Welcome to my blog post all about a Black Labrador pencil portrait side profile study hand drawn by myself, Melanie. I created this drawing for a client in Australia and it was an absolute joy to draw. The side profile pose really caught my eye, showing off the Labrador’s beautiful side profile and loving look in his eye. When Victoria sent the reference photo showing their Labrador in this profile pose, I knew it was going to be a really lovely drawing. It’s a slightly unusual choice compared to the more typical front facing pose, but it works so well and adds a classical feel to the drawing.
Why a Side Profile Can Work Beautifully
Most of the retriever portraits I create are from front on or three quarter views. But every now and then, a side profile photo comes in that just feels right. With retrievers, it allows their strong yet gentle muzzle, soft eye, and sleek fur to really shine. There’s something quietly powerful about it, I just love drawing them this way and would really encourage any dog owner to thing about a side profile portrait.
I’ll always let you know if a pose will work well as a drawing. I think side angles can be a wonderful choice for dogs with a strong character or distinctive face shape, just like this beautiful black Lab.
Victoria’s response about the completed portrait just made my day:
THESE are unbelievable!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Like just absolutely beautiful.
I can’t fault it.
Thank you SO much.
My husband will be beside himself.
These are so special I am just GOODNESS me look at it!
Thank you 🧡🧡🧡”
I think she liked it!! It’s always an honour to create something so meaningful. I’m so happy the portrait will be given as a lovely birthday give celebrating both dog and husband!
Taking Photos of Your Labrador
If you’d like to commission a Labrador retriever portrait, good photos are the first step! Here are some tips…
- Use natural light – Outdoors or near a large window is best.
- Get to their level – Sit or crouch to capture their true proportions.
- Take a mix of angles – Front, three-quarter, and side profile can all be useful.
- Focus on the eyes – If they are sharp, the whole portrait will be all the better for it.
- Avoid filters – Natural colour and tone help me capture your dog realistically.
Even if your photos aren’t perfect, don’t worry. Just send them along and I can give you my professional option about which will work best for a drawing.
Commissioning Your Own Labrador Portrait
I would be honoured to draw your retriever similar to Victoria’s portrait. All of my pencil portraits are hand drawn using professional materials and I send my portraits worldwide. If you love retrievers too, you might enjoy this recent post featuring Kipling. Golden Retriever Montage Pencil Drawing of Kipling. You can also visit my pencil portraits website to learn more. www.pencil-petportraits.com
Thank you so much for reading my Black Labrador Pencil Portrait Side Profile Study. If you have a retriever and would love to see them come to life in pencil, feel free to get in touch, I’d love to hear from you.
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