How to Paint a Cat's Portrait

Posted by Anonymous , 9/4/2007 Tags:PaintCatPortrait
Post By :
Anonymous
Rate:
Vote

How to Paint a Cat's Portrait

Introduction

Painting a cat's portrait is a great way to immortalize your beloved feline friend and also makes a great gift for the cat lover in your life. Even if your artistic skills aren't great, painting a portrait of a cat can be a fun experience.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You'll Need

  • Photos of the cat
  • Pencil
  • Oil, acrylic or watercolor paints
  • Canvas (for oils or acrylics)
  • Paper (for watercolors)
  • Paintbrushes

Steps

1

Step One

Take a photo or two of the cat. It is much easier to work from a picture than from life, since cats are unlikely to sit still long enough for a portrait.
2

Step Two

Sketch the main shapes of the cat and the background onto your canvas or paper. Use simple ovals for the cat's eyes and head and triangle for its ears. Draw smooth curves for its chest, back and tail.
3

Step Three

Start by painting the background and whatever surface the cat is sitting on. Use colors that complement the cat's coloring, a dark background for a pale cat or a pale background for a dark cat.
4

Step Four

Paint in some of the details and the light and dark areas of the cat's body. Add shadows by painting small areas of black where the shadows would naturally fall.
5

Step Five

Use a finer brush to add highlights. Place light tones and whites in the areas where the light falls, usually these are opposite to the places you painted the shadows.
6

Step Six

Frame the portrait and hang it on the wall, or wrap it to give as a gift.

Tips & Warnings

  • When you sketch your cat, make sure you keep the ears and eyes in proportion to the cat's head, and keep the head in proportion to the cat's body.
  • Don't overwork the painting. It is important to know when to stop.
Tools: |