Little Dog With a Tiny Brush

After getting the whole painting down with a first layer of paint–I’m layering in the details that really pull the whole thing together. And if you ever wondered why a painting can take a while to create–just take a look at this photo. Am I crazy? Maybe, but I love the way the little things pull a painting together.

Coppelia’s fur is made up of hundreds of little brushstrokes. Their different colors and subtle variations cause the paint to look like fur. I find the most successful way to work is dark to light. Most of the time when we look at fur (or hair for that matter) all our eyes really notice are the highlighted strands–but the subtle darker tones matter too. It’s important to lay down the brushstrokes for the fur in the direction it grows. Otherwise it just won’t be convincing.