Apr 25, 20241 min read
Cooper portrait in progress 8 - Tools of the artist's life
I wanted to share a few of the photos I took while working in the studio over the course of Cooper’s portrait. With some...
Kevin Roeckl
Apr 19, 20243 min read
Cooper portrait in progress 7 - Color swatches help the artist
I'm working my way down Cooper's body. This photo, taken in the studio while I was working, shows his body in progress with the pencil...
Kevin Roeckl
Apr 15, 20242 min read
