1. Cat outline sketch

- Shade the back of the printable outline, tape it to your paper, and trace the outlines to transfer

- Or draw your cat freehand! Focus on mapping the overall proportions first

- Keep the sketch soft and adjustable

- Check the size and placement of the head, ears, and body before moving on

2. Cat face drawing

- Draw the eyes, nose, and mouth features

- Adjust the proportions until the expression feels balanced

- Add colour to the eyes, nose, and ears early in the process

- Use these features to help create personality

3. Base colours

- Lay in your lightest base colours first

- Separate the fur into light, mid-tone, and dark values

- Apply colour gently so you can build layers gradually

- Keep transitions soft by gently blending them

4. Fur texture drawing

- Build fur texture using layered pencil strokes

- Follow the natural flow and direction of the fur

- Gradually deepen darker areas to add depth and realism

- Sharpen your pencil for finer fur strokes

- Layer white and orange fine lines to create texture

5. Background shading

- Add soft background shading to help the drawing stand out

- Just use a craft knife to shave off some pastel pencil colour

- Then blend it out with a brush

- Keep the shading subtle so the focus stays on the cat