Drawing & Painting Cats

About Vic Bearcroft

Vic Bearcroft is a self-taught professional wildlife and pet portrait artist, who specialises in pastel on velour, but also works in pencil, watercolour, coloured pencil, charcoal and acrylic media. Having spent part of his childhood in Kenya, Vic has been drawing animals since he could hold a pencil. Being passionate about wildlife in general, and particularly in wolves, Vic works with a large number of animal welfare and conservation organisations worldwide, donating prints, merchandise and funds. He says: “While I consider myself to be a wildlife artist, I prefer to paint close-up intimate portraits of animals as individuals, rather than in landscape settings. My aim is to capture not only the likeness of the subject in my painting, but also the life and soul in its eyes.”

The SAA

Focusing on the practical techniques you need to capture a range of cats, the book covers a wide range of media from smoky ink used to suggest the misty jungle around a black leopard, to soft pastels for adorable kittens.

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Catworld

September 2016

Would you like to draw or paint cats but aren't sure where to start? Not confident with using pastels? This book will soon have the creative juices flowing for all budding artists. Starting with the basics of sketching and working through a number of projects, beginners and more experienced artists alike will find Drawing & Painting Cats and enjoyable addition to the bookshelf. Vic Bearcroft looks at each medium in turn with step-by-step photographs to illustrate a variety of techniques within each section. A snow-leopards eyes in watercolour, for example or a kitten's ear using pastels - there is something to tempt all tastes and skills. An intimate and in-depth guide to all aspects of drawing and painting cats, there are four complete step-by-step projects each with numbered diagrams so you can follow clear instruction before embarking on your own masterpiece.

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The Artist

May 2016

All animals present problems for the artist and cats can be the trickiest. Vic clearly loves them and this comprehensive guide to painting and drawing in media that include watercolour, acrylic, pastel, pencilis full of throughly practical advice. He understands that not just how cats look, but how they move and how they prepare for the next move. Even a sleeping cat can be a coiled spring and the ability to capture that sense of always-alert is the secret to a realistic picture. Vic demonstrates a prowling leopard as well as lions and tigers and, of course, cats and kittens at home. There's also plenty of advice on colours, techniques and anatomy to make this the complete guide

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Library Journal USA

This guide imparts a wealth of expert advice on drawing and painting cats of all types, from the tame pet to the powerful wild lion. An introductory chapter explains basic feline anatomy and offers tips for translating it into general body shapes and facial features. Bearcroft, an accomplished artist who is especially well acquainted with all cats, leads the reader through a series of easy-to-follow guidelines designed to produce realistic renderings conveying the feline spirit. Readers will learn how to sketch cats from life, or from photographs, as well as how to create finished drawings and paintings of this elegant animal in a range of media. The manual focuses on close-ups and portraits of individual felines. VERDICT Cat admirers of all artistic skill levels will enjoy this book.

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Artbookreview.net

I had my doubts about Vics previous book. I felt that, excellent as his wildlife paintings were, some of his backgrounds were a bit flat. I couldnt decide if this was deliberate to push the main subject forward or not, but I felt a lack of impact. There are no such worries here. All the works in this volume are complete and the subjects are either set properly in context or isolated against a plain wash thats entirely suitable for a portrait.

Theres no doubt that Vic loves cats its apparent on every page, both in the way he depicts them and a hundred small details Ill leave you to find for yourself. His dedication indicates that hes lived with them and it shows. There are plenty of domestic moggies here, both young and old, alert and at rest and Vic captures perfectly both their physical and mental attitudes. My favourite is of a black Tom sitting on a roof in moonlight. Its posture and expression say both Im lord of all I survey and What am I doing here?. And thats pure cat.

This understanding extends to the larger cats, too, and Vic has some excellent demonstrations of a prowling black leopard and of lions and tigers. He works in watercolour, acrylic, pastel, pencil and ink, so theres something for everyone. As long as you like cats, of course.

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Rachel Hyde - Myshelf.com

From domestic cats to big cats, these beautiful creatures have fascinated people for thousands of years.  Capture their elusive feline charm using a variety of art media in this useful primer.

 

This book is aimed at the existing artist who wants to branch out into depicting members of the cat family.  Total beginners are admirably covered by Search Press, but if you are somebody who has covered the basics and wants to specialize this book has most feline topics covered.  Starting with a very basic look at anatomy and body shapes the topics discussed include sketching from life, key features, composition and different styles.  Most of the book is divided into five medium types: pencils, pastels, watercolors, acrylics and ink.  These chapters start with a brief overview of what you need and some techniques associated with portraying cats using that medium.  Then follows a step-by-step project that puts the selected medium through its paces and shows how it can be used to advantage.  The authors love and knowledge of the subject shines through, and gives the artist a good workout in capturing the essence of the cat.  From getting the look in the eyes right to depicting soft fur this book makes it easier to decide what medium to use and how to get most aspects of the subject right.  Handsomely illustrated with the artists own work this is a good book for anybody wanting to paint pictures of the cat family.

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The Leisure Painter

Award winning life artist Vic Bearcroft's latest book, Drawing & Painting Cats focuses on both wild and domestic cats. "My aim is to capture not only the likeness of the subject to the painting," he writes, "but also the life and soul into its eyes." Here he shows you how to set about it from initial sketching and the materials you will need, to the anatomy and the basic shapes of the cat, sketching from life and capturing movement. There are more detailed sections on important features to master, such as eyes and whiskers, as well as capturing cats in colour. These are divided into sections: watercolour, acrylic, ink and pastel. With plenty of advice on techniques, and four complete and detailed step-by-step projects for you to try.