Lesson No.12 - Give Your White Cat Depth and Solidity

We're working on the edges of the cat today.  Objects can be lighter as they come toward you, and darker as they recede.  So as the hair of the cat recedes into the background, the hair is darker and softer at the edges.  Where the background is lighter, (in my case the top of the head), mix one or two shades darker with your background colours and using a fine brush and a bit of Liquin or flow medium, flick out through the hard white edge into the background so it is just visible.  Similarly, with the darker areas of the background (my cat's back) make the mix one or two shades lighter and flick through the edge with this.

Once done, you will have a fluffy blue-edged cat but don't worry, we haven't finished yet.  Load up your fine brush with white and flick through the blue hair and softly into the background.  You'll have to wipe off your brush constantly as you will be picking up blue paint on the way.