Featured Daily Sketch: Barely There, 2013

October 8, 2025 Bernadette

"Barely There", pastel on forest green pastello paper, 8" x 10" © Bernadette E. Kazmarski — “Barely There”, pastel on forest green pastello paper, 8″ x 10″ © Bernadette E. Kazmarski

Ah, these late summer/early autumn mornings when the sun, at a lower angle, fills the upstairs with light for the first time in months.

Giuseppe was enjoying a sunbath and in the contrast of bright sun and deep shadow with black cat, all I could really see were his highlights and his eyes… he was barely there. It’s an exercise to leave your subject as negative space when subjects are usually positive elements, and to work the negative space or background along with just enough detail to describe the shape of your subject, kind of like thinking in reverse.

I didn’t realize I was out of black paper, so I used forest green, which actually confused me while I was drawing on it—I wanted it to be darker, truly a challenge for what I was visualizing.

Daily Sketches 2011 to 2015

I think I accomplished what I'd set out to do three years ago today, a challenge to me and entertainment and enjoyment for you: to create a quick sketch of my cats each day as a way to practice and experiment, and present the sketch on that day with no editing, no waiting, no excuses, just to do the sketch and share it.

Read more about the reason for the daily sketches in Daily Sketches: the Idea, Most Popular, Awards.

Click here to see other daily sketches.

For a gallery of the ones available for sale, visit Portraits of Animals in the “Daily Sketches” section.

"Feline Style Sampler" book of sketches and portraits.

A collection of 34 images of feline artwork

**The award-winning* Feline Style Sampler**

Now in its third printing since 2013! Daily sketches, illustrations, commissioned portraits all in a small coil-bound gift book. Click here or on the image to read more or find this book on Portraits of Animals.

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*Certificate of Excellence, Cat Writers' Association 2014 Communications Contest

Gifts featuring cats you know! Visit Portraits of Animals

Fine Art • Photography • Gifts • Greeting Cards • Books • Commissioned Portraits & Artwork

pastel sketch of cat on dark paper — “Barely There”, pastel on forest green pastello paper, 8″ x 10″ © Bernadette E. Kazmarski

This original sketch is still available, framed, for $150.00. I have too many to list all of them so I just mention them here when I can. Please get in touch if you’re interested! Email bernadette @ bernadette-k (dot) com.

Copyright

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.