Daily Sketch Reprise: Summer-colored Kitty, 2012

July 25, 2018 Bernadette

colorful pastel sketch of cat — Summer-colored Kitty, pastel, 4″ x 8″ © Bernadette E. Kazmarski

I think I was overtaken by the Oaxacan feline carvings and all their colors—and also their stylized shapes. This reminds me of my “van Gogh style” in oil pastel, especially an oil pastel featuring Mr. Sunshine that has similar colors and a defining outline in red , and it’s interesting to see it come out in soft pastel too.

Sketching the black kitties is always a good exercise, but I truly appreciate their solid black when I’m working with simply form and non-representational color. I watched Giuseppe bathe on the stool in front of my easel, a perfect spot for any kitty to pose, and I think I’ve photographed just about every kitty in the house over the past two years on that stool, so I’m accustomed to the setting. I’ve also got all my drawing lighting at my disposal and can turn on all of them or simply one or two for effect.

In this case I turned on two both on the same side, one of them angled so it was muted, and waited until I saw the colors (no medications required, recreational or otherwise). Once I saw the color range and style I decided only soft pastels could carry it.

Giuseppe’s shape is made up of all the individual elements I liked about him as I watched him, but they are not all from the same posture so I had to work them in together independently. Once I had them and all their colors mingled I used the unifying outline to carry the shape.

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pastel sketch of cat bathing — “Swirling Bath” cropped.

I started out with the toned paper and charcoal seeing Sunshine with his glossy black fur, but suddenly discarded that in favor of my pastels and a half-formed idea of blended color areas on paper with a black outline sketch on top to give them definition. He is so graceful, especially when he turned to wash his side with his tail curling around to the front. Read more and order.

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All images and text used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission, although links to your site are more than welcome and are shared. Please ask if you are interested in using and image or story in a print or internet publication. If you are interested in purchasing a print of an image or a product including it, check my animal and nature website Portraits of Animals 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.