Hey Friends!
Welcome to my complete guide on painting dogs! In this post, I’ll be sharing my insights and experiences on capturing the beauty and essence of our furry friends on canvas. What used to be a two-part series is now a single, ultimate resource to help you on your artistic journey.
The eyes are the window to the soul, and when it comes to painting dogs, they truly hold the key to bringing our subjects to life. Naturally, our gaze is drawn to the eyes, so it’s essential to master their intricacies. And now, you can paint along with me!
Understanding the Parts of the Eye
Let’s explore some important aspects to consider when painting dogs’ eyes:
Eyelid: Unlike human eyelids, a dog’s eyelid may not be prominently visible due to the surrounding fur. However, it protrudes slightly and casts a subtle shadow, adding depth and dimension to the eye.
Conjunctiva: This is the delicate mucous membrane that covers the front of the eye and lines the inside of the eyelids. It often exhibits fascinating reflections that beautifully accentuate the eye’s shape.
Iris: The iris holds a captivating allure with its dark outline, lighter middle, and a darker shade around the pupil. It’s also highly reflective, adding a spark of life to your painting.
- Eyelids: Unlike human eyelids, a dog’s eyelid may not be prominently visible due to the surrounding fur. However, it protrudes slightly and casts a subtle shadow, adding depth and dimension to the eye.
Key Tips Before You Start Painting
Now let me share some valuable tips before you start painting a dog’s eyes:
Pay close attention to the direction of hair growth around the eye. It typically follows the eye’s curvature, so capturing this detail will lend authenticity to your artwork.
Remember that the iris covers almost the entire eye, while the white sclera is only visible when the dog looks in a different direction.
Take note of the dog’s coat color, as it will influence the color of the eye line. It can range from black and brown to even pink.
When painting the eyes, I always recommend starting with the darkest areas and colors first, gradually building up the highlights last to create depth.
My Step-by-Step Guide to Painting a Dog's Eye
Step 1 & 2: Foundation & Sketch
First, I start with a strong foundation by preparing my surface with two layers of tinted gesso and creating a simple sketch of the basic shapes.
Step 3: Mapping the Darks
I always begin by blocking in the darkest areas of the eye. This helps to define the form right from the start. I use a mix of Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Umber to avoid a flat, pure black.
Step 4: Blocking in Colors
Next, I block in the main base colors. I start with a layer of Raw Sienna for the iris. Then, using a mix of Raw Sienna, Titanium White, and Ultramarine Blue, I create a light color to paint the large, complex reflection in the eye, as well as the third eyelid. This step requires several layers to build a solid shine. Finally, I use a cool, light brown to paint the eyelids, which will serve as a base for the fur later on.
Step 5: Building the Iris
Now we focus on the iris. Using Burnt Umber, I paint the darker parts, already starting to imitate the unique texture I see in the reference. Then, with Yellow Ochre, I paint the lighter parts, continuing to build that texture. This process of layering light and dark patches is what creates the illusion of volume.
Step 6: Creating Light & Shadow
At this stage, I reinforce the three-dimensional form. I add shadows to the eyelids and in the small folds, and I add more light where needed to make the eye feel like it has real volume
Step 7: Adding Depth
To make the light areas truly pop, I use Payne’s Gray to add extra depth to the absolute darkest parts of the eye, like the pupil. Remember, painting is a process of building, layer by layer. I’m not too careful with my edges at the beginning, because I know I will refine them as I go.
Step 8: The Final Highlights
This is the magic touch. I use pure white to paint the most intense sparkles of light. This is what gives the final touch of three-dimensionality and truly brings the eye to life.
Step 9: Painting the Fur
To finish, I paint the fur around the eyelids. This step is crucial for grounding the eye and making it look like a natural part of the portrait. I’m not going into extreme detail here, as my next tutorials will be all about fur!
Conclusions
I hope this new, detailed guide and the full video tutorial inspire you as you embark on your dog-painting journey. By breaking down the process and trusting the layers, you can achieve a level of realism you can be proud of.
If you liked this tutorial, please share it with others and leave a comment. Thanks for painting with me!
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2 Responses
He aprendido tanto,por lo que le estoy muy agradecida.como la invitó a miles de café.
Que alegria Doris! Muchos saludos!