Cats: Secrets of Observational Drawing

Whether scribbling out a quick sketch with minimal detail, or making a finished portrait where every silky hair and polished whisker stands out, the best cat artists can capture the very essence of feline-ness. How do they do it?

Firsthand observation of cats will tell you a lot about the way they sit, yawn, position their tails, and curl up to sleep, but it won't tell you how to get those things down on paper.

Classic Sketchbook: Cats is the second in a series of instructional books that began with Classic Sketchbook: Botanicals. The series shows how it's done by looking at details of museum-quality works, then coaching readers through the techniques with the help an expert's suggestions. In this case the expert is Patricia Wynne, a noted illustrator with a specialty in animals.

Wynne will guide you through fur, paws, and eyes, as well as cats sleeping, playing, or pouncing. Her unique instructions places a close-up of a drawing or painting by a noted artist like Gauguin, Chardin, Gwen John, and Theodore Steinlen on the left side of the page. And on the right side of the page Patricia Wynne coaches you with detailed, step-by-step drawings, that illuminate the process.