Drawing a White Cat with Pencil!!??

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

Really it seems like a misnomer,

A white cat 

with a gray pencil

Is that really possible?!

Moka - Commission Piece

Little Moka is a lovely, fluffly, white cat.  A much loved little cat in her home. I was thrilled with the opportunity to draw her.  She is such a sweetheart, with her little hat and scarf.  It was really kind of fun to draw her and play with the hat and scarf.

Drawing white has it challenges just as any other drawing.  I find the best plan of attack is to focus on my darks first.  (A note of caution here, don't be afraid to go dark.  The shadows of even a white shape can be very dark!!)  Once my darkest dark is in place I have my darkest value to compare all my other values too.  Then I outline my whites.  This is the tricky part!  At first glance, everything looks white.  But if you look closer, everything "reads" white but it is not really white!!  Look closely at the detail of Moka's face.  

Moka - Detail of her face

There really is only one small spot on her ear and just below her ear that is truly white.  The rest is some value of gray!! (I know it is a little tough to see as  the computer screen washes out some of my subtle grays.) 

Once you isolate all your truly white areas, everything else will have some level of gray.  It may be very subtle but it will have a gray tone to it.  Building up these layers will make your cat come alive. 

As a final touch I put colour to her little scarf and some blue to her eyes.  She had such pretty blue eyes I just had to give them colour!!  

Moka is on her way home now; her owners were thrilled with the picture.   

Contact me to create a portrait of your animal.  See more examples of my pet portraits on my Commission a Drawing Page.

A Special Note: My picture "Early Morning Hunt" was awarded 3rd Place in the Artist of the Year Award for the Guide Outfitters Ass. of BC.  Very exciting news!!

Have a great day and keep up the drawing and painting,

Wendy