You know those sketches I do with “toned paper”? This was the first—I fell in love right away!
Mewsette takes a resting crouch at the corner of my table.
I read an artist’s newsletter earlier today that showed sketches in this style: mid-range paper, darkest areas in black and highlights in white, enough outlines to define, then stop. I just needed to wait for a cat to settle long enough in a post that would accommodate. Mewsette obliged.
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What else was I sketching on this date?
This entry has two posts, one the sketch of Mewsette, and one the photo of Mewsette watching me post her sketch!
Had to make the most of the sun this morning and caught Mimi quietly absorbing it on the bathroom windowsill.
This started out being a much simpler sketch, but she moved enough while I worked that I ended up with too many confusing sketchy little lines. I like those sketchy lines and you can still see a few around her edges, but if even I can’t make sense of them then probably no one else will either. I had intended to use conté, but just a sketchy sort of coverage maybe using one or two tones because I wanted to capture the dense shadows as well as the mahogany highlights in her fur. Instead I filled her in more completely, then drew on top with other colors using all the conté tones from black to brown to terra cotta to white.
It’s another of those I didn’t like at first and had to walk away and let it sit before I could see it correctly. When they move and I have to make so many changes, the sketch not only doesn’t look as I had visualized, an important step for a quick sketch so I know what my goal is, but it’s often not accurate to the cat, and this is Mimi’s body but not quite her face. Still, it’s acceptable as a sketch and I really like the way the unintended technique turned out.
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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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