Wolf Design Part 1: Natural Wolves

Wolf Design Part 1: Natural Wolves
Posted 2022-10-04 19:38:50 (edited) #846957 I see people asking for help with markings so I thought I'd share my process. I'll state my preferences up front for what I like in a natural design- realistic colors, countershading (most dark colors on top surfaces- high marks, and lighter on undersides- low marks), gradient, and contrast. For example I have not put red or merged on my personal shade reference list since I find them overly bright and unnatural. To understand eumelanin and pheomelanin think of a black and tan dog. Eumelanin= black pigment (hair, skin, nails, nose), pheomelanin= tan (hair only). Wolves express the agouti gene. Grey tones come from banded black and white hairs. Red-to-white shades come from modifier genes acting on pheomelanin. A great way to go for a natural design is to recreate this grizzled look of colors mixing. Part 2- Backgrounds and Decor A comparison of red-shades and monochrome shades includes 2 designs you can make with colors and marks in the Marking Applicator. I like buying wolves with at least one breed-only feature and filling in the design around that. (12/27/22- I forgot Zircon, but that would be a shade lighter than Beige and darker than White) General considerations: Pose. Some marks look really different in each pose. Make sure you know which one you will use. Layering with the same shade. If you have extra slots you don't know what to do with fill in marks even if you can't see them. I like white low marks, so I might put several in low number slots to reduce the chance of inheriting dark colors there. Approaches to a design: Large coverage marks in slot 10, lightest in low number slots Zaem is rust. Cream, beige, and white for low marks. Grey smudge heavy in slot 10 to contrast with the red shades. Contrast Celofay is biotite. I wanted marks that wouldn't cover too much of the base. Monochrome colors with a single storm mark for contrast. Cryptic base AKA "guess the base." Gray Fox is denim. Inverted cross covers a large area . Gray for him to tone down the blue. Throw black dilution or marbled unders on it Ol' Man Coyote's red cougar is a bit much. Dilution and marbled unders provide a textured look to large areas of solid color.	🍂 Leonca 🐆 #54339

Posted 2022-10-04 19:38:50 (edited)

#846957

I see people asking for help with markings so I thought I'd share my process. I'll state my preferences up front for what I like in a natural design- realistic colors, countershading (most dark colors on top surfaces- high marks, and lighter on undersides- low marks), gradient, and contrast. For example I have not put red or merged on my personal shade reference list since I find them overly bright and unnatural.

To understand eumelanin and pheomelanin think of a black and tan dog. Eumelanin= black pigment (hair, skin, nails, nose), pheomelanin= tan (hair only). Wolves express the agouti gene. Grey tones come from banded black and white hairs. Red-to-white shades come from modifier genes acting on pheomelanin. A great way to go for a natural design is to recreate this grizzled look of colors mixing.

Part 2- Backgrounds and Decor

A comparison of red-shades and monochrome shades includes 2 designs you can make with colors and marks in the Marking Applicator. I like buying wolves with at least one breed-only feature and filling in the design around that.

(12/27/22- I forgot Zircon, but that would be a shade lighter than Beige and darker than White)

General considerations:
Pose. Some marks look really different in each pose. Make sure you know which one you will use.

Layering with the same shade. If you have extra slots you don't know what to do with fill in marks even if you can't see them. I like white low marks, so I might put several in low number slots to reduce the chance of inheriting dark colors there.

Approaches to a design:

Large coverage marks in slot 10, lightest in low number slots
Zaem is rust. Cream, beige, and white for low marks. Grey smudge heavy in slot 10 to contrast with the red shades.

Contrast
Celofay is biotite. I wanted marks that wouldn't cover too much of the base. Monochrome colors with a single storm mark for contrast.

Cryptic base
AKA "guess the base." Gray Fox is denim. Inverted cross covers a large area . Gray for him to tone down the blue.

Throw black dilution or marbled unders on it
Ol' Man Coyote's red cougar is a bit much. Dilution and marbled unders provide a textured look to large areas of solid color.

🍂 Leonca 🐆
#54339

Posted 2022-10-23 03:02:54

#861078

Thanks theres SO MANY things that i didnt know😭

Atlas
#92389

Posted 2022-10-23 08:59:48

#861233

Glad to help.

🍂 Leonca 🐆
#54339

Posted 2022-10-30 19:14:14

#867234

i'm obsessed with naturalistic wolf designs!! i second all the tips here 👌👌👌👌

Arcadia /hiatus
#1119

Posted 2022-10-30 19:29:37

#867241

Thank you.

🍂 Leonca 🐆
#54339

Posted 2023-01-03 23:23:00

#931473

Interesting breakdown! I like natural designs too, though many of my pack are mono base. I enjoy taking photos of wild wolves and trying to recreate them in the customizer. Here's one of the designs that I want to make some day just for fun:

Based off of this wolf pic:

Raine
#19819

Posted 2023-01-04 09:55:49

#931635

Cool.

Wow that guy has a ton of white on his back!

🍂 Leonca 🐆
#54339

Posted 2023-01-04 13:38:52

#931775

He really does! There's so much interbreeding with coyotes in American wild wolf populations these days that they have all kinds of unusual patterns and extra reds/yellows in their coat. Very interesting stuff.

Raine
#19819

Posted 2023-02-19 11:01:47

#958920

Your natural designs are beautiful! Always love myself a natural wolf and will definitely be using this guide if I ever customize one again! Here's the one I did customize:

Fort- Mostly Inactive
#7842

Posted 2023-02-19 13:37:13

#959054

Thank you. Aww, my lead's mate has the same collar.

🍂 Leonca 🐆
#54339

Wolf Design Part 1: Natural Wolves

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