# Feedback & Help with my Graphite drawing of Wolves



## Jaz15

Just getting back into artwork after many years away and wanted to practice making animals look more realistic. I use graphite pencil for now. Would appreciate any feedback or help with completing the drawing. The first attachment is the wolf cubs I did yesterday which I was pleased with and the second attachment what I started this morning but fear I may ruin it or already have.


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## Susan Mulno

Welcome to the forum and welcome back to art!

These are lovely sketches. I do not think you have ruined anything. I have just returned to art after a 30 something year hiatus, so I will leave technical advice to those more advanced than I.

The one piece of advice I am able to give, if you aren't having fun, your doing it wrong!


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## TerryCurley

These sketches are wonderful. Glad you are joining us here on the forum.


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## cjm1972

Hi Jaz, welcome to the forum.
I love the way your drawing is going, I would continue as you are, just take your time.


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## Jaz15

*so I went ahead and finished today*

Thanks, means a lot to receive comments as I don't show my work very often. I'm not completely happy with this drawing but I should have redrawn the adult wolf head I think as the base line wasn't correct, it just looks a bit like a fox now... next time. I was trying to draw more realistic fur in this one anyway, some parts worked well I thought then got muddled at others like the shoulder area and the right side of the muzzle and under the jaw  never mind, on to the next one later.


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## Jaz15

Any advice on the best type of paper to use for graphite as I only have my photocopy paper at the moment and find it smudges and looks quite grainy. Also want to buy some mechanical pencils for finer detail.


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## Susan Mulno

Jaz15 said:


> Any advice on the best type of paper to use for graphite as I only have my photocopy paper at the moment and find it smudges and looks quite grainy. Also want to buy some mechanical pencils for finer detail.


I prefer the medium weight Strathmore paper for the usual stuff, if you like more texture pastel paper gives some nice effects. 

Haven't tried mechanical pencils, I am an old fashioned kinda girl and prefer wood.


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## FanKi

I love your work! Its true, it looks a bit like a fox, but its great anyway, I like how you do their skin, it looks amazing ^^
Keep drawing! Your are great!


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## devanita

The drawing is good. The detailing is well done. I just think the neck area needs some changes. See how the reference looks. Great work !!


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## TerryCurley

Looks good.


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## Jaz15

Thanks again. It wasn't the best reference photo but I liked the picture. The neck/shoulder needed work I think too but I thought if I'd changed the nose and angle of the muzzle it would have gave me a better base to work from and that area should have looked better. Might try that one again later as I think I can see where things went wrong & take it a bit slower with more breaks. That one took two days straight! When I get out I'll try get some different paper types to work with. My excellent hubby just bought me some mechanical pencils which I love. I'm so loving drawing again. Did another one yesterday which I'm uploading now.


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## devanita

wow you are a quick drawer. That's amazing that you did it in two days. Thats great!! Waiting for your new uploads.. And wishing you the very best for your future work!!


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## chanda95

These are very nice. You should be very proud as what you have drawn is a complex picture and you handled it nicely. 

The two things I would suggest is to (1) pay attention to proportion. Your mama wolf appears to have very long nose and very small ears. I actually think the bulk of the long nose problem is due to the small ears. Making the ears larger will take care of that. (2) Try not to outline. For realistic drawings you will not see distinct outlines. The most visible ones I see are around the mouths of the pup and the top of the nose on the mama. Let your shading do the work for you.


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## TerryCurley

OK I'll be the first to admit I don't know much about the "How to's of Art" but I can tell you what I do for whatever it's worth. I do outline all my subjects in a picture, but then when painting I try to cover-up the lines and blend them into the natural way of things. That's the reason I stopped using carbon and graphite -- painting over those lines are practically impossible. If I didn't outline I couldn't paint it at all, it's like a road map for me. Perhaps that same sort of technique could be applied to other things like your pastels or graphite. Blend out the lines of the outline when building up the picture.


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## chanda95

TerryCurley said:


> OK I'll be the first to admit I don't know much about the "How to's of Art" but I can tell you what I do for whatever it's worth. I do outline all my subjects in a picture, but then when painting I try to cover-up the lines and blend them into the natural way of things. That's the reason I stopped using carbon and graphite -- painting over those lines are practically impossible. If I didn't outline I couldn't paint it at all, it's like a road map for me. Perhaps that same sort of technique could be applied to other things like your pastels or graphite. Blend out the lines of the outline when building up the picture.


Most of us do outline Terry - in the initial sketch - but what I am saying is your finished drawing should not show those outlines if you want a realistic effect. Making your shadows work for you is how you eliminate the outlines but you need to ensure your outlines are light..NOT hard pressed or you will never get rid of them.


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## Jaz15

You know, I never even noticed the lines until you pointed them out! I know the big wolf head was composed wrong when I got to shading that part, I'll change that if I get round to re-drawing that one. My husband asked me if it was a fox?! lol The pups were hard being so small but don't know why I didn't notice that I had solid outlines around the mouth and noses. Thanks. I'll have to pay more attention. I do try to draw very light base lines and work over them. My husband's starting working with acrylics and drawing the lines first then painting over them. Everyone has different ways of doing things but it's finding what works for you that's the hard part. I've done the same for pastels but have to be careful the lines are light. Two days for a drawing is quiet long for me but if I learn to take more time maybe things would work out better and I'd notice silly mistakes 
Saying that my second drawings up on the boards already for anyone interested. Alsatian Dog.
Thanks for the input and comments, always appreciated.


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## Bushcraftonfire

Strathmore 400 series will do you nicely.. Some very nice works you have here Jaz.. Keep up the good work!

D


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