How to draw cats 'purrfectly'

Cats of all kinds are favourite animal subjects of many people. The graceful way they move gives an impression of hidden power. A flexible coat and spine allow them to adopt a wide range of interesting poses. It is the pet most frequently drawn by beginner artists. If you can sketch a cat accurately, then you will be able to draw any creature.

When you can correctly draw a cat's face, you have solved the hardest part of the job. Many artists go wrong here because a cat's skull structure is not easy to fathom at first glance. The bone formation is hidden by muscle and fur. Unlike dogs, all members of the cat family have a similar facial structure. Once you can draw the domestic cats you should be able to portray their big relations; tigers, lions leopards and the other members of the feline family.

It's easy to draw a cat if you have a pet at home because you need to observe the cat very closely and accurately before starting to sketch one. If you do not have a pet cat you may have to look for photographs to copy them.

The illustration 1 shows some sketches done first in pencil and completed with pen and ink. The Figure 1 sketches are of a cat's head. The two profiles have been done with thin lines, adding fur with dotted lines.

Study the way the ears have been drawn. A cat's ear has a thick ridge round the base at the rear, as shown in the lower illustration. Observe how small and delicate the nose is and how cats always seem to be smiling due to a gently curved mouth line.

Most cats have white whiskers but you can depict these with fine black lines. There are a group of six whiskers over each eye, and four or five rows on each side of the mouth. You don't need to put all of them in. Just a few will be enough.

Copy the drawings here 1 carefully. It is a key to drawing all cats 'purrfectly'