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Working on velour paper can be quite tricky. It feels a little like suede and so can mark very easily when you don't want it to.

Pastel pencils

I find that a clean nail brush is ideal for perking up the pile on velour.
Click here to see tips on photographing your pet

Pet portraits make great gifts!

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Click here to see a step by step of Watching, wishing and waiting.
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Creating a portrait of Elvis
The original photo

This is Elvis. He belongs to my hairdresser Jo. She brought me this great shot of him and asked if I would create his portrait in pastel.

Although it's a bit short, here's the step by step of Elvis' portrait.

 

The portrait is first drawn onto the paper.

I chose the yellow velour ground here because I thought that the colour would help to show off Elvis' beautiful coat.

I always start with the eye, no matter what the portrait is. If you don't get the eyes right in a portrait you're off to a bad start.

You can see that I've started to block in the main colours on the underpainting.

Now I've started to deepen the colours and add some of the highlight areas.

Notice that I've started to strengthen the shadows on the neck.
Gradually I build up the tones and the shading and add the detail.
...And heres the finsihed Elvis

black cat