Featured Daily Sketch: My Desk Tonight, October 2013

October 17, 2025 Bernadette

pastel drawing of four black cats — “My Desk Tonight”, pastel on pastello paper, 11.5″ x 7.5″, 10/16/2013 © Bernadette E. Kazmarski

They piled up on my desk under the kitty keep-warm lights again, four of them gathering one by one, all tucked together as if the house was freezing and they needed to cuddle together for warmth. After trying to work around them for a while, silly me, I decided they’d be a nice subject for a sketch and instead of working spent my time trying to determine the best way to represent this large pile of blackness with a few highlights here and there.

So here we are, soft pastels on soft pastel paper, Mr. Sunshine, Mimi, Mewsette at the top and then Giuseppe.

From 2025: To look at them now without seeing who was who the only one I couldn’t guess was the first, Mr. Sunshine, but I could easily determine little Mimi cat, Mewsette’s profile and Giuseppe’s ears. I have always liked this one for its looseness yet just enough structure to identify them, loose not only in the main part of the figures but also the blurred edges at the bottom. Mr. Sunshine and his tail just fade into a swirl, Giuseppe into a soft shadow.

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

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This sketch is still available, framed, for $75.00. 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.