You can still FIND ME AT  http://www.ldthoughts.wordpress.com

Are there any Sketchbook Project 2012 participants out there? I'd love to follow your progress! I am posting on wordpress site now but still following my blogspot favs. And, I have found it easier to post comments on the many blogspot sites that participate in Illustration Friday challenges.

FIND ME AT    http://ldthoughts.wordpress.com/

I am unable to continue with this blog  as my computer considers the new photo upload to be a malicious  add-on and a danger to my computer. If I am unable to upload photos there is nothing else for me to say  or use this blogger site for. Bye Bye and see you on Wet Canvas. Drawspace or some other blog site. Too bad so sad.

I've done some work on Smokey's eyes and generally more on the fur texture. My next step is likely to add the other ear and shoulder.

I've done some more work on Smokey's nose and shaped up his face with furry texture a bit. The nose needs more refining still and ofcourse more layers of graphite are needed to finish the fur over all but it is coming along nicely. I still have a long way to go on the eyes before I can say I'm there with them too. I don't want to add the other ear and shoulder until I'm happy with the eyes and face.

Here's an update with some corrections done to the shape of the nose...my next goal will be to create a more realistic nose texture before I move on to the rest of the fur.

Moving right along across to the muzzle with lots more layering to do to get the texture as I like it. First I'll do some work on the throat area to give it more perspective as the nose looks not quite right. It could be 'cause it's just hanging out there.

Here's how the portrait of Smokey is coming along. I'm taking my time and trying to be more exacting in hopes of creating realism is the piece. It is to be for a friend to give to her father as a gift so I want to do the best that I can. The texture of the fur is coming along as I like...so far so good.

Whoa...I had to set aside the kitten and dog project to begin a commission drawing of Smokey. Here's where I am so far. I working it as a WIP on WC also.

I have a new work in progress. This kitten and dog is being worked on 6x8 smooth Bristol. I have layed in the basics of the kitten and see that I need to work more on creating a more realistic texture for its coat. I think I'll just try to do that before I go any further on the dog.

Finished work...I am pleased with this one! I only deepened the darks a bit but I like the result anyway.

I had some time to work on this today. The whiskers please me greatly!!! I still want to work in some depth to the shadow side. So far I have only used B and 2B for the darks...I may go to a 4B or just keep layering as I have been.

I have gotten some shape and definition down for the whiskers. I still need to work on some depth and texture around the muzzle as well as some overall deepening of the darks in the shadows.

Progress again though not a lot. I still need to work on the overall texture and darkness of the last side of the face. It's coming along okay.

I made some progress again last evening...about 2 more hours of work. I am developing the other side of the face...slowly working in the texture and shading layer upon layer. I see that I need to finish the top corner as yet too. I moved down too soon and left a gap. Also I am poised to begin the whisker section on this side of the face.

I have put 2 more hours into my cat project. I am still working the texture of the hair by slowly and lightly layering in graphite to create the shadows behind the hair. This size of this work is a 5x7 extreme close up so creating a believable hair texture is alway in my mind as I work.

This drawing is moving along. I put 2 more hours into it last evening. Progress is slow but steady! I am satisfied with this side of the face. I 've darkened the nose and eyes to the point at which I believe they will stay. I will proceed to the other side of the face which will be a bit darker...in the shadow.

I put in another 4 hours work on this last evening. I had to make a correction to the chin area...I seem to have gotten lost while working on the whiskers. I've also worked on the overall depth of the hair shading...it is coming along layer by layer. I am concentrating on not getting in a rush, trying to take my time and get as much out of the shading process as I can before moving on to the other side of the face.

I've developed the direction of hair growth and have worked out the position of the whiskers. I used a 6H pencil to lay down a number of layers of graphite using light strokes in the direction of growth then continued with H, B and 2B pencils to create the shading variations. For the whiskers I began by drawing in the shadow under each one and then tried to maintain the whiteness above it as the whisker itself...gradually refining the thickness and lifting out smudging and such with a kneaded eraser. I do not use any blending tools other than an 8H pencil with a very light touch. This seems for me to pull enough graphite out and to create a crisp yet blended transition. The key for me is to keep laying down graphite gradually. I made this progress over 4 hours last evening.

I have a delightful new cat close up in progress. This one will give me some practice doing whiskers. I placed the eyes and nose and other prominent features using the grid method. I like to start with the eyes, giving them lots of very light layers of graphite to bring out their shape and shading. I use a circular movement when I work on the iris and the nose. This for me gives the texture a seemingly real look. The progress shown here represents approximately 4 hours of work. I started it last evening while watching TV...then spent a couple of hours this morning refining the eyes and developing the rubbery little nose