A New Look At Cats

Watch this.
Just do.
Watch it.
I don't care if it's 6 minutes long.
It'll be one of your best 6 minutes, I promise.
Oh, and watch out for the yodelling.

She's ok!

Hoorray! Fluffy got the all-clear! The lumps were just 'fatty lumps'. We have to keep an eye on whether they come back bigger or strangely shaped, but otherwise, it's all OK!! We're sooooooooo relieved and happy.

The poor thing had all these staples in her wound: No surprise then, that once they were removed she was singing and running about all over!

She is also getting very cheeky- this is her brother's bed, made from an old computer packing box and lined with an old quilt. We made it for him because he is so enormous we couldn't find a good one in the shops for him..... Fluffu decided that a visit to the vet gave her squatter's rights:
Never mind. Another old cover on a bench in the garden, and Scooter found a nice alternative in the sun:

I'm very happy that my little rogues have survived to purr another day!

Toe Tabby

This postcard came from a friend in Rome.

I love the way cats have no respect for things that we hold in any kind of esteem: the hard-worked flowerbed, the basket of clean washing, the best chair, the hand-embroidered bed cover that's been passed down through the family. To them it's all just a place to relax.

And here. Geography? History? Art? Nahhh..... this toe just fits my shape perfectly, thanks, and the stone makes a cool spot for my afternoon nap. Why? Was there something else?

5 minute sketch

Fluffy is actually a black cat, but it was the expression I was after. To colour it in would have spoiled it. Or put another way, I was just too chicken.

When "real" is too real

I've just realised that, even though I'm not drawing much at the moment, I still look at things with a "sketcher's eye".

Sometimes I'll see something so odd, or so perfect, I know that if I drew it, no one would believe I didn't make some of it up.

Take sunsets, for instance. The other night I watched as the sky out my back window turned into strips of orange, purple and green. There was no "blending" or "bleeding" of one colour into another. Just stripes of bold, glowing colour. If I had painted that, any viewer would have sighed and said, "Hmmm... nice colours. Wouldn't happen like that, though."

Then their companion would chuckle and say, knowingly, "No! A bit of poetic licence, there, I think!"

And yet it WAS like that!

I've experienced the same with pictures of animals. A cat picture can look alluringly tempting to draw, then I realise, hang on, where's his other leg? Tucked under his belly, of course. But it doesn't look ODD in a photo, because the brain accepts it as a true reflection of what was there. In a sketch, though, it might look like I forgot his other leg.

Photography has been around how long? Say, about 140 years, give or take? We giggle at the naivety of the Victorians for being taken in by so-called photographs of ghosts and fairies. But it was a new medium. Our brains are still set-up to accept a photo as true. But we take it further- if it isn't a photo, it might be "wrong": the sunset must be exagerated, or the sleeping cat might be missing a leg.

The cat at the top of this post is lovely, but so perfect it would be difficult to draw faithfully. With his tuxedo, tie and crooked whiskers, he looks like he's been out on the town all night. Never mind. I wanted to share him with you anyway. Hope he makes you smile.

GRACIE

Finally did it!
I thought the tabby pattern would be the biggest challenge but in the end it was the angle of the face that posed most difficulties. I did try sketching in the body too, at first, but it didn't look right at all.

What do I think? It was difficult, and I'm pleased with it. Especially as I had a lovely tabby years ago. But I don't think I've quite got the happy expression, do you? I might do some more work on that left ear... some more shading, I think.

SEBASTIAN

This cheeky puss can be viewed on the following URL:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77821827@N00/258277884/in/set-72157594351293245/

Here is my version:

There are still parts that I'd like to re-do, change slightly, touch up, etc. So I expect I shall return to this one. But I do think I caught a likeness and especially a little bit of his character. This was the most difficult so far but the most enjoyable as returning to his cheeky expression always made me smile.

Here are some step-by-step scans I took as I went along:

- First sketch, trying to get basic outline shape....

...(below) adding some tones/shade...

.........(left) realised at this point that his face was too long so I had to adjust that....

...(below) doing those eyes, and lightening up the jaw line ready for white hair....

...(left) some hair and the collar

(above)...nearly there, but what to do with the white hair on a white background? (At this stage I went out and bought coloured paper for next time. LOL!)

BOO!

I think that kittens are harder to draw for the same reason that I find children harder than adults to draw- the head proportions and feature sizes are all different. Why should this matter when you're drawing from a photo anyway? Don't know. Maybe we're used to the proportions we see in the mirror every day. Anyway, despite this, I thought this would be a good portrait to try because of the different colours in his coat.

What do I think?: I don't like this one much. I think it went flat, the eyes are looking left (how did that happen?!) and I can't do paws (yet?). But it's all good practice. If I say that I just think I chose the wrong photo, is that the same as blaming my tools? I had to decide whether or not to post the ones I'm not happy with here. I decided to. I hope to improve, that's what this is about. How will I tell if I lock away from sight the ones I found unsatisfactory?

JASMINE

This cat's breed is "Egyptian Mau". They are known for having particularly luminous eyes. As to the name, I just thought it suited.

What do I think?: I love it!

TIMMY

We took in a stray kitten and looked after him till a cat sanctuary could rehome him. The new owners called him "Timmy". This isn't him, but it looks a bit like him, hence the name for this portrait.

What do I think?:

I've sketched cats before but not in detail, not in colour and not from photo's. I have only had the confidence before to draw from other people's drawings. I'm pleased with how it came out, especially the eyes. The darkness makes it very 3D. There wasn't enough detail of his body in the photo & I don't feel able to fill that in myself. Too scared to ruin what I have. The confidence thing again!