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How to Paint Cat - Painting Demonstration by Richard Ancheta

Written by rserpe on

From: artinstructionblog.com

Richard Ancheta first began to paint at the age of 12 years old and took painting lessons with well known Filipino artist and illustrators. His devotion and vision as an artist are promising. He studied Multimedia Design at Montreal International Academy of Design. Richard works in various mediums: oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel and charcoal. His works have been featured in newspapers, magazines and books. He boast 20 years of experience in painting, illustration, advertising and graphic work.

How to Paint a Cat

Easy Oil Painting Techniques

Painting Demonstration by Richard Ancheta

April 5, 2008

These are the three photographs of a Siamese Cat name Siegfried. Good reference photographs are important to capture the likeness of the model.Let’s begin the challenge!

Cat Painting Stage 1

Sketching:Sketching is the backbone of the painting. If you fail to be precise in this stage, you will have to make too many adjustments later.

I use an ordinary HB pencil to outline the drawing and add tones. After the sketch is completed, I lightly spray it with fixative to protect the pencil from smudging.

2
*The Ground Color :*Glaze the whole canvas with the subjects middle tone (pale yellow ochre acrylic), it dries quickly, protects the drawing from smudging and eliminates the brightness of the canvas.

Cat Painting Stage 3

Blocking and Blacks:

Oil painting begins. I start painting the darks mixing burnt umber + vermillion + cobalt blue. This three color combination creates a softer black rather that using ivory black which creates unevenness and holes on the canvas.

Cat Painting Stage 4

Painting the Background:Color contrast is important. I want to make certain that at the end of the painting, my colors will have a sense of harmony and my main subject will stand out.

I choose both warm and cool colors for the background and repeated some of the colors from the pillow.

Cat Painting Stage 5

Color Balance :

• Hot colors: red, orange and yellow.

• Cool colors: blue and green

Cat Painting Stage 6

Color Blending :

I start to lend the background using a fan brush for softer and more subtle effects and to eliminate brush strokes.

Cat Painting Stage 7

Tone Gradation:

Tone gradation is a technique that I use in my paintings because it creates a gradual passing from one tint or shade to another

Cat Painting Stage 8

Painting Upside Down:

Why paint upside down? This technique will stop you from concentrating on the image as a whole and enable you to focus more on the tones and brush strokes.

Cat Painting Stage 9

Detailing:

Learning how to properly use your brushes is important.

I use a big broad brush in the beginning to cover large areas of the canvas.

I then switch to my medium sized brushes, then to my fine detailing brushes.

I continue the glazing of colors to give more depth to the painting.

Cat Painting Stage 10

Final Stage :Here I add finishing touches redefining my shadows and highlights.

I then let the painting dry and apply varnish to create luminosity.