Fluffy Maine Coon Type Cat Paintings by Diane Irvine Armitage

 I have been enjoying paintings some really lovely fluffy cats lately!  Lots of different colors to paint, very detailed work.

The first painting is of Angela's Scully, 8 x 10 inches.

The second painting is of Steve's Darla, 24 x 18 inches.

Here are a few progress shots of the paintings.

I started with a burnt umber toned board.  I find it to be a wonderful surface to paint on. 

I like to let a little of the warm undertone show through in the finished painting.

Same thing with Darla's painting.  I toned the white gesso'd board with burnt umber and then did a precise drawing over that.  I find with commissioned portraits that drawing with a grid system allows me to get the features in exactly the right place which is the key to getting a likeness.

Then it is just a matter of painting in the right values and color changes in all the little areas.  Lots of little patches of color on these tabby cats!

I keep working the painting over several days, pushing and pulling the lights and darks until I get to the finished painting.