Cat Art

Thursday, 29 January 2015

I had a realisation at the end of last week.

I love drawing and painting, and I want to draw and paint more.

You might think that's fairly obvious, but to my poor grief addled head, not so much.

I draw and paint as and when I can. And that isn't very often. The mixed-media ladies that I paint take a long time to do. Layered up over time. I realised that I wanted to be able to draw most days, quick sketches, small studies, in order to get better at drawing and to draw more easily.

But most importantly, so that I can feel happy.

Drawing makes me happy, and all things considered over the past few months, I feel like I need some of the happy.

So I ordered myself a moleskine artists sketch journal that I can keep in my pocket, and some coloured pencils. This morning, I woke up and said to myself, Betty and Eric and Ernie (yes, I talk to my cats) "Let the happy begin!"

Dad had saved an insert from a magazine for me ("I saw this and knew you'd love it!"), all about how to draw cats using the grid technique. (my dad knows me very well). It explained how to draw a grid onto a piece of tracing paper and then put it over a photo. Then draw a grid of the same size on your paper and copy, grid square by grid square, the photo onto your paper.

This is the first stage. You can see the grid, and the drawing I've copied from a photo of a cat.

Using this technique helped me draw the prespective of the cats features fairly accurately. After erasing the grid squares, I was left with my outline. Bring on the coloured pencils!

The process wasn't always easy with a Betty in the house, but we negotiated a settlement pleasing to both of us (food related on both sides) and things were able to move along.

Here's my finished moggy.

I thoroughly enjoyed drawing her and am definitely going to be using the grid technique again.

I felt happy while I was drawing. A little bit of nourishment to heal the heart. I'm going to try and draw more often. Building up a small moleskine journal of sketch pages to help my heart heal. It's what Mum would have wanted.

Have you tried the grid-drawing technique? Did you like it?

♥

12 comments

Curtise29 January 2015 at 16:48
Oh yes, that is indeed what your mum would want. And it's a great idea.
Your sketch is beautiful, and I rather think it's my Jess! xxx
faith761 February 2015 at 18:12
Adorable!
Cate2 February 2015 at 17:53
Good for you Emma, you need to find the things that make you happy, and fresh new supplies and a new technique seem like a good kind of medicine. I'm not much of a sketcher, but it looks like the grid method is a good one, your picture is very realistic! Wishing you healing and happiness, xxx
Unknown3 February 2015 at 10:02
That's Gorgeous you are talented :-) Keep drawing its not only good for the soul its good for ours to :-) dee xx
Kim Ayres9 February 2015 at 18:01
I'm delighted you've made the conscious connection of finding something you love doing. I did this with photography - specifically photographing faces - when I was still in the worst throws of the ME/CFS. :)
janzi12 February 2015 at 20:34
Just found your post and like the way you write, and as for drawing, well, you really are very talented..!!! just loved the grid idea too... If drawing makes you happy, you must try and include it each day.. grief is a long time going, and is raw for ages and ages, but I am sure that your dear mother would appreciate your moods and thoughts, and each day is a new day ... eventually the rawness gets a bit easier, although you never forget. My mother and dad left us almost twelve and thirteen years ago, but I still miss them both very much, and can now happily laugh at the many memories we all shared.. Keep on posting, looking forward to your next one!