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I Tested Watercolor Pencils With My Pet Art

So, let’s talk about art. It’s what I do every day. It has become my “day job” and, aside from a few freelance articles a month, it’s my only job. I paint custom pet portraits for a living.

If you asked me 15 years ago (which is about when this photo was taken) if I ever thought that my art would be more than a hobby, I don’t think I would have believed you.

High school art class

But it’s true. I’m doing as an adult what I loved to do as a child! And it’s something that I continue to work on and experiment with.

Trying New Art Materials

I’ve used a lot of media in my art — watercolor paints, oil paints, acrylic paints, pastels, oil pastels, air brush, graphite, charcoal, colored pencil, digital art — but I’d never tried watercolor pencils. (For that matter, I’ve never tried gouache, either.)

The other day, while at Michael’s craft store, I decided to pick up a set of watercolor pencils and give it a go. I used a photo of Banjo and tried it out on a 5×7″ sheet of watercolor stock.

Banjo the boxer dog

Testing the Watercolor Pencils

At first I wasn’t super thrilled with how the drawing looked. It seemed like regular colored pencils, except really cheap, non-blending, chunky, gross, colored pencils.

Watercolor pencil art for pet portrait
Watercolor pencil art for pet portrait

Then I wet my brush and started blending the pencils marks.

Watercolor pencil art for pet portrait
Complete pet portrait art piece

Ooh! It turned out so pretty! I’m going to have to make a bunch more!

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Allison Gray

Hi! I’m a native of Northwestern Pennsylvania, but have lived in a few different states and even spent a couple years in the Caribbean. I married my high school sweetheart and the love of my life. We’re parents to the most astonishing little girl and a baby boy. Aside from being a fulltime mommy, I’m also an artist and specialize in custom pet portraits. I’m an advocate for adopting from animal shelters and rescues and am the proud owner of a doofy boxer named Banjo. We are outdoors enthusiasts, finding joy in hiking through the woods, running along the coast and playing in the water.

14 responses to “I Tested Watercolor Pencils With My Pet Art”

    • Thanks for reading!
      The best city in the world is whatever city you happen to live with those you love — especially if you love dogs! So I think we all live in the best city in the world!

      Reply

  6. Very inspiring post!! Thank you! I am pursuing my dream of being a full time artist! This has inspired me and encouraged me that one day “Pet Art is My Day Job” as well! Great work!!! 👍🏻👍🏻

    Reply

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