Shasta portrait in progress 20 - The final step
I’m down to the final part of Shasta’s portrait: the footbridge. In a previous step I applied a wash of blue watercolor over the grey...
Kevin Roeckl
Aug 18, 20242 min read
8 views
Shasta portrait in progress 19 - A design challenge
A zillion ferns 🤣 in this portrait will soon be completed. Previously I explained about adding green underpainting on both sides of...
Kevin Roeckl
Aug 15, 20242 min read
9 views
Shasta portrait in progress 18 - Left side finished...
I’m finally getting down to the wire with this portrait. The ferns on the left are finished. 1 Working my way down to the bottom corner....
Kevin Roeckl
Aug 10, 20241 min read
12 views
Shasta portrait in progress 17 - Ferns, ferns, and more ferns
Putting in the ferns with colored pencil over the green underpainting ( see previous post for explanation ). And over the blue-grey...
Kevin Roeckl
Aug 8, 20241 min read
6 views
Shasta portrait in progress 16 - More underpainting needed
If you've been following my progress you know that I’m working on grey paper. I’ve decided to put in a green underpainting in the lower...
Kevin Roeckl
Aug 6, 20241 min read
7 views
Shasta portrait in progress 15 - The "flow" of a composition
The picture shows the whole portrait as it looks now. There is a diagonal line of bright yellows going to the right and up from Shasta’s...
Kevin Roeckl
Aug 2, 20242 min read
3 views
Shasta portrait in progress 14 - The path through the forest
I’m working on the path now, to the left of Shasta. Here’s today’s work... 1 You can see the curved lines of the path (sketched in with...
Kevin Roeckl
Aug 2, 20241 min read
4 views
Shasta portrait in progress 13 - Color info for artists
Filling in around Shasta’s head with a bunch of different greens. There's some good color info in this post for artists! This photo taken...
Kevin Roeckl
Jul 27, 20242 min read
4 views
Shasta portrait in progress 12 - Slow, painstaking work
Carefully working the greens of the background around the back-lit hairs of Shasta's ears. Unlike the underpainting technique on the...
Kevin Roeckl
Jul 22, 20241 min read
7 views
Shasta portrait in progress 11 - Greens and golds
Shasta herself is finished. I always love the way it looks when the subject is “3-dimensional” on the flat grey paper! Next I’ll start on...
Kevin Roeckl
Jul 20, 20242 min read
4 views
Shasta portrait in progress 10 - Pausing for a little blue
After I finished Shasta’s head and neck, I continued working my way down her body. But I had to pause my pencilwork for a series of steps...
Kevin Roeckl
Jul 17, 20243 min read
6 views
Shasta portrait in progress 9 - Perfect for notecards
Shasta’s white ruff is finished. A set of custom notecards is included with my portraits. Usually the whole portrait is on the card. But...
Kevin Roeckl
Jul 17, 20241 min read
3 views
Shasta portrait in progress 8 - The story behind the art
Cheryl sent me the most adorable picture of Shasta “belly up” on the chaise yesterday. I’ve come to know her through Cheryl’s and Tk’s...
Kevin Roeckl
Jul 11, 20242 min read
5 views
Shasta portrait in progress 7 - That happy smile!
Shasta’s happy smile is finished. This is how the whole portrait looks now. The background will be a detailed scene of a hiking trail in...
Kevin Roeckl
Jul 8, 20241 min read
6 views
Shasta portrait in progress 6 - What color is a tongue?
Today I'm adding Shasta’s tongue. What color is a dog's tongue? Pink, you might say. Is it really? There are some colors in a dog’s...
Kevin Roeckl
Jul 5, 20242 min read
7 views
Shasta portrait in progress 5 - The importance of eyes
It’s the day I’m doing Shasta’s eyes. The most critical part of any portrait. A whole bunch of reference photos are on the monitor to...
Kevin Roeckl
Jun 29, 20241 min read
4 views
Shasta portrait in progress 4 - "Value control"
Started working on Shasta’s head today. When Diane saw these in-progress pics, she wrote: “Looking good! EXCITING!!!!” In my last two...
Kevin Roeckl
Jun 26, 20242 min read
4 views
Shasta portrait in progress 3 - The forests of Vancouver
The forest trees are finished. In my last post I shared an explanation of how I’m using the grey of the paper for most of the color in...
Kevin Roeckl
Jun 25, 20241 min read
5 views
Shasta portrait in progress 2 - In a sunlit forest
The first 3 days work on Shasta’s portrait. I’m working on a sheet of “Felt Grey” Canson paper, my favorite background color to work on....
Kevin Roeckl
Jun 22, 20242 min read
8 views
Shasta portrait in progress 1 - The foundation
I'm starting a portrait of Shasta, an Australian Shepherd. It’s a gift from Diane Barnes to her son Takeshi. Takeshi’s girlfriend Cheryl...
Kevin Roeckl
Jun 17, 20244 min read
12 views
