Like humans, pets also want variation in their food. Making your cats something new every few days is much better than feeding them with the same food day after day, only for them to turn their noses up at it out of boredom. If you cook your own cat food then you can control exactly what nutrients your cat is getting on a daily basis. Plus, homemade food is often easier for your cat to digest. All you need is some time for your favorite feline and a few basic ingredients commonly found in most kitchens. Below, we are going to discuss 10 such homemade cat food recipes.

Not only do you have to find a homemade cat food that’s nutritionally sound and in your budget, but it has to be something your furry but friend will like and eat.

1. Dry Kibble

Dry Kibble

You can try making dry kibble which can be stored for up to 3 weeks in the fridge. It can be supplemented with wet, meat-based food, like a chicken and vegetable medley, to give your cat something new. It doesn’t take long to make and your cat will love you for it!

Ingredients

• 1 cup (150 grams) of cornmeal
• 2 cups (210 grams) of soy flour
• 3 cups (340 grams) of whole wheat flour
• 1 cup (115 grams) of wheat germ
• 1 cup (125 grams) of fat-free dry milk
• 1/2 cup (68 grams) of brewer’s yeast
• 15 ounces (430 g) of canned mackerel
• 5 tablespoons (74 mL) of vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of cod liver oil
• 2 cups (470 mL) of water

Directions

• Preheat oven to 177 degrees.
• Take cornmeal, soy flour, whole wheat flour, wheat germ, fat-free dry milk, and brewer’s yeast into a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the dry ingredients.
• Put the canned mackerel, vegetable oil, and cod liver oil into a small bowl. Whisk and mash the ingredients together using a fork.
• Combine the water and the dry ingredients until it gets too heavy and thick to handle.
• When it gets heavy and thick, start mixing by hand.
• Make the dough into a ball and then push down on it while it’s in the bowl.
• Repeat this gathering and pushing motion until all the ingredients are worked together.
• Add the fish and oil mixture to the dough after the water and dry ingredients have mostly combined.
• Roll out the dough and cut it into small squares of ¹⁄₄ inch each.
• Bake the kibble for about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Once it is baked let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Then transfer it to an airtight container and you can refrigerate it for up to 3 weeks.

2. Chicken and Vegetable Medley

Chicken and Vegetable Medley

You can combine it with dry food for variety or serve as it is. It contains a lot of vitamins and protein for your cat. It’s also one of the easier to make homemade cat food recipes.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (125 grams) of broiled or baked chicken
• 1/4 cup (40 grams) of steamed broccoli
• 1/4 cup (37.5 grams) of steamed carrots
• 3 to 4 tablespoons of chicken broth

Directions

• Bake 1 chicken breast, or enough to make 1 cup. You can also use a rabbit or hen if you don’t have chicken.
• Take broccoli and carrots and steam it.
• Use a grinder, blender or a food processor to blend the vegetables and the chicken together.
• Add in chicken broth to give the food a smooth consistency as per the requirement.
• Cool-down the food completely before feeding your cat.

3. Deluxe Fish Balls Recipe

Deluxe Fish Balls

Ingredients

• Small can of oil-packed tuna fish
• 2 tablespoons of bread crumbs
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 3 tablespoons or 45 milliliters of grated cheese

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mash all ingredients together to make a paste-like mixture.
• Shape the mixture into balls and place on a greased baking tray.
• Bake for approximately 20 minutes. Check frequently; when they are golden brown and firm, they are ready.
• Cool it well before serving.

4. Rabbit Stew

Rabbit Stew

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb rabbit meat
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• A dash of parsley, thyme, rosemary, and marjoram
• Unsalted vegetable stock
• 20 gm of sweet potato, carrot, celery, and peas

Directions

• Sautee the rabbit in the olive oil
• Sprinkle with herbs and add veggies, bringing to a boil.
• Reduce heat and cook through.
• Add chopped vegetables and return to the oven for another 45 mins.
• Let it cool to room temperature and serve.
• You can store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge, or freeze.

5. Raw Chicken Homemade Cat Food

Raw Chicken

Ingredients

• 4.5 lbs chicken thighs (including bone and skin!)
• 14 oz chicken hearts
• 7 oz chicken livers
• 2 cups of water
• 4 egg yolks or whole eggs (optional)
• 200 mg Vitamin B supplement
• 200 IU Vitamin E
• 1.5 teaspoons of light iodized salt (be sparing! Too much salt can be dangerous for a kitty)
• 2000 mg taurine

Directions

• Remove roughly half of the skin and 20% of the bone and discard it
• The thighs must be sliced and diced into small bite-sized portions
• Grind the rest of the thigh meat, bones, liver, and hearts and stir very well
• Take a large bowl and combine all vitamin supplements, salt, and eggs, and add 2 cups of water to it. Whisk the eggs well.
• You should now have three main mixtures – the sliced meat, the ground meat, and the supplement bowl. All of these should now be combined and mixed thoroughly.
• The leftovers can be stored in an airtight container that allows room for expansion as the food freezes. Leave a day or two’s worth of meal in the fridge and freeze the rest.

6. Chicken and Greens

Chicken and Greens

Ingredients

• 3-pound quartered roasting chicken
• 4 cups of water
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 2 celery stalks with leaves
• 1 cup carrots, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons parsley flakes or half cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1⁄2 cup barley, uncooked
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 teaspoon brewer’s yeast

Directions

• Place chicken, salt, water, and the celery leaves in a slow cooker. Cover it and boil. Reduce heat and cook slowly for 1 to 1½ or until chicken is tender.
• Remove chicken and strain broth into a bowl. The broth is to be chilled in a refrigerator until the top is covered in fat. Skim fat.
• Remove fat, skin, and bones from chicken. Discard. Cut meat into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
• Return broth to the pot. Chop celery and add it with carrots, barley, brewer’s yeast and lemon juice. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.
• Add chicken, spinach, and green beans. Cook 15 more minutes until beans are tender. Cool and serve. You can refrigerate this homemade cat food for one week or freeze for a month in an airtight container.

7. Mackerel Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup canned mackerel
• 1 tablespoon sunflower seed oil
• 1 tablespoon organic cooked brown rice
• Take 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or broth (chicken or beef)

Directions

• Combine all ingredients in a food processor.
• Puree until blended.
• It tastes the best if served immediately but you can refrigerate the leftovers up to three days.

8. Beef Dinner

Beef Dinner

If your favorite feline has an affinity for beef, this dish is sure to please! It’s one of the delicious homemade cat food recipes.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of ground beef
• 1/2 cup of steamed brown rice
• 6 tablespoons of minced alfalfa sprouts
• 3/4 cup of small curd cottage cheese

Directions

• Fry the ground beef till it becomes brown and drain in a frying pan and then cool completely.
• Mix all the four ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl and serve.
• Refrigerate leftovers up to three days.

9. Chicken and Tuna Dinner

Chicken and Tuna

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cooked chicken
• 1 can tuna in oil
• 1 tablespoon cooked carrot, mashed
• 2 tablespoons brown rice

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor
2. Pulse until blended and serve.
3. Refrigerate leftovers, and discard after three days.

10. Cat Salad

Cat Salad

This is one of those homemade cat food that’s meant for indoor cats. Cats usually like greens, but indoor cats usually don’t have access to the grass they crave. This recipe should satisfy your cat’s craving for something green.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup grated zucchini
• 1/2 cup chopped alfalfa sprouts
• 1/8 cup chicken or fish stock
• 1/8 teaspoon of minced catnip for garnish

Directions

• Combine and mix the first three ingredients in a bowl and toss.
• Serve sprinkled with the minced catnip on top.
• Leftovers can be stored in a refrigerator for up to three days.

Conclusion

So here we have it! Ten homemade cat food recipes whose ingredients you can easily find at home or purchase at meager expenses. These recipes are sure to make your cat both, a happy cat and healthy cat. We are sure that this will delight your cat and increase the bond between you and your kitty. Happy cooking!

Looking for an office decoration idea? wanna spice up your boring walls? We are here to rescue you. 

In art, a portrait is not just a painting, it exhibits an emotion. A portrait painting is basically a representation of an animated being, whether animal or human. The face of the subject is the main focus of the painting. Traditional portraits commonly depict the subject’s head and shoulders, or they show the person’s body, either partially or fully. There are many kinds of portraits, for instance, there’s the common portrait of one subject, the group portrait or the self-portrait. Mostly, paintings are composed to show the subject and their unique characteristics.

Offices should spread positivity around

“What my portraits are made of? 

10% showing the reality, 90% showing my philosophy.” 

                ― Scuro Chiaro

Your office decoration idea list needs art, and you might wonder why, but the reason is simple. When a client enters your office, a spectacular piece of painting on the walls will always create an impression in their mind. An unkempt office with stained walls or old furniture could have a negative impact on your client, which in turn will affect your business.

But if you put up a stunning handmade painting or any piece of art that represents the culture of your company, then the impression never leaves your client’s mind. The office decoration idea is steadily gaining importance today as it creates an invigorating environment. Additionally, art is not for impressing clients, it also motivates employees.

You might think your office doesn’t need art, but actually, it has many purposes. 

• The word ‘office’ is often synonymous with stress and pressure. To allay this stress, nature paintings can be soothing to the eye, and to the mind as well. ‘Landscape with Calm’ by Nicolas Poussin is a good example.
• Posters and art paintings that show motivational lines or character that encourages you to do more are amazing for any office decoration idea. For instance, if you are working as a part of a team, hang art that reminds you of the significance of teamwork.
• Something as simple as paintings can influence you to do better too. A simple image of a stormy sea crashing on rocks with some significant lines below can remind you to stay trustworthy and credible.
• Bold strokes of vibrant colors can enhance creativity and innovation in the workplace, and this has been psychologically proven.
• According to Feng Shui, hanging koi paintings can attract wealth–however, getting advised by an expert on this matter is advised.
• If you have a fun-loving personality, art that depicts that can bring in some fun into your office as well. Look for pop-art pieces, collages or quirky surrealistic paintings to bring some perkiness to your workplace.

The office is your Half-Home!

Here are some ways you can add some color and art to your workspace:

• Variety is the spice of life

You can spruce up a waiting room or a conference room with an accent wall and art framed in different kinds of frames. You can just stick to portraits or mix them up with other kinds of paintings. It creates a lasting impression where the client will appreciate your creativity. This is a great office decoration Idea

• Foamboards

Foamboards are a lightweight and easy-to-cut material that is used for mounting of prints, either digital or traditional. Since the substance is so light, you can put this up anywhere. It adds a cool DIY touch to paintings and can be a great conversation starter in the office.

• Industrial statements

Bold is beautiful, and strong, heavy lines of industrial, abstract art can be perfect in the lobby of your office. It creates quite the impact and may help break the ice with clients. Andrew Myers’ screw art is a great example of industrial art. He uses oil paint, phone books and screws to create impactful 3D art with deep shadows. 

• Rows and columns

If you have a narrow space in your lobby or personal office cecoration that you wish to jazz up, choose portraits and a mixture of pictures in small frames and hang them in columns. If you have more space horizontally, choose the row style. 

• Moments in life

Keep It Personal

If you want to keep things personal, then choose artwork and photos from your life. You can create a wall montage of important achievements or days in your company. This can go to the lobby where new people can see all the things you and your team have done, thus creating a positive effect on others.

• Classic comfort

A Girl With The Pearl Earring

If modern art isn’t for you, then you can always choose from the classics. A huge print of A Girl With a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer above the couch in the waiting area against a warm-toned wall gives off a comforting atmosphere. Choose your carpets and furnishings accordingly for maximum impact.

• New views

Hakuna-Matata!

This idea suits your personal workspace and conference rooms the most. Use simple portraits, quotes and other artwork to create a wall of inspiration and motivation. The best part about this style is you can change it by rearranging it anytime you want. 

• Minimal and modern

The Minimal and Modern

Take any classic or contemporary portrait and pair it on your wall with a mirror or a metal sculpture. It is minimalistic and chic, and if your office is a fashion-oriented one, this creates the right effect on clients especially when you put it in the lobby or waiting area in your office decoration

• Pretty projections

Pretty Projections

Use plaster or double-sided adhesives to slightly raise your portrait drawings from the wall. This is interesting and quite eye-catching.

• Impactful

By Miguel Endara

Black and white artwork can create a huge impact. Works by Elena Pimonova and Miguel Endara are simple but strong and the impression in your client’s mind will last longer. Get this for your office decoration.

• Elegant but Easy

Elegant but Easy

This idea is best suited for the lobby. Based on your industry, choose classic furnishings and colors to highlight your paintings, which you can use to fill one whole wall. To anchor the room, choose one piece for the opposite wall.

• Useful and Unique

Useful and Unique

You can combine your portraits with an antique cubbyhole cabinet to create a contrast in your personal office. The cubbyhole has utilitarian purposes while the art keeps the room looking unique. 

• Simply Stylish

Simply Stylish

You can take white frames and split one portrait into three and hang them up in the order in either your waiting area or your conference room. This draws your eye from left to right, which provides the illusion that the eyes in the painting are following you. 

• Black & White and Green

Black & White and Green

If you have a white wall, and your painting is achromatic, then a splash of color brings much life to your lobby. Choose indoor plants to add some green since black and white with green looks exceptionally good and gives your office a clean look.

• Framing Frames

Framing frames

You can frame your already framed portraits either ornately or simply. Then put it against a contrast wall and it immediately makes your painting pop out more. 

• Monochrome minimal

Monochrome Minimal

The best way to make your lobby or conference room look more vibrant is by making sure your portrait painting goes well with the decor. If you have black and white decor, choose monochrome art. If your decor is warm browns, then choose warm-toned art. 

• Taupes

Taupes

If you want to evoke serenity, or have your hands on a Nikki Rosato piece, choose a taupe wall to hang your painting up. For best results, use similar muted shades in the frames as well. This office decoration idea will definitely do well.

• Branded walls

Branded Walls

The best way to tell your clients what you do is through a branded wall in the lobby or the waiting area. You can take motifs from your brand and create a portrait with the help of Cube Works Studio, who use Legos, crayons and dice to create stunning portraitures. 

Listed below are some crazy art ideas to doll up your room into funky portraits:

It is incredibly hard to plan spaces that are stylish, contemporary and exude the personalities of the primary users. Over the years, a lot of design trends have changed. Rooms have shifted from safe neutrals on the wall and colorful accessories to bold colors on the walls and monotone accessories. The challenge of getting the latter right is wall art. While in previous years, one could get away with colorful wall art, the vibrant walls of 2019, will not allow paintings or photographs in bold colors to survive. Here are 3 ideas that will make your walls look fantastic while also personalizing your space to reflect your unique personality

1) Pencil Drawings

Pencil Drawing by BookMyPainting

There is something remarkably bohemian and chic about pencil drawings. If your personality finds interesting people on one hand & mysterious on the other, then your pictures rendered in pencil by our artists are the perfect accessory for your room. Pencil art is complex because interest is created through details and shading rather than color. This quaint sketch style art has a natural old-world charm since the medium creates complexity by using a single tool. This is what makes pencil drawings perfect for capturing memories. We remember occasions and milestones as a complex tapestry of rich details rather than as a perfect color spectrum.

What we offer:

Our artists at BookMyPainting can help re-create glorious moments captured through your photos. We offer pencil sketches for as many as 4 subjects in a single photo. Drawing interest to not only your unique personality but also your experiences and memories with loved ones. Once you get your pencil sketch, all you have to do is clip it to the wall, frame it, and voila! You now have a wall that is truly representative of your uniqueness.

 Pro-Tip:

Use pencil sketches to tell a story on your bold walls for office decoration. Whether it is the story of how you met your spouse, how your love evolved from beer (or coffee!) to your extended family, pencil sketches are great storytelling tools because they are understated, have lovely details and are remarkably poignant.

An idea of how you can use pencil sketching art in your living room

2) Charcoal Art

A Charcoal Painting by BookMyPainting

Charcoal is an interesting medium for custom art. Whether you’re trying to convey the quirky or the elegant, this monotone style is sure to deliver. It combines an extremely custom, handmade feel with an urban aesthetic.

What we offer

The highlights that our artists at BookMyPainting select within your photos often complement either the sentiment behind the picture or the unique elements of your personality. You can use smart geometric metal frames with clean lines if you’re trying to achieve a modern minimalist look or you can frame your charcoal portrait in an ornate neutral frame for an elegant room. 

Of the frame, or the stormy greys from your art in a few places around your room to compel your visitors’ eye to travel around the room & return to your statement art piece after appreciating the rest of your office decoration.

Pro-Tip

Don’t forget to repeat the color

3) Oil Paintings

Oil Painting by BookMyPainting

This is probably the best office decoration idea. All these colors and contrast gonna spice up the wall and make your office look more classy.

What we offer:

Our artists can render custom Oil Painting in A3 or A2 size for you. The rule with custom art is that it needs to be large enough to occupy a feature wall alone & it needs to be unique enough to evoke interest. Adding even a simple frame to a large silhouette creates a dramatic effect on feature walls and is sure to add the wow factor to your office decoration idea list.

Pro tip:

Using an old frame (or adding an aged effect to a new frame with paint) will also make your Oil Paintings really stand out and will soften the stark bold walls of your office by adding visual interest and depth.

Conclusion

It is incredibly hard to plan spaces that are stylish, contemporary and exude the personalities of the primary users. Over the years, a lot of design trends have changed. Rooms have shifted from safe neutrals on the wall and colorful accessories to bold colors on the walls and monotone accessories. The challenge of getting the latter right is wall art. While in previous years, one could get away with colorful wall art, the vibrant walls of 2019, will not allow paintings or photographs in bold colors to survive. Here are 3 ideas that will make your walls look fantastic while also personalizing your space to reflect your unique personality.

Are you gonna add a painting to your office wall? Comment it down.

Art is the best form of expression. There is no better way to express oneself but through art. Painting a portrait is one of the best and deepest forms of art and that too a watercolor painting is the cherry on the cake. Watercolor painting is much demanded by people due to its artistic appearance captivating their attention. Watercolor paintings are nowadays used by people as gifts for their near and dear ones. You could refer to a lot of sources for getting your portrait done, one such gallery is that of bookmypainting. Watercolor paints are made with color tincture draped in a water-soluble base. The amount of water should be regulated to create a radiant painting. Where on one hand it seems to be a hectic and messy job, on the other hand, it is satisfying too.

The big question “How to?”

A novice painter should begin painting with a front-facing face because different angles of the face require different proportions and hence the job is not easy. The most important thing to do is painting the human eyes because eyes catch the viewers’ attention in a single go. Human eyes appear to be in the top division of the face, but in reality, they’re located halfway down the face. The second most important thing is the hair. The amount of water to be used depends if you want free-flowing hair or rigid ones. First, you should draw the hair outline and then the guiding lines. This forms the base of the hair and is essential to start with. Painting a portrait is all about understanding one’s feelings and present it on a sheet of paper or canvas.

Watercolors

Things need to go

• A sheet of paper or canvas

To paint a human portrait with watercolors, the first thing we need is plain to paint on. For that purpose, one can go for a sheet of paper or a canvas sheet. A paper sheet will also do, it’s just that one needs to properly analyze the type of plain needed, as we are using watercolors to paint the portrait, the sheet of paper has to considerably thick so that it doesn’t melt away due to the use of watercolors on it. Whereas, for much better results one should always go for a canvas sheet which is way more suitable for painting a portrait with watercolors, as there are no chances of it melting away. So, a good quality canvas sheet of a suitable size must be obtained.

• Pencil [for pre-paint sketching]

A good quality pencil, finely sharped will do. As we need it for pre-paint sketching, that will be a very light sketch, which we don’t want to be very strong and deep. The sharper, the better.

• Paintbrushes [of varied sizes]

The paint bushes must be obtained of various sizes. That is, from very sharp and thin too much thick and dominant paint brushes must be arranged. The main types of brushes needed are:

1. Round Brushes: These are those with less hair and pointed tips for minute details.
2. Flat Brushes: These are those with more hairs, to spread the paint evenly in wider areas.
3. Bright Brushes: These are a little shorter than flats, and are very much suitable for canvas painting, as it gives very fine and bright results.
4. Filbert: These brushes are with domed ends, and gives best results when used for fine details.
5. Fan Brushes: Fan brushes are really helpful for the background as it helps in the better spreading of paint in wider areas.
6. Mop Brushes: Mop brushes are good for softer paint applications.
7. Rigger Brushes: These are the brushes with longer hairs, very thin. Mostly helpful, when thin lines are to be drawn. 

• Watercolors 

For watercolors, one should obtain all the relevant shades as per the need of the portrait. According to the skin tone, and background, etc. selective shades must be arranged for.

• Initial Sketch

Initial Sketch

The very first step is to draw a light sketch of the portrait. It has to be done with a very light stroke pencil, so as to get a very light outline of our portrait. We are not supposed to draw any fine and sharp details over here, as all the fine details will be covered with watercolors. Hence, here we are supposed to draw a light sketch of the basic foundation lines of the face and rest of the body that has to be painted in the portrait. For a proper sketch, one should be very careful about the choice of the face cut, the shape of the eyes, the nose, and the lips. And make sure a proper synchronization is there in all of these. Once we are done with the sketching part we will move towards the painting part.

• Painting 

After sketching out the foundation of the portrait, we will start with the painting of it. 

• Background

Step 1.

Starting off with the background of the portrait. Use a round paintbrush to paint the background. Choose a color that will create a proper contrast with the skin tone of the human. Start with any particular corner and move towards the center in proper motion, evenly spreading the paint. 

Pro Tip:

Use a proper amount of water along with the paint to get a good texture in the background. Also, let the paint flow into the hairs and other parts of the portrait, it will not be a problem.

Precautions:

 Let the background dry. Do not start applying another shade while the previous layer is wet.

• Face:

Painting the Face

Step 1.

Now start with applying a preferable shade of yellow, as per the choice of the skin tone. This yellow is not obviously the skin tone of our portrait, but it will definitely add up to the best coming results. Hence, one should start applying a shade of yellow. If you are going for a lighter shade of the skin, you should preferably opt for a lighter shade of yellow, whereas if you are going for a darker shade of skin you should go for a more intense shade of yellow. Paint the entire visible skin of the portrait with the yellow you have selected. 

Pro tip:

1. Make sure the watercolors you are using are good enough to spread over the canvas or the paper evenly and are properly able to blend into each other. Because, if the quality of pant selected is not good enough and is not able to spread evenly on the sheet, and blend into each other, I will leave color stains, which will make your portrait look bad.
2. Also, the quality of the brush should be good as if you go for a brush with frizzy hairs, it will end up leaving the dirty brush store on your portrait. And that too will not be good for our portrait.

Step 2.

While the yellow is still wet, start with another layer of color according to the skin tone you wish to achieve. For example, to achieve a lighter skin tone, start applying a layer of opera rose over it. For a proper fleshy tone. Once you are done applying this layer it may look very untidy or muddy. It’s not a problem actually. Wash your brush, rinse it and start again with a fresh layer of opera rose. Keep applying until it fully covers the yellow. This blend will help you to achieve a proper fleshy tone on the skin. 

Step 3.

While it is still wet, add up blues in the concerned areas. For a lighter skin tone, one can go for Cobalt turquoise blue. It has to be added specifically in the highlight areas. Hence, paint a soft layer of cobalt turquoise blue in the areas such as near the eyes, nose, neck, etc. Without being very bright or dark softly flow the blues in the neck and the hairs. Remember one has to be very careful about the blues. A proper choice of blue is very necessary. As if you go with the wrong blue, it will mismatch and end up giving a bad contrast. Your blues can either make your portrait or destroy it. Hence, proper use of blues is very important for the success of your portrait.

Pro tip: 

For better results, wash the brushes proper every time you go for a new shade.

Precautions:

Keep an eye on the edges, because it may get dry. So keep softening those edges, to make sure it does not gets hardened up. If it gets hardened up it will result in very bad texture at the edges which will totally destroy the portrait.

• The Neck

Step 1.

Moving towards the neck, use the same color pattern for it. Firstly apply a layer of the chosen shade of yellow.  Use the same shade that you used for the face, as if you change the shade it will look weird. Once you are done with the shade of yellow before dries up apply another layer of opera rose as we did in the face tone painting. Get your brush washed and take another fresh opera rose paint and keep applying.

Pro tip:

1. Make sure you do not change the shade. 
2. . Here, for smooth coloring, use a smaller size of a round brush

Precautions:

Make sure there is proper uniformity among the tone of the face skin and the neck skin.

Step 2.

Keep working with the flesh tone. Do not let it dry, continue with the layers of yellow and opera rose, we-in-wet. Also, apply cobalt turquoise blue in the highlights of the neck. So that the highlights of the neck get softened up. 

• Hairs 

Step 1.

Starting off with the hair, you will have to decide the color of the hairs, for the portrait.  Also, the choice of the hair color should be done after proper emphasis of the color contrast. For example, if we are planning to paint the hairs in burgundy, I would like to start by applying a layer of a dark yellow shade. Spreading it evenly along the falls of the hairs. While the yellow is still wet, apply a shade of maroon or dark pink, to give it a burgundy-ish tone. 

Precautions:

Keep applying and smoothening the hairs hereafter. Do not let it dry and get hardened up. 

Step 2.

After a few continuous layers, now start darkening the hairs with some dark brown or chocolate colors. Move the brush along the fall of the hairs to make it look more real. Keep moving brushes until you get the finest tone on the hair.

• Final Touch [Details including eyes, nose, lips, etc.]

• Eyes:

   

  

  Painting the eyes

  Use dark tones to give out all the details on the face, such as eyes behind the eyes, etc. Eyes are one of the most loudly speaking character of the human face. Hence, it need much detailing with the utmost care. The lenses should be given a proper color that too in accordance with the face color. Also, the eyelashes have to be painted with a very fine tip brush. It should look really wavy and real. The eyebrows are one of the very prominent characters of the face. As it speaks a lot about the person’s attitude. Hence, it is very important that a proper shade, as well as a proper shape, is chosen for it.

• Precautions:

The eyelids should also be detailed with a little more intense shade.

• Nose:

Similarly, the nose should be painted. We can say that the entire beauty of the portrait lies on the nose. Hence it should be painted with the utmost care. A proper blend of colors will make it look great, also a little extra pink on the tip will act as a cherry on the cake.

Ears and lips:

Painting the lips

Similarly, ears and lips and the other parts of the face are to be finished. The neck is almost done, just give it a final touch with a proper blend of colors. The neck should be very soft and highlighting. Hence, the proper balance of blues is also needed to be maintained.

Rest of the body parts on the canvas:

Now, all we are left with is the costume that is to be painted in the portrait it is all on you and your choice. You can actually use any combination of colors for clothes. 

Precautions:

1. Once, you are done with all of it, look at it and any shortcomings found should be corrected. If your background needs a final touch, do the needful. 
2. One should be very careful about it. Many times while painting a watercolor portrait, there comes a moment, where one thinks that it is looking horrible, and nothing can be made out of it. And they quit over there.

 You should make sure you are not giving up at any point in time and the results will be fabulous. 

As they rightly say, practice makes a man perfect and art is a field of talent which requires a talented hand especially when you’re aiming to be a Charcoal Artist. It’s always advised to take a human face photo as a beginner.

There are, some step by step art hacks to make your portrait look more realistic and for starters, to begin with, you should always divide your original image to equal sections with a scale either like checks or slices. It’s also easier to understand and draw the curves of the face and other features when the page is divided into sections somewhat like a graph sheet. Charcoals are excellent for blending and are easier to even erase.

Firstly, there are few things that need to be kept in mind before starting off any charcoal masterpiece:-

The right folio (paper)

This is the life of any painting; it can either make or break your artistic sketch. Before starting off with any Charcoal Sketch, the right size, tone, texture, and type of paper must be known to the Charcoal artist. There are huge varieties of papers available in the market, but the most recommended sheet for is charcoal or pastel paper. It will have the texture you want and would hold your painting. Canson Mi-Teintes, Canson Ingres, Strathmore 500 Series, and Fabriano Tiziano are popular choices.

The correct tools

Tools are the second most important part of a painting. There are n no. of tools available in the market, but the right tools must be handy to the Charcoal artist for an effective sketch. Here we have jotted down the list of all the necessary tools required for a ravishing charcoal drawing:

1. Pencil

No, it’s not the usual pencil that we use from Kindergarten, but professionals pencils used to fulfill the purpose. There are 6H, 4H, 2H, H, HB, B, 2B, 4B, 6B, 2H and HB pencils used for different proportions of the sketch. You need to sharpen them according to your needs. Like, a pointed sharpened pencil is used for sketching and a blunt edge is used for shading, stroking and adding gloss.

2. Charcoal Sticks

These are the man’s best creation to sketch industry; they are made to ease your task by covering massive areas at a time. A Charcoal Artist can break and shape it as per his needs.

3. Charcoal powder

Unlike the historic times, with this modern era, many charcoal tools are available and charcoal powder is one such. You can easily find them in markets at minimal costs. It is used to enhance the beauty of a sketch and as a toning material

4. Earbuds

More than just cleansing your ears, this small tool is also very useful in making a charcoal drawing. It can be used to smudge dark areas and soften the pencil strokes by giving them an edge.

5. Compressed charcoal

It is used to cover dark scenic backgrounds and cover patchy areas. This product is slightly difficult to use for a beginner as it leaves away some dust which needs to be blown away professionally, it is recommended that only if you’ve learned the good art of charcoal drawing, then only use this product.

6. Eraser, Blade & Brush

Again these small things carry out a great advantage in making a sketch. The eraser is used to smudging and highlighting, a blade for sharpening the edges of your pencils and brush to spread away excess powder too.

7. Charcoal Fixative

This small tool defines the life of your sketch on how long will the sketch stay with the person. A charcoal fixative is used after completing your piece of artwork so that the dry ingredients used in the sketch stays. It’s just like the varnish used to avoid smudging and giving a  finished look to your sketch.

Start off with a Picture in mind

As a beginner, you should never start off with a blank mind. First of all choose a picture with right proportions and keep it handy with yourself either in person or on your phone. Make a picture in your mind, as what part would you sketch out first. Here are certain tips to choose the appropriate picture for your sketch:

• Proper lighting in the picture, the picture should not be dim and the features of your model should be clean and representative. The light coming from one side of the frame would be considered tremendous.

• It is recommended to avoid a picture with too many filters, the details of the face should be clearly visible.

• The eyes of the person should be open and making chemistry with the camera. For an effective sketch, the eyes are the USP of that portrait so it should be made with utmost care and dedication. Although it’s not a compulsion to choose a picture with open eyes, open eyes also add beauty to a sketch.

• For a beginner, try to avoid making the sketch having too many details. Avoid using a picture having too many accessories or jewelry. Choose a plain picture of a person/pet initially.

• An ideal sketch is considered to have an aspect ratio of either 3:4 or 4:3(landscape). A square sketch does not look good when it comes to charcoal sketch.

Steps to Make The Charcoal Portrait

• Draw the outline

The first and the foremost step in charcoal sketching is to draw the rough outline of your desired sketch using a charcoal pencil. You need not, to be super perfect and conscious while drawing the lines, just making a draft of your subject using charcoal pencil strokes.

• Spread the Powder

After completing your draft, spread the charcoal powder over your sketch and fix it up with a mop brush. To evenly contrast things use a paper towel and also to wipe off the extra powder.

• Make bolder lines

Now, use a normal Camlin HB pencil to draw solid outlines of your subject on which you need to use blunt charcoal tools. Make sure to properly align the lines to the features of your subject.

• Start with dark areas

Now it’s time to add volume to your sketch, simply use compressed charcoal to darken the borders of your sketch but don’t dark too much initially.

• Time to smoothen

Now after making the dark outlines, it’s time to slow down, smoothen and blend to give a softer finish to your sketch. Make sure you blend nicely so as to give it a natural smudging look. Use Paper stump to achieve the best results of a perfect blend!

• Exploit the lighter areas

To get the best shading to highlight the light areas of the sketch use Vine Charcoal. Vine Charcoal is best for light shading of the portrait and keep blending with an earbud.

• Highlight the features

Now when the sketching, smudging and charcoal part completes, use a kneaded eraser to add highlights to your sketch and pull off areas that are verbose or need a lighter tone.

• Just a Final stroke

After you finish highlighting the features, just add a final finish to your picture. In this step, you can use a charcoal stick to make the boundaries darker or even blending the background a shade dark too.

• The Final fix

After you have completed all your Charcoal sketch, it’s high time to add life to your hard work. Once, you complete spray the final Charcoal Fixative to your masterpiece so that it won’t smudge, blotch or tarnish.

And you’re done with your very first handmade Charcoal Drawing, Congratulations on being a Charcoal Artist now.

Basic Outline

Mentioned below are certain steps on how to improve the sketching of particular features of your subject:

Method 1

There are a few art hacks to make your portrait look more realistic and for starters, to begin with, you should always divide your original image to equal sections with a scale either like checks or slices. It’s easier to understand and draw the curves of the face and other features when the page is divided into sections somewhat like a graph sheet.

Method 2

A charcoal artist can also, draw the basic outline with light hands so you have an idea of the positioning of the facial features. This is the step where you can do a lot of erasing and redrawing because this will shape your portrait further. Carefully, establish the position of the head, eyes, lips, etc. lightly like a basic outline. When you are satisfied with the placement and proportions of the head you can begin to outline the features of the face in more detail.

Also. Check out our time-lapse video to understand the overall portrait procedure quickly and then we can move further with specific facial parts.

Eyes

For the eyes, a Charcoal artist should always prefer using soft pencil/4B/6B. Firstly draw the basic outline of the eye (almond-like shape) and iris with a normal pencil. Do not hold the pencil too firmly and allow it to draw free strokes in the eye. Also, draw fine lines to show nerves around the iris and keep smudging them to give it a translucent look. Use the charcoal to darken the iris and the eyelid outline. Once done, smudge the nerve lines to give the eyes a soft look. Keep creating layers of charcoal shadings and smudge them to make it look deep and realistic.

For the eyelids and eyelashes, you have to judge your own drawing if it looks right, that’s literally the way- hit and trial. Above the eyelid outline lightly sketch and shade the skin folds of the eyelid. Leave a white spot on the iris too to make it look realistic.

For a visual representation, a link is provided for your pursual.

Hair

The hair is also a collection of fine lines smudged to give it a collected voluminous look. Use a small piece of eraser/white charcoal to show white spaces between the hair strands. Start by making numerous light strokes in the direction of the flow. Make them very thin, close and in the same direction. Smudge the lines with an earbud/brush to give it a dense look and you could use an earbud too. Using a kneaded eraser you can make some white spaces to show the sunlight/ shading on the hair. Remember to use an earbud/brush to merge the hair strokes in the direction of the hair flow. Also, darken a few strands to show a thicker collection of hair in that particular area. Draw the tiny untidy strands that spring out of the natural flow in the end also.

For a clearer visual representation check out this link

Nose

For the nose, Also draw a circular outline and make two light vertical lines on either end. Now draw the nostrils’ curvature and shade them with the nose bridge according to the original photo. Finely define the tip of the nose and merge the nose bridge a more shaded look. Now, define the edges of the nose with a darker grip of the charcoal. The nose bridge also should be connected with the inner eye corners and shading should be done inwards from the cheek to the nose. If you’re comfortable with the way your outcome looks, start adding more layers to the darker areas which were the nose edges to give it a more shaded look.

For a visual representation of the explanation visit

Lips

Lastly, the charcoal drawing lips, draw the basic outlines very lightly with a pencil too. Make the inner line that divides upper lip to the lower lip darker to make the features look stronger. Lightly color the base of the lips and merge it by smudging it with a brush or an earbud. Shade in the graphite inwards i.e. from outer to inner of the mouth. If the lips look grainy due to the graphite shading, don’t worry, once you blend it’ll also look very smooth Then sketch the second layer by shading it darker. Once you complete the inner lips start sketching outside the boundaries of the lips to give it the 3D effect. Use an earbud to merge it lightly.

Draw and darken the lip creases and the lip division with the charcoal, in the end, to make it look definite. You can lighten the bulged lip parts with a kneaded eraser to show the sunlight shading.

For a better understanding of artistic realistic mouth, you may refer to this video

These are also some tips that will help you to give your artworks perfection with practice. Also, remember the process of being perfect in portrait sketching isn’t overnight magic, you’ll have to practice a lot to get better at it and you should never feel let down for not getting the desired outcome because there’s always the next time. Keep trying, keep growing, keep sketching.

For references, you can see some of the best Charcoal Portraits by the expert charcoal artist.

Guide to Sketching

Wanna be a pencil sketch artist? Are you curious about how to draw a Pencil Sketch Portrait? Well, we have come to your rescue and make you learn how to draw pencil drawings step by step keeping in mind every beginner’s confusion and curiosity. it is a beginner guide to sketching

The art of making a perfect Pencil sketch requires the ability to depict people expertly, places and things via the use of pencils, charcoal or pastels. Sketching from imagination is the most fulfilling and the most relaxing thing a person could do. It is mainly done by the use of graphite pencil, as its slightest pressure could make a mark. Drawing a portrait reflects the creativity within the person. The best part about being creative is you can use it in any age group.

So beginners are you ready to level up your Pencil sketching skills step by step and become a Pro pencil sketch Artist in just a week?

Pencil sketching is nothing but the creation of shadow without light

TOOLS REQUIRED:

You cannot create quality artwork with inadequate material. So here are the things you need to create an impressive piece of Pencil Sketch:

Tools for pencil sketching

1. PENCILS

Obviously! But in the world of art and artisans, there are more options to choose from that of those conventional pencils. Pencils are graded by both “Pencil by numbers” and letters, with “H” and “B” being softer and harder. So the pencils available for a graphite sketch are like 2B, 4B, and 6B. Within each category, there are numbers denoting degrees of hardness or softness; the higher the number, the softer the pencil and vice-versa.

The pencil is mightiest now!

2. ERASER

Erasers aren’t just for do-over and clean-ups. They can also be used for shading and special effects. Even if your pencil has an eraser on end, it will be worn down in no time, A soft gum eraser will be suitable and low cost for a perfect professional pencil sketch.

I am Mr. Eraser, Dad of backspace!

3. PAPER

To start as a beginner obviously, you won’t invest in an expensive paper. Instead invest in two types of documents sketch paper, which is cheap and ideal for testing and experimenting with our ideas and refining. The second paper is archival drawing paper, which is thicker and has a gentle “tooth” that is ideal for graphite.

I am a white paper, That is all!

4. RULER

A ruler will help you to measure and graph your drawings. A ruler is used to draw a line, the dimensions of your sketch and to draw a proper layout to something that is too geometrical or needs systematic sketching.

Ruler does not make the rules, it follows

5. SHARPENER

You will need good sharper. An excellent choice for pencil sketch artist is a manual pencil sharpener with two openings. Each will sharpen the pencil into a different type of tip, so this will give you a lot of drawing versatility.

I have got a sharp tooth 🙂

6. REFERENCE PHOTOS

If you are getting started, a photograph is a great reference Choice because it won’t move or change as you work. Try to go with something basic like a flower, tables, etc.
Warning: don’t copy-paste the exact image; just use the models for practice.

Photographs are nothing but life in still!

Now we are sure enough of what all tools are required to make a Pencil sketch, but now we need to know how to make the first mark.

So here are the steps which will lead you to a successful Pencil Sketch:

1. USE A REFERENCE PICTURE

If you are just getting started, a reference picture is a must because it will help you to draw correctly and from that, you will gain the knowledge of how objects a sketched. You can take reference pictures from the internet, newspapers or magazines.

2. DRAW AN OUTLINE

Draw the basic shape of the object, but don’t worry about the realism or perfection here, just go with the flow of the pencil. It’s okay to make mistakes on this step.

3. BLENDING GRAPHITE

Now, this is an essential step as while doing this, and you need to keep in mind a lot of things to reach the desired outcome. Blending graphite is not as easy as it looks, but with practice, you can master this technique. The following examples show how blending should and should not look like.

It is essential to place your pencil lines slowly and evenly at the very beginning. If your pencil lines are put down in a rush, the scribble-like application will come up, then no amount of blending will make then look smooth.

(Pro tip: slow and steady wins the blending race!)

So here are the tips to do the blending thing correctly:

-> DON’T SCRIBBLE

It is essential to place your pencil lines slowly and evenly at the very beginning. If your pencil lines are put down in a rush, the scribble-like application will come up, then no amount of blending will make then look smooth.

(Pro tip: slow and steady wins the blending race!)

-> SMOOTH LINES FROM DARK TO LIGHT

Work from dark to light, going up and down and back forth at the same time will make it look more smooth and blended. This is how the lines should look like:

-> A LIGHT TOUCH FOR BLENDING

Use the same up and down, back and forth technique but do remember, not to press down hard as you blend because This will make the paper look rough and choppy. The lighter your touch, the smoother the blend will be.

(Pro tip: when blending, always hold your pencil at the right angle to get the best results or smooth finish)

WORKING WITH TONES AND SHADING

This is the heart and soul of the pencil sketch. Without these a sketch is incomplete. They make the drawing look more realistic. Learn this and you will be one step closer to becoming the pro Pencil sketch artist

1. TONES
This includes:

• CONTRAST

Don’t be afraid to get dark on the shadows. Contrast is significant for creating a look of realism.

• APPLICATION OF TONE

Always apply your pencil lines according to the contours of the subject. Blend using long vertical strokes, lightening the touch when you get into the light and similarly darkening the touch when a denser look is needed.

the contrast in pencil sketches

 2. EDGES

Anytime you have to use a line to describe the shape of something; you must get rid of the look of outlining. The darkness of a drawn line belongs to one drawing surface or another. Fade the dark out into the smooth surface it belongs to and creates a look of an edge, not an outline.

Getting rid of the outlines

3. UNEVEN TONE

Correct uneven tones using an eraser. From the eraser gently draw the irregularity out. Use a very light touch. This is called drawing in reverse.

(Pro tip: you can also crisp the edges using the reverse drawing technique)

the uneven tone in pencil sketches

4. SHADING

To create realism in your sketch, you must first understand how lighting-effects are formed. There are 5 elements of shading essential of depicting an object more realistic. Without the solid foundation of these elements, everything will look flat. Your subject will look 3 dimensional only when the effects of light and shadow are appropriately placed.

shading in pencil sketches

Each of the 5 elements of shading can be seen in the sphere below:

1. CAST SHADOW

It is often the darkest part of the drawing because there is where the light is completely blocked. This should be drawn is close to the black as possible. As it comes off the dark, it will start to appear lighter as shown in the picture

2. SHADOW EDGE

Also referred to as the turning shadow. It is not the edge of the object, instead of the shadow on the object the shows it’s a rounded surface. This is a dark grey tone that corresponds in the picture above.

3. HALFTONE

This is the exact color of the object, unaffected by the light. It has no shadow.

4. REFLECTED LIGHT

Look at the sphere above; you will see the rim of light along the edge reflecting on the shadow side. That is the reflected light 

5. FULL LIGHT

There is a part of the object they receive the most light. It is in the picture where the tones fade gently into the white sheet of paper

Sphere of shadow

Well, so these are the detailed steps through which a person can master a graphite sketch. But make sure you don’t forget to practice as “practice makes a man perfect.” soon you will be able to get all those facial features, eyes, nose, lips, etc captured successfully.

A representation of how practicing daily can help you make this same portrait after a month.

The day is not too far when you’ll be mastering the art of drawing a Pencil Sketch and will be a renowned Pencil sketch artist. Good luck and keep practicing!