This is a Step-by-step demo in pastels on sueded matboard of a "Rare Indian Peakitty".

I started with the reference pic, "Contentment Disturbed" by Caron from the WetCanvas Reference Library. (You must be a member of www.wetcanvas.com to see the image, but it is free to sign up, and they have a ton of fabulous information available in the forums. Or would that be fori? The photos are available for artists to use as reference for their art, but the photos themselves are copyright of the photographers, so I cannot show it here.) This photo had such a noble pose that I could not resist using it for this demo. I will, however, be changing the colors, physical structure and more from the photo. If you go take a look at the original photo, you can consider this an excercise in using a photo reference, but making changes to create a totally unique fantasy painting.

This is my initial sketch in pencil on sketching paper. I have added a crest, wings and an indication of the changes to the cat's tail to create a peacock-like look. I've added the peackock "eye" feather motif onto the cat's ears as well, to help create a total blend of the bird's patterning to the cat. I've decided to do the piece in mostly blues, but it took a while for me to realize that the best way to do this piece would be in pastel on the blue suede board. I think that will lend an elegance to it that I may not get on paper in watercolors or colored pencils. With this decision, I am sacrificing a degree of detail in order to run with a specific mood and feel

This is my working area.It's not much, but it's home. And it's well stocked with supplies, all in easy reach.

Note: These photos were shot with a digital camera, so the colors are off. As soon as I get my scanner hooked back up I'll post a color-corrected scan of the final painting.

I transfer the sketch in white to some blue sueded (or velour) mattboard. I love sueded matboard for pastel work, and it makes fur a snap! Velour or suede pastel paper would work as well, but I like the stiffness of the matboard. For the transfer, I have a box of Yarka "Sauce" in white. I picked this up on the cheap as an impulse buy at a sale at an art supply store. It's somewhere between a soft pastel and a Conte crayon (though a white pastel or Conte stick would probably work just as well). I make a simplified version of the sketch by tracing from the original on a lightboard onto generic computer paper. I then turn the paper over and scrub the areas with lines with the white Sauce stick. I rub this into the paper with my finger and blow off the excess dust. I then place the paper, Sauce side down, on the blue matboard, and go over the lines with a pencil using moderate pressure. You don't want to crush the pile on the board, just transfer the lines.

I then use the white Sauce stick to do a white underpainting.Again,white pastel will work just as well, but I like the sauce because it does not powder up when other layers are applied.This white underpainting will show through when I start to add colors, which will help me keep my highlight locations

Okay, here's where I start adding in the colors. I use Prismacolor NuPastel sticks, which I adore. I will also use some CarbOthello pastel pencils, but these generally do not work as well on the velour surface. I start to go in over the white underpainting with some dark blue to start the deep shadows. This helps me start with a good amount of contrast.

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