Studied Response – Roxcy’s Hooper

During my workshop, a student brought along their well-behaved dog – a rust-colored Springer Spaniel – which became the live model for a demo. “Hooper” sat at the easel, and was remarkably stationary for the quick pencil composition and the beginning color washes. The essence of the pose was the carriage of Hooper�™s head, the soulful expression of his eyes, and his extended paws. The relaxed, splendid, gesture suggested a vertical composition, and the reflective sheen of his coat inspired a range of deep, warm hues. Although seldom moving, he was cajoled back to the original pose just enough to provide added color or textural brushwork for finishing this playful piece of a creature�™s comfort.