Big Softie

He is gorgeous. Great work.

This is wonderful work Kylia, I love how you've done the folds in his coat.

Another great painting. I just love his expression.

The expression says it all! Gorgeous work!

Thank you for your encouraging, positive comments. Having previously painted dogs with chiselled faces, all those folds and velvety muzzle and jaw presented new challenges! I loved exploring his solidity and softness, his intelligent gentle eyes and tragic expression (emphasised by those amazing eye markings). Along the way, I also learnt a few things about velour, such as, the paper initially takes soft pastel much more readily than it does pastel pencils, and it is a good idea to rub the first layers of soft pastel into the velour to 'set' them and to avoid the whole lot sliding off the surface the minute the painting is held upright! I found that pastel pencils could then be used on top of the initial layers of soft pastel (for detailed work) and along the way spray fixative stabilised each layer of pastel to an extent. I'd be interested in other artists' experience of pastel on velour.