Golden Retriever Painting Tutorial
🎨 Welcome to Your Tutorial
Welcome! In this step-by-step tutorial, you’ll learn how to paint a soft, realistic golden retriever and capture the warmth and personality that makes this breed so special.
I’ll guide you through the entire process—from your first sketch to the final details—so you can follow along with confidence, even if you’re still building your skills.
Take your time, enjoy the process, and remember—this is about progress, not perfection.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PURCHASE
💡 Tip Before You Start
Bookmark this page so you can come back to it anytime as you work through each stage.
What You'll Learn
✔ How to paint soft, layered fur without overworking it
✔ How to mix warm, natural tones for a realistic finish
✔ How to capture light and depth in the face
✔ How to bring expression and life to the eyes
Introduction
Materials
In this lesson, you’ll learn:
✔ All the materials you’ll need for this tutorial
✔ Recommended paints, brushes, and surfaces
✔ How to keep your setup simple and effective
You can find all my recommended art supplies here
Your Handy Guide
Download your guide to the materials we’ll be using in this tutorial, along with the principles of colour mixing.
How to Use This Tutorial
Work through each lesson in order. You can either:
✔️Paint along step-by-step
✔️Or watch first, then paint
Take your time and pause the videos whenever you need.
Lesson 1 - Transferring Your Reference Image
In this lesson, you’ll learn:
✔ How to transfer your reference photo onto canvas
✔ How to create a strong foundation without relying on freehand drawing
🎥 Step-by-Step Tutorial
Lesson 2 - Preparing Your Palette
In this lesson, you’ll learn:
✔ How to set up a limited, effective colour palette
Lesson 3 - Colour Mixing Exercise
In this lesson, you’ll learn:
✔ How to mix a range of natural, warm tones
✔ How to create variation from a limited palette
✔ How to avoid flat or artificial colours
Lesson 4 - Complimentary Pairings
In this lesson, you’ll learn:
✔ How complementary colours work together
✔ How to neutralise and balance your mixes
✔ How to create more natural, harmonious tones in your painting
Lesson 5 - Adding A Wash
In this lesson, you’ll learn:
✔ How to apply an initial wash to your canvas
✔ How to map out light and shadow areas early on
✔ How to create a base that unifies your painting
Lesson 6 - Studying Your Reference Photo
In this lesson, you’ll learn:
✔ How to analyse your reference image effectively
✔ How to identify key shapes, tones, and details
Lesson 7 - Starting With Your Darks
In this lesson, you’ll learn:
✔ How to block in your darkest tones first
✔ How to establish depth and structure early on
✔ How to avoid getting lost in details too soon
Lesson 8 - Adding A Background
In this lesson, you’ll learn:
✔ How to introduce a background that complements your subject
Lesson 9 - Moving Onto Your Lights
In this lesson, you’ll learn:
✔ How to build up lighter tones gradually
✔ How to create contrast and dimension
Lesson 10 - The Eyes, Mouth and Nose
In this lesson, you’ll learn:
✔ How to paint expressive, lifelike features
Lesson 11 - Adding Your Golden Tones
In this lesson, you’ll learn:
✔ How to mix and apply rich golden hues
✔ How to create warmth and variation in the fur
✔ How to enhance the natural colour of your subject
Lesson 12 - Refining The Painting
In this lesson, you’ll learn:
✔ How to refine your painting without overworking it
✔ How to adjust tones, edges, and details
Lesson 13 - Final Thoughts
In this lesson, you’ll learn:
In this lesson I'll share my final thoughts with you.
🎉 Share Your Work
I’d love to see what you create!
Tag me on social media or send me your finished piece.
🚀 Continue Your Learning
If you enjoyed this tutorial and want to keep improving, you can explore more step-by-step tutorials here:
Thank you so much for your support—it really means a lot and allows me to keep creating more tutorials like this.
Happy painting!
Alex