Let’s be honest, drawing dogs in coloured pencil has to be one of the most joyful things we can do… right after you’ve lovingly sharpened them all to a perfect deadly point, only for your actual dog to send them flying off the table with a wag of their tail.

Whether you’re creating a detailed terrier portrait or capturing your neighbour’s golden retriever, drawing dogs in coloured pencil can feel both magical and mildly infuriating. Today, I’m sharing my favourite tips to help you create realistic dog drawings that you’re proud of:

1. Don’t draw “a dog”—draw what you see.

If you want your dog portraits to look realistic, stop trying to draw what your brain thinks a nose or an ear looks like. Focus on shapes, values, and edges especially the light and dark areas. The secret to drawing dogs realistically? It’s not about fur… it’s about values.

2. Use purple in your shadows (yes, really).

If you’re drawing tan or golden fur and find your shadows are turning muddy, try adding a soft violet or purplish tone instead of black or blue. It deepens your shadows without dulling the warmth and adds beautiful contrast, especially around the ears, eyes, and muzzle.

3. Start light and build slowly.

Coloured pencil drawing is all about layering. If you go in too dark, too soon, you lose flexibility and potentially your whole drawing. So build up values gradually. You can always go darker.

4. Use a slice tool for wiry or textured dog fur on drafting film.

If you’re drawing a terrier, schnauzer, or any scruffy pup on drafting film, the slice tool is a game-changer. Use it gently, more like a pencil than a knife, to lift realistic hair textures and catch those beautiful flyaway wisps that give fur its character.

5. You don’t need to draw every single hair.

Drawing dogs realistically doesn’t mean going hair by hair. Focus on capturing the feel of the fur. If your values and texture are on point, your viewer’s brain will fill in the rest.

6. Progress, not perfection.

Dog fur is chaotic. Drawing it should be a little wild too! You’re not aiming for perfect, you’re aiming for progress. If it’s orange and it was meant to be beige… it’s probably still cute. And you can always tone it down with a little purple. (See tip 2—told you it’d come in handy.)

Drawing realistic dogs in coloured pencil isn’t about getting everything right. It’s about showing up, having fun, and letting the process surprise you.

So go on—grab your pencils, find a good dog photo (or a snoring pup at your feet), and just start. Because the scruffy, imperfect bits are often the best part.

Ready to put these tips into action? Try my FREE 40-minute Dog Nose Challenge tutorial, where I’ll walk you through creating a super realistic dog’s nose—so lifelike, people might just expect it to start sniffing! 🎨🐶 Check it out here: 40-Minute Dog Nose Challenge