Animal and Wildlife Art Lessons
"Melvin the Hound"
By David Dowbyhuz
The level of detail in this work is calculated. I’m trying to strike a balance between a counterfeit reality and outright insanity. I want to suggest the texture of the sunlit arm of the couch without descending into painting every thread. Despite how it may appear, there isn’t as much fussy detail here as there seems. I’ve applied mixes of every color used to date in the couch to stroke in a few cords of texture, tapering off as the arm recedes. I used a wet-on-wet technique to avoid an overworked look.
I am especially pleased with how the texture of the canvas I am painting on came through the thin layer of paint to enhance the texture of material. Use what you've got!
I will revisit the background at intervals, but that portion of the painting is basically finished.
It is now time to start painting Melvin, the focus of this painting. This is where the painting will succeed or fail. First, I lay in the basics of the left side of his face using asphaltum, burnt & raw sienna, some Naples yellow, and a titanium/zinc white mix. There are traces of burnt umber, a color I don’t really care for, and lamp black.
This primitive stage is often discouraging.
I block in the ear, tighten up the eye, and I smash in the tones of his big snout. Things begin to shape up with these details, and I am happier with the results.
I have given some definintion to the muzzle, focused the eye more, and did some work on his flabby lips.
This side of his face has become acceptable for now. The other side of his head, the focal side must now be considered.
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