Wishes portrait in progress 2 - Continuing those tricky values
In my first post I explained why the values (how light or dark a color is) in this portrait are so difficult. The values will continue...
Kevin Roeckl
May 54 min read
Wishes portrait in progress 1 - A very challenging piece
Wishes' portrait will be a challenging artwork. It’s not a complex piece, but it is a challenging one because of the values. (How light...
Kevin Roeckl
May 18 min read
Captain Jack portrait finished!
Captain Jack, best friend of Sindy B. for 16 years. When Sindy first contacted me about a portrait, she told me Captain Jack had been...
Kevin Roeckl
Apr 283 min read
Captain Jack portrait in progress 8 - Making biscuits!
How I chose the colors for Captain Jack’s biscuit. There is no specific “biscuit” color in Prismacolor pencils. 1 The pencil colors I’m...
Kevin Roeckl
Apr 232 min read
Captain Jack portrait in progress 7 - A biscuit story
This is how the portrait looks now. Captain Jack’s face is finished. Next, the biscuit. There is a story about why holding that biscuit...
Kevin Roeckl
Apr 211 min read
Captain Jack portrait in progress 6 - Whisker info
Captain Jack’s forehead and right ear finished. Now working on the intricate detail of his white muzzle and nose. Next, the biscuit....
Kevin Roeckl
Apr 181 min read
Captain Jack portrait in progress 5 - Sweet shining eyes
Captain Jack’s right eye is finished. My last post showed the left eye finished, and described the colors and reflections in an eye that...
Kevin Roeckl
Apr 162 min read
Captain Jack portrait in progress 4 - A window in the eye
You can see all kinds of shapes in the lighting and reflections in an eye. Capturing them accurately is what makes an eye look real. In...
Kevin Roeckl
Apr 152 min read
Captain Jack portrait in progress 3
Left eye finished. His bright, cheerful eye. Sindy cried when I sent her this pic. Captain Jack was her best friend for 16 years and...
Kevin Roeckl
Apr 141 min read
Captain Jack portrait in progress 2 - A limited palette so far
Working on Captain Jack’s ear. This portrait will be mostly in black, white, and various greys. Except for the tan biscuit he’s holding,...
Kevin Roeckl
Apr 111 min read
Captain Jack portrait in progress 1 - Initial outlines
Starting a portrait of Captain Jack, a black and white Pomeranian, for Sindy B. This shows the detailed outlines I start with. In...
Kevin Roeckl
Apr 91 min read
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 519 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 42 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 301 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 185 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 182 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 134 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 74 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 281 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 201 min read
