The cat - charcoal sketch 😅

[PogArt-Ttoo]

It's started coincidentally.
Near by my sister is placed cats rescue, and they're struggling a lot financially to run that place...
My sis had an idea of helping them, by drawing some sketches of the rescued cats , framing those drawings and letting those people to sell the portraits on some of charity fund raiser auction...

The idea itself of helping those poor cats it's great, don't you think so
I liked that idea very much, and if I sign those drawings, then more people will know about me, which may help build my audience up as well ...?

It was meant for graphite quick relaxed sketches, not to make me busy working on them, but rather relaxed nature of sketching...
This is where I started thinking of using charcoal instead.
No, I never been using this medium, but I was watching many YouTube tutorials, where artists teaching portraiture techniques etc.
I am using charcoal based pencils as well, so I'm kind of familiar to it, lol...

So charcoal seems to me, to be more proper medium for quick sketching, building up layers,shading ...?
I went today to local art store the to get some charcoal sticks

And here we are!
My first ever quick/fun charcoal free hand sketch
Drawn on to the office printing paper !
Yes - I have not paper designed for charcoal use

So this first sketch is meant to let me see how the office paper accepts the charcoal...
5 minutes of making some strokes, and my exercise was done

[PogArt-Ttoo]

And another one
I tried to put more attention to the fur in here, but lol , I feel like I'm learning drawing basics again

[PogArt-Ttoo]

One more this morning, lol
I tried to focus on shading today, and most of the charcoal has been taken off the paper onto my finger tip
I just carried on , lol ... and this is what I have end up with

I'm in a deep doubt.., if I can draw a thing, lol
I will take it for a great success if the sketch like this will raise even a single penny for those poor cats
Or my practice sketching will improve my skills later

[PogArt-Ttoo]

Well, I felt I like to draw some human face then

[Mike Sibley]

Keep going. I think you need time to find your own style in this field, but you're almost there. You're more than hinting at the character and I think that will blossom soon. And I think it's the character that will appeal and sell.

Drawing for Cat's Rescue is a great idea. I did similar things in the early days - cats and dogs - and I'm certain it paid dividends later. I almost never advertised but I found I really didn't need to at all.

The difference is that I found myself giving homes to Cat Rescue cats rather than drawing for them It was uncanny how they always knew when Jenny was away and how, coincidentally, they had another cat that needed a home. It's how I ended up with nine of them

So, I think you're doing a very good and generous deed.

[PogArt-Ttoo]

Drawing for Cat's Rescue is a great idea. I did similar
So, I think you're doing a very good and generous deed.

Thank you Mike
I have one ginger cat coming over, it's my neighbours cat...
The circumstances have changed a bit, she brought her dad from Poland because her mom died, and her dad brought his little dog with him...
The ginger cat didn't get too well along with that dog, so unfortunately the cat most of the time stays outside, wandering around...
Funny is that I never liked this cat.
Nothing personal, just like that...
But somehow, slowly I started finding myself like him more, soon giving him some sausage sometime, and he started getting to the house too
My wife doesn't like him being in the house, mostly because he's dropping the ginger hair around, lol
Anyway I'm even more fancy this cat, because I found out he's not coming over just for sausage...
Few times when given he's not attracted by the food, but me...
I do appreciate it very much, so I like him even more

But back to the subject.
The printing paper is very slick, it doesn't hold the charcoal well, it does a bit, then nothing at all, and if I try blend it, the powder leaves the surface, it's opposite to the darkening/shading - I'm actually erasing by my finger
So instead of building shadows up, or such, I'm forced to kind of making lots of strokes imitating the fur, which looks like child's drawing, lol...
I can not even reapply the stroke to darken the spot, because replying charcoal with the charcoal stick is blurring the already drawn area, so it's not making the spot darker, but blurred instead, so I have to be very careful, or repeat the stroke more times to achieve the black looking one

I found I have no idea how to achieve what I want too, what you already have noticed Mike...
I feel like I can not draw anymore
I need to find the way to do what I want to, not let charcoal stick to be in charge, but my hand
I hope I slowly will get there, especially if my sister has offered to buy the proper paper for me
I just coukdn't say no, could I?
So soon the proper paper will be delivered, and I hope to improve my technique then, so the shading abilities

At the moment I'm just trying do those simply sketches with the charcoal stick and my finger, but when the paper comes, I'm aiming to support myself with some erasing tool, charcoal pencil for details, stumps ...
Just to make those sketches a bit nicer looking ...

At the moment I'm finding this 5min - 15min sketches very relaxing!
Just having fun, not focusing too much, stroke here , stroke there, some messing with the finger, then again ... lol , pure therapy I'd say

Thank you Mike for keen comment...
And I bet you ended with so many cats because you live in lovely place, where those cats can simply enjoy their life, out of town, traffic and such hazards...

[Mike Sibley]

I found I have no idea how to achieve what I want too, what you already have noticed Mike...
I feel like I can not draw anymore
I need to find the way to do what I want to, not let charcoal stick to be in charge, but my hand

That's what I meant. You're enjoying yourself but the medium is in charge. It won't yet do what you want it to, but....

I hope I slowly will get there, especially if my sister has offered to buy the proper paper for me I just couldn't say no, could I? So soon the proper paper will be delivered, and I hope to improve my technique then, so the shading abilities

..... I've no doubt that will make a HUGE difference and it will quickly be YOU that's in charge

And I bet you ended with so many cats because you live in lovely place, where those cats can simply enjoy their life, out of town, traffic and such hazards...

That's absolutely true. I've had some wonderful cats, but also those that cannot or will not live with people. But, a mile down a farm track, what harm can happen to an outdoor cat? Well, we lost one who was hit by a potato harvester, but the others all died of old age.

Apart from Jed, the one-eyed tabby. He liked to hunt rabbits, which live further down our lane. One day Jed disappeared. A week later my Mother can to visit, and I was telling her about Jed when he walked into the kitchen and rubbed himself around my Mum's legs..... then he went, and we never saw him again. It was as if he was saying goodbye I think he probably moved to the racing stables to be near the rabbits, but that's just a guess.

[PogArt-Ttoo]

rubbed himself around my Mum's legs..... then he went, and we never saw him again. It was as if he was saying goodbye I think he probably moved to the racing stables to be near the rabbits, but that's just a guess.

Wow...
Don't know what to say...
After a week wandering somewhere he just popped in to say farewell...?!
Wow...
What a story...

It's reminded me my rat.
Many years ago I used to keep rat as a pet.
I bet I had 3 of them in 6 years time, because they lived for about two years only... So I was taking another one then...

Anyway the last one made me cry because I felt something similar wgat you've said regarding your one eyed cat ...
My rat was at the end of his days, I was taking him to local vet trying to help him out, because I could notice his being in poor condition, and the cancer looking lumps were visible...

So it was the day, when I had booked the appointment...
He usually was walking free in the flat when I was home, but this time I kept the lid on the tank locked, in case the rat would want to hide just at the time we'd have to go to the vet...
So not to miss the appointment I kept the rat in his tank...

I remember like today, I was starve after work, so I was busy in the kitchen making some sandwich...
I saw then my poor rat, trying his best to lift the lid, to go out...
I knew he may go somewhere and disappear for long, so I may miss the visit...

But you know...
You may have experienced many times that weird internal whisper telling you that this time something is different, making you react...

I felt he's insisting to go out the tank...
I can't explain that feeling, when I knew this time it's different, and I'm suppose to let him out ...

I opened the lid then, I helped him to get on the floor too, because he was in poor condition already...
Then I left him unattended and went back to finish preparing my sandwich...

He didn't go away Mike...
But he could go anywhere, as he used to...
Not this time...?
He came around my legs and has passed away by my feet... ... ...

I didn't finish my sandwich.
I was crying like a baby.

This story telling is watering my eyes even now ...

I don't know what happened, I can not explain that.
I like to think, he didn't want to die locked in his tank, he wanted go out and die free, like some animals do..., going away to die in quiet place far away...

He did die by my feet, to thank me for looking after ...?
It's just the rat yes?
Well...

At that time I had a big rottweiler home and the cat, and the rat was always in charge!
He did bite the cat if the cat was resting on the sofa, to bugged the cat off, if he wanted that spot to take!
Also the dog must had to move away if he was resting on the floor on the rat's way!

They're very intelligent animals...

[PogArt-Ttoo]

10min charcoal free hand study

[Mike Sibley]

Did I ever mention that you have a natural talent for whatever you try?

No? Well, you do.... and this is proof