Need ideas....

[catnapper]

I am doing a portrait of a kitty, where she is looking over her shoulder and you see mostly her back, but she turns around to look at you. I have a ton of pictures of this cat, but none in that exact pose... so my imagination will be working overtime to get the pose just right. She's a very pretty brown tabby with orange spots, much like my Abby.

Anyhow, the reason for telling you all that, the customer wants me to make a really nice background for it. I have NO idea what to draw! Considering how icky I feel, I have no creativity to come up with a background on my own.
Two of my own pitiful ideas:
~A deep burgundy velvet curtain as her backdrop
~Have her in a window with lots of sunlight

Anyone have any ideas what would make a nice background?

Oh-- forgot to mention, I intend to do the background in watercolor pencils (you draw like a pencil, then take a wet brush and it blends things together) and make the background very soft so that your attention goes towards the kitty.

All that said, WHAT should I do for the background? He considers her to be a Princess. So it needs to be something royal and beaufitul but not complicated or overwhelming.

[Pawsitive Thinking]

How about putting kitty in a sunny garden....soft colours that show off her beauty?

Hope you feel better soon

[lvpets2002]

MMMM what about a mirrow image & meaning to look like a double take pose.. Define the mirrow with wood work & with a reflection of pot of colorfull flowers.. What do you think?

[catnapper]

Like the mirror idea! What are you trying to do? Make me do double the work?

I wonder if it would look nice to have her in full focus with strong detail and have the reflection as a watercolor wash?

Very neat idea!!!!

I'd still like ot hear other ideas!

[lvpets2002]

Nope no double work here.. Yes that sounds of the full focas with watercolor wash..

[Barbara]

In all the classical Italian portraits (like Mona Lisa) there was always landscape with a nice colour perspective- all blue in the background and green in the middle, yellow and reddish in the foreground.

I like the mirror idea too

[kuhio98]

How about sitting in the window that has lacy curtains? The scene outside the window could be blurry and muted, strong light on the kitty from the sun. The lacy curtains would add interest and shadows. I saw a photo like this once of iWON a few years ago. When I get time, I'll check to see if I can find it and add it here. Can't wait to see the finished product. Lisa

[catmandu]

JJJS IDEA,IS THAT CAT,POSE AGAIST A HUGE PILE,OF WHISKAS TEMPTATION PACKAGES.
ON SECOND THOUGHT,THE MIRROR,IS A BETTER IDEA!!