Two Line Drawings of a Kitten (Compared and Contrasted)

Two Line Drawings of a Kitten to Compare

These line drawings are two versions of the same kitten. My first sketch isn't very good: the eyes are flat and lifeless, the face seems distorted, the quality of the line is static and harsh. It lacks the softness of a kitten and looks more like an old alley cat. In the first sketch, I first drew the contours of the head, then added the features. I failed to capture the planes of the cheeks. The nose is wide and flat ~ it dominates the face.

In the second drawing, I changed my starting point. First I drew the eyes, the focal point of the kitten’s face. I paid closer attention to the highlights in the eyes and corrected the planes of the face. I used a looser, more expressive, spontaneous line to soften the appearance. I added texture and detail, consciously avoiding heavy lines and harsh shadows. I didn't let the detail overpower the drawing. In the first one, I studied the model and reproduced what I saw, but the drawing style was too labored. For the second sketch, I took a lighter approach. I also kept in mind other drawings of kittens. I used a combination of visual clues, memory, and knowledge of how other artists have better handled the subject of kittens. The second sketch is successful.

These are from my other blog ~ I'm transferring all posts to The Talking Artist.