A girl and her pencils.....Maa Maa the Cat....Aw!

Happy Friday world! I have been drawing like crazy this week, but seem to get slower and slower in my progress! I am guessing that this s because the more that l draw, the more detail l see in each new photo, and once l see it, l can't leave it out can l?
l was thinking this week about the way l choose a photo to draw. There are soooo many beautiful photos out there, what makes me want to draw one in particular? Obviously a nice clear photo and a good shot are essential, but l actually realised that l know it is a picture that l want to draw when l have an emotional and physical reaction to it. The first thing is the intake of breath when l see the picture, then my heart pounds and my stomach clenches. Something in the picture moves me. That can be one of two things. Sometimes like the heron in my last project there is something unusual or intriguing about the pose that l just find exciting, but often it is the expression in the eyes. I want to see an expression, a feeling in that animal or bird that l can try to capture and bring to life. And Maa Maa has that look in her eyes.
It actually took me a whole day to draw her eyes and l am sure that l will be doing more work on them before l finish. The difficulty l had here was the soft, pastel green of her eyes. It is hard to build up the many, many layers that l like to use and still keep the color soft. I really struggled in fact. I put in some fur just roughly around them because l know that l get a better idea of whether they are looking right or not once there is something to set them off.

The bit of fur completed on day two is again not complete. I have to be careful as her coloring is very soft and it is much easier to go back at the end and make it more vibrant, than to try and tone it down if l take it too far.

l will be off now for another full day of drawing on this gorgeous cat. I have fallen in love with her and wish like anything l could put her n my knee and sit and snuggle her for a while! But it is feeling like that about what you are drawing that motivates you. (Oh! And l do have a cat picture that l did about a year ago that l can show you a true comparison of a year's progress, which l will do when l am done).
l hope you all have a little time in your weekend to draw what you love. Have a fantastic weekend, and happy drawing!

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