Drawing · 2026
Reaching for the Stars
“Reaching for the Stars” is a drawing by Slava Romanenko about a cat from Earth that seems to push away from the planet and rise into space, stretching its paws towards the stars. The cat’s movement and gaze pass through a small star and continue towards the Sun — the great star beyond it.
| Artist | Slava Romanenko |
| Year | 2026 |
| Medium | Coloured pencils |
| Support | Paper |
| Format | A4 |
Idea and composition
About the work
At the centre of the drawing is a cat from Earth that wants to fulfil its dream of reaching the stars. The figure does not feel still: the cat seems to push away from the planet, rise into space and stretch its paws towards a small star.
Slava deliberately organised the composition around a triangular structure. Earth forms its lower anchor, while the cat and the celestial forms carry the movement upwards. Within this structure, the cat’s paws and gaze follow the same line: through the small star and onwards towards the Sun. The separate elements therefore become one continuous ascent from Earth to the stars.
A personal detail
What Slava likes most
What Slava likes most about this drawing is the texture he created for the Sun by combining several coloured pencils.
Movement, composition and texture
Details
The close-up images reveal three important aspects of the drawing: the cat’s upward movement from Earth, the rising direction through the small star towards the Sun, and the texture of the great star created with several coloured pencils.
Idea, composition and technique
Making the work
Three decisions that shape the drawing.
01
The character and his dream
A cat flying towards the stars
The main character is a cat from Earth that wants to reach the stars and make its dream come true. In the drawing, it seems to push away from the planet, rise upwards and stretch its paws towards a small star.
02
An ascending composition
From Earth, through a star, to the Sun
While working, Slava deliberately used a triangular structure. Earth became the lower point of the composition, while the cat appears to push away from it and rise towards the stars. The direction of its paws and gaze passes through the small star and continues towards the Sun — the great star beyond it.
03
Working with the medium
Building the Sun’s texture with colour
Slava made the drawing at home on an A4 sheet. He used several coloured pencils, combining different colours and marks in the celestial forms. He is especially pleased with the texture of the Sun, built through layered colour and pencil strokes.