Bob the Cat

[JayS]

This month has been an experience. The wolf not in Colorado yet consumed a lot of time, as expected. But the challenge of drawing it helped me develop some more patience. Then wonder of wonders my sister ran into a Bob Cat on the ranch. For a little bit I forgot about the wolf and decided to focus on the cat. In the encounter with the cat my sister chased it up a hill where it decided to hide under a juniper/cedar tree. The leaves on a Juniper are segmented needles. I did not know how to draw a segmented needle especially in miniature. Maybe it is like drawing hair? The needles cluster and shadows segregate bunches of them. I haven't done a good job on them yet.

For some unknown reason I decided to draw this with charcoal pencils. Cretacolor Nero #1 extra soft, #3 medium hard, and #1 extra hard. These pencils are manufactured using the wax byproducts of oil paint manufacture. The wax has two major benefits. First, you can sharpen the pencils without the charcoal breaking. Second, the wax has an archival character by sticking to the paper much longer than graphite.

[Laurene]

I can’t imagine how much patience it took to draw your background! I think that needles at the top right look very very convincing. Really nicely done! I like the composition very much too. I think it may just need more mid tones, but I know you’re still working on it

I don’t know anything about these pencils. Do you like using them? Can you layer them like graphite?

[JayS]

Laurene thank you for your thoughts. I have worked to create more mid tones as I think your comment about their piece needing more of them is right on. I ran into a problem. As you know charcoal leaves residue. To minimize the spread of charcoal dust I sprayed the image with workable fixative. When I went back over some of the dark branches the Blue Tack wouldn't lift fixed areas. I tried an eraser but with little luck.
So yesterday I drew the cat. I intentionally left light areas white. I placed the drawing on my couch where I could look at it while I ate dinner. As the sun went down the drawing changed. It was magical transformation as light changed the drawing. There is something about the interplay between the dark background and the light cat that was fun to watch.
I have some small adjustments to make yet but at the moment I'm pretty happy with the overall impact of this drawing. Although the cat is lying down he rally stands out!

[Laurene]

Yes, he does stand out thanks to that rich black in the background especially near his head. The contrast of various textures in the background versus the bobcat also helps him stand out.

There isn’t much suggestion of fur texture on the bobcat, but I think this is just your style of drawing. We can instantly understand the story that you’re telling in your drawing.

Just one comment. I know you’re not done yet but will you give his eyes pupils or just darken his eyes? The empty sockets are drawing my attention right now. L '

[JayS]

Laurene, Thanks for your thoughts. Here are your suggestions....

[Laurene]

Hi Jay. Yes! He seems to fit into his hiding place better now, yet he still stands out because of his lighter colour. He seems more contoured now too, and the eyes look much more natural too.

[Mike Sibley]

I did not know how to draw a segmented needle, especially in miniature. Maybe it is like drawing hair? The needles cluster and shadows segregate bunches of them.

What you did there is something that works really well for me. Don't draw or think - just describe it in words.

Describe it as fully as you can in actual words. Write them down if it helps. Or make notes.

Now take that further. Describe to yourself why it looks the way it does. What is it you're looking at that's telling you it has needles? Are they sharp? Are there finely tapered dark gaps between them? If the clusters are cylindrical, how do they narrow as they go around the sides? Do they have depth? If there are wide gaps, can you see more needles in the shade in those gaps?

My point is that you actually KNOW what they look like - subconsciously. You must know, because you know what they are.

And all the time you're looking and studying and describing, you're finding out more and more about them. By the time you draw them, you'll have a good mental store of what makes them what they are. How some differ from others. And so soon...

[LindasPencils]

really stunning approach to the background Jay. I like how the repeating patterns in the 'cat fur reflect the shapes of the twisted foliage and stuff. Nice work.