Caesar
This project is a pet portrait done of a cat named Caesar. I chose to use pastel pencils and soft pastel to bring the cat to life in the portrait and to add a fur texture. I like to draw animals in pastel, most of the time I draw dogs. I wanted to do something different by drawing a cat.
I have done pet portraits in the past and I’ve only used soft pastels. This time I wanted to make the animal more realistic. I was commissioned to draw a pet for a gift after the pet passed away. I mostly draw dogs for my pet portraits. This portrait was a challenge because I normally don’t draw cats.
I used a picture of the cat for reference and I traced the image of the cat to create exact proportions. I used canson pastel paper, I used a neutral color to add a nice background for the orange tones of the cat. I used a white pencil to draw the outline of the cat. I started by layering colors to create the fur texture. I like to layer colors to create highlights and shadows. I used soft pastels for bigger sections of fur, and for the more detailed fur I used sharp pencils. I used a spray to protect the cat once he was done.
I learned that to get the look of a realistic look to animal fur, it takes time and practice. I learned that I really like doing pet portraits for people, it always makes them happy. Our pets are special to us, as members of the family.
I believe the best thing about art is learning about what you like to create. You can make anything when you put your mind to it. Keep on exploring new ways to create.
NICE