Adding tone to your dog portraits in pencil.

Adding Tone To Your Dog Portrait

Now that you have an accurate outline, it's time to add the tone. You have two choices. You can add all the tones to the entire outline at this time.

Or, you can add them to a particular area of the outline, shade and blend and finish that area.

I prefer finishing one area at a time. By doing it this way you have less chance of smudging your portrait. And, you will be able to see your drawing coming to life a little at a time.

Try both methods and decide which you like.

For this example, I'll use the one area at a time method.

Always start with the eyes.

Start with the Full Tone.

Start with the pupil which is always very dark.

Refer to your original photo to see where to place any other full tones.

Add the 3/4 tone where you see it on your original. The lighter areas will be added as you go along.

Always add the tones in the direction of the hair pattern.

Here you can see the tones added to and around the first eye of my border collie.

Shade and Blend:

This is the fun part. Here's where you see your drawing coming to life.

Begin by blending (rub lightly) the pupil with a new tortillion. It will pick up some graphite. Go over the reflection in the pupil lightly.

Now that the tortillion is dirty, shade over the iris (the colored part of the eye). This will give you the lighter shading that you need in this area.

Carefully shade and blend over all the tones that you added with your pencil. Make sure everything blends together smoothly, no harsh lines. Keep it soft.

Blend the darker areas into the lighter areas. Stay at this until it looks right. Refer to your original.

Adding The Highlights:

Using your kneaded eraser, add the highlights by removing some of the shading.

The areas directly above and below the eye. Roll the eraser into a point and remove the shading from the reflection in the pupil.

Keep blending, shading and erasing until it looks like your original.

Save your dirty tortillions. You can use them for more shading later.

When you are satisfied, go on to the other eye and repeat the process.

Begin to add the darker tones to other areas of your drawing. Blend and shade each area, then use the eraser to add the highlights.

By now you can really see what you are accomplishing. Add the tones to the rest of the dog.

Shade and blend them together smoothly. Blending the dark into the light.

If the dog you are drawing has long hair, you can create a neat effect using your sharp edged eraser.

Take a piece of scrap paper and make a dark scribble on it with your pencil. Drag the eraser's sharp edge across the scribble to pick up some graphite.

Go over the darker, more hairy areas, pulling the edge of the eraser in the direction of the hair. As the graphite comes off, it will also leave lighter hairs.

Repeat this until you get the fullness of the hair that you need.

Create whiskers the same way. Drag the dirty eraser's edge away from the dog's muzzle. Use quick strokes.

For the white on the chest I used a combination of shading with the tortillion and the sharp edged eraser.

Go back over your drawing one more time. Make sure you removed the shading from the reflection in the pupil. Look for those thin lines of reflected light.

Now, carefully erase any grid lines that are still present around the outside of the dog. Go slow! Don't tear your paper after so much work.

One final thing to do. Spray your dog portrait with fixative. Follow the directions on the can. This will prevent sudging and yellowing over time.

For more detailed drawing instruction, please check out my How To Draw Books

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