As a newbie to drawing I would like to share a recent finished drawing of two retriever dogs (the reference picture I found on pixabay) in graphite on toned paper (At least three times I wanted to give up since I got stuck and didn’t know how to draw the illusion.)
Now that I have finished the drawing I am proud to not have given up and moved on . Despite the difficulties that I have encountered. Light and shadow, value are very difficult topics for me.
Slowly I start learning to draw what I really see and not what I think I see. Little, little steps… 
Every critique is welcome.
6 Likes
This is great!! One tip – try a little more shadows on the dogs in areas that it appears a little more subtle in the photo. This will give them a lot more of a 3D look. After a year of practice, this is the most important thing I have learned. Great job and keep practicing!!
Hi Peter, thank you for the reply. It means a lot to me. “more shadows on the dogs in areas that it appears…more subtle in the photo…” A very good hint. I have the tendency to draw as I see it and so often it’s really exactly that, that makes the difference. To exaggerate what’s there on the photo, especially the shadows. I just keep forgetting it 
. But further practice will help me 
