Painting a beloved pet from a photo proved challenging to get the fur colors accurate. A wash/tint technique saved the day when the fur was darker than I wanted.
First I identified the acrylic colors I wanted to use for Max. Learn how to identify colors from a photo.
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| Paint colors to use for Max |
I used light brown as a base coat but it was darker than I expected. I should have used the creamy color for the base.
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| I started off with a too-dark base color |
Rather than redo the base coat, I kept painting with the hope I could correct the fur with additional shading. But, when I thought Max was completed, the fur color just didn't seem right; it was too brown.
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| Max's fur looked too brown compared to his photo |
I wanted a more golden hue for the fur, so I diluted raw sienna with a little water and washed it over the entire rock being careful to avoid the white areas.
When I compared the raw-sienna-tinted pup to the picture, the painted rock was now too golden. It looked nice but it wasn't Max.
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| The painted rock is too golden compared to the photo |
Next, I diluted the light tan color (identified from Max's photo) with water and washed it over the raw-sienna tint, avoiding the white, painted areas.
That was much better even though not an exact match.
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| Max's fur is closer to this shade |
The wash and tint technique is an effective way to subtly change a hue and soften and tone down paint colors. Because the paint has been thinned, you won't be covering up your earlier paint strokes, just tinting them.
© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks
