Does This Drawing Look Like A Gsd?

[Greytmate]

WOW that's really good I think it looks like it has kelpie in it.

The outline looks huskyish to me, I think something needs to be a bit different with the eyes to make it look more GSDish, maybe the placement is a little off. BUT still it's great!!

Does doesnt it haha i think once i put detail in it, might look more GSD i will have a look at the eye placement. I was more worried about the ears

That is a good line drawing. It's not that it looks more GSD or more husky, it's more important as to whether it looks like the dog you are drawing.

Check your proportions of the space between the eyes, the size of the eyes, and the space between the sides of the head and the eyes. On GSDs the eye rims are usually black and visible (like the pic in your sig), where as huskies with their longer face fur can appear to have smaller eyes because the rims are often hidden or lighter in pigment. Drawing in the rims will give the eyes a different look, but refer back to your photo always for how it should look, don't rely on what you think a GSD looks like.

I can give more helpful advice if you can post the photo you are drawing. Don't be afraid to try pictures of the dog's head at slightly different angles. Just practice doing line drawings, and then pick your best ones to render.

If you look at the pics in my signature, the ones where the head is slightly to the side tend to look more like a particular breed than the face-on shots. I also think they are easier to draw, and often give character to a picture. If I was going to draw Coconut from that photo, I would draw the green shaped section first (background outline), then mark in where the other features are based on where they sit in relation to that outline and each other.

[Dogsrawesome]

WOW that's really good I think it looks like it has kelpie in it.

The outline looks huskyish to me, I think something needs to be a bit different with the eyes to make it look more GSDish, maybe the placement is a little off. BUT still it's great!!

Does doesnt it haha i think once i put detail in it, might look more GSD i will have a look at the eye placement. I was more worried about the ears

That is a good line drawing. It's not that it looks more GSD or more husky, it's more important as to whether it looks like the dog you are drawing.

Check your proportions of the space between the eyes, the size of the eyes, and the space between the sides of the head and the eyes. On GSDs the eye rims are usually black and visible (like the pic in your sig), where as huskies with their longer face fur can appear to have smaller eyes because the rims are often hidden or lighter in pigment. Drawing in the rims will give the eyes a different look, but refer back to your photo always for how it should look, don't rely on what you think a GSD looks like.

I can give more helpful advice if you can post the photo you are drawing. Don't be afraid to try pictures of the dog's head at slightly different angles. Just practice doing line drawings, and then pick your best ones to render.

If you look at the pics in my signature, the ones where the head is slightly to the side tend to look more like a particular breed than the face-on shots. I also think they are easier to draw, and often give character to a picture. If I was going to draw Coconut from that photo, I would draw the green shaped section first (background outline), then mark in where the other features are based on where they sit in relation to that outline and each other.

Yeah i know what you mean about drawing different angles, just get scared the first drawing was the first dog ive drawn with the mouth open and i think i did great :D Picture << thats the pic i am drawing and its just the face

[Rozzie]

The face is too wide. The ears could be longer.

[persephone]

ok- have another look at that photo measure the length of the ears, compared to the muzzle length... to me (not an artist) it seems as if the ears are around the same length as the muzzle ?

Don't be scared- just have lots of paper, and scribble away ..practising is great :D

Wish I could draw`.....anything!

[Kirislin]

It's not good taking a pic of the drawing on an angle, it distorts the drawing so we cant get a real idea of the proportions.

[Dogsrawesome]

ok- have another look at that photo :D measure the length of the ears, compared to the muzzle length... to me (not an artist) it seems as if the ears are around the same length as the muzzle ?

Don't be scared- just have lots of paper, and scribble away ..practising is great

Wish I could draw`.....anything!

I bet you could draw if you practised i started when i got my dog max he was my inspiration although when i was little i drew dogs on there side and they only had 2 legs i think i was 8yrs old.

[Greytmate]

I would probably have chosen a different photo to do a face portrait drawing.

That photo is great because it shows movement, it's a good action shot. But it lacks detail, focus isn't really on the dog's face, but on its body. Combine that with the background that blends into the dog's face, and you have a very difficult thing to draw well.

If you can find a portrait of a GSD similar pose to the ones in my signature, you will find it much easier to capture the face detail.

Persephone is right, you need to keep checking the proportions against each other. As well as what Pers said, the things that I noticed are that in the photo, the edge of the dog's lips only just are level with the bottom of the nose, your drawing has them coming up higher and the nose is lower. The shape of the space between the dogs ears is different in your drawing than it is in the photo too.

On the photo you are copying, draw a triangle between the outer corners of the eyes, and the bottom of the nose. Draw the same triangle on your own picture. The triangles should match. Then you fill in the smaller details, checking proportions as you go.

I hope you don't mind this advice. The advice we are given at uni is to practice, practice, practice, don't erase anything, just start again. This is a skill where the more practice the better. But I think there is more to learn about getting proportions right and composing your picture.

[Greytmate]

I found a website that talks about how to draw. It shows how you need to use an artistic type of thinking to be able to draw realistically. It is very similar to the methods I have learned.

Learn to Draw

Start with the basics, and then people, and that will give you the skills to draw dogs. Not just to draw a GSD, but enable to you to capture the image of a particular dog, and have people recognise that dog, not just the breed.

[Dogsrawesome]

I honestly dont mind help its good and ive gotton better since my first labrador drawing i will have a look at that website and i will see what i make of it I need to do so many drawings to get into the graphics design course next year so the more drawings the better :D. I also need to get a drawing tablet do you have one id like to know how much different they are then drawing on paper?

[Greytmate]

I don't have a drawing tablet. All our uni work has to be hand-drawn on paper. We don't use software to draw until we can prove we know how to draw by hand, in many different styles.

If you work through that website (or find a similar one), that will be a great basis for your portfolio as the more you can show that you have learned to draw different things, the better your portfolio will be.

I didn't have to provide a portfolio, but those of us that can draw well in our course have a big advantage. I'm studying Design, majoring in Interior Design.

[Dogsrawesome]

I don't have a drawing tablet. All our uni work has to be hand-drawn on paper. We don't use software to draw until we can prove we know how to draw by hand, in many different styles.

If you work through that website (or find a similar one), that will be a great basis for your portfolio as the more you can show that you have learned to draw different things, the better your portfolio will be.

I didn't have to provide a portfolio, but those of us that can draw well in our course have a big advantage. I'm studying Design, majoring in Interior Design.

Good luck with the interior design. Yeah i looked on the Tafe Qld website and it had everything i need for my portfolio. 15 different drawings off the top of my head one had to be the human figure so this website will help me i think especially with people

[Greytmate]

I was looking at pics of GSD, and if I was going to draw a GSD face portrait from a photo, this one might be a good choice.

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPION Schneeberg Oso Enchantin A(2:1) Z(0:0) BSCL1 VGM Multi Ex

Because this dog doesn't have a black face, it is easier to see fine detail. It is a good looking dog, and it is in a lovely pose, looking calm and alert. Most of the breed profile photos would be better if you wanted to draw the whole dog and not just the face.

The background is basically out of focus, and so you can use this to your advantage. Draw all of the dark and light green shapes first, that will give you an outline of the dog.

If you do use that image to draw, remember that image is owned, so you cannot copy that image and paste it anywhere else. You can only draw from your screen or print out a single copy for your own use. You are not allowed to use that photo in your artwork, you should not even trace the image, but you are allowed to draw your own visual interpretation of that image.

Having said that it is usually best to draw pictures of dogs whose owners are happy for you to draw them.

[tarope]

Sorry but no, it doesn't. :D

[aussielover]

It is a good drawing but it looks more like a wolf to me :D

It is actually a very nice drawing of a wolf though!

ETA: I think the ears need to be bigger for a GSD.

Edited April 30, 2011 by aussielover

[Shaar]

Love your drawings. I agree, maybe just the eye placement a little different, other than that it's coming along great!

Most people don't mind, but just a little word or warning, drawing and publishing pictures from photographs that other people have taken is actually a bit of a no-no.

I know it's only a hobby at the moment, but if you decide to take your art further and sell prints or anything like that, just make sure you use your own photos or get permission :D

[Gayle.]

Sorry, it doesn't look like a GSD to me either. Nice drawing of a dog, but I wouldn't have put a breed on it.

Can I offer a word of advice? Don't write on your drawings.......they'd be much better without a title, without any writing on the page. If you must, title it on the back.

[Dogsrawesome]

I was looking at pics of GSD, and if I was going to draw a GSD face portrait from a photo, this one might be a good choice.

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPION Schneeberg Oso Enchantin A(2:1) Z(0:0) BSCL1 VGM Multi Ex

Because this dog doesn't have a black face, it is easier to see fine detail. It is a good looking dog, and it is in a lovely pose, looking calm and alert. Most of the breed profile photos would be better if you wanted to draw the whole dog and not just the face.

The background is basically out of focus, and so you can use this to your advantage. Draw all of the dark and light green shapes first, that will give you an outline of the dog.

If you do use that image to draw, remember that image is owned, so you cannot copy that image and paste it anywhere else. You can only draw from your screen or print out a single copy for your own use. You are not allowed to use that photo in your artwork, you should not even trace the image, but you are allowed to draw your own visual interpretation of that image.

Having said that it is usually best to draw pictures of dogs whose owners are happy for you to draw them.

Thanks i NEVER trace i think its wrong, i have saved that page into favourites on the internet so i can easily go back and forth :D. Probs wont draw for a few days as i will be busy but keep an eye out i will put it in a new post :D.

[Dogsrawesome]

It is a good drawing but it looks more like a wolf to me :D

It is actually a very nice drawing of a wolf though!

ETA: I think the ears need to be bigger for a GSD.

im keeping it even if it doesnt mainly cause i like the way i shaded it. I think everyong including myself thinks the ears need to be bigger :D

[Dogsrawesome]

Love your drawings. I agree, maybe just the eye placement a little different, other than that it's coming along great!

Most people don't mind, but just a little word or warning, drawing and publishing pictures from photographs that other people have taken is actually a bit of a no-no.

I know it's only a hobby at the moment, but if you decide to take your art further and sell prints or anything like that, just make sure you use your own photos or get permission :D

Wont be going pro for a while and if i get that good might even make a few bucks . I know i should ask for permission but im not making any money from it so im sure people wont mind hopefully... But thanks for warning me :D

[Rozzie]

Have you finished it?