Featured Daily Sketch: Washing, 2013
From 2013: I admit I kind of staged this one. I had the pile of sheets on the bed, and I love the contrast of the black cats and the light-colored sheets, just picturing a rich black shape in the middle of all those fun wrinkles, and I really wanted to sketch it on the mid-tone paper.
The only problem was that the cats weren’t at all interested in the pile of sheets.
That was because I wasn’t either. At least, not until that moment. I went in my bedroom and acted as if I was to start making up the bed. One by one, cats followed me in and took a decided interest in the sheets. First Mewsette kneaded on the sheets and walked around softly talking, but she isn’t a sheet nestler; I needed one of the boys, namely…Mr. Sunshine, who came in and hopped up on the bed with a concerned expression, knowing he’d missed something.
Instead of settling on the sheets, he settled next to them, on the other side. I decided to sketch him bathing since it might be my only chance, and I like it even if it wasn’t what I’d planned—it was what was.
As I was sketching Jelly Bean came softly meowing and bumping on my legs. He jumped up and found a spot as Mewsette joined Mr. Sunshine, all finished their baths, and began a serious nap.
Begin again? Another sketch? No, I had finished my idea and, as nice as they were, they would go unsketched.
“Washing” refers to both what Mr. Sunshine is doing and our habit of making nouns of verbs.
From 2026: I’m glad I grabbed the gray toned paper because I love the cool look of this. I used the tan toned paper far more often and I’m not sure why because I love the shade of gray. But you know I had fun with those sheets, all those wrinkles and folds and highlights and shadows. And a little bit of cat behavior thrown in. Mr. Sunshine was the bed-changing cat so it’s only right that he’s the one who ended up modeling.
I really enjoyed the little notes about their activities and purrsonalities. I can just hear Mewsette’s soft little meows. All-business Mr. Sunshine. Totally cute Jelly Bean.
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.
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It doesn’t really look staged, it’s a delightful sketch.
Only I would know I lured them where I wanted them, but I like to be honest about it. I try not to step in.