Beard Collie In Coloured Pencils

I am finishing 2022 on a high, this has to be my best portrait so far, since my journey started in July 2022.

I started him on the 6th December 2022 and finished him on 30th December 2022. I’m not actually sure how long he took for me to draw.

A couple of days ago I had a wobble and was finding drawing this adorable bearded collie puppy a huge challenge and wanted to put him away for a little while, but I knew if I did that, that he might never come back out.

Why? I hear you say, well I think I was a little over tired that day and I was struggling to have the belief that I could finish him without making a complete mess of him and that I was actually the person drawing him.

He isn’t exactly as the actual photograph that I was working from. But as many people have said it is my interpretation of him, with the errors of course.

I found the head easier to do than the body, but I think that was because of all the white fur, my brain just wouldn’t accept that you needed to have the dark tonal values to make him look realistic, he’s white furred no grey and pink. But as I followed Bonny’s tutorial, she held my hand and encouraged me to override your head and do as she’s telling you and then step back and look at the drawing.

Like with my cross stitch, when you sit so close up, you can’t see the detail, but once you step back you go, wow really!! Oh now that sounds really big headed but it’s not meant to be, you have to have that self belief that you can do this, it is going to be wonderful – my little mantra, that I keep saying to myself.

I live my life in such a negative mindset that I really do need to give my head a wobble and learn to be more positive, I know that with Bonny’s academy I will, I will keep watching and joining in with her confidence sessions and will become a truly better person, and again that is down to Bonny and her desire to help others grow.

I’m excited to see where 2023 will lead me and how my drawings will improve.

I’ve not had as much time as I’d planned from September to draw, mainly down to health issues and tiredness.

I plan in 2023 to draw as much as possible, to make time once a day to do at least 30 minutes. The more I practice, that better I will become, which in turn will get me to my ultimate goal of drawing one of my own cats.

Here is my adorable bearded collie puppy, I’ve been brave and added that actual photo I was using ….

Below are a few of my progress photographs I took to keep me focused, sadly my skill at taking photos isn’t great, I’m still trying to get my lighting right.