Black Labrador

7/25/2019 Black Labrador

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Pet portraits are extremely

popular with my students,and I wanted to take the

opportunity to demonstrate a

pet portrait done entirely in

acrylics. I will be using my

own mix of fluid retarder andgel retarder, which I mix to

approximately 50/50; thisprovides me with a much

more fluid gel giving me

similar consistency to linseed

oil or Liquin when using oils,

and allows me to work wet

into wet for softer blending.

Acrylics are a wonderful

medium but dry very quickly,

I hope to demonstrate that by

using this method you can

still blend similar to an oil

portrait whilst benefitting

from the fast drying times.

I have chosen this beautiful photograph of this old black Labrador; I

particularly love the !pose of this dog and the soft and gentleexpression. A good pose is crucial for a great portrait; I have found it is

best to get a friend to help take the photograph of your pet, so that you

can get down to the dogs eye level whilst a friend helps keep the dogs

attention with a treat or toy. I have also chosen this photo becausepainting black can be a challenge, but I wanted to demonstrate the

colours that go into a black coat.

ACRYLICS

DEMONSTRATION

Faithful FriendBy Marion Dutton


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Faithful Friend by Marion Dutton

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Materials

Fluid retarder (50.50) gel and fluid mix (see above details)

Burnt umber

Raw siennaTitanium whiteCadmium yellow

Dioxazine purple

Payne's grey

Cadmium orange

Alizarin crimson

Ultramarine blue

Sap greenIvory Black

Blending brush

Flat brush

Rake brush

Small detail brush script liner


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The Initial Sketch

Transfer the drawing onto the canvas. I used an opaque projector to

project the photograph directly onto the canvas, however there are

many options to transfer your drawing. If you are confident with your

drawing skills you can draw free hand directly onto your canvas.

Alternatively you can print an A4 photograph and use tracing paper to

trace this, the traced image can then be enlarged to the size of canvas at

a stationary store.

This image can then be placed onto your canvas with a sheet of carbonpaper underneath simply trace over your lines. Alternately the grid

method can be used.

I always use a fixative over my pencil lines before beginning painting to

prevent my initial sketch from smudging. Note how I have created a

pattern on the dog mapping the highlights and shadow areas to help me

when I begin the under painting.


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Step 1: Underpainting

I begin by applying my ready-made mixed fluid retarder over the entire

surface of the drawing. Then, using a light wash of burnt umber, I begin

the under painting: the aim of the under painting is to create an entire

portrait in one colour.

I use a q tip to remove areas of

wet paint in the lighter areas,and darken the shadow areas

by reducing the amount of fluid

retarder mixed with the burnt

umber: with an under painting

you begin with the lighter

shades and gradually workyour way up to the darkest

darks.

Here you can see the finished

under painting in one colour.Notice how I have removed

areas of paint in the lighterareas; also, even at this early

stage, I keep all my strokes in

the direction of the hair

growth.

I allow this stage to dry

completely before moving ontothe background. (With acrylics

you can speed the drying time up by using a hairdryer.)


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Step 2: Blended Background

I want the background to be soft and muted, and to complement thedogs coloring. Even though the dog is black, he will have a purplish hue

to him; I have therefore chosen to go with a yellow toned background as

yellow is a complement to purple.

I apply fluid retarder to the entire background area and work wet into

wet (you do have to work quickly with acrylics). Using a large flat

brush, I apply a mix of raw sienna and white. Whilst this colour is still

wet I work in brighter areas of cadmium yellow to the upper areas of thedog; I also bring this colour slightly behind the dog on the right hand

side.

I like to add hints of the dogs colours to the background, so I add small

touches of dioxazine purple to the lower canvas and slightly to the

upper right: I use a soft blending mop to blend these colours together for

a muted effect. Allow this step to dry.

This is the first layer of the background, this step will be repeated to

create a rich muted background. Ensure your background is dry before

proceeding to the first colour layers on the dog.


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Still working wet into wet I

begin adding the lighter value

to the highlighted areas of the

dog again softening as I go

with a blending brush. This

step must be completedquickly, using plenty of fluid

retarder to enable soft

blending. Allow to fully dry

before repeating this step.

I repeated this step threetimes.

a)Apply middle tone over

the entire dog with LOTS of

fluid retarder.

b)

Work the dark areas wetinto wet.

c)Work the highlights wetinto wet blend and keep

strokes soft. Follow the

direction of the hair.

Here is the portrait after

the three layers on the coat

and two layers to the

background. Keep

everything soft. Allow to

fully dry before moving to

the next stage.


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Step 4: Eye & Nose Details

Wet the eyes with fluid retarder

and work wet into wet. Cover the

iris in burnt sienna and add a

secondary highlight of cadmium

orange whilst still wet. Put this in

diagonally opposite to the bright

gleam and gently blend into the

sienna.

Add a smaller brighter highlight of

cadmium yellow and a touch of

white. Softly blend.

Add grey white to the whites of

the eyes using titanium white andpaynes grey whilst this is wet

add touches of alizarin crimson

for a slight pinkish hue.

The pupil is black but must be drybefore beginning the highlights.Over the dried black pupil drag

ultramarine blue across the top half

of the iris in a half moon shape: this

represents the sky reflecting in the

dogs eye. Finish by adding a bright

dot of pure white for the brightest

gleam.


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The nose is done similar to the dogs coat using our three values: cover

the nose in the middle value and lots of fluid retarder; working wet into

wet, then add the darkest darks and the lightest lights. Allow to dry.

Once dry tap on some very bright highlights (with the light value and a

touch of white) to represent the texture and wetness of a dogs nose.


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Step 5: Collar Details

Block in the collar using alizarin crimson, sap green and raw sienna.

Highlight the alizarin part with cadmium red; highlight the raw sienna

and green part with cadmium yellow. Add a white trim and a slighttouch of paynes grey where the white areas go into shadow. Allow tofully dry.


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Step 6: Rake Brush Details

Using a rake brush and

the lightest value of

mixture (from the first

step), I begin very lightlyto add small hair details. Iam working on a dried

canvas at this stage, but

thinning the paint with

the fluid retarder gel.

The aim of this stage is to

cover the dog with smallhair details, which will be

later glazed back with adarker value: it is very

important that all the

strokes follow the

direction of the hair.

Here you can see the

whole dog now has small

hair-like strokes of a lightvalue: this must now be

dried before beginning the

glazing.


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Step 7: Glazing & WhiskersI am working on a dried canvas.

I mix Ivory black with dioxazine

purple and thin this mixture

down to an inky texture (it

needs to be thin enough thatyou can still see the small hairs

underneath). Use a flat brush

and the thin dark glaze to

reinforce all the shadow areas,

following the direction of the

hair growth. Allow to dry.

Using a liner brush and a thin mix of the lightest value (mixed from the

first step and then thinned with fluid retarder), add some whiskers to

the dog. This is best done when the canvas is fully dried so any that are

too big can simply be wiped off.


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The Finished Outcome

Completing a successful pet portrait requires the building-up of many

layers. Dont be afraid to repeat an area over and over to get the

necessary depth and richness. I mostly use a three-step process both in

acrylics and in oils (middle, a highlight and a dark), working andblending the lights and darks into the base/middle tone. It is only after

several layers do I begin to add details such as the small hairs around

the muzzle and eyes etc. Though I would complete an oil portrait in the

same way, the drying time would be much greater; the joy of acrylics is

that you can work wet into wet, but then dry the area with a hairdryer

and quickly move onto the next stage.


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About Marion Dutton

Marion is a portrait and pet portrait

artist and paints regularly to

commission. She is also an

Alexander Certified Art Instructorand now enjoys sharing her passion

for painting with her students.

Marion mostly paints in oils and

acrylics, but often does pencil

portraits too.

See Marions full profile at:

www.ArtTutor.com/artists/Marion-Dutton

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Black Labrador