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 pale yellow pencil) as it comes around the tree. 

2

Notice how I used the grey of the paper as the main color of the path. Then I just threw on some dots and dashes of pencil strokes in a few different golds, browns, and greys to give the path texture. The impression of some pebbles, fir-tree needles, and bits of fallen leaves on a forest trail. 

I chose grey paper for this portrait for a number of reasons. This was one of them. 

I think Shasta looks like she is just about to turn around and dash down that path!

Detail of “Shasta”, a portrait of an Australian Shepherd on a forest trail.

🎨  Prismacolor pencil on grey Canson Mi-Teintes paper, with blue watercolor wash on the bridge.

20 x 26 inches