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From Photo to Portrait
Your Dog in Charcoal
Over X hours and X+ lessons designed to give you structure when you need it, freedom when you don’t, and the space to uncover your own creative voice.
You don’t need to fit into the box of being “an artist” to create something real.
Art isn’t about perfection—it’s about rhythm, energy, and whatever wants to come through in the moment. Some days it’s quiet, stripped down, black and white. Other days it’s loud, messy, and full of color. Both are valid. Both are alive.
Maybe you’ve been told creativity should feel effortless. Maybe you’ve thought talent is something you either have or don’t. Forget that. What matters is showing up, staying open, and letting the work surprise you.
In this course, I’ll share how I move between structure and intuition, between control and release. You’ll learn tools, but more importantly, you’ll learn to trust your own process—mistakes, mess, magic and all.
You don’t need to do it perfectly. You just need to do it your way. And I’ll be right here, walking beside you while you find it.
Hi, I'm Bel
I was born in Germany in 1994, but these days I’m rooted in the wild south-west Algarve. My work doesn’t sit still, and neither do I.
I move between stripped-down black-and-white oil portraits and bold, vibrant mixed-media pieces. From stillness to chaos, realism to intuition, my art is always shifting with where I am and what I feel.
Dogs have always been part of my life. That connection finds its way into my work, often as much as the rhythms of my own body and emotions. My process is tied to rhythm, to what wants to come through: sometimes playful, sometimes raw, sometimes stripped to the bone.
I don’t see art as a fixed style, it’s a state. Each piece is a snapshot of a moment, whether that means loose brushstrokes layered with texture or quiet lines that hold stillness. In this course, I want to share not just technique, but that way of listening: to your body, to your intuition, to what the canvas is asking for.
My goal is to give you tools and freedom: structure when you need it, space when you don’t. You’ll learn to experiment, let go of perfection, embrace accidents, and create work that feels alive.
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Imagine moving past the fear of the blank page.
You finish this course and see how far you’ve come: capturing not just your dog’s likeness, but their presence, their quirks, their soul.
You create a portrait that feels alive, and you share it with pride.
For a long time, you may have admired other artists and compared your sketches, wondering if yours were “good enough.” Here, we let go of that.
Step by step, I’ll guide you through turning a photo into a portrait, teaching you how to see light, shape, and detail in charcoal, while leaving space for intuition and expression. It’s about structure and freedom, realism and emotion, technique and rhythm.
This isn’t about chasing perfection. It’s about showing up, staying curious, and finding your voice in every line and shadow.
I’ll be right here walking beside you; helping you grow, experiment, and create a portrait that’s not just of your dog, but about your connection with them.
At The End Of The Course You Will Be Able To:
Learn to really see your dog: the proportions, light, and form that bring them to life on paper.
Start loose. Simple marks, quick lines. Build your confidence as the portrait takes shape, step by step.
Deepen, layer, and refine with charcoal, finding balance between detail and expression.
Course Content
This course is divided into X modules with over X hours of guided learning and practice. You’ll also have access to full-length portrait tutorials that you can pause, replay, and follow at your own rhythm.
The lessons flow step by step; starting with the basics and moving into more advanced techniques, so you can build confidence as you go. I recommend following them in order, but there’s always space to slow down, circle back, or linger where you need.
This space is open to everyone: teens, adults, even younger learners. Nothing explicit, just a grounded, encouraging place to explore, experiment, and create.
All you need is charcoal, paper, patience, and the willingness to show up. Progress doesn’t happen all at once, it comes line by line, shadow by shadow, until suddenly the portrait feels alive.
In My Course You Will Learn:
Getting Started
We’ll begin by grounding you in this journey: what you can expect, where it can take you, and why every skill level belongs here. I’ll share a bit of my own story, then guide you through the essentials: the charcoal, paper, and tools we’ll use, and how to choose the right photo of your dog to work from. Think of this as setting the stage, collecting what you need, tuning into the process, and stepping in with curiosity and confidence.
Structure & Fundamentals
Here we dive into the heart of drawing dogs, understanding their anatomy, the shapes and proportions that make each breed unique, and how to translate that into your first sketch from a photo. At the same time, you’ll get comfortable with charcoal itself: how to hold it, control it, and let it move. We’ll explore line weight, shading, blending, and how light shapes everything you see. These modules are about building both structure and freedom, learning the rules so you can bend them, and finding confidence in every mark.
Laying the Groundwork & Bringing in Texture
With your under-drawing, we’ll block in proportions, map out the eyes, nose, and mouth, and learn how to avoid the common mistakes that throw a portrait off. Once that foundation is set, we move into the details that make your dog feel alive: fur, whiskers, texture, and light. You’ll learn how to render short vs. long coats, use erasers for highlights, and capture the subtle details that give personality to every portrait.Â
Bringing It All Together
Now it’s time to breathe life into your portrait. We’ll focus on the details that make your dog feel present on the page: expressive eyes, contrast for depth, refined edges, and subtle background work. From there, we’ll shift into the final touches: protecting your piece with fixative, photographing it to share or display, and reflecting on your progress. These last modules are about honoring the work you’ve done, adding the small artistic choices that make it yours, and carrying that confidence into whatever you create next.
Included In My Course Fees:
Fundamentals & Materials
We’ll start with the essentials: charcoal types (vine, compressed, pencil), paper, fixatives, erasers, and blending tools. You’ll learn how light and form work in charcoal so you feel grounded in the basics—free to focus on expression instead of uncertainty.
Practical exercises
Understanding is great, practice is where growth happens. I’ll guide you through step-by-step exercises to go from photo to portrait, loosen your hand, find your rhythm, and bring your dog’s presence to the page. Structure when you need it, freedom when you don’t.
Lifetime Access
With lifetime access, you’ll never have to rush through the course or worry about missing something important. You can revisit any lesson whenever you need, whether it’s a quick refresher on charcoal techniques or a deeper dive into anatomy and shading. Unlimited access means you can let the learning grow with you, returning as your skills and perspective evolve.
Flexibility
Learn on any device, wherever you are: at home, in the studio, or on the go. Pause, replay, and revisit lessons as often as you need until each technique feels clear.
Community of artists
Join a supportive group of artists and dog people who get the creative journey. Share progress, swap ideas, and encourage each other as you grow.
My support
You won’t be on your own. If you get stuck, reach out; I’ll offer feedback and direction so you can move through doubt and keep creating with confidence.
... and much more!
SIGN UP NOWCourse Outline
My course From Photo to Portrait: Your Dog in Charcoal is designed to help you grow your skills while keeping the process grounded and enjoyable. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you can create portraits that feel alive, while working in a calm, supportive space.
All lessons are filmed in Full HD, with clear audio and adjustable speed, so you can pause, replay, and follow along comfortably at your own rhythm. I’ll guide you step by step, sharing photos, references, and demonstrations while leaving room for your own expression to come through.
You can draw along with me, ask questions, and connect with others on the same journey. We’ll cover everything from choosing the right photo and understanding structure, to working with charcoal confidently and adding the expressive details that make your dog’s portrait uniquely yours.
This course is about making portrait drawing accessible, freeing, and deeply rewarding;
no perfection, just presence, practice, and discovery.
Included Bonuses:
Extra contents that you will get for free with the course!
Registrations Are Closing Soon!
Watch your skills grow step by step as you learn to capture your dog’s spirit in charcoal.
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From Photo to Portrait:
Your Dog in Charcoal
 Two Options To Achieve Your GoalsÂ
 The two options only differ in how you want to pay!
The first option is a one time fee and the second is a monthly option with three installments. The price displayed below is in Euro, but you can pay with ANY currency.
Discover the joy of drawing in charcoal, your journey to capturing your dog begins here
My Guarantee to Every Student
If you are not satisfied with the courses for any reason, you have the right to obtain a full refund within the first 14 days. This is my guarantee to you, I want all my students to be satisfied. Also, this means that there is no risk as well! Give it a try and experience the program first-hand!
