ACRYLICS
DEMONSTRATION
TABBY CAT – LOOSE AND FAST
By Jane Lazenby
I shall be working quickly and loosely with Atelier Interactive acrylics.
These paints give me the ability to change the dry surface of the paint,
create multiple quick drying layers, and create a painterly finish.
I have chosen a reference photograph of a young tabby cat, which will
give me ample opportunity to really push my brushstrokes to be bold
and to use heightened colour.
I love the luscious colours in this photograph and the backlighting. The
highlights give this young tabby cat a bright glow. I'm really drawn to
the colours in the shadow over the neck and chest – this will really give
me a chance to use heightened colour and create a loose painterly
surface.
I am intending to complete this piece within one hour, forcing myself to
be brief with the brush strokes and accurate in the colour mixing. Speed
is a great gift to those wanting an Impressionistic or painterly feel to
their work. Set yourself the challenge and I guarantee that you will be
surprised with the results…
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Tabby Cat – Loose and Fast by Jane Lazenby
Materials
I have chosen to use Atelier Interactive acrylic paints: these will allow
me to create bold colour layers and create a surface texture.
For my palette, I always use a discarded old ceramic white plate. It’s
easy to clean and mix on, it won’t stain, and gives me a clear view
throughout my colour mixing.
Two brushes: an old bristle round 8 and a softer pointed synthetic 4.
The linen panel is 30 cm square, and is primed with a colourless layer of
gesso so that the natural fabric colour is visible.
Derwent white sketching pencil to draw in my structure.
Colour palette: red black, burnt umber, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue
(French), transparent Perione orange, crimson, Indian yellow, Naples
yellow and titanium white.
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Tabby Cat – Loose and Fast by Jane Lazenby
The Initial Sketch
I didn't start this painting with a
classic sketch; initially I laid down a
mixture of red black and white,
trying to allow the main outline of
the cat to evolve from the different
tonal values.
I'm working with the number 8
bristle, using a vigorous scrubbing
motion - energy is key!
This method also gives me a
forgiving, absorbent base for the
following layers of paint to adhere
to.
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Tabby Cat – Loose and Fast by Jane Lazenby
Step 1: Addition of the White Pencil Sketch
I create a simple, brief sketch using a soft white pencil over the now dry
base colours, looking to map out elements of the main structure and the
more obvious tonal changes.
I add further dark tones using the red black to help to define my shapes.
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Tabby Cat – Loose and Fast by Jane Lazenby
Step 2: Highlights and First Colour Layers
I start to add the obvious
light areas and begin to
create a colour base with
the indian yellow /
orange / white mix.
I try to scrub in a veil of
colour, rarely washing
the brush so the paint
remains as dry as
possible. This is a very
rapid stage, allowing the
colours to mix together
on the surface.
I'm happy to allow
glimpses of the purple
base coat to peep
through the colours, this
all adds to the end
looseness of the piece.
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Tabby Cat – Loose and Fast by Jane Lazenby
Step 3: Completing Base Colours
The brush is rapidly blocking in the main colour changes: this process
takes only a few minutes as the colours are scrubbed together on the
painting surface.
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Tabby Cat – Loose and Fast by Jane Lazenby
Step 4: Adding Tonal Contrasts
I now lay in the highlight colours and work further on the darks; I allow
an accent colour (orange) to describe the warmer elements and work
more into the shadow on the neck (a mix of orange / blue / white).
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Tabby Cat – Loose and Fast by Jane Lazenby
Step 5: Suggesting Detail
I allow the brush to work into the blocks of colour, letting it dance to add
dabs of paint that will create the effect of soft detail. Again, I reconfirm
the lights and darks.
The eye has been simply blocked in using a green and pale blue mix, the
highlights are added and we are ready to move to the next stage…
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Tabby Cat – Loose and Fast by Jane Lazenby
Step 6: Cooling things down
Before the painting had only
used colours with a 'warm'
value, now I work into the
colours with 'cool' shades
adding blue and cool lilac
around the eyes and chest.
I find adding cool colours
increases the depth. The light
blue is acting as a highlight
within the shadow on the cat's
neck; again, the brush is
lightly dancing over the
surface.
I feel that the background
brush strokes seem a little
harsh, so with a damp towel,
I firmly rub some of the
dried paint away to expose
more of our lovely linen
surface. Atelier Interactive
will allow me to work in this
way, something our
standard acrylic will not do.
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Tabby Cat – Loose and Fast by Jane Lazenby
Step 7: Adjustments
Whiskers are added, along with a soft feathered edge to the neck and
chest. The ears are highlighted and we are now ready to contemplate
the tones from a distance and complete any small corrections needed.
I identify an area that I am not satisfied with; the colour is too dark
under the cat's chin… time to do a swift change!
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Tabby Cat – Loose and Fast by Jane Lazenby
The Finished Outcome
You will notice that the shadow colours have changed below the cat's
neck; I felt that the previous colour was too close to that of the linen
surface, so added a quick dash of light blue and soft yellow to lift and
lighten this area. Another quick addition of a few more whiskers and
hair highlights into the ears and we are complete, all done in just under
one hour!
The speed with which I have created this painting has enabled me to
leave loose brush marks and to suggest detail, rather than to state it. If
you have a tendency to overwork a piece, make yourself paint to a tight
time limit, you soon learn to speed up and leave out the extraneous
detail.
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Tabby Cat – Loose and Fast by Jane Lazenby
About Jane Lazenby
I am an established UK equestrian and
animal artist based in Yorkshire.
My work is concerned with the capture of
light over form be it human, equine, canine
or feline.
I am primarily an acrylic artist, but I am
confident using a wide variety of media.
I first tried the Atelier Interactive acrylics
in 2011, now they are my paint of choice!
Thank you for joining me, I hope you find
these techniques worthwhile and inspiring.
See Jane Lazenby’s full profile at:
www.ArtTutor.com/artists/Jane-Lazenby
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