Animal And Wildlife Challenge Oct/Nov 2025

[Jade]

 

[Joy]

Jade, wonderful proportions and eyes. The only tweak I think would add dimension was some more value contrast - darker areas in the fur.

 

[Jade]

Thanks Joy! I appreciate you saying that, yes, I agree.

 

[ams]

Lovely. I like his direct stare.

I agree with you and Joy, some more value contrasts would be helpful. I always put a little pencil arrow in the corner where my light is coming from and then think about what would be in shadow.

 

[Grapes]

Jade, lovely I like how he looks at you!

 

[Jade]

Thanks Anne and Grapes appreciate the tip Anne, I hadn't heard of that.

 

[Enyaw]

Jade, nice job. One day you are going to discover the dark is your friend and that you can forget all those old spook stories you heard as a kid and find pleasure in your new friend.

 

[ams]

I've had a challenge sometimes getting good darks with graphite. Something I found helpful was to use a higher number pencil like an 8 if you aren't doing that already.

 

[Jade]

Ha! You're right, Wayne. I'm not sure why I get spooked lol

Thanks Anne. I have up to 6hb and used a bit of 5 on this but not enough. I'll try that suggestion, thank you

 

[ams]

Ha! You're right, Wayne. I'm not sure why I get spooked lol

Thanks Anne. I have up to 6hb and used a bit of 5 on this but not enough. I'll try that suggestion, thank you

I don't think there is a 6hb. It's either 6h or 6b. 6h is very hard and light, 6b is soft and dark. HB without a number is in the middle between hard and soft. Hope this helps.

 

[Jade]

I don't think there is a 6hb. It's either 6h or 6b. 6h is very hard and light, 6b is soft and dark. HB without a number is in the middle between hard and soft. Hope this helps.

Doh! Yes 6b i meant. Thanks Anne.

 

[pcj]

Jade - Very nice deer . I like his expression. Regarding the darks - I could never darks
dark enough with pencil - even with the highest B , so I switched to charcoal [ sticks , lumps and
charcoal pencils . charcoal allows you to lift out the lights with a kneadable eraser . The kneadable
eraser also allow you lift out any mistakes ! I go through a lot of them !
Cheers
Patricia

 

[Jade]

Thanks Patricia, I am a bit light handed but I get what you mean too, I find that the higher b's don't work the way I'm looking for (my pencils are quite budget too). I'll look into charcoal thank you.

 

[ams]

Patricia, do you fix your charcoal when you are finished? If so, what do you use?

 

[Sanlynn]

Anne, what a great job you’ve done with the alpaca. They are such a comical looking animal.
Jade, your drawing is so sweet. It reminds me of the character of the animal.
I have done some charcoal and used the kneadable eraser to lift our highlights as well. I sometimes use hairspray if I’m out of fixative.

 

[pcj]

Patricia, do you fix your charcoal when you are finished? If so, what do you use?

No, I tried fixing once and it covered the drawing with tiny liquid drops [ I might have been too heavy handed with the spray]
The smell was absolutely awful and never went away so I never used it again. I do have to be careful with the drawings because
charcoal is very easily smeared. The drawings have to be framed under glass if you want to frame them.
Cheers
Patricia

 

[Jade]

Thanks Sanlynn

Good tips on the highlights Patricia and Sanlynn. I sometimes use my precision eraser afterwards to take it back a bit too.