How to Paint a fluffy wet on wet black cat with watercolor and sumi ink in REAL TIME!

In this tutorial you can watch me watercolour paint Sadie, my black long haired black cat with sumi ink and black paint with the wet in wet technique I fell in love with after seeing the cats of Yutaka Murakami.
Be sure to check out my friend Agnes Bodor's channel at / @watercolorwithbodorka...
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Be sure to watch some of my other popular videos, including....
What Brushes I use...
• What brushes to use fo...
What I've learned in the last few years
• What I've learned in t...
My 'Watercolor Basics' Playlist - • Watercolor Basics Seri...
My 'How to Paint Black Animals' Playlist
• Black Animals
Full Length, Patreon Style Black Cat Tutorial with Traceable, Free to the Public!
• How to Paint a Wet in ...
My favorite supplies(contain affiliate links and I make a small commission when you purchase something):
Samsung Galaxy - I use a Galaxy to film most of my videos! amzn.to/2IBXL5Y
Epson Surecolor P900 Printer - amzn.to/2UoSvFs
Epson Velvet Paper - (paper I use for prints) amzn.to/2K3eNKV
Arches Cold Press 140 lb amzn.to/3nn9wML
Daniel Smith Moonglow Paint - amzn.to/38V6ITh
Daniel Smith Green Apatite Genuine - amzn.to/3pw98xd
Winsor & Newton Ultramarine Blue - amzn.to/36ydfjT
Winsor & Newton Lamp Black - amzn.to/38Gmwc7
Winsor & Newton Cobalt - amzn.to/38HAlak
M Graham Naphthol Red - amzn.to/35vBVdp
Holbein Aureolin - amzn.to/36CujoU
Silver Black Velvet Set of 3 Brushes - amzn.to/3nlDSPG
Tombow Fudenosuke Calligraphy Pen - amzn.to/3kq5Acc
3M Micropore Medical Tape - amzn.to/32G8HGL
White Watson Paper - amzn.to/36EwOqy
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[@docpixeldesignphotography1740]

I agree with you on the lamp black. I use that a lot.

[@mikartmilo]

Love this, great technique ❤ 💪

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

Thank you!

[@user-xh8nc3go5w]

Очень красиво! Котик прекрасный! Обожаю акварельные работы! Спасибо за творчество!

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

Thank you so much!

[@libellula3313]

Thanks great tutorial. I had a long haired black cat, in summer he looked very brown. In winter he used to impersonate Russian hats!

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

I bet he was beautiful!

[@shastabellagirl1435]

Best thing I’ve heard all day……’yay me for having a go’ That’s half my problem some days, getting stuck in the mind set of I can’t do it so don’t try. Thanks for a great video xx

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

Thank you and keep painting!

[@mkernsuzuki7962]

My cat also has the name Sadie and looks so much like your kitty! She is almost 19yrs and I want to immortalize her... 💞💖. I have a beautiful photo I'd like to turn into a watercolor. I will try some of your techniques with Sumi!

[@izzyjones7108]

What a pretty kitty!!

[@izzyjones7108]

The eyes are so lifelike and the whiskers are great

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

Thank you so much!

[@adriannabcustomfurniture]

🖤😂 the Dirty Dancing reference 😂🖤 I also know your little fur baby is over the rainbow bridge. I missed this video somehow, but I just want to say I know how much it sucks. I had to put down my last little fur baby back in September. After his sister passed away (she was an attention...you know the word haha), him and I got even closer and both of them were my mental support buddies. This came out beautiful and now I have to try to paint my two babies in this ink. Thank you for sharing this technique! It's stunning! 🖤

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

Thank you so much and I'm so sorry for your loss too - it's so hard to lose our best little friends!

[@wendygorecki6984]

Rachel , come to San Antonio and stay with me! We'll have watercolor bootcamp!!

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

I've hear amazing things about San Antonio!

[@NicoleRoy-Artist]

Oooohhhh....I so loved and enjoyed this, Rachel....love it!...XOXO HUGZ

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

Thank you so much!

[@NamSangs]

it's so nice tutorial!!

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

Glad you think so!

[@RoxiDLiteRoxiDlite]

Omg! That’s a Chantilly Tiffany cat. They are very rare. I have one her name is Fifi. We love her very much.

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

Oh I've never heard of that! Interesting! I always knew Sadie was special but now you've given me proof : )

[@RoxiDLiteRoxiDlite]

@@rachelsstudiodotcom Yes definitely look up her breed. They are very rare. We just lost our lovable Fifi Litterbottom to kidney failure and Im just devastated. Does Sadie make cute little chirps and trills instead of meows? Does she have minimal shedding to no shedding? If so you most likely have a Chantilly-Tiffany.

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

@@RoxiDLiteRoxiDlite Aw I'm so sorry to hear about Fifi! Sadie doesn't have any of those characteristics - I found her in a park as a very young kitten so I doubt she has any special breeding to speak of. Just don't tell her that.

[@candykelly2705]

Thank you so much for this long tutorial. I too have been experimenting with my cat paintings. Still haven't gotten one I like. Curses! As for Sadie, I guess a girl can only take the lime-light for a short time before she becomes snippy. lol. I used to dip my cat's paws into watercolor paper and have him walk across w/c paper. I cleaned his paws off afterwards of course.

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

Haha - cute to have your cat become a technique in your artistic process : )

[@watercolorwithbodorka3464]

Going well! Ink is so hard...

[@karenhoward303]

You can click on the 3 dots upper right also and speed up our slow it down

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

Good tip!

[@rejanebatista1984]

Maravilhoso!

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

Thank you Rejane!

[@marymccaslin1690]

Okay, since your Sadies is my Alex’s twin, I observed a couple things...it looks like you’ve changed her eyes from green to gold, and her whiskers from black to white! I’ve never been able to paint my guy correctly, but wondered what your thinking was on these two choices?

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

Those are really good questions! I didn't even think about it, and in this painting her whiskers are white against her black fur and black against the white background, so I did that so the viewer can see them. I think I was afraid bright green eyes would call too much attention to her eyes and I wanted them to be quieter and not steal the show as much.

[@dianedejager9632]

This photo of Sadie is so close to the photo I am about to begin painting, I just about couldn't believe it. My cat also has a lot of brown through out her fur, like I see of your cat in your video's, and I want to capture that, but am very unsure of what colors to use. Any tips please?

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

Burnt Sienna mixed with ultramarine blue. More blue to get black, more sienna to get brown

[@Bearwithme560]

Seeing all the paintings of Sadie scattered about at the beginning was hugely reassuring. It points out the need to persist in the face of frustration, and that even experts don't get it "right" on the first, or even fifth attempt. In my frugal mind l hate "wasting" paper. Question: would this work without the ink, substituting just watercolour? TIA.

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

Yes I have to practice these wet in wet techniques a lot! But yes, I've painted in this style using Daniel Smith Lamp Black too

[@Bearwithme560]

@@rachelsstudiodotcom One thing l discovered is that before scrapping abject failures, l learn a lot if l try to redeem them by experimenting with lifting and various other techniques, to the point that a few were actually passable (to the untutored eye anyway, lol). And because my expectations are so low, l can have fun. I've also noticed that my first attempts when l wasn't even trying are better than the subsequent earnest attempts, which is annoying. Thanks, and subscribed :)

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

@@Bearwithme560 I just made that point at length in my latest black bunny tutorial - failed paintings give you the opportunity to go wild with experimentation!

[@Bearwithme560]

What serendipity! I checked out your bunny painting and was lead to your cat's eye video, and eyes in general which is precisely what l've been struggling with for weeks. Also your "permission" to trace: "you can always learn to draw while painting, but you can't learn to paint while drawing". I feel like l found a missing puzzle piece... or an easter egg.

[@pippa.artstudio6072]

Hi Rachel! I love this and it turned out so great!! I love all of your experiments and your lovely fun personality! I’m on a mission with this furring as well. I just love love love it 😍 although I’m not as brave as you or Bdorka yet lol 😂

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

It just takes a lot of practice!

[@pippa.artstudio6072]

@@rachelsstudiodotcom yes I have a lot of blob paintings so far! 😂 I mean, blobs with eyes 👀 so they are still cute.

[@docpixeldesignphotography1740]

Rachel, have you tried water soluble black ink? I'm curious how it would compare to the sumi ink.

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

Me too! I need to add that to the list of things to try.

[@janetgoldstein7597]

I just love your technique. Would I be able to work with 300 lb. paper? I am worried with lighter paper, the buckling will cause problems

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

I've never done this technique on 300 lb, but I would guess it would work!

[@brenmatthews8491]

I have been wanting to create a real time video of my paintings and I have just been using my phone to film But I don’t have enough storage to complete a painting. What do you use to record yours?

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

I use my Samsung Galaxy S8 and I bought extra storage for it. I also buy amzn.to/3tZUYpe and I have to buy about 2-3 of those a year because of all the footage I have and I never want to lose any of it!

[@bonniemosesart]

Did you dip your brush and soap? Is that what I heard you say?

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

Yes, scrub in soap to protect your brush bristles

[@manducky4563]

Hello Rachel. What is the masking fluid used to paint whickers?

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

I use WInsor & Newton removable masking

[@user-dq2et7rm9f]

Do you show how to do a white cat?

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

I have a tutorial on a white cat on my Patreon

[@luizacastro9992]

What is fluid watercolor paper? Is it different of cold press or hot press watercolor paper? I loved your paintings, you're very talent.

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

Fluid is a brand of paper I get on Amazon. I get the cold press.

[@luizacastro9992]

@@rachelsstudiodotcom ahhh thanks. =)

[@traekas7228]

Rachel, hi. Question. Do you paint using a photograph as model? Or do you paint from a live model?

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

I always paint from a photo.

[@tbm7187]

He's so cute! What are you using for a scrubber?

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

Royal and Langnickel make scrubbers. I like their small stiff one.

[@carolinewithers1647]

I am trying to paint a cat that has light tawny whiskers. What is your strategy for this? Her ears also have long tufts of these light tawny hairs too. It's so much a part of her personality I'd hate to use white.

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

You could mix a tiny bit of burnt sienna into white gouache

[@carolinewithers1647]

Would you do this color first or last? Mask the area then go back in and paint it?

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

@@carolinewithers1647 I would not both mask the whiskers and use gouache. If you use the gouache, use it as the last finishing detail

[@carolinewithers1647]

@@rachelsstudiodotcom Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my question!!

[@CutestHeidi]

Soap is the masking fluid?

[@rachelsstudiodotcom]

No, I soap up my brush and that protects my bristles when I dip it in masking.