how to draw a pet dog in pastels from a photo

Here is the photo of dog (
toby ) supplied by a client

The brief is to draw the dog in pastels
on textured artist pastel paper size 12
by 16 inches

I was asked to alter the layout to make
a neater portrait.
remove the leg upper right
remove area of back on left side
don`t show front legs
( this will leave a head and shoulders
portrait )

I start the drawing by lightly drawing in
the main details with a hb lead pencil

Here I start to go a bit heavier with the
pencil and white pastel to see detail
clearly

Using my pastels I apply some pink
colour to ears and shade in white
areas on face and add colour to eyes

The white shading is now roughly
added in the face

I add some of the darker shading to
the face

The shading is now roughly finished on
the face and colour added to nose.
strengthen eye colour

Here I start to blend in the shading on
the face ( darks and highlights ) to give
a smooth finished look

I am now starting to finish blending the
shadows and lights on the face,nose,
ears and mouth

Now the face and ears are blended
and appears darker and smoother. I
have also made shadows even darker
added colour to collar .Add blue to
background

Now here is the finished pastel portrait
of toby ready for framing !

A STEP BY STEP DEMONSTRATION
by artist David Gilchrist

Practice working from photos yourself
it`s a great way to gain confidence in
art and if at first you don`t succeed
you can always try again ! Give it time
and you will see results.

I hope to bring you more how to`s soon
so please feel free to come back and
see if I have added something new