I love birds and I love painting birds, but this evening I painted a portrait of our cat Madeleine and it was a totally different experience. Transcendent, perhaps. When you are THAT familiar with your subject, it makes all the difference in the world. I was smiling affectionately the entire time, joy in my heart as I painted the scene that greets me every morning as I get out of the shower. There's a rug in our bathroom that is the exact same color as her eyes - I swear I didn't choose it for that reason - and she sits on it, waiting patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) for me to get out of the shower and feed her. It is one of those daily routines that is just so dear to my heart.
I splurged and got myself a pad of Arches cold pressed watercolor paper. This painting has been floating around in my mind for a while now, and I knew I wanted to paint it on cold pressed paper. As I have said before, I really like the hot pressed for fine detail, but I can't lay down a wash on it to save my skin. But cold pressed is a dream to paint loosely on and I wanted this to be a pretty loose painting.
As a follow up to my last post bemoaning the lack of waxwings this winter, I have to mention that today a good friend and I went for a walk and spotted a few waxwings in a clump of mountain ash trees near work. Barely a handful, but waxwings none the less. It made me very happy.
10 comments:
Beautiful painting Gabrielle! You've managed to get the details in the face without making it look hard. That's the part that always ruins my few attempts at drawings and paintings of our cats.
I do think that you're right about familiarity helping a lot. And then of course there's your emotional attachment to your cat. It all adds up to a beautiful painting and one I'm sure that you're rightfully happy with!
Hi Ken,
Welcome over to my blog! Thanks for the compliment. I was so nervous, painting her face - for the reasons you mentioned and also because I didn't want to make one wrong mark and ruin the likeness I had achieved. Like your crane painting, I think I stopped when I should. Although I am wondering if I should add some texture to the rug for a little more interest...
Someday it would be a joy to have that same familiarity with birds!
Practice, practice, practice! And don't get discouraged. I've been doing bird art for three years now but it's really only in the last 6 months where I've forced myself to work 3-5 times a week, even if only for 15 minutes, that I've started to feel familiar with birds.
Unless you really feel like you have to change the painting I would leave it be. Then if you still want to add more texture to the rug try a new painting.
We're scheduled for another 12-18 inches of snow tonight. If we get it we'll set a new record for snow in one winter. Hopefully some interesting birds will show up tomorrow. My wife will be sure to be out with food for them, probably long before I'm even awake.
What a priceless painting of your special cat!! Her eyes really reach out and pull you into the painting. This is a charming combination. Priceless!!
P.S. Thanks for stopping by my blog today. I've missed being in touch with you since our ventures to "Paris". Hope to keep more in touch. Happy Painting!
P.S. I forgot to mention the fur on the cat -- it looks so real to me like a cat I had when I was growing up. Very effective use of the different colors and blending them!!
......I love your kitty painting. She looks like such a sweetie. The way you captured her fur is beautiful.....and those incredible eyes.
Love the waxwings and the Ruddy Turnstones from the previous posts!!! I had to laugh when I got to the photo of your kitty keeping your company while you paint. Bip does the same thing to me........sometimes he wants to sit in the paint though. I try to tuck him back on my lap, but he insists on being the center of attention, which means sitting on the paint...
Love the curious kind expectant look in your cat's eyes and inquisitive curl of the tail. Madeleine is quite the refined and artistic feline, and looks just beautiful against the soft abstract aqua blue.
As a photographer, I'm attracted to watercolorists. And love looking at Arches watercolor paper like you do, even when it's blank.
Nice running into your blog. I also share your fondness for waxwings. A childhood friend of mine once adopted a baby Cedar Waxwing. She named it Dusty, and when the bird was nursed to health and seemed able to survive on its own, we set Dusty free.
Oh, what a cute kitty, Gabrielle! She definitely looks like she's sitting pretty, waiting for you.
Thanks for sharing your thought process about the painting as well as your thoughts about WC papers.
Thanks all for stopping by and welcome CountryDreaming (how cool to have had a baby cedar waxwing!)
I've been a little slow lately about getting to everyone's blogs and commenting regularly. Not enough hours in the day!
A very sweet painting of your baby! Glad you got to see some waxwings too!!
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