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Rebecca Rhodes

Watercolor Artist and Teacher

Step by Step Demos & Tutorials

How to Paint a Ginger Cat Eye in Watercolor

In July, 2019, I challenged myself to paint one eye every day – all kinds of eyes, from animals to birds to humans!

This post will show you, an overview of  how to paint a ginger cat eye, from Day 16 of the challenge. If you would like to watch the entire tutorial in real time, I invite you to visit my online school, where you can learn to paint all kinds of pets and wildlife.

Here we go!

 

Step 1: Map the Features

Create a map of the shapes and colors found underneath the textures in and around the iris. The goal is to create a guide to follow as we progress through the painting.

Outline the Prominent Shapes

Use pale brown to outline the edge of the iris and shapes around iris. Apply the first layer of color to the pupil and shapes that are in shadow or darker in value, including the darker shape above the eye.

First Layer of Color

Create the under painting – the lightest colors that you can see in the eye, working around the reflection shapes, which will remain white for now.

Darkest Parts and Refinements

Begin to build what will be the darkest parts – the line around the iris, the pupil, and the shadow at the top of the eye. Layer by layer, we’ll go darker in value.

I lifted out a bit of color in the shadow area at the top of the iris and applied another thin layer of color to the iris and the pink shapes, and used thin, pale blue to tone down the highlight shapes.

Step 2: Textures in the Iris

Create the dark lines and textures in the iris. For a while, the lines and shapes may appear too dark and disjointed, but a glaze will come which will smooth and unify everything. 

Continue to Refine Darkest Parts

Layer by layer, we are taking the lines around the eye and the pupil darker in value. The goal is to create a brownish-black, and we’re almost there. This time, we’ll go darker with a grey.

Create the textures in the iris.

Create the shapes and lines that you see in the iris. Use thin, pale consistencies to avoid going too dark.

Smooth with a Glaze

Apply a thin glaze of color or plain water, using a gentle touch. This will slightly smooth textures and unify everything.

When dry, smooth and lift out color where you think is needed with your clean, barely damp brush.

Step 3: Preparation for Fur

Create a map of the colors and values underneath the fur. This provides the groundwork for the fur and textures to come, and will be lighter in value than the actual hairs.

Under Painting

Apply the lightest color that can be seen, working around the most pale shape, which will remain white for a while.

Map the Colors

Create a map of the colors found underneath the fur. The fur will be darker in value than these shapes. By the end of this step, we’ll be able to see the darkest, lightest, and mid tone shapes, and will be ready to apply fur.

First, create what will be the darkest shapes, followed by the mid tones, the next-darkest values.

Step 4: Create the Fur

Darkest Fur

Usually, I being by creating a map of the lightest fur, but in this cat, I’ll start with the darkest values. This will help us to decide how dark to take the mid tones and lighter hairs.

Create pale map of Lighest Hairs

Work your way around the painting, focusing on one small area at a time, being aware of the contour and curve of the hairs. This pale map will provide a guide as we go darker in value.

Mid Tone Hairs

Mid tones are the values in between the darkest and lightest. First, create another slightly darker layer of hairs. Move around the painting, focusing on one small section at a time, working around the lightest shapes.

Create the next layer of mid tone hairs, focusing on creating smoother transitions from dark to light, filling in areas that appear empty of texture.

Finally, bring some pale grey hairs into the light shapes, creating a bit of texture.

Step 5: Glaze and Final Details

A glaze is a thin layer of color (or water) placed over previous layers of color that have dried. I use glazes to adjust color and value, and slightly smooth textures.

Glaze

Apply glazes to slighly to adjust color and value, and slightly smooth textures.work around the lightest shapes.

Final Refinements

This would be a great time to take a break! Upon returning, you will see with fresh eyes.

In making final refinements, ask yourself…

  • are there places that appear empty of texture or fur? Work your way around the painting, looking for shapes that could be adjusted.
  • are there shapes that are too pale and need to go darker? Are areas too dark? You can lift out color with your barely damp brush.
  • do you need to adjust color or create smooth transitions from dark to light? smooth textures?
  • Do you need to make adjustments to the highlight shapes in the iris?

And that, in a nutshell, is how you can create this ginger cat’s eye in watercolor!

Do you have any questions? Feel free to comment below or email Rebecca Rhodes at admin@rebeccarhodesart.com. 

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Comments

  1. I wish I’d seen this earlier Rebecca, I actually attempted to paint a ginger cat’s eyes and scrapped it! This has now encouraged me to have another go. Many thanks for sharing it.

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