Friday, September 24, 2021

Cat's face - Drawing practice


It has been many years since I drew anything from scratch with my watercolour pencils. I have spent my time mostly using my pencils, dry, for colouring in my collection of colouring-in books. Something that I always find very relaxing.

I wanted to draw a cat but have never drawn a cat before, so I went hunting on YouTube for tutorials and ideas. I found a series of 4 videos by Shannagh-Leigh:


These videos are really detailed with easy-to-follow instructions, and even better they are free tutorials! Shannagh-Leigh even kindly put up a link for a copy of the original photograph that she used in the tutorial. Thanks Shannagh-Leigh.

The colouring pencils I used, to draw the cat, were Caran D'Ache Artist Supracolor Soft watercolour pencils. I bought a set of 120 pencils from Switzerland, many years ago, as a special treat to myself. I really really wanted, needed, had to have them, but they were so expensive I thought I would only get them if I won lotto one day. After months of sighing at the thought of them I made up my mind to buy the pencils and have never regretted it. These pencils have given me years of pleasure. 

I have since found that I can now buy individual replacement pencils, here in Auckland, if needed, for NZ $4.60 each. Not too bad if I only buy a few at a time (I say quickly trying not to faint).

It took me a week of working with the YouTube tutorials to draw the cat's face. I found it very absorbing and relaxing to do and it made me happy :)

First I drew the outline, then used the shading techniques, with dry pencils, that I learnt from the videos. Then, when I has happy with the colouring, I used a very fine, wet paintbrush over the eyes, nose and fur to activate the watercolour pencils to make the drawing pop out. I was so surprised at the result. I have never tried this technique before. 

Now I need to decide what to try drawing next :)

See you soon.

Hugs Rose x

No comments:

Post a Comment