BIG BIG CATS!!

Do you ever feel like you could write a book of facts on a particular subject after teaching something over and over to group after group! Ask me about Big Cats!! "Why don't you look at the book when you read it, Mrs. Waggenspack" they ask. I guess its because I've read it four billion times!
So we are painting Big Cats on Big paper. Students have lots of pictures to look at. I show them how to draw a basic big cat face, then we look at the special markings on different cats.
All students are required to draw the iris, pupil, and reflection of light on any face we draw. We focused on using a dry brush for texture/fur, creating value by blending colors from light to dark, and using our watercolor knowledge for the background. We used tempra on the cat and watercolor and oil pastels on the background.


Some kids added interesting details like a fresh kill






First the students outline their drawings with a dark brown or dark orange.







Then they add light colors (yellow, white, light orange) to blend the edges from dark to light

We used my favorite super bright liquid watercolors from sargent to paint the background. I also let them use gold tempra in the grass and I put gold glitter paint in the orange paint to add a subtle sparkle to the cats! Kids LOVE anything that sparkles!!

I will post more cats as more groups finish them.