There were two false starts on this portrait. I just couldn't get the sketch right. I put gesso over the attempt twice before I was brave enough to have another go. I remembered that the instructions for painting the first Cat included 'start with the eyes'. I knew that once I'd got the eyes right, the rest would follow.
I made a sketch on A4 paper and worked out how to get the expression in the eyes right. Then I tried again on larger canvas.
Using a black and white printout, I added some shading on the eyes and nose on the canvas until I was satisfied with the expression in the eyes.
I then set out the colours I'd chosen for the portrait, loaded a paintbrush with black acrylic and started with the eyes, adding spots of colour as I went along.
I stopped about 30 minutes later to review progress. It needs more facial contours adding before I decide on the finished colour scheme and background. Acrylics are very amenable to change and I am more optimistic than I was that this will be finished.
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