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Hints & Tips

How to paint fur in acrylics

Posted on by Zara Toms
How to paint fur in acrylics I have lots of tutorials on Patreon and YouTube which focus on painting fur. Depending on the subject the fur texture will require a variety of techniques so the correct approach is important. The brushes we use will also be a important factor. I am not overly particular about the brand of brushes I use but I do like certain brushes for certain layers and fur types. ...
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The importance of contrast

Posted on by Zara Toms
Happy Easter everyone! I'm working on a Labrador portrait today but I have another YouTube tutorial coming tomorrow :D. I'm going to be adding the voice over to that today.   One thing I wanted to talk about is the importance of contrast. I speak about this in every single one of my tutorials regardless of the medium I work in. This is what makes the difference when we are aiming towards a...
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How to paint fur in acrylics

Posted on by Zara Toms
Painting realistic fur in acrylics Regardless of the animal I am painting I always strive to achieve as much realism as I can. When painting fur this relies on a few things. Layers, contrast and pencil technique are three of the main factors. Without enough layers we cannot build sufficient depth within the fur. Without good contrast the portrait will be flat and two dimensional. The lights and...
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How to draw a dog nose in graphite

Posted on by Zara Toms
Drawing a dog's nose in graphite I've recently been uploading voice over graphite tutorials to YouTube. In today's tutorial I show how to draw realistic dog noses and how to create the 3D shape. I share 2 of my must have erasers which I adapt to add even finer details to any area using a subtraction technique. This tutorial is packed with tips and techniques which I hope will make tackling dog no...
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How to blend acrylics

Posted on by Zara Toms
Blending acrylics can be tricky due to the faster drying time but there are 2 must have art supplies that can make this process much easier! I have a voice over tutorial on YouTube showing how the combination of these two cheap tools can not only be used to blend large areas like bokeh backgrounds but also for blending fur. Maybe there is a part of the reference photo where the fur is soft and ou...
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Meet Dexter

Posted on by Zara Toms
Dexter I recently had the pleasure of drawing this gorgeous Border Collie. If you follow me on social media you'll know that black fur is one of my favourite fur colours to draw. I love how it requires multiple layers, focusing on contrast and using colours like blues and purple to enhance the fur even further. If you'd like to read a few of my top tips for drawing realistic black fur scroll down...
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How to paint a Jack Russell in acrylics

Posted on by Zara Toms
Painting a Jack Russell in acrylics My latest YouTube tutorial shows how I painted this Jack Russell. I recently uploaded another Jack Russell tutorial to YouTube but that was a smoother coat whereas this tutorial shows how I layer for more of the wirehaired, coarser fur texture.  If you'd like to see both fur types, click the picture of the dog you'd like to watch and you'll be taken to th...
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Meet Rex

Posted on by Zara Toms
A very special Staffordshire Bull Terrier I recently had the pleasure of painting Rex this gorgeous, smiley Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Sadly, Rex had a terrible start in life. He was subjected to the horrendous world of dog fighting. Not all these kinds of stories end well but for Rex he was one of the lucky ones. Being adopted by a dog trainer who has literally turned Rex's life around....
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HOW TO PAINT WHITE FUR IN ACRYLICS

Posted on by Zara Toms
TOP TIPS FOR PAINTING SHORT, WHITE FUR. My latest full length tutorial in acrylics on Patreon was of a white Bulldog. I had a couple of requests for tutorials on short fur and then another on white fur so I thought I'd combine the two for this one. When I was looking for the reference photo for this tutorial I wanted a dog which was entirely white. No other colour so that I could focus on all par...
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