# Retriever Mom with puppy

**URL:** <https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/retriever-mom-with-puppy/1419>\
**Category:** Share Your Art\
**Created:** [February 11, 2021, 9:36pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/retriever-mom-with-puppy/1419 "2021-02-11T21:36:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Gimpy7220](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/71c47a/32.png) [@Gimpy7220](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Gimpy7220)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2021, 9:36pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/retriever-mom-with-puppy/1419/1 "2021-02-11T21:36:31Z")

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![IMG_5001](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/thevirtualinstructor/original/2X/9/90bc36a75a12e6fad4cae8a8825568ca07e9b3b1.jpeg)

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.

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**Author:** ![PeterG23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2bfe46/32.png) [@PeterG23](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/PeterG23)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2021, 9:54pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/retriever-mom-with-puppy/1419/2 "2021-02-11T21:54:20Z")

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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!!

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**Author:** ![Gimpy7220](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/71c47a/32.png) [@Gimpy7220](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Gimpy7220)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 7:37am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/retriever-mom-with-puppy/1419/3 "2021-02-12T07:37:20Z")

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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 👍