Cat Portraits in Watercolour

Cats are our constant companion - playful, bold, curious, soft, gentle and fierce - all rolled into one.

Have you wanted to paint them in watercolour, but not been sure where to start?

Join me as we learn how to use the flow and transparency of watercolour to capture our feline friends in loose and expressive paintings. The course is pre-recorded and will be run here on www.lizchadertonstudio.co.uk.

We will start by warming up our brushes and make sure we are talking the same watercolour language, then move on to eyes and whiskers, before completing two full portraits - one of a short haired tabby and the other a long-haired white (see above). I have also included a library of reference photos and watercolour paintings to inspire you. I suggest working through the lessons in order, as each builds on the ones which have gone before. Lessons are recorded in real time in my painting studio. This means that there is no skipping the important parts, but also there will be no fancy camera angles.

The workshop is suitable for artists with a range of experience. It assumes that you understand basic watercolour techniques such as how to mix a wash, working wet on dry and working wet in wet, but you do not need to have ever painted an animal before. You need enthusiasm and the willingness to experiment. If you are more experienced, you will enjoy the challenge of letting the water flow and leaving some ambiguity in your work.

You can access the course at any time from anywhere in the world and repeat lessons them as often as you want. You have lifetime access. The course will be launched on Monday 31 March 2025. 

This is a deceptively simple exercise, which will teach us so much. The purpose is to warm up our brushes, in case you are a little rusty. It will put your materials through their paces, making sure you know how they will behave. Finally it will ensure we are all speaking the same language and understand the different techniques we will use in the portraits.

Please watch the films before you start, so you understand what we are doing. We will start by selecting three colours and a silhouette. You do not need to choose the same as me. We will paint a loose wet in wet background and then concentrate on shapes and working 'wet up to wet' we will paint the cat. We will soften and loosen edges, to create a simple silhouette, that is full of colour.

Edges are crucial in watercolour painting because they define shapes, create depth, and convey atmosphere. Understanding how to manipulate edges - soft, hard, lost, and found - can elevate a painting from ordinary to extraordinary.

Soft edges occur when colours bleed into one another due to wet-on-wet techniques. They create a sense of fluidity and help suggest form without rigid boundaries, lending a dreamy, atmospheric quality to the work.

Hard edges, on the other hand, are achieved by painting wet on dry. These edges define objects with precision and clarity, making them ideal for focal points. Hard edges provide contrast and structure, helping to guide the viewer’s eye.

Lost and found edges add mystery and interest. Some edges disappear into the background (lost), while others reappear sharply (found). This technique allows for an interplay of suggestion and detail, making paintings feel more dynamic and realistic.

Mastering edges in watercolor gives paintings life, movement, and expression, making them more engaging and evocative.

Painting cat’s eyes in watercolour requires a careful balance of precision and softness to capture their luminous, reflective quality. The eyes are often the focal point of a cat portrait, so mastering them is essential. We will see that they are spheres, set into the skull so prone to shadows, and that they are moist, so the highlights are crucial.

Start by sketching the eye’s shape lightly, ensuring correct proportions and placement. Begin with a light wash of the base colour - often shades of green, gold, or blue - allowing it to dry before layering deeper tones. Use wet-on-wet techniques to create smooth transitions of colour within the iris, adding depth and realism.

The pupil is crucial; it should be painted with a strong, dark value. Since cat pupils change shape depending on light, they might be narrow slits or large, round openings. A rich dark mixed with a touch of blue or brown gives depth to the pupil.

Reflections in the eye are key to making it look lifelike. We will explore simplifying the highlight. Soft edges in some areas of the iris, combined with crisp, hard edges around reflections and pupils, create realism.

Finally, blend subtle shadows around the eye to anchor it into the face, ensuring it doesn’t appear flat. With patience and layering, cat eyes can glow with a mesmerizing, lifelike intensity.

Painting cat whiskers in watercolour requires careful planning, as they are delicate and bright against the fur. There are several effective techniques to achieve realistic whiskers: masking, both negative and positive painting, sgraffito and the use of opaque medium usually gouache.

Masking fluid is a reliable way to preserve whiskers before painting. We will see how to apply it and then paint the fur freely. Once dry, remove the masking to reveal crisp, white whiskers.

Negative painting involves carefully painting around the whiskers, leaving them unpainted. This requires precision but creates a natural, seamless look.

Sgraffito (scratching into the paint with a sharp tool) can create fine, textured whiskers, especially in darker fur.

Gouache is an opaque medium that can be used over watercolour to add whiskers at the end. It provides flexibility, though it may appear less natural than reserved whites.

Combining these techniques can achieve lifelike, delicate whiskers.

Now it is time to put the techniques we have warmed up to good use. The reference photo used here is from Pixabay, so there are no copyright issues. I have provided both the original photo and a version with the distracting background removed.

We will start by doing a few thumbnail sketches, selecting our colour palette and masking the whiskers. Then using wet on dry and wet up to wet, we will work out from the eye to paint this beautiful cat.

Painting a white animal on white paper is a special challenge in watercolour. Simply remember, that you are always painting the shadows and capturing the light and that should set you on the correct path.

In this section, I have compiled a collection of nearly 50 reference photos - all taken from Pixabay.com so can be used without any copyright or attribution issues. I hope you will find plenty here to enjoy and be inspired by. They are saved in a zip file, so you will need to download the file and then extract the photos in the normal way. I have also included a file of a few of my feline watercolours. This is to show you some of the colour combinations I enjoy and have used. I hope this will inspire you in your own artistic journey.