Sphynx cat Smileys. Because.

Finally got working on the sphynx cats, ironing out some wrinkles. Still in the process of adding bits and pieces to the background-an alien skull filled with third eye mind goo seemed like a good starting point.

My ritual of spray can brush sketching is somewhat of a comfort thing for me. The softness of the lines means the underlying drawing is easy to smudge and manipulate. Sometimes I duplicate the sketch layer and paint over, but often these initial lines become part of it. They are my guide. I’ve adopted a habit now of doing a quick flurry of sketches and chucking in colour ideas, then I go back to a monochrome reworking; this is me putting in the ‘work’. I find it easier to focus on contrast and tone before complicating it with the more exciting stuff like colour and texture. I like to have the composition and general gist down first. I find it good practice too, really getting involved with the subject-even if that subject happens to be a hairless cat…….

In another life I was solely designing imagery for 90’s rave flyers. P.s. plastic dummies are tough to draw……I was constantly referring to reference pics, for some reason fathoming out folds of skin felt way more intuitive.