Welcome to my latest pencil portrait of Swiffer the cat! I am delighted to share this recent pencil drawing of Swiffer. A lovely cat commissioned by Haviland Watkins from Indiana, USA. Haviland emailed after finding my website and fell in love with my pencil portraits.
She had a clear idea of what she wanted for Swiffer’s portrait and provided me with a fantastic main reference photo. She also sent a collection of other photos which captured her markings and personality. After seeing the initial mock-up, Haviland wrote..
“Your mock-up looks great and captures her perfectly! I’m very excited about the final product, and so happy that I found your gorgeous artwork online.”
I drew Swiffer at 18 x 14 inches in graphite pencil on Italian paper which was a lovely size. It allowed me to create plenty of detail in the face and fur, keeping it all soft and velvety at the same time.
When Haviland saw the finished artwork, she said..
“That is beautiful, Melanie! I love it, and I’m looking forward to seeing it in person. Thank you so much for creating such a beautiful and realistic portrait of my Swiffer.”
I am so pleased to have been part of commemorating such a special friend for Haviland.
I hope you have enjoyed reading about my Pencil Portrait of Swiffer the Cat. If you would like to browse more of my pencil cat portraits, take a look at my pencil gallery here – Latest Pencil Pet Portraits. You might also enjoy reading about another of my favourite feline commissions a beautiful double cat pencil drawing. Double Cat Pencil Pet Portrait »
Thinking of commissioning a pencil drawing of your cat?
Here are 5 quick tips to get started:
- Choose a clear reference photo – Just like Haviland did with Swiffer’s portrait, choose a sharp in focus photos.
- Head and chest or full body? – Think about the kind of composition you’d love to see. Haviland wanted to concentrate on Swiffer’s head and chest which gave a lovely close up feel. A full-body drawing can show more of your cats markings or combined with two cats can work well.
- Consider the size – For smaller cats, the smaller sizes work well, however if you have a big cat, say a Ragdoll cat, you could go larger. The larger sizes allow plenty of room for fine detail, especially with long-haired cats.
- Personal touches – If your cat has a favourite toy I can add this into the drawing. Or you might like a montage of a few drawings in one portrait. I have even added cats ashes into the portrait and whiskers, so there are a lot of options.
- Framing matters – While I don’t offer framing, I am always happy to help with suggestions and size guidance.
If you’d like to learn more about commissioning a pencil portrait of your cat, you can visit my dedicated site – www.pencil-petportraits.com and message or email at any time if you have any questions!
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