How To Draw Kittens
When folks are learning to draw, the adorable kitten is a popular subject for a reason! Kittens are full of curiosity, energy and innocence.
So before you break out the paper and pencil, let’s consider some qualities of cats that you can use as a base for adding emotion and personality to your art.
Feline Attributes to Consider
Kittens are amazing creatures; they ooze personality and character. They use their eyes, ears, position and the mood they’re in to communicate. From a soft, polite meow to an angry howl, they’re full of emotions.
The nose can also make a big difference. Noses are so small, cute and have a powerful range of emotions. Half of a cats expression is its nose, so make sure to draw it expressively to capture its mood!
Kittens are always on the move, so take into account the position of the cat and its posture when planning your sketch. Cats usually have their whiskers facing forward when laid down, and pointed outwards when standing.
Their fur can also provide hints as to their feelings; a cat’s fur can be raised to show anger or laid flat when relaxed. Pay special attention to the fur, as it can be one of the most defining features of your work.
Capturing Your Cat’s Expression
Now you know the basics, it’s time to sketch your cat! To give your artwork added depth, consider what expression the cat might be feeling – happy, angry, scared and so on.
You can often find the expression you’ve chosen through the eyes. Cats communicate a lot through their eyes, from a threatening stare to a gentle twinkle. Take time to draw and exaggerate the shape of each eye, and you’ll soon find your kitten’s personality stealing the show.
Kittens also sometimes have whiskers to convey an emotion. Raising their whiskers low can show fear or anger, whilst tilting them upwards shows happiness and excitement. Make sure to draw the whiskers delicately, as they’re extremely delicate structures.
For a really lifelike sketch, you can even draw whisker spots – those little dots around their nose where the whiskers grow. This will make your sketch appear much more realistic!
Creating Engaging Portraits
Now, if you’re drawing a full-body portrait of your kitten, you can make a few more subtle tweaks to your drawing to capture its character and attitude.
Kittens are usually short and stocky, with larger paws and rounder faces than adult cats. If your character is a happy, healthy specimen, you can exaggerate those features slightly to give the impression of a friendly, cute cat.
If your cat is feeling a bit mischievous, lengthen the legs, round off the ears and widen the eyes to create a cat determined to cause trouble.
Small Details Make a Big Difference
Once your sketch is complete, you can add small details that will make your piece really stand out.
Drawing its tiny claws and furs will bring texture to your work and make it look much more lifelike. Cats’ fur comes in many forms, from long-haired Persian cats to short-haired Tabby cats. Pay extra attention to the direction of the fur, as it is often most visible when in motion.
To really add plenty of personality to your artwork, draw the whiskers last. All cats have different patterns to their whiskers – for example, some might have short whiskers, whilst others might have beads of fur!
Cute & Complete
Congratulations – your kitty is ready to pose! Once you’ve added all the small details, your sketch is complete.
During the drawing process, your imagination will be the main tool as to how you want your character to look. You can let your kitty be cute and friendly, or menacing and moody – the choice is up to you.
The possibilities are endless, so get creative and bring your cats to life!
