Creating this English Bulldog design was a journey I didn’t plan in detail. It was my first time drawing this breed, and instead of forcing a finished look from the start, I let the design evolve naturally as I worked. What began as a rough idea slowly became a complete character — one wrinkle, expression, and adjustment at a time.
This piece was one of my more challenging designs, but also one of the most rewarding. Below is a look at how it developed from the very first sketch to the final sticker.
Early Sketch Phase
The process started with a simple sketch focused on structure and attitude rather than details. Bulldogs have such a distinctive face — heavy wrinkles, drooping jowls, and a stubborn expression — that getting the proportions right was the first hurdle.
At this stage, nothing is polished. The lines are loose, the pose is exploratory, and the goal is to understand the dog’s personality. I wasn’t worried about perfection yet — I just needed the bulldog to feel like a bulldog.
Early Color & Form
Once the sketch felt solid, I moved into basic color blocking. This phase is where the design often pushes back the hardest. Adding color immediately reveals what’s working and what isn’t — especially with a breed that relies so heavily on mass and facial structure.
Here, I focused on separating shapes, defining principal wrinkle planes, and testing coat colors. The bulldog still felt stiff at this point, but the foundation was starting to take shape.
Mid Phase: Finding the Bulldog
This was the turning point. During the mid-phase, the bulldog finally began to look like himself. The expression locked in, the weight felt believable, and the wrinkles started working together instead of competing with each other.
I also leaned on feedback from a supportive art community during this stage, which helped me refine the attitude and push the design further. This is where confidence replaces uncertainty — the piece stops feeling like a problem and starts feeling like a character.
Final Design
The final phase was about polish and storytelling. I added the metal food bowl to give the bulldog a bit of narrative — impatient, hungry, and unimpressed. Rendering the bowl was a learning experience in its own right, especially when it came to shading metal and keeping it readable at sticker size.
Finishing touches like lighting, depth, and subtle details brought everything together. The result is a bulldog that feels solid, expressive, and full of personality — exactly what I was aiming for.
Closing Thoughts
This design taught me a lot about trusting my process. Not every piece needs to start perfectly; sometimes you have to grow into the design as you go. Documenting this journey — both through the artwork and the video — was essential to me, and I’m proud to share the whole evolution.
If you’d like to see the whole process in motion, the behind-the-scenes video is available on my YouTube channel. And if this grumpy bulldog speaks to you, the finished sticker is now available in my shop.