Birdwatcher

This is Max, subject of this week's DPW Challenge.  He is a handsome tuxedo cat, but the challenge is to use values to paint Max with different colors.  My first attempt is with blues and purples, but I may try other colors to attempt this challenge as well.  Thanks, Patti Vincent, for the challenge!

Day 12 - Marsh Dawn Sketch

Marsh Dawn, 5"x7", Watercolor on paper

Just a quick sketch with pretty colors.  I have a hard time waiting for it to dry so I can put in detail!

Day 11 - Wild and Crazy!

Wild and Crazy , 7"x5", watercolor on paper

I've been trying to complete the camellia I shared the other day, and it is finally DONE!  But now, I'm cutting loose with this one - painted in watercolor, almost entirely with a palette knife!  And I did it from memory, without the reference photo, so I could be really loose!  So here it is!

Day 7 - Glamour Girl

Been working on this lady on and off for two months!  Now she's nearly finished, just a few more tweaks, but I need to finish in the next day or two.  Enjoy!

Day 6 - Another Paint Pony

Paint Pony 14-2, 7"x5", Watercolor on Paper

Day 5 - Paint Pony

Paint Pony, 7'x5", watercolor on paper

I've painted him before, and I know I will again!

Day 4 - Sebastian

Sebastian, 7"x5", Watercolor on Paper

This kitty's mom wound up in the shelter when her owner discerned that she was probably pregnant (Hmmm, how'd that happen?).  I have a friend that does Siamese Cat Rescue and I notified her and asked if she could save her if I pulled her.  She said yes, but she couldn't pick her up for a couple of days.  So I fostered her.  And then we bonded.  Two weeks later, she presented me with a healthy litter of five gorgeous kittens.  This guy was the runt.  Although I managed to place three of the kittens, this one and his sister, Belle, stayed with me.  They are always entertaining, except when they are chewing the pulls off of the blinds.  This one is a really goofy lover boy, and loves to be held and cuddled like a baby!

Day 3 - Miss Moo

Miss Moo, 7"x5", watercolor on 140# paper

Miss Moo is the cat of a friend of mine - fostered as a kitten, and then kept.  She is one of the 'guard cats' that watch over the family while they sleep.  Hurray for foster failures!
Most watercolor artists will tell you that black and white are the hardest to paint 'by the rules' which are - no pure black paint - you have to get it by mixing other colors, and no white paint - the whites have to be the white of the paper.  I follow the no black paint rule most of the time, but the white rule is much harder.  I decided a while back that it isn't worth my time to stress on that one - now I use white gouache or casein when I need to.  That gives me much more flexibility when I am doing a quick painting like this one.  I don't think Miss Moo minds at all!

Day 2 - Shop Dog

Shop Dog, 7"x5", Watercolor on Paper

This is 'Shop Dog' who was an inmate over a year ago in NC.  I was taken by his perky ears, so I read his story.  Apparently he had been living in a store, but when the owner had to close the store, he left the dog behind.  Another shopkeeper in the retail place noticed him, fed him, and then called animal control so the dog could be properly taken care of.  But the shopkeeper kept an eye out for him on the  AC Facebook page, and when his time was up, the shopkeeper adopted 'Shop Dog'!  So happy ending!

I'm afraid his face is a little more squished in this 7"x5" format - he has a big square head, and for this view, I probably should have used a square paper.  But I love this guy's look, and I'll probably do him again!

30 in 30 Challenge - Day 1 - Chi-Chi, Shelter Pet

Chi-Chi, Shelter Pet, 7"x5", Watercolor

Look at those big eyes!  This was a shelter pet photo I couldn't resist!  I don't know what happened to Chi-Chi, but sometimes sharing these adorable photos does the trick and gets them adopted.  

All paintings I do of shelter pets for January 2014's "30 paintings in 30 days" Challenge will go to help support shelter pets.