HOW TO DRAW A REALISTIC DOG With Just 5 Pencils

7 lessons

This drawing class teaches you how to:

Draw long, flowing hair, a wet nose, slobbery tongue, and loving eyes — all the ingredients of a perfect dog drawing!

Know exactly which pencil to use and when to use it (Hint: each pencil serves an important purpose — learn to use them properly!)

Visualize and understand the light direction in your reference image so you can accurately recreate it in your drawing! (say “hello” to drawings that “pop” off of the paper)

Review and adjust your drawing as you go, so you don’t find costly mistakes AFTER you’ve invested your time and energy. Darrel will show you simple tricks that you can use at every step of the drawing process to maintain proportion, perspective, and a balance between light and dark.

Darrel Tank will walk you through every step — so you AREN’T left guessing!

dog reference images

Coda - part 1

Coda - part 2

Coda - part 3

Coda - part 4

Coda - part 5

Coda - part 6

Coda - part 7

Coda - Critique 1

Coda - Critique 2

Coda - Critique 3

7 Lessons - "Coda" - Learn to build up your pet portraits one graphite layer at a time....always stay in control!

What is ArtStudio? Watch the video below to learn more:

**Weekly Critique submissions:** To use one of the CRITIQUE tokens on your account (purchased or earned) **[CLICK THIS LINK TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK AND REFERENCE IMAGE](https://form.jotform.com/71506781794163)**. EACH WEEK... the deadline for Art Studio Classic submissions is Tuesday evening at 10 pm EST. For the Art Studio PhotoRealism Class deadline is Sunday night at 10 pm EST. You may submit up to 2 works. Darrel will pick 3 to 5 each week to include at the end of his Wednesday Live Class or to add onto the recorded PhotoRealism lesson on Monday . Your token count will be reduced only if your critique is selected for Darrel to use during class. Please be sure to use a scanner if possible. If you need to use a picture, please be sure to have good lighting with no shadows or borders on your photo. If you need any assistance, please email support@fivepencilmethod.com or call 833-5-PENCIL.

Critique Tokens

HOW TO DRAW A REALISTIC DOG - Coda - Inst Vid

We're off to a great start on the golden retriever! This is going to be a fun (but challenging) six part project! In this first lesson, Darrel laid out his drawing. He used his straightedge and divider method, but we want to stress that you DO NOT have to use this method if you don't feel comfortable doing so at this point. Yes, take the time to figure it out—it's a powerful tool—but don't let it stand in the way of getting something on the paper.Use whichever layout method works best for you so you can get to the fun stuff :) Take some time between now and the next lesson to accurately layout your drawing. This is a crucial step and sets the stage for your entire work of art, so take your time and make sure you have it right before moving on. Darrel will be back next lesson to start laying down some value. These next few lessons are going to be exciting! You'll quickly start to see this dog "pop" off of the drawing paper. We'll see you in the next class!If you haven't already, be sure to download the reference images for this project. You can find them in resources below the video. The materials for this project are: All 5 Pencils (4H - 4B) Kneaded Eraser Tombow Mono Zero Eraser (don't worry if you don't have one, the kneaded eraser will work. If you're interested in acquiring one, here's a link) Divider A straight edge (or ruler) Camel Hair Brush Pencil Sharpener Cotton Ball "Q Tips" (cotton swab) Ideally 300 Series Strathmore Bristol Vellum Paper. 14x17 would be ideal unless you have the larger 19x24 and you could have extra to crop your finished project.  Have fun drawing, The 5-Pencil Method Team :)

Coda Clas Scan - part 1.pdf

In part three, Darrel starts to build on the solid layout he created in the previous lesson. Moving on to his softer, darker pencils, he picks out the darkest areas of the subject and begins to lay down value. You'll notice that as he builds up this value, he's careful to soften up the hard lines of the layout. Remember, to create contour, depth, and dimension, you need to show a gradation of values.You will probably also notice that Darrel breaks one of his own rules by skipping the 4H and 2H pencils and jumping right to the HB in this class. This is partly because we have a limited number of classes to complete this project... But it's also due to the subject itself. We aren't drawing soft, subtle skin tones for this project, therefore the added grain of the HB pencil isn't a problem.You can experiment with your pencils to find out which pencil order works best for you, or follow Darrel's lead. So, your mission before the next lesson is to find those darkest areas, establish an edge, and slowly and carefully lay in value, getting "lighter, lighter, lighter" as you move toward the highlight.  



Coda Clas Scan - part 3.jpg

Follow Darrel's lead to continue to define the darkest places in the drawing. Aside from the obvious, nose, mouth, and eyes, you'll notice that Darrel focuses quite a bit of time picking out the dark areas between groupings of hair as well.Use your 4H and HB pencils to do the same—and be sure to vary your strokes. This fur is soft and flowing and a rigid, single direction stroke just won't let you create those qualities. Resist the urge to go past what Darrel has done so far between now and the next class.  



Realistic Dog - Coda -pt. 4 after class scan.pdf.jpg

Before the next lesson, follow Darrel's lead to continue drawing in the hair around the neck, ears, and eyes. You can use your 4H to lightly sketch in the general form of the hair. Or, jump right to the HB or 2B for darker value or extra loose graphite that can be spread around with your brush.Keep in mind that the hair is flowing and inconsistent. Capitalize on the natural arch of your hand to make natural, curving tapered strokes. This isn't the place for rigid, straight lines.And, remember that you have the power of a "buffer zone" that lets you run your strokes right up to the edge of the chin, without going over or creating a blunt edge. Check out 2:16:30 in the video for a great explanation of this technique from Darrel. Resist the urge to rush ahead of Darrel! We'll be back for two more great learning opportunities. 


Realistic Dog - Coda -pt. 5 after class scan.pdf.jpg

Darrel continues to slowly build up the hair on our canine friend. There's a ton of it... so it's going to take some time, but the payoff will be worth it! Before the next lesson, follow Darrel's lead to continue drawing in the hair around the neck, ears, and eyes. You can use your 4H to lightly sketch in the general form of the hair. Or, jump right to the HB or 2B for darker value or extra loose graphite that can be spread around with your brush. Keep in mind that the hair is flowing and inconsistent. Capitalize on the natural arch of your hand to make natural, curving tapered strokes. This isn't the place for rigid, straight lines. 

Realistic Dog - Coda -pt. 6 after class scan.pdf.jpg

That's a wrap on our drawing of Coda! In just seven lessons, we were able to go from a blank piece of paper to a dog beaming with life and personality! You are certainly welcome to continue working on the dog for as long as you like. You now have the tools and know-how take it to any level.We'll see you in the next project! Don't be afraid to share your finished project! If you are a monthly subscriber to Art Studio , join us on our Art Studio Facebook group to share your work. Or share it on the 5-Pencil Method Community available for all artists. Have fun drawing, The 5-Pencil Method Team :)

HOW TO DRAW A REALISTIC DOG With Just 5 Pencils

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HOW TO DRAW A REALISTIC DOG With Just 5 Pencils