Kitten with attitude

**syrella** · February 3rd, 2012, 02:13 PM

I'm looking for some feedback on this cartoon kitten before I continue. It's not anything amazing, but I'm hoping to clean it up, slap some color on it, and give it to a friend as a present.

Is the basic structure okay? Are the proportions reasonable? Is the expression readable?

Thanks in advance!

**TinyBird** · February 3rd, 2012, 02:29 PM

Well, the head seems to be pretty lopsided (the huge cheek on this side is not visible on the other side), the neck is really long, the ears are mismatched in shape and placement, the mouth/muzzle looks pretty flat and I have to admit that I didn't recognize that to be a cat from the thumbnail until I read the title.
I don't know how much I can say about the overall proportions (aside the neck) as they're very unnatural in the pixel kitty too.

EDIT: Construct the basic shapes first, and start detailing after that.
Name: kittenmoe.jpg
Views: 216
Size: 49.4 KB

Name: kittenmoe.jpg
Views: 216
Size: 49.4 KB

**PuppyKitten** · February 3rd, 2012, 02:47 PM

In addition to what was already mentioned, the large distance between the nose and the mouth make the muzzle area look awfully big. Unless your kitten is a tiger cub (or some other large cat), it should have a more delicate mouth area. That is, if you're trying to go for a style even slightly related to the reference.

**syrella** · February 3rd, 2012, 03:19 PM

Thanks for the feedback. I struggled for awhile with the head and neck.

I'll try drawing a few more kittens and see if that can't help me get back on track.

**syrella** · February 3rd, 2012, 06:48 PM

Is this looking more kitten-like?

**TinyBird** · February 3rd, 2012, 06:57 PM

Well, it's more recognizable at least. Some of the same problems are present though, and I wonder whether you used reference for this. Also if this is supposed to be the actual pic, then it loses a lot from removing the perspective angle and pose. Now it's just standing there.

**syrella** · February 3rd, 2012, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by TinyBird

Well, it's more recognizable at least. Some of the same problems are present though, and I wonder whether you used reference for this. Also if this is supposed to be the actual pic, then it loses a lot from removing the perspective angle and pose. Now it's just standing there.

Yes, I did use reference. Been drawing kitten photos all afternoon. Haha. That said, I may be referencing incorrectly. Working harder does not mean working smarter, as they say. If I had more understanding, it might be going a bit better.

And no, it's not the same picture now. Similar, perhaps, but it's lost a lot of its energy in favor of more anatomical "correctness". Maybe I can try to find a way to reincorporate what I've learned back in and try again.

**syrella** · February 3rd, 2012, 08:44 PM

Gonna start over from the beginning tomorrow and see if I can't incorporate what I've been learning from perspective drawing... perhaps "construct" a kitten with a bit more accuracy. I think it's really the anatomy that I keep getting hung up on.

Thanks for the help today, everyone.

**Brhombus** · February 3rd, 2012, 11:41 PM

LOL i actually liked the first one, I think you captured it's attitude.
although yeah I did think the neck was to big.

So I tried this, I cut the neck out and rotated the head a bit, I think that helps a bit.

**Lightship69** · February 4th, 2012, 08:21 AM

I think the best thing you could do would be to have a look on google images for Preston Blair, there are loads of examples of his work online from quite a lot of the early disney films by looking through that stuff you will get an Idea how it is supposed to work and go together.
meanwhile I will look through my ref library and see if I have something to hand that will help.

all the best