How to Paint Dog by Richard Ancheta

• Painting Lessons

Dog Painting

The art of Dog Painting become one of the most interesting subject in animal painting, the men's best friend becomes a family member to includes their portraits in our walls. The different kinds of breeds fascinate us with their lovable and funny looks. Painting a dog is easy, just to consider simple anatomy background, proportion, color and hair direction. The best way is to practice by observation, you will develop your insight to this friendly pets. From my experienced in dog shows, dog owners become my critic as they gave comments of depth in the character of their dogs. Oil paintings needs a several layers to achieve one piece, so I established a procedure to speed it up and painted them in an easy way.

Dog Painting Easy Oil Painting Techniques by Richard Ancheta April 25, 2007
1
Simply use an ordinary HB graphite pencil, placing details in the precise position. I did some grays to have some volumes. I spayed a thin layer of fixative to protect the drawing from smudging and not to be mix in the colors of the later stage.

2
The color of the dog is series gradation of yellow ochre and this color was applied to become the toned ground, I used acrylic and applied with sponge and dilute with water and so the pores of the canvas will closed, dry it with hair dryer to speed it up the process. Apply for the second time enough to see the sketched, if the sketched is opaquely covered, wiped immediately with rugs.

3
At this stage, oil painting begins. I start filling the darkest tone and block all the possible heavy toned areas especially in the corners.

4
After the darkest area, now I immediately rendered the highlight and intensity of lighted area.

5
At this stage, I start playing with shades and shadows, add different tone density and the local color of the main subject, foreground descending to background. I filled all the areas and let dry to prepare for the next session. I used paint thinner as a solvent and quickly dries the applied oil paints.

Final Stage

Last stage, this time I start to the background completing the details, shadows and cast shadows and continue detailing towards the foreground. Sometimes I used the lost and found method, completing the details in the lighted part and lost the details in the shadowed areas, 'will look more mysterious. The more you glazed and overpainting on top of each color, the more the definition of each details. My last glazed of color is a series of toned browns, thinned with more linseed oil (or with Japan dryer - a day or two, the paint dries quickly), to each local color, this method will completely harmonized each color (including the darkest paint), it will solidify the looks of the whole painting. I wait until it fully dries and applied gloss varnish, the colors will look more defined and vivid, don't forget to sign your painting.