How to Build a Cat!!!

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

Not a Mechanical Cat

Or a Wooden Cat 

But 

A Real Live Cat!!

With thick, fluffy fur 

in Watercolour.

China Blue - 5 x 7 - Watercolour  $130

Working with the 30 Day Challenge has really got me working!!  My specialty is animals in graphite, don't get me wrong, I still love my graphite. However, many students I work with want to improve their drawing to paint better. I felt to really help them, I needed to paint too!!  China Blue was my first step.  Using Phallo Blue (Red Shade) I build my cat.  Well, my neighbour's cat.  He was very nice to pose for me in many wonderful poses!!

How to Build a Cat: 

Step 1.  Have a good photo that shows nice lights and darks to define the cat.

Step 2.  Make a light outline drawing of the cat marking in a few reference points: eyes, nose, important junctions.

Step 3.  Prepare a light wash and paint it over the whole cat, saving your whites.  Indicate some fur bits on edges where it really fluffs out. (On China Blue it would be on the right side)

Step 4.  Put a light wash over all the areas that are a mid tone and dark tone.  This begins to build the planes that define the cat.  

A close up of China, showing the build up of layers

Step 5. Take another light wash and build up the mid tone areas.  Always watching how much of the area is midtone and how much is darker.  Each layer should be getting smaller as you move out of the midtones into the darker ones. 

Step 6.  Repeat Step 5 as needed.  Don't fiddle, test your colour first and go for it.  

Step 7. Paint the darkest areas.  

Step 8.  Paint the whiskers. (I used a bleed proof white watercolour.)

I worked each layer wet onto dry which gave me some sharper edges, when I was finished I took a wet brush and painted over the cat to soften the edges but still leave them visible.  You can also work the layers wet into wet which give a move blended sculpture of the cat.  

Very important to step back and look at your picture, I guarantee half way through you will want to chuck it!!  But keep building your layers and stepping back, you will be amazed as it all comes together.  

Tomorrow will be the last day of the 30 Day Challenge - see my Pictures on my 30 Day Page and follow the link to vote on the pictures.  You get 3 votes for each day of pictures so save one for mine!!!

 Artists, my all day Marketing Workshop is set for Sunday, February 22, 2015, 10-3pm.  Build your Marketing Skills to become an Independent Artist on your terms.  See  Marketing Page for more  Information.  Registration. Extra Marketing Session Added - Sunday, March 8, 10-3pm.  

Don't live in the Fraser Valley?  I am available for presentations to your art group or come and stay, I have a special workshop Bed and Breakfast rate.  Just email for info. 

Contact Wendy to purchase any of my Work.  Collectors enjoy a 10% discount on all original work.

What happens when you are flushed with Success?!!

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

You do the research

Make a plan

Set to work

and 

Voila  - It Worked!!

On the Ridge - 2 x 3.5 inches - Graphite

My adventure with miniatures made with graphite have really given me lots of new ideas.  Up until now my miniature work has been based in ink and watercolour using special brushes and fine tip pens to develop my image.  I love to draw but I didn't feel I could draw a miniature because my tools seemed too large!!

But after my first drawing, "On the Watch" (see last post) turned out so well I just had to try more.  So many "what if's" popped into my head!

What if . . . the picture was smaller

. . .the whole body was drawn

. . .more of the environment was there

. . the format changed

So flushed with success, "On the Ridge"  was created!!

Lots is happening: 

I have taken on the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge with a fellow blogger, Sea Dean.  She has set up a great site for artists to post their pictures and anyone can vote on their favourites.  We are already at Day 22, where did the time go!!   I have put a page on my blog for all my challenge pictures, you will see it on my header.

Also, Artists, my all day Marketing Workshop is set for Sunday, February 22, 2015, 10-3pm.  Build your Marketing Skills to become an Independent Artist on your terms.  See  Marketing Page for more  Information &  Registration. Only 2 spots left. 

Don't live in the Fraser Valley?  I am available for presentations to your art group or come and stay, I have a special workshop Bed and Breakfast rate.  Just email for info. 

And you thought January was a slow month!??  Have a good day. 

Contact Wendy to purchase any of my Work.  Collectors enjoy a 10% discount on all original work.

Does Size Affect the Message?

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

Does Large mean Great?

. . . Small mean Secondary?

Is Appreciation affected by Size?

Miniature Art is something I really enjoy.  It is intimate  . . Draws you in . . .Invites close inspection. 

But does it celebrate "Greatness"?  Convey the Message??

For me it does, I am drawn to little things, what about you?

On the Watch - 1.75 x 4 inches. - $95

My drawing On the Watch of the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep had 2 goals: project the quiet majesty of the this male sheep as he stands watch;  And do this with one of my tiniest drawing ever!!

I was very lucky to get my shots of this bighorn sheep.  We were heading back to the coast in September after camping at Adams Lake.  As we came down throught the mountains at Spencer's Bridge we saw a small herd of the bighorn sheep near the road.  This herd was a group of transplanted Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep.   A real find for me!!

Lots is happening: 

I have taken on the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge with a fellow blogger, Sea Dean.  She has set up a great site for artists to post their pictures and anyone can vote on their favourites.   I am a little behind, starting on Day 8 but getting into the swing.   You have 3 votes for each day's paintings so click over and start voting.  I have also put a page on my blog for the challenge pictures, you will see it on my header.

Also, Artists, my all day Marketing Workshop is set for Sunday, February 22, 2015, 10-3pm.  Build your Marketing Skills to become an Independent Artist on your terms.  See my Marketing Page for more Marketing information and Workshop Registration. Only 3 spots left. 

Don't live in the Fraser Valley?  I am available for presentations to your art group or come and stay, I have a special workshop Bed and Breakfast rate.  Just give me a call. 

And you thought January was a slow month!??  Have a good day. 

Contact Wendy to purchase any of my Work.  Collectors enjoy a 10% discount on all original work.

Can we talk about spring in the middle of winter??

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY?

No, I am not a snowbird

 in some warm and sandy place!

But do we have to say 'Snow' 

and use words like '20 Below'?

Here on the South West Coast of Canada, we have a secret environment! 

Green grass, sunny, and 12 degrees! 

However, tomorrow we could be back to dark, dreary rain!! or gray with cold, wet snow!!

So let's enjoy the moment!!

The Sleeping Princess - 5.5 x 7.5 - Watercolour  

The Sleeping Princess is all about those wonderful winter days.  

Steve and I go to the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island for Christmas quite often. (We have a lots of family there.)  One of our favourite things is to walk on the Dyke Road beside the marshland between Courtenay and Comox.  It is a glorious sight!! In the winter it is full of bird life, resident birds and migratory birds.  Over looking the valley is the Sleeping Princess, a glacier, covered with glistening snow.  Below the glacier everything has a green orange glow from the firs and leafless trees. It is often hard to tell the season!!  But yes, it can look like this in mid winter in Canada!!

The Sleeping Princess was one of my Christmas Commission for someone that misses the valley.  I was really pleased to provide that sparkle for them.  It made me a little homesick just painting the picture!!

Lots is happening: 

I have taken on the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge with a fellow blogger, Sea Dean.  She has set up a great site for artists to post their pictures and anyone can vote on their favourites.   I am a little behind, starting on Day 8 but getting into the swing.   You have 3 votes for each day's paintings so click over and start voting.  I have also put a page on my blog for the challenge pictures, you will see it on my header, with all my entries.

Also, Artists, my all day Marketing Workshop is set for Sunday, February 22, 2015, 10-3pm.  Build your Marketing Skills to become an Independent Artist on your terms.  See my Marketing Page for more Marketing information and Workshop Registration. 

Don't live in the Fraser Valley?  I am available for presentations to your art group or come and stay, I have a special workshop Bed and Breakfast rate.  Just give me a call. 

And you thought January was a slow month!??  Have a good day. 

Contact Wendy to purchase any of my Work.  Collectors enjoy a 10% discount on all original work.

Ringing in the New Year with Maggie!!

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

 Old and New

baby and adult

a Good Fit - For New Years!!

Maggie - 5.5 x 7.5 - Graphite

Maggie as a baby, only 6 weeks old in this picture.  No, still with her mother but already has a new home waiting.  Soooooo cute and cuddly. 

Flash forward to now. . . .

 Full grown, 8 years old.  

A much loved dog, and great family companion.  I was thrilled to have the opportunity to draw her.  The owners picked their favourite pictures and my challenge was to make them work.  I use Photoshop to manipulate the pictures.  I don't know all it secrets but I can move things around and it allows me to give my clients a sense of where the drawing is going.  It took several trial layouts and a few emails but when I put this one together I know I had found the right combination.  

We were both thrilled with the results!!

I want to Wish You all the best for the New Year!!

Special note to Artists: 

February is Marketing Month for Artists!!

My all day Marketing Workshop is set for Sunday, February 22, 2015.  Build your Marketing Skills to become an Independent Artist on your terms.  See my Marketing Page for more Marketing information and Workshop Registration. 

Don't live in the Fraser Valley?  I am available for presentations to your art group, give me a call.

Contact Wendy to purchase any of my Work.  Collectors enjoy a 10% discount on all original work.