Daily Sketch: Their Faces in the Sun
Mimi and Mewsette settled in the sun from the window on the landing, both of them enjoying the wash of the warm light on their faces as the shadows crept up over their backs.
Often, big soft Mewsette settles somewhere and soon I see little Mimi tucked up against her, two girls enjoying some girl time. So they are, here.
I wanted to exploit the variations in their coat colors and just play with shadows and highlights here. Mimi is quite the cocoa kitty, while Mewsette is a much cooler black, tending toward blue. In this brilliant yellow sunlight, the deepest shadows were a complimentary purple, secondary shadows behind them were not necessarily green but that little experiment worked anyway, and the minor shadows where the yellow tones down and begins to shade to orange were just areas where I felt orange was needed.
Ink lines went in last, unlike the usual technique of drawing the cats then painting in. I sketched them, literally, with a broad brush and let the colors flow together. There is one area I am unhappy with, and I need to manage the flow on the paper a little better, on Mewsette down near the floor, that floating edge has no context and should be softer. I didn’t realize how dry the paper was already. I’ll need to be more careful. If I hadn’t said anything probably most people would not have noticed it, but for the sake of the artists who follow me—be more aware than me!
Click here to see other daily sketches.
For a gallery of the ones available for sale, visit my Etsy shop in the “Cat Art and Prints” section.
Read about the reason for the daily sketches in One Year of Daily Sketches.
Browse some rescued cats and kittens!
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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I needed this. Much calmer now. I was feeling rather red.
Bernadette, SO BEAUTIFUL! Just love your work–wish I had more walls in my house!!
Paulette, thanks! I’ve been working on getting these images onto other things so you don’t need so much wall space.
This is a beautiful sketch of your sweet girls – love it so much!
Can I add this to my collection when you’re ready to part with it? I’m sure you realize that this style you use is my absolute favourite!
Take care,
Denise
Denise, I forgot I still had your order! You are the most patient person in the world! They discontinued the one frame I’d used and I had to make sure I found another similar before I shipped your order out, I put it in a safe place and forgot! I’m sure I can frame this up for you.
No worries – the best things in life are well worth the wait! I’m fortunate that I have so much wall space – still working on my gallery wall in the loft area for all your beautiful pictures.
Denise, space is at such a premium–when I hold onto an order like yours I have to pack it away or it will get pastel or paint or ink or something on it, and then sometimes I forget it’s safe in my cabinet. As I said, I am one lucky person you are patient and understanding since twice now this has happened to your order!