Bad Art I Am Compelled To Share

Saturday, July 15, 2006

Pepe in watercolors

It's a lazy Saturday afternoon. The sun is shining but it's not too hot and a slight breeze is coming through the window, the perfect day to attempt another watercolor. This is actually the third time I've started this painting. On the first two tries I couldn't get the drawing to look right so I gave up. I guess the third time is the charm. I documented the steps I took on this painting and I think the breaks I took to scan the painting really helped me make a better picture. (Note to self: Remember to take breaks when working on a project.)

First I did the preliminary sketch on a piece of watercolor paper with my Faber-Castle 3-H pencil. Sometimes I have a difficulty drawing on watercolor paper because it's lumpy.

I finished the illustration and now comes the really hard part; erasing everything so you can add the colors. If I like the way a sketch turns out I don't like having to erase it. I'll say to myself, "What if I blow it and screw up the painting now? It looked so good as just a sketch. Why didn't I just leave it alone?"

Ok, I erased everything and used watercolor pencils to color it in. Now I need to get some water and borrow Gorky's brushes. This is the tricky part. Cross your fingers!

That didn't turn out too bad. The final step is inking over the sketch with my Gel-Roller. The Gel-Roller I use most of the time has a big fat tip and some of the lines in my painting are pretty fine so I go with my seldom used Gel-Roller 05. I didn't like the look of the floor in the pencil sketch so I'm going to do it differently with the pen.

There you have it, the final painting. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. I started this painting at 10:30AM and finished it around 2:30PM. Not a bad way to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon.

Oh yeah, here's the original photo I did the painting from.

When is the last time you enjoyed a lazy afternoon? When is the last time you left me some love?

29 Comments:

  • This was great! The final painting came out really good and the original photo is a hoot the way the cat is all stretched out like that. It was fun seeing your thought process as you went through it. I've never tried drawing with gel pen over a watercolor. Nice work!

    By Blogger Jana Bouc, at 16:08  

  • Nice job! thanks for sharing this--now i'm inspired to draw my turtle!

    By Blogger steve, at 16:31  

  • Aww beautiful kitty :) Smooches kitty! *LOVE!*

    *and coughs out hairballs*

    By Blogger rinaz, at 16:37  

  • jana bouc: Thanks. Pepe loves to get flat. I use the Gel-Roller because it's my favorite writing pen and I don't know what I'm doing. :-)
    love

    steve: Thanks. Yes, yes! Draw the turtle! :-)
    love

    marina: Everyone one is a sucker for cute cats! And cute hairballs. :-)
    love

    By Blogger The Unknown, at 19:31  

  • I don't know what's cuter - the photo or the watercolour! Weee!

    (Note to self: during breaks from a project, drop by The Unknown's blaaahg.)

    By Blogger warren, at 22:29  

  • Wonderful work Love! You are such a big ol softie!!!

    By Blogger valerie walsh, at 23:45  

  • I really like how that came out. Bravo! What a great way to spend a Saturday.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:38  

  • I think you did a fantastic job! What a wonderful depiction of this adorable kitty! A very lucky cat to be immortalized so beautifully!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 15:28  

  • hey, pepe has frog legs (that's what we tell ours when they lay like that ;))...very cute...I love how the floor turned out after you added the pen! glad you enjoyed your lazy Sunday!

    By Blogger Lee, at 03:43  

  • Great pictures. Being new to blogging and art I get very nervous about original copies so I scan them very lightly then color over. I love the step by step and was surprised by the finished picture. I don't know how to use watercolor pencils, you have inspired me to try using them again.
    Smiles
    Babe

    By Blogger Babe in the Woods, at 04:09  

  • Now there's a guy who's comfortable in his own skin.

    love

    PS My childhood teddy bear was named Pepe -- I still have him, actually. Maybe I'll subject him to something similar.

    By Blogger andrea, at 10:19  

  • What a cutie! :) Good work, it was fun to follow the creative process.
    Love,
    Carra

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:06  

  • How do cats flatten themselves out like that? When I was growing up in Phoenix, summer rains bring out the toads which sit in the middle of the road to soak in the sun, which almost always get hit by cars, the rain stops and the heat hits, drying the smashed toads into little dried toad pancakes which in turn become killer frizbees. I never wanted to play with cats like that- that would be way to gross.

    BTW-love the drawing...

    By Blogger nouseforaname, at 19:55  

  • aww. I love Pepe! Love the splayed out legs. Great finished drawing, the floor came our really well

    By Blogger Jaimie, at 08:35  

  • I think this is my most favorite one yet; well except for the shrub ones. you really captured the cat's expression.

    By Blogger AscenderRisesAbove, at 21:28  

  • Did you steal my cat? This puss looks almost like mine....mine doesn't spread itself as much though. Careful of splinters!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 01:52  

  • hey hey hey!!! how cool!!! the painting turned out really beautiful...congratulations!!!!

    ok...lots of love,.. to you and pepe...

    From: Dani ad Benito... XD

    By Blogger Caprichos, at 06:53  

  • Wow that final pic at the bottom is photo realistic. You are an amazing artist! Oh wait... Well you're still bad-ass according to Pete Sticks.

    By Blogger moksha m, at 13:36  

  • I enjoyed watching your process!...and, your drawing is great!! Awesome!!

    By Blogger TXArtcGal, at 15:04  

  • Cute. My cat sits like that too, with legs out behind her. She looks like a mermaid, when she also curls her tail around.

    Hey, lazy afternoons? Always on Saturday, sometimes on Sunday.

    By Blogger Chandira, at 15:06  

  • Nice! Love it! And your cat has a real strange way to put is little paws.... Cute cute cute!
    Love for both of ya! :)))))

    By Blogger merlinprincesse, at 20:29  

  • Love!
    And my Zippy sends love to Pepe!

    By Blogger TravelingMermaid, at 17:16  

  • Saw this on tart's blog. Fabulous - love reading about your process too!

    By Blogger tiffini elektra x, at 08:20  

  • pepe is cool!

    By Blogger Unique Designs from Zazzle, at 20:38  

  • Absolutely love the drawing!

    By Blogger Angie Pansey, at 19:40  

  • warren: Well, if you must know, I'm cuter than both. Bwhahahahahaha... ahem. sorry. :-)
    love

    valgalart: AAAHHH! Shhhh... you'll ruin my tough guy image. :-p
    love

    kathryn: Thanks. The pleasure of my Saturday was quite pleasurable.
    love

    scarecrow: Ahh yes, I love the siesta too. Thanks. :-)
    love

    catraven: Thanks. I feel pretty lucky Pepe decided to adopt me. :-)
    love

    lee: Frog legs! Heh, heh.
    Thanks. :-)
    love

    babe in the woods: I'm still pretty new to blogs and art myself. I let karma deal with those that steal though. I'm glad I could inspire you. What a wonderful compliment. Thanks :-)
    love

    andrea: Ha! Yeah, Pepe is a little to comfortable in his own skin.
    Does anyone remember in the 80's the stuffed animal that became popular for a while called a dead cat? That is what Pepe look like. Same colors too.
    Thanks.
    love

    carra: Thanks. :-D
    love

    shroom-monkey: Dried frog frisbees? Gross! I'm glad you wouldn't play with a cat like that. It would scare me.
    BTW thanks. :-)
    love

    jaimie: Thanks. The floor looks a little warped, but what the hell I'm a little warped. Heh, heh. :-)
    love

    ascenderrisesabove: Aww... (blush) Thanks. :-)
    love

    detlef: What?! I'm no catburgler. BWhahahahaha... heh, heh. Thanks.
    love

    daniela: :-)
    love

    pete sticks: Ha! Funny. :-)
    love

    txartcgal: Thanks and thanks. :-)
    love

    chandira: Yeah, Pepe likes to find things to lay on like that too. Like he's a big jungle cat on a tree limb.
    Lazy days are the best kind. :-)
    love

    merlinprincesse: Thanks. Usually Pepe has both his paws out in front so he looks like an arrow. Of course he moved before I could take the picture. Thanks again Love. :-)
    love

    travelingmermaid: Thanks. :-)
    love

    tiffinix: Really?? I love the Tart!
    Thanks. :-)
    love

    shane: And so are you! Thanks. :-)
    love

    angela: :-)
    love
    Thanks

    By Blogger The Unknown, at 00:31  

  • Did U see I posted Pepe over at my place?

    Smooch,
    The Tart
    =^..^=

    BTW, here is my furry gang ~
    http://whippycurlytails.blogspot.com/

    By Blogger TheTart, at 21:24  

  • I really love your kitty! Arrrgh! Here Kitty Kitty!

    By Blogger Chuang Shyue Chou, at 21:50  

  • the tart: I just saw it. I noticed my button is gone though. :-(
    I've been to the whippy curly tails a few time. So many fun cat blogs around. :-)
    love

    chuang shyue chou: Thanks! :-)
    Good luck calling Pepe that way. The only thing that makes him come running is the sound of the back door opening.
    love

    By Blogger The Unknown, at 00:03  

Post a Comment

<< Home