For Dog Lovers

Dogs have always been part of my life. Since I can remember there has been a parade of beloved canines alongside wherever I've been. Dogs should have been natural subject matter, but until recently I hadn't been paying much artistic attention. In recent weeks that's begun to change. 

I did this digital sketch of a pup pouncing on a ball simply for fun. It makes me smile to watch young animals at play--regardless of species. This drawing is actually from a composite of sources, including imagination. The main goal here was to capture the puppy's utter joy at playing.

The program I generally use these days is Sketchbook (now available free for download) in conjunction with a Wacom tablet. One of the great things about Sketchbook besides its new price is how well a traditional artist like me can catch on to the interface. Unlike more complex programs such as Photoshop, the tools and settings are more easily learned. This particular sketch was saved in jpeg format for ease of upload, but you can save in other popular formats.

Anyone who's owned a dog has seen the expression I tried to capture in this digital drawing of a contrite canine. That sidelong look is universal among dogs, who seem to almost read their owner's minds. It's easy to see the source of the expression "hangdog" for a guilty look. And of course if one has a pet, domestic disasters do happen. This sketch was again a product of Sketchbook, but drawn very quickly at a single sitting. Since the most important section was the central face and eyes I de-emphasized the stocky legs and body to keep the viewer focused on the dog's expression.

The last drawing is another guilty-looking dog, long ears drooping and his eyes focusing upward at someone in authority. To me the look seems to belie culpability, making the caption appropriate. As with the other drawings in this post, the challenge here was to capture the dog's expression, not just a likeness of the animal. The body language and eye movement seem to say the most about the circumstances, seems to me, making those crucial in capturing expression.





If you've an interest in digital art, there's literally no risk in downloading Sketchbook. It's a full-featured, professional-grade program absolutely free. In the past it has sold for a fairly high price, and I've not heard why it's being offered gratis, but why not give it a try? It's available for PC, Mac, and mobile devices, which for me is a real plus since I can work on my PC as well as my iPad.

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Animals
More Animal Drawing