Merle
Examples
![](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/61266310-415a-4ea3-8697-6ee4b436c11b/dae0zyz-2a5f207c-3aa3-43f3-a8f3-9bd01c8a0d56.png/v1/fill/w_1130,h_707,q_70,strp/catuno_340_by_matriarchs_haunt_dae0zyz-pre.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9ODAxIiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvNjEyNjYzMTAtNDE1YS00ZWEzLTg2OTctNmVlNGI0MzZjMTFiXC9kYWUwenl6LTJhNWYyMDdjLTNhYTMtNDNmMy1hOGYzLTliZDAxYzhhMGQ1Ni5wbmciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTI4MCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.Wji144Xgml2RG_c7voinyXOJ5_9evOMoKEkWeW8B9Ok)
![](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/61266310-415a-4ea3-8697-6ee4b436c11b/daeuzy7-724f131c-90df-433b-b136-e2aa1d9f8a22.png/v1/fill/w_1130,h_707,q_70,strp/rambo_384_by_matriarchs_haunt_daeuzy7-pre.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTY4OSIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzYxMjY2MzEwLTQxNWEtNGVhMy04Njk3LTZlZTRiNDM2YzExYlwvZGFldXp5Ny03MjRmMTMxYy05MGRmLTQzM2ItYjEzNi1lMmFhMWQ5ZjhhMjIucG5nIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTI3MDAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.1MI5WLllvIjVvMJQ8EEAqcJStsVr2QmkZh5ntdjs5Ds)
![](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/61266310-415a-4ea3-8697-6ee4b436c11b/dagipg2-7877eea9-54a7-48b0-8d59-b5a31234e51a.png/v1/fill/w_1024,h_641,q_80,strp/ackeleus_401_by_matriarchs_haunt_dagipg2-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9NjQxIiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvNjEyNjYzMTAtNDE1YS00ZWEzLTg2OTctNmVlNGI0MzZjMTFiXC9kYWdpcGcyLTc4NzdlZWE5LTU0YTctNDhiMC04ZDU5LWI1YTMxMjM0ZTUxYS5wbmciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTAyNCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.fBnf8l9O_26qw7R4auvYp-t0Ug01TPuRZwSwBm4c5-0)
![](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/61266310-415a-4ea3-8697-6ee4b436c11b/dbdonw0-32e1c650-63cc-4f1a-a423-ce7455339ed7.png/v1/fill/w_1130,h_707,q_70,strp/constanzo_1030_by_matriarchs_haunt_dbdonw0-pre.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9ODAxIiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvNjEyNjYzMTAtNDE1YS00ZWEzLTg2OTctNmVlNGI0MzZjMTFiXC9kYmRvbncwLTMyZTFjNjUwLTYzY2MtNGYxYS1hNDIzLWNlNzQ1NTMzOWVkNy5wbmciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTI4MCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.dqqPGqbdfDt0F6IfkwJYIDOTU3M3IeC8p0z1EPDW_ro)
![](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/61266310-415a-4ea3-8697-6ee4b436c11b/dc2e45t-076f7b03-71e4-4a2f-9a9e-9452e27b3016.png/v1/fill/w_1130,h_707,q_70,strp/saana_1433_by_matriarchs_haunt_dc2e45t-pre.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTAwMSIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzYxMjY2MzEwLTQxNWEtNGVhMy04Njk3LTZlZTRiNDM2YzExYlwvZGMyZTQ1dC0wNzZmN2IwMy03MWU0LTRhMmYtOWE5ZS05NDUyZTI3YjMwMTYucG5nIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTE2MDAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.diH9UNHT8P4LG2BEPfYinMkHR-RJ7uG759VHNX6up90)
![](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/61266310-415a-4ea3-8697-6ee4b436c11b/dbhwbiy-5c45b47d-5e88-488c-85f9-000b7191f092.png/v1/fill/w_1130,h_707,q_70,strp/island_1126_by_matriarchs_haunt_dbhwbiy-pre.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9ODAxIiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvNjEyNjYzMTAtNDE1YS00ZWEzLTg2OTctNmVlNGI0MzZjMTFiXC9kYmh3Yml5LTVjNDViNDdkLTVlODgtNDg4Yy04NWY5LTAwMGI3MTkxZjA5Mi5wbmciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTI4MCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.YpwIOeOHp29NkhBrBgdZcMYUzhLps7-J71VwnVEf0D8)
Real life examples:
![](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/ee2fc0d1-8988-43ab-b466-498b2efab1d2/d5e4ky4-632a9b67-2b76-4a84-b3b3-e0cf2bd5504d.jpg/v1/fill/w_900,h_436,q_75,strp/dog_pose_5_by_seiden_stocks_d5e4ky4-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9NDM2IiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvZWUyZmMwZDEtODk4OC00M2FiLWI0NjYtNDk4YjJlZmFiMWQyXC9kNWU0a3k0LTYzMmE5YjY3LTJiNzYtNGE4NC1iM2IzLWUwY2YyYmQ1NTA0ZC5qcGciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9OTAwIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmltYWdlLm9wZXJhdGlvbnMiXX0.1ZdCOnb7iId4SyxANz6p0iqVwjSQnHKP3S5SLGjj8fo)
![](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/d72cb807-0c20-49ea-8b2a-e4e0f1dd79bc/d6awc0-2bf241fa-dd38-429d-8b71-10f85f7fd16f.jpg/v1/fill/w_1023,h_781,q_70,strp/merle_great_dane_no__4_by_afarland_stock_d6awc0-pre.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTI5MCIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2Q3MmNiODA3LTBjMjAtNDllYS04YjJhLWU0ZTBmMWRkNzliY1wvZDZhd2MwLTJiZjI0MWZhLWRkMzgtNDI5ZC04YjcxLTEwZjg1ZjdmZDE2Zi5qcGciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTY5MCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.VeSv2glJyGCuzwvQ2uEq9bTB38Ak_4EpYCkJd3zHBeM)
![](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/ee2fc0d1-8988-43ab-b466-498b2efab1d2/d7zmn9w-331693a3-185d-4f5f-b31c-746fb06c4fce.jpg/v1/fill/w_1024,h_627,q_75,strp/standing_dog___hector_by_seiden_stocks_d7zmn9w-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9NjI3IiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvZWUyZmMwZDEtODk4OC00M2FiLWI0NjYtNDk4YjJlZmFiMWQyXC9kN3ptbjl3LTMzMTY5M2EzLTE4NWQtNGY1Zi1iMzFjLTc0NmZiMDZjNGZjZS5qcGciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTAyNCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.ICzp-rqjoRvfyQjaX5zrPdfpKfW8TDEZ3vvwNP9uGFA)
Basics
![Bullet; White](https://e.deviantart.net/emoticons/b/bulletwhite.gif)
![Bullet; White](https://e.deviantart.net/emoticons/b/bulletwhite.gif)
![Bullet; White](https://e.deviantart.net/emoticons/b/bulletwhite.gif)
Color and Shape
Step One:
Design the ketucari as if they didn't have merle.
![Merle1 by Matriarchs-Haunt Merle1 by Matriarchs-Haunt](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/61266310-415a-4ea3-8697-6ee4b436c11b/dacc2l6-801bab3a-8c3d-40ae-90bb-22302bc141df.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzYxMjY2MzEwLTQxNWEtNGVhMy04Njk3LTZlZTRiNDM2YzExYlwvZGFjYzJsNi04MDFiYWIzYS04YzNkLTQwYWUtOTBiYi0yMjMwMmJjMTQxZGYucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.Fx8QcknPsoqVRi1s1nEXmEUABCr_X9jj4onyoYr44DA)
Step Two:
Pick a color lighter and more desaturated than the base color. Make a new layer over the design and fill it with this color.
![Merle2 by Matriarchs-Haunt Merle2 by Matriarchs-Haunt](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/61266310-415a-4ea3-8697-6ee4b436c11b/dacc2u0-1cca4204-586c-42ca-b81c-858d6658ccc6.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzYxMjY2MzEwLTQxNWEtNGVhMy04Njk3LTZlZTRiNDM2YzExYlwvZGFjYzJ1MC0xY2NhNDIwNC01ODZjLTQyY2EtYjgxYy04NThkNjY1OGNjYzYucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.vZlctk_j2b4OoezlO5KaaIzZieCRm-9pKqFykbJe3_Y)
Step Three:
Erase away patches from the fill layer to reveal the original design underneath, mimicking the merle patterning found in dogs.
![Merle3 by Matriarchs-Haunt Merle3 by Matriarchs-Haunt](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/61266310-415a-4ea3-8697-6ee4b436c11b/dacc2zk-de4a59b9-a0b5-41f4-b6f2-3bd10fdc2b3d.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzYxMjY2MzEwLTQxNWEtNGVhMy04Njk3LTZlZTRiNDM2YzExYlwvZGFjYzJ6ay1kZTRhNTliOS1hMGI1LTQxZjQtYjZmMi0zYmQxMGZkYzJiM2QucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.qjIQs3S6UhebIau_CTHX5RjjGz6UemldJSfboaTpye0)
Range
Interaction with Other Markings
![Bullet; White](https://e.deviantart.net/emoticons/b/bulletwhite.gif)
Accents
![Bullet; White](https://e.deviantart.net/emoticons/b/bulletwhite.gif)
of the markings underneath. Be careful not to make this too overbearing, such that the merle is barely noticeable. As well, you can add
a bit of texturing to the marking.
![Merle1 by Matriarchs-Haunt Merle1 by Matriarchs-Haunt](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/61266310-415a-4ea3-8697-6ee4b436c11b/db1r4tf-53a6af4d-7474-4121-ba46-61936b317661.jpg/v1/fill/w_1024,h_590,q_75,strp/merle1_by_matriarchs_haunt_db1r4tf-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9NTkwIiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvNjEyNjYzMTAtNDE1YS00ZWEzLTg2OTctNmVlNGI0MzZjMTFiXC9kYjFyNHRmLTUzYTZhZjRkLTc0NzQtNDEyMS1iYTQ2LTYxOTM2YjMxNzY2MS5qcGciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTAyNCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.tVeWNCt0TXmxih8FTAvpeer1RLcsrNOcv8JTq2GM9_o)