Wishes portrait in progress 8 - A happy ear

I’m very happy with how Wishes’ ear turned out. 

1

If you've been following my “swatches map” you will recognize the swatches-map for Wishes’ ear on my monitor. This photo was taken in my studio while working on her ear.

2

Starting on the front edge of the ear and working toward the right…

3

These are the pencil colors I’m using. Rust-markings colors on the left. Colors for black coat on the right. The swatches above the black-coat pencils are all the Prismacolor greys: Warm greys, Cool greys, French greys. So I can keep track of them all and how they look in comparison to eachother, and to that dark grey paper.  

Ear almost finished (above). Just  have to fill in that center section. I worked in from the edges, as I usually do. A crisp edge is important. Then the values of that edge guide me, attaching all the other values and shapes as I work inward. 

4

I’m so pleased with how this ear turned out. 

Love the way these colors pop on the dark grey paper. Finally, I got far enough away from the lighter values and muted color on the front half of Wishes’ face, to be able to use the saturated color and full range of values that I’m used to on Doberman portraits. Now you can see how muted the rust part/front part of her face is by comparison.

5

It’s been a long hard road, but Wishes’ face is finished. The worst of the challenge is behind me with those tricky values. This has been one of the most difficult pieces I’ve ever done, technically. (And I have done some complex and challenging artworks.) 

I will still have to be attentive to the values on her body, but the rest will be a piece of cake.  

Next, her green-and-white rhinestone collar. Yes that’s right, rhinestone collar.

“Wishes”

❤️  Commissioned by Alicia McCarthy

🎨 Prismacolor pencil and acrylic wash on “Dark Grey” Canson Mi-Teintes paper, 20 x 26 inches.