Tote that Cat!

New on www.TheIllustratedCat.com !! Just introduced a fabulous new tote bag. I carry mine as a purse and use it when traveling. Might make the purr-fect Christmas or Holiday gift for someone special. Six totes available - all with reproductions of my colored pencil cat portraits.

Wear a Cat!

New in the line of The Illustrated Cat... pendants! handcrafted.... Made from reduced images of my colored pencil art. They are kinda' fun. For sale on the website - all six portraits, but just one photo posted at the moment. www.TheIllustratedCat.com

Neglectful

I have not managed to keep up. Goodness, what an embarrassment. Between normal demands and launching the card line, things have gotten away! This is a photo from the NYC Gift Show!

New Post Card

What 'cha think? This is a new 5"x7" postcard for sending or framing. Thinking about doing a series with all 6 cats.....

New Line of Stationery!

Wow... it's a been a little while but I have been busy launching a line of illustrated note cards. Showed at the Atlanta Gift Mart in January and it's been busy since then.

Now I have launched the consumer site that has my note cards, Purrfect Occasions notes and pre-matted prints. There's more to come! Please visit...
www.TheIllustratedCat.com

All those little kitties were done in colored pencil. Someone at the trade show said I needed 40 of them. I said, fine, I'll be back in two years. Not.

Silver Jewelry

Explorations! I took reduced images of the colored pencil cat portraits I did, and made silver solder pendants (lead-free!). Long chains. Crazy, but they make the best clinking sound.

Blue Eyes

And this one, with beautiful blue eyes. Technique is somewhat different when doing a cat with long hair. I think I'll treat myself to more colored pencils for Christmas!

And Marmalade again

And here is the colored pencil version. We call her "Tub". She's a real wide-body but sweet.

And then there's Marmalade

And one more. Marmalade. We call her Tub. And this is so on the mark. Perpetually annoyed.

Can I Brag?

My son has taken off for freshman year in college, majoring in photography. I try to paint them, but he sure can photograph them. This is our family pet (one of 8) Mattie, a chocolate standard poodle. Just wanted to show off his work.

A short absence

Goodness, I have been remiss in posting. All is not lost! Just a busy time of year lately. Mostly getting the son launched off to college for his freshman year. So lots of time shopping, organizing, soaking up what time was left. And then packing, hauling, playing decorator, and all.

Thanks for checking in!

Lady in White

Another 'feline portrait' on drafting film.

Cooper

Cooper - cocker spaniel best bud belonging to a friend and master art framer. Pastel on Wallis.

All Tuned Up

All finished! This was a delightful challenge with all the old patina. It was presented a the big birthday party bash, as a surprise commissioned gift.

More tuning

Here is the next stage in the guitar. Actually I have finished it, but have not downloaded the photo from the camera.

Here's a close-up.

Favorite Tunes

Back into some serious realism. Feels good. Special commission as a surprise for a professional musician... his favorite old guitar. And I mean this thing is worn and used. I bet it has a great history, as I know this man has played all over the world. Stay 'tuned' for more...

Tribal

And one more... 12" x 12" with one-inch squares. Fabric on canvas.

Blue Maze

Here is one more, newly completed. It's 38 x 38" with about 381 squares of fabric. Again, much of the fun is planning the interlocking sqaures and symmetry. By the way, these are on canvas...

The Garden

I am thinking fabric again... this is an old one but I am getting my head back into the process. It's like designing and painting with patterns on cloth. I can't begin to tell you how many fabric samples are in this - I do know there are about 400 2-inch squares. The fun was in the planning, working with value, and getting cascades of flowers breaking out of the grids.

Colt Peacemaker

9 x 12" Colt Peacemaker in Pastel. Did this because I just love the metal and because my husband produces shooting sports television. This is a nickel-plated special order pair at about $5,000. Holster with sterling silver conchos.

Such a Pretty Girl

9 x 12 pastel, but cropped in a bit. Looser. Too much in between. Not tight, like really tight; and not loose.

Pint Size

Just a baby... and a cutie to boot. 8.5" x 11" in colored pencil on drafting film, once again. I just cannot resist doing cat eyes.

Cat in the Sun

Time to loosen it up a bit with pastels. 9"x12" and much looser than recent paintings. This is "Mom Cat" under the dining room table.

It's the Eyes

Well, I just can't seem to get off this theme at the moment. It's partly because I have 'artist's block'. But this process is so enjoyable, and that's part of the point, isn't it?

Colored pencil on drafting film, 8.5 x 11".

Tabby

I am happy with this one! Another with colored pencil on drafting film. This is incredibly fun to do. I do believe it is a million hairs. 8.5" x 11"

Such a Baby

Such a fuzzy guy. Wanted to try another one on drafting film. This one about 7" x 7" in colored pencil. Photo came out a bit intense and contrasty, but there are a lot of colors used in the hair.

Tiny Tiny

It's been a while, heh?
Tiny little orange in gouache. 3 1/2 inches square. Last one I did was 40". This was easier.

Pony Shed

I wanted to do something looser in pastel. This is 11" x 21" and is an old shed in some nearby woods. I see, now, the photo posted is too dark where some of the inner shed does not show detail. I'll fix that tomorrow.

Christmas Jewel

Small pastel at 4" x 6" for holiday Small Treasures show.

Among the Flowers

Floral overload! I had this idea that I would just go 'all out' with flowers on flowers. That last 6 square inches was a bear to finish.

16" x 17" in Pastel.

All Done!

I think I am finished. What fun! Totally different experience working on the drafting film. Would not work for all subject matter, but wonderful for fur.

New materials and technique WIP

Been reading about using colored pencils on drafting film. Whoa! It's like butter... This is 9" x9" and is a WIP. Just thought I would share.

The surface is divine.