It was decidedly difficult to choose which one of Mimi’s wanderings in the sunlight this morning I would sketch. She wandered around making the most wonderful elongated and distorted shadows of herself in the long streams of sunlight and they were all wonderful. Of course, this has been going on for days. Interpreting this morning sundance at the back door has been years in the making and sketched in pencil, ink, pastel and more.
I chose the toned paper because of the mid-range warm tone and the ability to blend on it, though I wish it had been darker to start with; the lightness kind of threw me off at first. The base in shadow is entirely vine charcoal which dusts off but repeated layers can be built up and burnished into the paper surface. I then applied soft 6B charcoal pencil atop that and blended for extra darkness right around the edges of the shadows, and drew Mimi’s tiny shape entirely in that pencil, blending and filling two or three times to make sure she was darker than the background and solid. A few highlights distinguish Mimi from her shadow.
Looking at it full size I can see it still needs some refinement but while I’d been picturing something more smooth and clear I like it for its roughness, especially where it blends out around the edges.
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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.
Inspired by felines you know! Visit Portraits of Animals on Etsy.
Inspired by felines you know! Visit Portraits of Animals on Etsy!
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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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