Blinking in the Sun

A tabby cat sits centered on a sunlit windowsill, its eyes nearly closed against bright backlighting from outside—the "blinking in the sun" of the title. The cat occupies the central depth, framed by open wooden shutters on either side and surrounded by potted plants with red geraniums, white flowers, and cascading green foliage. A blue-and-white decorative pot anchors the right side while a terracotta pot with geraniums sits to the left. The background interior is very dark, almost black, creating dramatic contrast with the cat's illuminated face and chest, while the windowsill is rendered in warm golden-tan tones.

The lightest values concentrate on the cat's face, chest, and the brightest edges of the fur—these are pale cream and pink-white. Mid-values dominate the tabby coat itself (warm grays and taupes) and the wooden sill structure. The darkest darks occupy the deep interior background behind the cat, which recedes into near-black shadow, creating the squint-inducing backlighting effect. When squinting, you see three distinct zones: bright cat and sill, medium pots and foliage, and a strong dark value wall behind.

• #3c2c19

  Burnt Sienna + Ultramarine Blue (or Mars Black + Burnt Sienna)

  Deep shadows in background interior, darkest tabby markings on cat's head and back

• #a0895a

  Yellow Ochre + Burnt Sienna + touch of Ultramarine

  Mid-tone tabby stripes, shaded areas of cat's coat, window frame shadows

• #baa472

  Yellow Ochre + Titanium White + touch of Cadmium Yellow

  Light fur on cat's chest and face, highlights on windowsill, lit wooden frame edges

• #846741

  Raw Sienna + Ultramarine Blue (desaturated brown)

  Medium shadows on wooden frame, darker tabby markings defining form, pot shadows

• #704b2e

  Burnt Sienna + Ultramarine + Yellow Ochre (warm dark)

  Deep creases in cat's fur, shadow planes on face, darkest wooden details

• #d0c093

  Titanium White + Yellow Ochre + touch of Cadmium Yellow

  Brightest highlights on cat's cheeks and ears, reflected light on sill, flower highlights

The cat's fur is rendered with deliberate directional strokes following muscle and form—visible individual brushstrokes define the hair flow over the head and body, creating a convincing texture rather than smooth blending. Edges where the cat meets the dark background are relatively sharp and controlled, allowing the form to read clearly. The wooden frame and sill use crisper, more geometric edges, while the plants and flowers employ looser, more gestural brushwork with softer edges, keeping the cat as the focal point.

1. 01

   Establish the dark interior foundation

   Lay down the very dark background values (the deep interior shadow behind the cat) using thin washes of Burnt Sienna + Ultramarine. Don't make it flat—vary it slightly, slightly cooler at the very top, warmer near the cat. This dark backdrop is essential; it defines the backlighting and makes the cat glow.

2. 02

   Block in the windowsill and wooden frame geometry

   Paint the wooden window frames and sill with straight edges using warm browns (Raw Sienna + Burnt Sienna). Establish the perspective lines of the frame converging toward the cat. Include the deep shadow lines between frame sections. Keep edges clean here to establish the architecture that frames everything else.

3. 03

   Position the pots and foliage masses

   Block in the two main potted plants—the terracotta pot with geraniums on the left and the blue-and-white pot on the right. Don't detail them yet; establish their size, placement, and basic green foliage silhouettes. The white potted plant upper left can be suggested loosely. These define the negative space around the cat.

4. 04

   Sketch and block the cat's overall form

   Lightly establish the cat's seated posture, proportions, and head angle. Pay careful attention to the head tilt and the narrow eye-squint—this specific pose is the painting's subject. Position the paws and body volume before adding detail. The cat's head should sit comfortably centered between the window frames.

5. 05

   Render the cat's face and establish the backlighting

   Paint the face with a warm underpainting (Yellow Ochre + Titanium White), then layer the tabby pattern with mid and dark tones. Key move: keep the cheeks, chin, and forehead significantly lighter than the marked areas; the light front-planes of the face catch the sun. Paint the eyes with the characteristic squint—nearly closed, with a focused stare—using dark pupils and surrounding flesh tones. The nose should be pale pink-white, catching light.

6. 06

   Build the cat's fur texture with directional strokes

   Using a medium flat or round brush, apply fur texture strokes following the hair direction—strokes radiate from the face outward and follow the muscle structure of the head, neck, and body. Vary your values as you work: warm mid-tones over the body, darker marks for the tabby stripes, pale highlights where light hits the fur edges (especially ears and cheeks). Don't make the stripes too regular; they should follow the form.

7. 07

   Paint the flower and foliage details

   Add the red geranium flowers and their stems with deliberate reds and warm tones. Paint the green foliage around them, varying the greens (cooler and warmer). Add white and pale pink flowers in the upper left corner. Work the blue-and-white ceramic pot with its painted design suggestion. These elements should be more loosely rendered than the cat, keeping the cat as primary focus.

8. 08

   Refine edges, glazing, and final luminosity

   Step back and refine the relationship between the cat and background—may need to deepen the background to push the cat forward further. Add subtle warm glazes over lit areas of the cat's fur to enhance the golden glow of sunlight. Crisp up the window frame edges and any details where precision reads clearly. Add the small ivy plant at the bottom of the composition. Final check: does the cat's expression read as sleepy and sun-dazed?

• Missing the specific squint-expression in the eyes—the cat's gaze should be nearly-closed and drowsy from bright light, not alert. An alert stare changes the entire mood.
• The tabby pattern applied randomly without following the cat's anatomy—stripes must follow the skull structure, cheek planes, and muscle volume, or the form reads as flat and unconvincing.
• Making the background too bright or muddy—the dark interior shadow must stay very dark and hold depth; it's the foil that makes the cat and sill luminous.
• Losing the warm golden backlighting effect—the cat's edges and lit surfaces should be warm (yellows and warm grays), not cool; the contrast between warm light and cool shadows (not blue-black) sells the sunshine quality.

beginner friendliness

value contrast

palette complexity

compositional simplicity

brushwork visibility