"Maggie"

This is the client's photo of Maggie, a beautiful Border Collie.

It's a good example of a suitable photograph - just a regular 4x6 snapshot, yet clear and close enough to provide a good reference.

The portrait begins as a rough pencil sketch, and after many changes and  corrections, this final line drawing is transferred to a piece of illustration board.

Now working in coloured pencil, on the illustration board, I use a technique known as "grisaille" ("painting in grey tones", pronounced "greez-eye"), which was first used by the Old Masters. In this case, a very light layer of Prussian blue is used, emphasizing the lights and darks. Other colours are then applied in layers, giving tonal appearance and depth to the drawing.

Working from top to bottom, left to right, with a piece of paper under my hand to prevent smudging, the process of colour layering continues, establishing details and highlights in the fur as I go.