Written by When it comes to furry creatures, our prompt for today, I love all kinds. There were actually endless options for this one, up to and including a favorite bearded man in your life, but I chose a furry kitten in the end. This one appears a bit startled to have been born as it was made in an extremely short amount of time. Getting the idea of fur across with watercolor is a strangely difficult act, and in the end, I’m not sure I’ve ever quite figured it out. As many of you know who read my posts, I’m allergic to cats, but that doesn’t stop me from fantasizing about having one as I think they’re rather cute. They’ve got that aloof nature mixed with an odd desire to be loved that my own dog Phineas seems to share. So perhaps, I ended up with a cat after all. And if you’ve been painting along with me daily this month for World Watercolor Month, then we just have a week left to go! Let’s keep going and DO this! My secret to daily painting is to simply show up and post whatever happens that day. Yeah, it’s not really more complex than that. I don’t judge, or wait a day in hopes of having something better occur on paper. I just post my little doodlewash and happily move right along. To me, even a startled kitten is a rather wonderful outcome for the day.
When I was a kid, people would often have a sign in their yard displaying, “FREE Kittens.” This was a side effect of having a female cat that wasn’t spayed and a friendly un-neutered male cat who recently dropped by for a visit. I would plead with my mother to let me take one home, as they were free after all, so the decision was basically already made in my mind. What I didn’t realize then, that my mother already knew perfectly well, was that taking care of a kitten is a rather difficult and arduous task. They are, after all, still babies, and despite all the fur, require similar constant attention. I had no idea at the time that my own high-maintenance behavior as a baby was the cause of her hesitation. She’d basically learned that newly born living things, while wonderful in many ways, are best enjoyed in small doses. I, on the other hand, had no such life lesson so I was perfectly distraught that I couldn’t take one of those kittens home with me. I was, of course, placated with hamsters and Sea Monkeys, but it always felt like a bit of a consolation prize.
Whenever I think back to those times when I wanted something and couldn’t have it, it makes me grateful for all of the things I have actually managed to acquire in life. Like good friends and an insatiable desire to make a little doodlewash each day. I always connect with that little child who wanted things simply because they were there for the taking. Life is a wonderful event where opportunities appear around every corner. Not every one is something we should pursue, of course, but sometimes, it’s fun to throw caution to the wind and simply try something new! All of those years of learning about what we should and shouldn’t do, can often stop us from taking that next step. While I certainly think it’s good to learn from past mistakes, I think it’s equally good to stop and assess what we consider an actual mistake is in the first place. Some things we do in life are just practice. Never a mistake, but simply a logical next step in a beautiful process. And so today, you’ll find me happily painting a little kitten that I never had, and knowing that one day, who knows, I might still enjoy the company of one of these wonderful furry creatures.
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About the DoodlewashDa Vinci Paint Co.: Yellow Ochre, Cobalt Turquoise, Opus (Vivid Pink), Terra Cotta and Cobalt Blue. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with sepia ink in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. Want to purchase a print of this doodlewash? Click Here! |
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Your kitten is adorable! You’ve captured that look of complete confusion they often have. I can relate to the feeling, lol!
Thanks so much, Sandra! 😃💕hehe… I think I have this look very often. I can relate as well! lol
Your kitten is looking good. Nice colour s
Thanks lie.
Thanks so much, Snehlata! 😃💕 Glad you liked my little kitten! It was fun to doodlewash!
What a sweet kitty, Charlie, but I don’t think Phineas would take too kindly to him 😉 I can’t believe that WWM has only a week left or that I’ve actually kept up this year. Thanks for keeping us so inspired!
Thanks, Carol! 😃💕 Yeah… pretty sure Phineas wants to be an only child! lol And YAY!! I’m thrilled to hear you’re keeping up with the month! Then it’s easy now! Just one little week to go! Paint on, my friend!
So cute! I tried to paint my cat this month. Epic fail! I was glad to hear you have trouble painting their fur, but honestly, it doesn’t look like it. I may have to revisti my kitty piece. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks so much! 😃💕 Yeah… cats are really difficult to sketch and paint! hehe… I have sketches of cats that never got painted. lol They were switched to a dog or something easier. That’s why I always challenge myself to give them a go!
Adorable kitten! Yes, newborns do take an extraordinary amount of work, but I bet your mom would say it was all worth it to get wonderful you.
Aww thanks, Sharon! 😃💕 Yeah, I think she would… despite all the high-maintenance. I think she’s rather proud of me in the end. Or, at least I hope! lol
Sea Monkeys!! 😂 Not even close! And not in the least bit snuggly. Not to mention a total rip off. But your kitten, who looks wet, is adorable. I miss kittens. We had all of the feral cats who live around here spayed or neutered, so no kittens show up on the back deck looking for food. We used to catch them and tame them and give them away. So I got a kitten fix every year.
Thanks, Lisa! 😃💕 HAHA! Yeah, Sea Monkeys were a total rip-off for sure! But yay for your kitten fix… that’s awesome! I adore cats… and totally bummed my allergies won’t let me have one!
Nice, Charlie! You’ve perfectly captured that adorable posture only a kitten can execute when startled by, well, anything….even the discovery that they’re being followed by their own tail! Love it!
Thanks, Mary! 😃💕 hehe… I adore watching cats chase their own tail. And then have to stop and wonder if that’s not rather like how I live my own life! LOL
Such a cute kitten. They are hard to pass up but allergies can be a big problem.
Thanks so much, June! 😃💕 Yes, allergies are a bummer. But then again, probably a good thing as I’d probably have 6 cats by now. 😉
He is adorable & I love that startled look. I love all your little life lessons Charlie & this one is so pertinent for my painting journey, thanks for taking the time to share.
Thanks, Gwendolyn! 😃💕 And yay! I’m thrilled this post resonated with you! My hope in all this is to be someone who inspires people and gets them past the little mental road blocks that always appear in our way.
” Some things we do in life are just practice.”
the ultimate wisdom!
BTW, I just ordered your “Where the Wildflowers Grow”
I started out to order this kitty, and ended up with the wildflowers.
Decisions, decisions!
Oh that’s so awesome! Thank you so much, Sarah!! 🙂 💕 That’s actually one of the posts I enjoyed most. So thrilled you chose it!
How adorable! I can’t believe you have never had a cat, because you really captured the kitten beautifully. Now, If you feel the need to borrow a cat, I have a 1 year old head strong little man. He is very smart and curious and likes to test gravity. Yes, you will want to hid all your breakables. He is leash trained, so very doglike, but you only have to walk him if you feel like it….or want to shut him up. I may have made a mistake training him to go for walks. LOL
Oh those darn allergies!! I would LOVE to have a cat! 🙂 💕 hehe… so happy you liked this doodlewash, Victoria! And yours sounds like a wonderful creature indeed! I’ve become a total dog person thanks to the allergies, so a cat who goes on walks sounds awesome! 😉