You may have seen the Cheshire Cat on my craft blog, A Life Less Ordinary. Inspired by the beautiful cheeky cat from Alice in Wonderland, my furry feline was painted using acrylic paints inside a friend's art journal.
I'm about to repaint him onto a big canvas because he's turned out so well that I want him for my wall. His big furry face just makes me smile :) I'll add him to Redbubble as well so I (its all about me, lol) can have him everywhere I go - bags, new phone cover, mug, notebook, ipad cover! Its not often I fall in love with my own art like this. The last time was my beautiful fairy that I painted for the World's Longest Illustration (a Redbubble challenge many moons ago). Can't wait to get started... I do love to paint :)
Free Template For You:
I've had a few requests to draw the Cheshire Cat for colouring and using as a template, so here he is. I hope this helps you have a go at painting your own cat.
To download and print your free template:
- click the grinning cat outline;
- it should open a jpeg in a new window;
- press "print", adjusting the specifications in your printer menu if required.
- colour the page, paint the page or transfer into your journal.
To transfer into your art journal:
- the old-school way was to use a soft lead pencil (2B or 4B);
- hold the paper against the glass of a window (or a lightbox), white / back facing you;
- using a soft graphite pencil (2B or 4B) colour along all the lines you want to transfer;
- place the paper (scribble side down) over your page;
- using a hard graphite pencil (HB or 2H) trace along all the lines you want to transfer;
- lift the paper and your outline should be on your page;
- it should show enough to give you a guide for painting.
- its a good idea to practice first when trying something new :)
Tips:
When painting, don't forget to allow each layer to dry before moving along to the next layer. Then let those dry before sketching out your tree and cat. Easy to follow step-by-step instructions are at my blog, A Life Less Ordinary. Click this link to read more.
Treasures used for my Cheshire Cat:
Dylusions acrylic paint, Jane Davenport Gesso, paint brushes, watercolour pencils for sketching out the cat and coloured pencils for my initial drawings, when choosing a colour scheme. Plus you'll also need a Dylusions Art Journal :)
Background Colour List:
- After Midnight (dark blue)
- Laidback Lilac (pretty purple)
- Vibrant Turquoise
- Black Marble
- White Linen
Tree Colour List:
- Ground Coffee (dark brown)
- Melted Chocolate (medium brown)
- Dirty Martini (earthy olive green)
- Lemon Zest (bright yellow)
- Cut Grass (bright green)
Cheshire Cat Colour List:
- White Gesso
- Laidback Lilac
- Vibrant Turquoise
- Black Marble
- White Linen
If using Ink Sprays to create the background instead of paint - don't be afraid to use alot of ink. That's how those vibrant rich backgrounds by Dyan Reaveley are created. Divide your page into 6ths (3 down, 2 across) and put 3-6 sprays of each colour in each section. While wet, either close your book or press on spare paper to create "accidental pages" for another day. Let both dry before adding other layers. Less ink used gives a spattered, white spotty look - which is fine if that's what you're after. Dyan also uses a kitchen paper roll to soak up excess ink (sometimes leaving pretty patterns in the colour). The colourful kitchen paper can be then be used for collage. Nothing need ever be wasted :)
Trust the mess - Relax and have fun - Enjoy the creativity!
The Magical Cheshire Cat - FREE Template to Colour and Paint
You may have seen the Cheshire Cat on my craft blog, A Life Less Ordinary. Inspired by the beautiful cheeky cat from Alice in Wonderland, my furry feline was painted using acrylic paints inside a friend's art journal.
Free Template For You:
I've had a few requests to draw the Cheshire Cat for colouring and using as a template, so here he is. I hope this helps you have a go at painting your own cat.
To download and print your free template:
- click the grinning cat outline;
- it should open a jpeg in a new window;
- press "print", adjusting the specifications in your printer menu if required.
- colour the page, paint the page or transfer into your journal.
To transfer into your art journal:
- the old-school way was to use a soft lead pencil (2B or 4B);
- hold the paper against the glass of a window (or a lightbox), white / back facing you;
- using a soft graphite pencil (2B or 4B) colour along all the lines you want to transfer;
- place the paper (scribble side down) over your page;
- using a hard graphite pencil (HB or 2H) trace along all the lines you want to transfer;
- lift the paper and your outline should be on your page;
- it should show enough to give you a guide for painting.
- its a good idea to practice first when trying something new :)
Tips:
When painting, don't forget to allow each layer to dry before moving along to the next layer. Then let those dry before sketching out your tree and cat. Easy to follow step-by-step instructions are at my blog, A Life Less Ordinary. Click this link to read more.
Treasures used for my Cheshire Cat:
Dylusions acrylic paint, Jane Davenport Gesso, paint brushes, watercolour pencils for sketching out the cat and coloured pencils for my initial drawings, when choosing a colour scheme. Plus you'll also need a Dylusions Art Journal :)
Background Colour List:
- After Midnight (dark blue)
- Laidback Lilac (pretty purple)
- Vibrant Turquoise
- Black Marble
- White Linen
Tree Colour List:
- Ground Coffee (dark brown)
- Melted Chocolate (medium brown)
- Dirty Martini (earthy olive green)
- Lemon Zest (bright yellow)
- Cut Grass (bright green)
Cheshire Cat Colour List:
- White Gesso
- Laidback Lilac
- Vibrant Turquoise
- Black Marble
- White Linen
If using Ink Sprays to create the background instead of paint - don't be afraid to use alot of ink. That's how those vibrant rich backgrounds by Dyan Reaveley are created. Divide your page into 6ths (3 down, 2 across) and put 3-6 sprays of each colour in each section. While wet, either close your book or press on spare paper to create "accidental pages" for another day. Let both dry before adding other layers. Less ink used gives a spattered, white spotty look - which is fine if that's what you're after. Dyan also uses a kitchen paper roll to soak up excess ink (sometimes leaving pretty patterns in the colour). The colourful kitchen paper can be then be used for collage. Nothing need ever be wasted :)
Trust the mess - Relax and have fun - Enjoy the creativity!