Harnesses

Dog harnesses. An oddly specific topic I’ve found fascinating for decades, for as long as I’ve held interest in sled dog sports. Since ancient history the indigenous peoples of the arctic have used hide harnesses that have gone mostly unchanged to this day. During the gold rush and the westernization of Canada and Alaska most dog sled harnesses looked like mini draft horse harnesses.

An Inuit Dog and his seal skin harness (quite similar to an x back harness, without the X) https://thefanhitch.org/V12N2/V12,N2TraditionalKnowledge.html

Gold Rush era harnesses in Alaska in the late 19th century. Basically a miniaturized draft horse harness. https://postalmuseum.si.edu/gold/stars.html

Today, the cutting edge of dog powered sports are more focused on competition than survival and travel. With competition, modernization of materials, and manufacturing comes a new wave of innovation.

I myself have experimented with 4 styles of pulling harnesses with recreational mushing.

The X Back

If you go to any kind of dog sled race this is the primary harness design you will see. It’s tough, tried, versatile, simple, cheap, and easy to come by in the mushing community. If you’re going in to the back country for weeks, this is absolutely the harness you’re going to want.

The Pros

These provide considerable power with a highly ergonomic design. Notice how large the opening is for the shoulder and front leg, on a properly fitted harness the opening should extend all the way to the last rib. This allows the scapula of the dog to move naturally and the lungs to expand without any straps in the way whatsoever.

The X back is cheap, easy to find, and low-tech. Without any hardware to worry about breaking.

The Cons

The “H back” is an alternate design to the X back that fits some body types better, but has mostly the same principles as an X back.

Because the attachment point is at the base of the dog’s tail, there is some pressure pulling the rear end downward while pulling. This is only really an issue with dog sledding, where the attachment to the sled is lower than the top of the dog, where as in bikejoring or skijoring the attachment is above the dog (at the bike handlebars or the skier’s waist).

Some dogs are notorious for escaping these harnesses since they only slip on from the front, but this can easily be solved by adding a strap to the belly.

The Shorty

The “shorty” harness has gained popularity due to its increased use in long distance races, most notably by Allen Moore and Aliy Zirkle in the Iditarod and Yukon Quest. A simple design that resembles harness you could find in any pet store.

I think this is a perfect harness for anyone who wants to try pulling sports with their pet dog. And if you decide its not for you, you can still use it as a normal walking harness.

Aliy Zirkle on the Iditarod Trail with her Howling Dog Alaska brand Distance Harnesses. Notice that there are no necklines on these dogs (line that connects the collar to the main line)

The Pros

Free hips! If your attachment point is below the dog, there will be no pressure on the hips like we addressed in “the cons” of the X back harness.

This design gives long distance mushers have the ability to shorten their tuglines and eliminate the need for necklines in their gangline setup. Basically, it lets the dogs move in a bit more of a natural way on the trail. They can get around obstacles individually without their collar being attached to the main line.

For me, a small team. I like to use this harness for hikes and walks. My dog isn’t going to be pulling very hard and it stays in place nicely.

The Cons

I can’t imagine the band right around the ribcage is too comfortable, especially for breathing. When I look at the X back and how that area is completely free of any straps, I can see the breathing disadvantages of this design. BUT that is only seems like a real problem if the dog is pulling very hard. On a typical long distance dog sled team, each dog only has about 5 pounds of pressure on its tug once their momentum picks up.

The buckle could potentially be a problem if it breaks, out on the trail there is no way to fix it unless you brought extras.

The Second Skin

This was a design I wasn’t entirely sold on when I purchased it, but wanted to try it on my young dog. I fell in love with it! I primarily use it for canicross. He seems comfortable in it and I’ve noticed the design provides more power than the shorty harness without being much different. It’s sort of like a shorty/X back hybrid actually. This harness is unique to the brand Howling Dog Alaska, who make great products and are always innovating new ways for dogs to pull.

The Pros

The organic shape of this harness doesn’t rely on nylon webbing for structure as most other harnesses do, which in this case is advantageous for providing a “tailored” fit to my dog.

The V shape gives the dog more power than a shorty harness, although probably not as much as an X back provides.

The Cons

Some mushers have remarked that the wider chest plate on this design could cause armpit rubbing on some dogs. Rubbing can be a big problem for sled dogs, some are more susceptible to it than others.

Like the shorty harness, there is a nylon strap going across the ribs of this design which could potentially cause discomfort to the ribs if the dog is pulling very hard.

The Freemotion

YES the Freemotion harness from Nonstop Dogwear looks like an over-designed mess. I was not sold on it when I first saw it, but the more I looked in to it the more I wanted to try it for myself. This harness is ideal for shorter trips with a small team, like bikejoring or skijoring. My dog Knut pulls like a maniac in this thing. I like that the design derives more power from the base of the neck than the chest due to the two wide straps extending from the shoulders to the rump. This harness was specifically designed for small-team sprint mushers racing in skijor, bikejor, and canicross. The idea behind it was to create a harness that allows the dog to pull VERY hard without squeezing the chest cavity and limiting breathing. It’s very ideal if you only have a one dog team like I do, I’m able to use every ounce of power that my little furry tractor is producing.

The Pros

Highly adjustable. I like how tailored this harness fits when I have it adjusted right.

Everything I mentioned above. This is how I think you can get the most power out of your single dog team. I love it for skijoring and bikejoring. I don’t like it for canicross because I can’t run fast enough for how hard he is able to pull with this thing on.

The Cons

So much hardware on this thing. These harnesses do break, and are harder to fix. So if you don’t like that idea, this isn’t the harness for you.

It’s STIFF. The thing is a little awkward to take on and off.

Harnesses to avoid

Some harnesses are made for simply having a convenient attachment point for a leash, and that’s perfectly fine. But some of these designs can be harmful to your animal, especially when used incorrectly.

Any unpadded harness

If you’re doing any kind of pulling with your dog, you NEED your harness to be padded. Make sure whatever harness you’re using was designed for what you’re using it for. Padding ALL THE WAY AROUND the neck is crucial, this is where a lot of your power is coming from (think of the way horse collars work). You’re also going to want padding on the chest piece because this is also where your power is coming from.

The infernal “step in harness

I think these might work fine if you have a 2 pound chihuahua, but I just do not understand the point of these harnesses. Sometimes they are advertised as “anti-pull” harnesses, which only works because the dog is so uncomfortable wearing them that they don’t even want to pull.

Notice how the webbing just cuts right across the shoulder joint? It looks so uncomfortable! Maybe someone can explain to me a practical function for these because I really don’t understand them.

The Famous Front Range

There are a lot of “outdoor dog” brands? I’m not really sure why we need them. I PERSONALLY think tried and tested working dog equipment is much more reliable than these “innovative” brands preying on REI co-op members. But I’ve never really tested these brands either. But I see people using them A LOT, when I know that there are cheaper and more reliable options available.

I see this “Front Range Harness” from “Ruffwear” LITERALLY EVERYWHERE! You’re not going to pass 5 dogs on a hiking trail without 4 of them wearing one of these. They look really well made and they’re probably great as a convenient leash attachment. But I think there is a problem when people try to use these as pulling harnesses, which I do see quite often. The entire neck is not padded and the shape of the chest piece might choke or chafe your dog.

The “Omnijore”

This is pretty much the same thing as the front range with a pointless strap on the back so it sort of looks like a traditional sled dog harness. It’s twice the price of a real sled dog harness and many times worse. Again, without a fully padded neck your dog is not going to be comfortable nor be able to perform to the fullest. And again, the wide chest plate.

The Kurgo “Long Hauler Cradle Back Joring Harness”

I’m sorry but I have to laugh at that name. What does “cradle back” even mean? This fake marketing stuff is just too much sometimes. The only long haul you’re going to make with this thing is back to the store to return it after your dog chafes his armpits raw.

All that being said, if I ever did see someone using this improper equipment in real life, I would never criticize them. They will figure out that equipment is ideal on their own. It is more important to make them feel welcome in the sport than to give unwarranted advice.

Are We Allowed to Love Our Art?

I have been thinking about the relationship we have with our art recently and wanted to share some of my own personal thoughts on the matter. You may disagree, you may think I am being too optimistic, but this is what I truly believe.

Here are some unhealthy assumptions/stigmas that I see a lot from artists (including myself).

• You can’t call yourself an “artist” until you’ve reached a certain point with your career.

• You’re not allowed to love your own art even with its flaws.

• The less perfect your art is, the less worth it has.

These are things we all struggle with as artists, and it is okay to have these feelings, but it isn’t okay to let them consume you. Let’s break them down.

You can’t call yourself an “artist” until you’ve reached a certain point with your career.

To me, to be human is to be an artist. Many may disagree, but at its base definition everyone has created and continues to create art throughout their life. If you see your art as something to work on and continually improve and learn about, you are an artist. It doesn’t matter if you’re making your living off of it, or if it’s just a little hobby. As long as you’re working on your craft and trying to better yourself, go ahead, say it. “I AM AN ARTIST!!”

Didn’t that feel good?

You’re not allowed to love your own art even with its flaws

As someone who continually sells prints of art pieces that are up to 5 years old, I am forced to look at my art and talk about it all the time with customers. This is a lot of time to notice all the flaws in my paintings. I could point out dozens of flaws in every single one of my paintings. Do they bother me? Yes. But I don’t let them taint my outlook of the piece as a whole.

It’s like a person. People aren’t perfect, in fact we have many, many more flaws than even the most horrific painting in existence. It is possible to recognize this in a person and still love them. In fact, the more you love someone, the more you notice their flaws.

The same is true with your art. It is okay to love your art while recognizing what you did wrong. And when you do this, others you share your art with will do the same. It is not narcissistic or ignorant to have balanced love of your own art, the same way it isn’t narcissistic or ignorant to love yourself!

The less “perfect” your art is, the less worth it has.

Take a 5 year old kid. This child takes her crayons, and a pad of paper and walks outside. She’s overlooking a lake. She has no artistic training, abhorrent small motor control, and zero technique. She draws what she sees, scribbling the crayons across the page with fervor and energy. What is the result?

Beauty.

Courtesy of the Novak Djokovic Foundation

I use the example of kid art a lot when I explain my outlook on artistic value. Kids draw with reckless abandon. For the most part they don’t have a specific image in their head while they draw, they just do it. They pour their emotions into it, they translate their subjects through their beautiful, creative minds. What you’re left with is something that has been filtered in a pure, unique way that reflects the wonderful personality and world view of the child. The child had no perception of what would make their art perfect, they just did it, and now it’s hanging on the refrigerator for the world to see.

I’m not saying we should all mindlessly scribble with crayons and fill the galleries, but there is an important lesson to be learned here. That art is subjectively “imperfect” to many, but it has so much worth. You wouldn’t be able to capture the same image in any other instance, not if you had one million other kids do the exact same thing. We are all so different, every art piece is so different, we are so valuable, our art is so valuable.

If you’re art doesn’t measure up to the standards you’ve applied to it, that does not mean it is worthless. Maybe you can’t even look at it. Maybe it disgusts you. Maybe it brings bad memories. But it still exists. And it would never have if you never chose to give it life. And that gives it value. And no matter what it is I guarantee someone else will value it, even if you don’t (but you should).

Maybe this outlook is too flowery, unreachable even. But, dang it, it helps me stay motivated like nothing else. My art will never be perfect. Even if I drew every single day for forever I will always find flaws in my work. But I also appreciate every drawing for existing and helping me along on my journey.

Thank you, art. Even this thing I drew at age 16, I still value you… I think…

My attempt to start drawing people.

Advice from an Artist Alley Cat

Should I start showing at conventions? How do I know I'm ready? What if I don't make any money? How can I start small?

I am in now way a convention veteran. In fact 2017 was the first year I did more than one. But I thought I'd share what I have learned so far. 

Get your feet wet

Go to several comic conventions as a patron. Walk around. Look at the set ups, products, displays, branding. Take notes. If you see someone whose art you really like go talk to them! Artists love talking about their work, as you probably know. Ask them for advice if they're not busy. Geek out over a shared interest. Practice those good business social skills. 

Start small

I was lucky enough to be eased in to the world of doing "product fairs" or whatever you want to call them. Through college I worked at a farmers market booth selling organic soaps and candles, which was surprisingly similar to selling at an artist alley. CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE IS SO IMPORTANT! Not just for cons but for all aspects of life. 

From there I did a couple of local craft shows. Usually held at school gyms. Very cheap to get in, pretty good foot traffic for a small venue. I highly recommend doing one of these before getting in to a comic convention/ trade show. It will teach you a lot without much sacrifice. Check your local adverts around the holidays or mother's day and get in contact with the event coordinator to see about getting in.

Build up a portfolio

It's important to have a variety of artwork on display at a convention. You want to present options for your client. I would say around 15 pieces is a good starting point. 

Products

Having different kinds of products is a great idea! Prints are great but different customers want different things. I personally don't have a lot of space on my walls, but I have a huge bookshelf so I tend to buy books and zines. Pins and patches are also very popular right now. I've seen other things such as t shirts, postcards, magnets, tapestries, and banners. Get creative! Maybe you have a product idea no one's seen on the show floor yet. 

Fan art? 

People ask about this a lot. Is it okay to sell fan art?

The general consensus is: as long as it's obviously the artist's own version of it, it's fine. Where you can possibly get in to trouble is when your work looks too similar to the source material. 

The most successful artists make money off of their own individuality, so don't think that people will only like it if it looks like the original. 

Original art

It's a common misconception that fan art always sells better than original art. Do not be afraid to put your original art out there! I have found that my original wildlife paintings do a little better than my fan art. You've probably noticed that there are plenty of successful artists at cons that ONLY sell original art. 

Branding

Branding is VERY important. Branding will make your products harmonize in a way that makes customers respect you as a BUSINESS. It is better if you start thinking about this very early in the process. What are the themes of your products? How would you summarize your themes? Base your branding off of that. Is there a color that shows up in every one of your pieces? If so maybe incorporate that color into your branding. Logos are great. Pick a logo that is related to your art and what your business is all about. 

It took me a while to understand my branding, but when I did I was really happy with it. Nature is an underlying theme in all of my drawings so I use leaves, trees, and animals as part of my branding. Coyotes have become my spirit animal of sorts, so I use a coyote for my logos. Green and black are my theme colors, it is very appealing to me and goes with my art since green shows up in almost all of my paintings. 

Printing

I have not tried a whole lot of different printeries. My go to is Costco for business for cardstock laser prints. Costco wholesale only offers photo paper prints (at least in my area). 

Always go laser print, never inkjet. Inkjet printing ink is water soluble. So if someone accidentally sneezes on your print it will be ruined. Laser printing is not waters soluble, and looks way better. 

Make sure your art is saved/scanned in 300dpi or higher! And make sure you aren't blowing up your art too much. A little is okay, but if your art is less than 3/4 of the size of print it is going to look bad. Shrinking your art down to print size is always best! The general rule is make it 1.5-2x larger than you're going to print it. 

The metal wire storage cube things which have no name.

Set up

I use the metal wire storage cube things. They really need an official name, it's harder to search for them online than you think. There are lots of different ways to use them. Look at how other people display and decide what you want to do. It all depends on your product. Some people use what I like to call the "video game concept artist set-up". For some reason people who do a lot of digital paintings always have this setup. It looks really nice and it might work well for you too!

The "I'm a cool digital artist who probably worked on your favorite video game" set-up. Belongs to Pete Mohrbacher. 

Definitely do a test set up at home before the convention. Play around. Know the size of your space. I usually share a table space with my friend Jaiden/Silver-Winged Nightengale. So I'm usually using a 2.5-3.5 foot wide space. Whole artist alley tables are about 6-7 feet. I am really self-doubting so I usually change my set up one or two times during the course of the weekend. I have a different set up almost every time I show. 

Take note of which of your products are popular. If there is one that is overwhelmingly popular, try to highlight that in your display. I feel like most artists have a "magnetic" piece that catches the eye. It brings people to your table. Then they start to look at your other stuff too. For me it's my Robin Hood painting series and my Saw-Whet Owl. I purposely hang the large versions of these prints front and center and incorporate them into my branding. 

Small set up. 4 feet of space, sharing a table.

Using a 6 foot table at a local holiday bazarre. 

If you're sharing a booth, it's a really good idea to partition the table to make it clear you're not the same artist! You'll be surprised how confusing it can be. See the pictures below. Different branding helps out a lot here too. 

Bright eyed, bushy tailed at the beginning of a 3 day con. 

Mini set up! 3 feet of space, but we had "breathing room" on both sides of the table so it was fine. 

 

Pricing

New artists typically want to set their prices low out of fear that people won't want to buy it otherwise. THIS IS NOT TRUE! Also other artist alley-ers will not like it if your prices are way lower than theirs. 

The typical price for a high-quality, cardstock, 8.5x11 print is around $10. That is the standard I have seen at almost every booth. Larger prints sell for $15-30. Smaller, postcard size prints sell for $3-6. 

Enamel pins usually go for $10. Embroidered patches $5. Large vinyl stickers $3. 

Networking

Make friends!! You will probably see them at the next local convention. You never know what can come from a professional connection so take some time to walk around the show floor, visit other artists, show them your beautiful smile (and business card). They might even want to trade art with you! 

Be approachable

I cannot stress enough how important this is. If you are not a pleasant person you will probably not do well in this kind of business venture. Smile at people. Ask them how their day is going. Compliment their cosplay (they love that). Geek out with them. Tell them the story behind your art. 

Try to read if the person even wants to talk. Sometimes you can just tell the person just wants to silently look through your art, that's fine! Stare them down until they buy something. No, do not do that. Busy yourself with something else until they have a question or something. 

Etiquette

You're going to see a lot of bad and good etiquette at the convention. Take notes and apply this to yourself.

BAD ETIQUETTE

• Being a pushy salesman.
• Telling the customer to do something.
• Telling the customer a pity story "Aw man, I'm not selling any art. I'm losing so much money :'(". This makes people SO uncomfortable, DON'T DO THIS. 
• Calling people over from other tables/too far away.
• Having your art facing in to your neighbors booth. That's their space, they paid for it. 
• Carnival Barking "STEP RIGHT UP..."
• Silently staring at the customer as they look through your art.
• Ignoring the customer outright.
• Hiding from customers. It's okay, come out from under the table, they won't bite. 

GOOD ETIQUETTE

• Create a welcoming, laid back environment at your table.
• Give your customer a very quick tour of your table and what you have, IF they are obviously engaged in your art. 
• If your customer says they're getting a gift ask them questions to help them know what would be best. 
• Give out free stickers! Find a way to get cheap stickers and give them to people who buy from you and to kids who stop by. People freaking love this. 
• Tell people they can touch things! Sometimes people are afraid to touch your stuff, tell them it's okay to touch your stuff. 

TIPS

• Bring a tablecloth. Most conventions only give you two chairs and a table. 
• BRING FOOD AND WATER!! Please don't die at the convention, they probably won't invite you back next year. I try to bring lots of protein and sugar rich snacks (nuts, fruit, candy) these will keep your energy up all day. Bring a huge water bottle and drink that thing all day long. 
• Save your back and bring a wheely-cart, dolly, or wagon to haul your stuff. You might have to walk pretty far. (I've thrown out my back carrying boxes through a parking lot, it wasn't even heavy, save yourself!)

I hope this is helpful! 

BE BRAVE, BE CREATIVE, THANKS FOR READING!

-Kaili

Out and About Painting

Painting during a pit stop, trying to not get eaten alive by mosquitoes (we forgot to bring waterproof bug spray). 

I get a lot of questions about how I paint while travelling, so here's the blog post you've been waiting for! 

Painting on the go has been really rewarding since I got in to it a few years ago. I try to bring my travel sketchbook with me everywhere, it's a great thing to have if you've got any down time while you're out and about. 

Materials

A peek into my Rendr travel sketchbook. Micron pen, watercolor, and copic marker drawings shown. None of them bleed through the paper at all. 

Sketchbook.

I am still figuring out what kind of sketchbooks work best for me. I've been using the Crescent Creative Products Rendr No Show Thru sketchbooks for a while now. They're great all purpose journals but I'm ready to try something new now. They don't work so great with watercolor and gouache, my main mediums. 

I like watercolor sketchbooks more recently, but I feel bad just sketching on them like it's a waste. 

I've been getting more in to book binding recently and am considering making my own sketchbooks with half sketch paper and half watercolor paper. I plan on trying mossery sketchbooks soon as well. I've heard good things about them. 

If you're interested, here's the PDF of my first Rendr journal I filled out. 

Paint.

As for the paint I use, I always use liquid watercolors/gouache which makes it easy to transfer to whatever travel pallet you happen to own. I use the art tool kit travel pallet, but honestly, an altoids tin works in a pinch. There are lots of different travel pallets out there so do some research and find the one that works for you! Or stick with the altoids tin. 

I use the art tool kit pocket pallet. It is super slim with interchangeable magnetic wells. 

Paintbrush.

PENTEL WATER BRUSH PENS!!!!! I love pentel brush pens, and I'm not the only one. They make painting on the go so easy (I even use them in the studio when I'm too lazy to get a cup of water). 

Pens.

I'm always experimenting with pens, any thin micron pens are a great thing to have in your travel toolkit. I've recently come to love tiny Japanese calligraphy brush pens. I've been using the Pigma FB for a while and I love it. 

All in all, once you start travel painting you won't want to stop! You will cherish the paintings you create while on adventures and learn new things along the way. Start bringing your art supplies on hikes, to the cafe, into the city, to your grandma's house. Try painting while hanging out with friends, waiting for the bus, or if you go to a superbowl party and you really just don't care about football but you are interested in eating and drinking with your friends...

Think Fast! A quick guide to gesture drawing.

A fun and educational exercise? An excuse to go to the zoo? Acceptable creeping? The fastest way to fill up your sketchbook?

Yes, yes, yes, and yes! 

Using a fine tip pen

Gesture Drawing is one of the most easy, low-tech, valuable, and fun exercises an artist can add to their healthy habits. It applies to animal forms, human forms, landscape, archetecture, and more!

How To Get Started

Suggested Materials:

• A pen 
• NO PENCIL (If you can erase your lines you may have the tendency to spend too much time "perfecting" your drawing. This is not about making a polished image it's about learning and relaxing!)
• A nice big drawing surface (I usually use a large 9x12" sketchbook). 

I mostly go to the zoo to practice gesture drawing. It offers me many animal forms to study (I buy a membership every year so I can go as often as I like). Public areas such as cafes, parks, and transit are popular places for human figure gesture drawing. Cities, historical sites, and churches are great places to study architecture. Beaches, rural areas, or your backyard are great places to practice natural forms. 

Using a brush pen

How to do it:

• Stay as loose as possible, keep a light grip on your pen.
• Try to represent your subject in as few lines as possible, focusing on angles and curves rather than detail. 
• Show weight distribution in your drawing. Is the subject walking forward? leaning? Sitting? How do their limbs accommodate for the way they are postured? How much weight is on each limb? A limb that has more weight on it will typically be straighter than the others. 
• Don't get frustrated by moving subjects! Try blinking to take a mental snapshot of a subject in motion and draw that snapshot quickly before it leaves your brain.
• If a subject is still do a very quick gesture drawing, followed by a slower, more meticulous one. 

Other Tips:

http://farhek.com

• Try seeing the negative space around your subject to visualize the shape.
• Using a brush pen allows you to quickly switch between thick or thin lines for quick symbolism. 
• Using a fine tip pen can help you stay simple and not get lost in trying to show texture or less important details. 
• Give yourself a time limit if you find you're tendency is to spend too much time on a drawing. Wear a watch or set a timer if you need.
• Try rapid fire drawings of the same subject! 

The Magic of Color Keys

These guys make choosing colors so easy and will take your palette choices to the next level!

How to make them: 

It’s pretty straight forward and just involves counting your paints, and making a grid of that number squared. Then mix away! You only have to do half of the squares since the other half is kind of redundant. But in this case I did watered down versions as well so that’s why you see all the boxes full.

PURE COLORS are around the edges, and diagonally (represented with black outline). 

MIXED COLORS are everything else. 

This is particularly helpful with gouache, which tends to lighten up as it dries. But it works with any paints/pencils/markers! 

I use these color keys in two different ways:

COLOR MATCHING

I can hold the key up to the object or photo I am trying to represent and choose the closest matches to the most important colors. I always stick to around four different pure colors + black and white. I never use too many pure colors in a painting, or it can get chaotic both visually and during the process. But don’t let me limit your creativity if you want to use more, use more! It’s just my own general rule. 

MOOD MAKING

Sometimes there’s a particular mood I want to make with a painting, and a lot of this comes from color. So I will skim over my chart until my eyes are drawn to a particular mixed color that matches what I want. Then I stick to the row and column and choose one or two more color mixes. I take all of the corresponding pure colors (3-4) and ONLY use those for the entire painting, mixing them in various ways to get all the colors I need. I usually do the classic red, yellow, blue. This way I can get any color of the rainbow while keeping it harmonious. If I just can’t get my neutrals dark enough, or adding water just isn’t making the light effect I want, then I’ll add some pure black or white. 

General coloring tips:

-Try shading with neutral colors (made with combining complimentary colors, i.e. blue and orange, red and green, etc.) to make shadows instead of black. This adds richness and dimension to your painting. 

- If you must use black, try adding some pure color to it. I usually add some blue or purple to my blacks to give it a more velvety feel. 

The Value in Value Studies.

Going in to a huge detailed painting can be cripplingly intimidating. Some people quit before they even start because they don’t know WHERE to start! 

One really good solution to that is value studies. These are particularly useful for photo-realistic paintings with complex shapes and shading. Here’s how I tackle them:

I usually start my wildlife paintings with a photoshop mock-up. I usually use photos that I’ve taken, but on occasion I need to scour the internet for what I need. 

For my latest painting, I used a combination of these photos: 

To make this:

It’s okay if it’s rough, just know that this is simply for reference and you can smooth out any mistakes in the actual painting process. This is also a good time for playing with any fun ideas (like here, adding stars and the moon). 

Now that I’ve decided on my exact layout time to change it to black and white and do my value study. 

I print this out and use tracing paper to transfer it on to sketch paper. Then I use standard drawing pencils to render (6B - 6H lead). I usually start by shading in the darkest areas, and working out from there. 

Don’t be afraid to change things during this step! I decided to make the sky at the horizon and the drop shadow from the tree a little darker to compliment the cast shadow from the reindeer. You’ll notice that you’re able to get to know the structure of the subject as you work, this will be helpful during your final painting when making certain decisions. 

Hope this is helpful for future adventures in art! Thanks for reading.

-KP

Painting at 9000 feet

What a fantastic adventure! Brought my field sketching tools up to Mount Adams on Sunday-Monday. We made camp at 9000 feet on "Lunch Counter". Monday was spent painting and admiring the spectacular vista where we  could see a huge chunk of the famous Cascade mountain range as well as the high desert foothills to the southeast. I got a lot of drawing done as two in our group went to summit the mountain and ski down. 

Materials:

-Travel watercolor brush (the kind with water in the handle)

-rendr hardbound sketchbook

-Daniel Smith watercolors in an altoid tin.

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