Cat commission full size!

OK folks, I just put up the previous post, and

then realized I hadn't put put a photograph that

shows you the whole painting!

Here it is! Those shadows are what attracted me

to doing this painting in the first place!

Cat commission completion!

You may recall having seen earlier posts on this painting.

They show you how I got started. You can go to those posts

for May, June and July 2010 to see them.

At one time there was a sky behind the cats, but in

discussing this with the client, she liked the idea of the

deck and plants being out there behind them.

I liked the sky idea, but now that I have done this the

way my client requested it, I am satisfied. One thing

it does which the sky didn't do....the warm yellow green

of the plants contrasts very well with the more shadowed

area where the cats are inside.

Click on the image if you want to see it larger!

It is oil on a panel and is 16" x 20".

Any ideas for a title? My client has one....

"Can we go out?"

Maybe you'll laugh

This is what I did with two cat statues from

the studio. I wanted to shoot the angle that

the cats were sitting on the oriental carpet

in order to get the angle and therefore the

perspective of the carpet, the photo of the

carpet that is!

The lengths that artists will go to for our

work!

Now and earlier in the process!

I thought you might like to see the

drawing that preceded the painting.

The painting is nearing completion,

but isn't there yet. Also, the photo

of the painting doesn't quite get the

entire shadow in, and it is definitely

there in reality!

You can see that I have changed the

background behind their heads. What

is actually there are the planks in a

deck and that just doesn't do it for me!

Cats painting in progress

This shot is slightly fuzzy, but I wanted to

show this stage of the painting before I

put in the shadow. I will glaze it after the

carpet details are in place. In the previous

post you can see the outline of the shadow.

In this shot you can barely see it, but I left

just enough so I could put it in without having

to do it over again and so I could see where what

flowers and design parts fall in the shadow area.

The other cat commission all done!

If you scroll down to a May 3rd posting, you will see the sketch

for these two buddies. Originally it was to have been 11" x 14"

but it worked out to be better at 9" x 12". I loved doing the fur

on the tiger stripped cat, and the paw and pink pads of the

other snuggle bunny (kitty!).

Let me know what you think. And maybe you'll have me

paint one of your beloved companions!

Next commission

This painting is going to be on a 16 x 20 panel.

This is the beginning sketch to work out the

position. I want those shadow shapes just right!

The flower pot may or may not be in the final

version. Have to work out what looks right.

The other big part of this is that they will be on

an oriental carpet instead of the rag rug in the

photo. A challenge!

Starting a cat commission!

This is my initial rough sketch for a portrait commission

I am doing. These two feline companions snuggled

up together often and their owner took lots of photos

of them in this type of position. But when you are

doing a painting, BOTH cats have to be visible and

in many of the photos, you could see one of them,

but not the other! So this has now become the chosen

pose.

What you see here is what I've done to work out

the pose to fit properly on the panel I will be painting.

It is 11 x 14 and it will be in oil.

Those eyes!

Here you see the two photos my friend sent to help

me get Miss Jetta's eyes as close as possible to what

they are! Quite the trio, huh?

Cat commissions in progress

This little ol' miss is Jetta. She is owned

by a dear friend of mine who has asked me

to paint Jetta's portrait as well as her other

beloved kitty who has now moved on to

catnip heaven. This painting is mostly done

except for needing more precise information

about the color of her eyes. I will be receiving

some photos in the mail and then I will do

better by Jetta whose eyes are a bit stuck on

a stare and without proper shading.

This is a small piece, 5" x 7. It is on an Ampersand

gesso panel. Very smooth to paint on, and so you

can get more detail without the weave of canvas.

Visual poetry of my cat

She's 'one with the blanket' I'd say! I have

had this photo on my screen saver for a while

and finally decided I had to paint the painting!

What wonderful curving lines, and what a pleasure

it was to draw this! This is my photo of my

cat, snoozing on the back of the sofa while

I relaxed watching a little TV!

On my studio desk

I have been trying to get just this

photo for ages. So I had a cup of

water on my studio desk and my cat

was very interested in it. Sometimes

she will do this....dip in her paw and

then lick off the water. It is quite the

operation to watch. Artful, I'd call it.

Waiting for Santa

Here she is at the window, but now in my

painting. I hope you like it and I wish

everyone of you the happiest of holiday

seasons.

"Magic Time" in progress

So I've begun this challenging piece. The

softness of the photo makes it very much so.

The whiteness of her fur will be glazed once

it is dry...a golden colored glaze to capture

the glow from the candle. I am seeking to

capture the mystery of the season, of waiting

at the window for Santa? For friends?

For another cat?

Magic Time

It snowed here today. All kinds of

beautiful! I was on the front porch

in the dark trying to make photos of

the house with Christmas lights across

the street. Then I saw my Lucy

watching me and THAT was the

photo to take. Maybe it will also

become a painting...

Posing

Ah the elegant lines of a cat. Here she is, my girl

waiting for another drip from the tub faucet.

I need to do some more paintings of her. She is

quite the poser (poseur?).

Meow!

OK, so here is my caption for this photo of my

Lucy sitting on my studio desk. "I've already

read this one."

Isn't that the look of sheer boredom?

Kitty's Breakfast

5" x 7" Oil SOLD
This little fluff-ball lived a long time ago. My
Dad took the photo which may have been in
existence long before I showed up. The light
and the intimacy of this scene is what made
me want to paint it.

Lucy Snoozing

4" x 6" Oil Sold

Lucy likes to snooze on top of my

studio desk. Mostly on the art

notebooks of my students. She

owns the place!

Shop Cat

4" x 6" Oil -$1oo.
This kitty was peacefully snoozing

on a shop counter in the most over-

stocked bead shop I have ever seen!