Daily Sketch: Inscrutable
They all look at me like this, but this is more patterned after Jelly Bean, who sat by the window atop a box so that his face and front body was entirely in a deep shadow. Resting, his eyes are slits, and sometimes he simply closes them and takes a nap, but sitting up.
I looked at him and thought, “Inscrutable”, as his expression seemed to be, and actually was since I really had no idea what he might be thinking. I liked his shape and thought how similar the others look when they do the same. I liked the silhouette with just the eyes, but I needed something to soften up the edges because he was not hard-edged except his ears and his tail where it laid against the surface. Hmmm…I don’t want to draw every hair, I don’t want to be that definite. Dry brush? Maybe another time. I roughly sketched his outline, firmed it up and painted it in with Higgins black drawing ink and a wide brush, then a narrower one. For the finish I drew lots of dots with felt-tip technical pens in two sizes.
I’m not entirely pleased with the shape—his head is too wide, but other than that I can see Mewsette and Sunshine and Giuseppe and even Mimi as well as Bean. I’m going to explore this style a little more, too. I had used it years ago in my sketches for “Kitties Being Kitties” and for “Sally’s Profile” and even in “my first greeting card” (scroll down to see) and drawing the dots is truly mesmerizing.
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All images used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission. Please ask if you are interested in using one in a print or internet publication. If you are interested in purchasing a print of this image or a product including this image, check my Etsy shop or Fine Art America profile to see if I have it available already. If you don’t find it there, visit Ordering Custom Artwork for more information on a custom greeting card, print or other item.
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hi there
This is beautiful bernadette, id love a copy of it, it looks just like my cat, mrs poppy.
Really lovely!
Amanda–there you are! Another house panther, Mrs. Poppy!
I knew I’d seen a message from you about one of my sketches but couldn’t remember which one! I wait to have prints made until someone chooses to purchase a print, then I make a set of them which is much easier than one at a time, so now this is listed in my Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/listing/179952464/inscrutable-digital-print-from-original
Thank you so much!
Wow, I wasn’t sure about this one but it certainly seemed to hit a pleasing chord with several of you!
Gorgeous – memories of my sweet boy, Dickens!
Chris, how wonderful! I’m glad it’s a happy memory.
Wow! This looks like Grizelda. I love it!
McGuffy Ann, yes it does–Bean isn’t long-haired but it works for a long-haired cat!
I like this..the dots make it interesting..
BlueMoonAlone, I like the effect of the dots for his fur, I think we’ll see this again.