# New to forum, advice needed :)



## alexistomlin (May 26, 2016)

Hi there! I've just joined the forum today  
To start out, I'll tell you a little about myself. 

I'm a 21 year old female from the midwest. I've always taken an interest in art, but never been too serious about it. Lately, I've started to really focus on improving my skills and I've started to do some commissioned pet portraits for friends. I'm looking for a little bit of advice on how to improve, as well as how I should be pricing my art.

I look at the darn stuff so much that I tell myself it's no good, typical artist confidence issues haha! I would like to have outside opinions on my drawings and try to get an idea of pricing, because so far I've charged waaaay too little I believe. 

Anyway, hope to hear some good criticism and opinions on pricing, thank you in advance!


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## lmoyer (Jun 20, 2014)

I think you're doing great thus far! The contrast between lights and darks might be a bit off in the top three, but I don't tend to draw animals much so it's hard for me to say how to fix it. I'm sure others in the forum would be more than happy to offer suggestions though!


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## alexistomlin (May 26, 2016)

lmoyer said:


> I think you're doing great thus far! The contrast between lights and darks might be a bit off in the top three, but I don't tend to draw animals much so it's hard for me to say how to fix it. I'm sure others in the forum would be more than happy to offer suggestions though!


The top three are all white dogs, not sure if that clears things up a little bit? Any suggestions are definitely welcome  The photos were certainly not the best to draw from, nor are the photos of the drawings themselves


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## Susan Mulno (Apr 13, 2015)

Welcome to the forum! 

These are wonderful drawings. On the faces you have the tonal properties very well but on the bodies it seems you are afraid to go too dark as they are white dogs. One trick that helps, change your photo reference to black and white, you will see there are truly dark areas even on white dogs. If you look at the reference, (live or photo) through a red sheet of plexiglass you will also see it in black and white, so to speak. Another thing that would help them look like white dogs is to give them a dark background. 

I have attached my drawing of my sister's white dog to show you what I mean.


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