Advice on Maria's Boxer Dog Pastel Pencil Picture - Shading Help

One of our members Maria sent in her pastel pencil picture of the Boxer Dog project. This is a picture that you can learn to draw with membership to our website. As a member she can send in her artwork and receive tips on areas she found challenging. Maria writes:

Hi SteveMost challenging was the mouth for me. It was completely different from the dogs that I had drawn previously. Also the lines around the eyes were unusual... and the highlights on the left ear. I think I have learned quite a bit from this picture.Best wishes to you and ColinMaria

Listen or read Colin's advice below:Hi Maria. Colin Bradley here. Steve sent me the picture of your boxer a dog, which I think you've done a very good job of it. I do take up your points that you mentioned and I understand where you're coming from. I've got to tell you though, this is all down to experience. The more you do, the more you understand. And one of the most difficult things of all is the transitions between the dark and the light, particularly black, or grey and white.Now that comes with experience. And what I would do if I were you is study as many pictures of mine on the site as you can with those ingredients. And you'll see how I do it. It's hard. And the boxer dog is particularly hard what you have to do is to put the dark colours in darker that you've got the lighter colours in lighter than you've got and then all the colours in between. Not easy to do.It's a bit scary when you're using blacks and greys, dark greys, but that will come I assure you with experience. So I wouldn't worry about it as far as I'm concerned. And most people looking at that Boxer would say, what a good job you've done with it. And I think you have, so put it down really to a bit more experience.Keep working at it and don't be frightened of doing things like this a gain, it's always scary when you've got something new. You've done lots of other pictures which should come out okay. And then suddenly you think, oh, how am I going to tackle that. But you've got to do that because that's the way you learn. Anyway, I think it's great. I would just point out one thing that I've noticed on the picture, you've got pencil lines showing.If you look at below the dogs mouth on the Ochre fur you've got, you can see this pencil lines you've got, they may just be the lines of the printout, I don't know. But those lines really can be got rid of. Now, the only way you're going to get rid of them though. If you can't eraser them with a pencil eraser, then you'll have to work on backgrounds or in this case, it's probably backgrounds to try to get rid of those.It can be done, but it is hard, but you might have to sort of darken the background a little bit. Anyway I only point that out. I wouldn't let that detract from the picture. I've seen even professional pictures with lines on them, so don't be too worried about that. I hope that helps you. I look forward to seeing more of your work later on. Bye for now.If you would like tips and advice on your pastel pencil pictures then take a look at our membership where you can watch Colin's lessons and receive help.