New paintings and regular art updates.
Knock knock!
Bash the cat flap
So it rattles
Let me in!
Ouside cat
Wants in
But won’t come through
The cat flap.
I let him in..
He eats..
Then yowl!
He wants out.
No the cat flap
Is only set to open
Inwards…
I let him out
Ten minutes later..
Knock knock!
Cheeky cat!
Who owns who?
Imagined Islands, edited by Huw Lewis-Jones looks like a lot of fun. Lots of different maps by illustrators in different, fun, styles. I think it will help me get a feel for the map project I’ve got to do for college. In the meantime my cat seems to want to help me by interpreting the word ‘archipelago’….
An old drawing done in 2019. When life was comfortable, the cats were snug. I hadn’t started doing my illustration course and I was drawing for pleasure.
I’d done another challenge, a hundred days drawing challenge, I think this was done on the third day because I’ve highlighted the date in red. I don’t know which of the cats this was. It isn’t our outside cat, because he was still living outside then (now all I have to do is whistle by the back door and he comes).
Anyway this just popped up in my memories, so I thought I would share it. A happy black and white cat, asleep, with no worries.
I drew this years ago. A celtic style cat. I did a full colour acrylic painting afterwards but I don’t have a photo of that and I think my sister has it now.
I was trying to think of a subject for an illustrated map we have to do for college. I’ve been visiting a local lake recently and there is a hedge maze there. You cannot see the shape of it from the ground and it would be interesting in mapping it out, but I don’t own a drone camera! Then I thought the map might be based around ideas of the Staffordshire Hoard found in this area a few years ago. This was coins and gold sword ornaments and other pieces of treasure. I might base my map on these Saxon patterns. Then I did my original thesis on pre Christian celtic art, and that’s where the idea of a celtic cat came from.
Decisions…. What to draw…. Hmm
After a morning on college work we finally got out in the sunlight for an hour.
Instead of walking up the hill we took the car to the top, then walked around the circumference on it. We walked down, then climbed back up again. Rushing because I thought I had another lecture at 5 (it was actually 6) we managed to get back to the car and home by ten to.
My hubby encountered this charming cat, fluffy and friendly, on top of a wall in between a row of terraced houses. The cat was purring loudly and having a lovely time, it was a shame he had to leave it as we walked on up the hill. We only managed a couple of miles, but it was great to escape for a while.
Unblinking, bright eyed.
She knows what she wants..
Love
Food
Safety.
She will stare
And stare
Hypnotically
Till she melts your heart.
What do you want?
You ask, gently..
She stands,
Stretches
Reaches out her paws
Puts her paws on your knees
And claws holes in them!
Our outside cat really does seem to appreciate us. Often he puts out his paw and touches me as if he is confirming to himself that I am real, that I exist. It is somehow a gesture of reassurance. Trust, acceptance. I feel so privileged that he seems to know we care about him.
This photo was just taken. He wants to sit between us on the armchair arms. My hubby pats the cushion on the arms and he jumps up. He’s now resting his head on the arm. Soon he will be asleep.
My indoor cats still get attention, I see the look of love in their faces, slightly closing their eyes in a look of pleasure, but I guess our outdoor cat needs that extra bit of care. He was rejected and abandoned by his previous owners and its taken about three years to get him in and really gain his trust. We love him.
Come on cat
Come on in
It’s blowing a gale
And raining hail
A storm is coming
And you’re outside
I’ve called your name
But instead you hide!
Come on in cat
Don’t be shy
There’s food here for you
Through the storm, fly
Run in now
Listen to my call
Don’t stay out
Through the heavy rain fall!
Come in
Be comfy
Stay a while
Be warm and happy
Prodigal feline in style.
A couple of observational drawings from the last couple of days. Both using coloured pencils but the one with black was drawn with a little black ink roller you use to blot out addresses, then colour added on top.
Ive used the ink roller a few times. By tipping it on its edge I’m able to make rough thin marks, and varied pressure means I can change the tone slightly.
Doodle in ArtRage oils. I haven’t used it for a while but I don’t want to forget how to use it. I might try and make it more interesting… As it is he looks like a slightly sad character. Trying to appeal to the caring side of me…..
Mallaband-Brown