Daily Sketch: Colorful Kelly
Posted: February 27, 2012 Filed under: animal artwork, cats, daily sketch, kelly, senior cats, tortoiseshell cats, watercolor | Tags: cat art, cat sketches, cats, tortoiseshell cat, watercolor cat 21 Comments
Colorful Kelly, watercolor pencils © B.E. Kazmarski
So pretend the blue is black, as I discovered the set does not have a black pencil, but here is tortie Kelly sleeping on my desk. I don’t mind the blue because it’s a complement of orange, the other tortie color, even though the orange here looks like a dark red. But as long as she has the round green eyes and the big rounded ears, she’s my Kelly, and it’s a bonus that she has the little hind paw with the toes spread and the front paw curled so she can bathe it.
This is watercolor pencil again, more fun each time…if only my scanner had a better eye for blue.
The next morning…
I was unhappy with the colors in this—the blue was too purple and the orange was just too dark, no one was really seeing what I was seeing so as soon as the sun was bright enough I too the little painting outside to photograph in natural daylight. Compare for yourself and see if you can find the differences.
Colorful Kelly (same painting, photographed instead of scanned), watercolor pencil © B.E. Kazmarski
Watercolor is difficult because it’s transparent and when scanning, and even photographing, the light shines through it to the nearest opaque surface, which is the paper. Everything from ambient light in the room to anything else that’s in the shot or in the scan can influence the color balance.
And even with this, the sunlight was still too “warm” that early and the whites were a little shadowed; I could photograph it again later this afternoon and it would be different again.
Yikes! Sometimes I spend more time trying to get a good image of my little sketches than I spend actually creating them, but it’s all worth it. Colorful Kelly was very much worth all the effort since she was popular no matter the color balance, and I can see a lot of potential for her!
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Click here to see other daily sketches.
For a gallery of the ones available for sale, visit my Etsy shop in the “Daily Sketches” section.
Read about the reason for the daily sketches in The Artist’s Life: Daily Sketches.
And read about purchasing them and requesting them as a donation item for your shelter or rescue group in The Artist’s Life: Daily Sketches for Sale and Donation.
All images used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission. Please ask if you are interested in purchasing one as a print, or to use in a print or internet publication.
Go Toward the Light
Posted: February 27, 2012 Filed under: black cats, cat behavior, cat photographs, cats, daily photo, mewsette, photographs | Tags: black cats, cat after stinkbug, cat photographs, feline photographs, pet photography, photography, stinkbug 1 Comment
Mewsette gently points out the stinkbug.
I did wonder why Mewsette was staring up at…I didn’t see anything to stare at in that direction, so I just thought she was doing the old cat-staring-at-the-wall trick and I wasn’t going to fall for it.
But then she sat up and one big paw started touching the lamp and there it was. Poor helpless human me, I couldn’t see the stinkbug in all the chaos of things in my studio, but I am truly grateful to Mewsette for pointing it out to me.
And don’t forget, the next time your cat is staring intently at a spot somewhere on the wall or ceiling…they may not be playing games, but could be alerting you to the invasion of a stinkbug.
Mewsette alerts me to...something.
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To see more daily photos go to “Daily Images” in the menu and choose “All Photos” or any other category.
All images used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission. Please ask if you are interested in purchasing one as a print, or to use in a print or internet publication.
I Get Clean With a Little Help From My Friend: From a Year Ago
Posted: February 27, 2012 Filed under: black cats, cat photographs, cats, daily photo, giuseppe, jelly bean, my household of felines, photographs | Tags: black cats, cat photographs, feline photographs, pet photography, photography, two black cats Leave a comment
Let me get this behind your ear.
“Hold still, let me get this little spot behind your ear.”
All four of the siblings regularly bathe each other, as well as their mom giving them a little touch up now and then. It’s just a sweet and spontaneous action, like saying hello.
Here Giuseppe holds Jelly Bean in place to help him keep up appearances. I’m sure JB is as clean as can be, but G just has to let him know how he feels.
Of course, as often as it’s appreciated and returned in kind, it’s also turned into a wrestling match.
And you’ve seen plenty of those wrestling matches, as well as a few brotherly conversations, here on the Creative Cat!
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To see more daily photos go to “Daily Images” in the menu and choose “All Photos” or any other category.
All images used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission. Please ask if you are interested in purchasing one as a print, or to use in a print or internet publication.
Sylvester Steps Out, Update on Dorothy’s Pets
Posted: February 27, 2012 Filed under: adopting a cat, animal rescue, cats for adoption | Tags: a final wish, animal rescuer with cancer, cats, cats for adoption, dogs, dogs for adoption, dorothy's pets, pets 2 Comments
The new Sylvester!
Melanie has good news of all Dorothy’s pets as well as memorials for Dorothy herself, but the most wonderful news is the wondrous progress and change in Sylvester, the allergy-ridden cat who at last update was still hiding under the bed and resisting treatment. Dorothy would be so happy to hear what Melanie reports.
Sylvester the lap cat.
Sylvester has turned into one of the most affectionate cats I’ve ever met. He’s super snuggly, gives nose kisses, and loves to cuddle on the couch. He’s become very playful and loves those little mice and the feather toy. He’s lost a little weight and we will continue to work on that.
He’s so much happier now. He’s always purring and follows us around when we get there. He has this great meow that makes me laugh every time. He loves to play and loves to cuddle even more. He’s generous with his very strong head bonks! He also loves to rub his face on our faces and gives good nose kisses. He’s a complete lover boy. I’ll get some better photos of him once he’s all healed up and I can have his coat groomed. He’s beautiful now, but he’ll be even better once he’s all cleaned up.
Sylvester waiting for more.
Melanie adds that, while all the others of Dorothy’s pets have homes, Sylvester is still at Dorothy’s house and Melanie would really like to find a foster or adoptive home for him.
Sylvester is still living in Dorothy’s home for now. We do plan on moving him into our home. It’s been taking us a while to get prepared for him since our time has been very limited. We are trying to rearrange things in our basement to set him up in a temporary cat playpen while we introduce him to the rest of our crew.
Sylvester is ready for play.
Due to the fact that I have 14 cats and 3 dogs already in my home I am not the best home for Sylvester. He really wants to be loved on all of the time. He’s incredibly affectionate and I know that he would not get the amount of attention that he requires. He deserves much better than I will be able to offer him. I am also concerned that since he does have a flea allergy that I will not be able to prevent his exposure to fleas with so many animals here. I have never and do not have a flea problem in my home, but it’s inevitable that he would be exposed with the dogs going in and out of the house constantly. I would love to see him in a home as an only pet or with an indoor only cat friend.
The original Sylvester
Sylvester's original photo and description.
This is Sylvester. He’s approx. 5 years old. Sylvester suffers from allergic dermatitis and he had severe skin wounds when he was found. He allowed Dorothy to bathe him and bandage him. He is so patient and gentle. He really trusts Dorothy and is very close to her. He is extremely sweet, but needs time to trust someone new. I pet sat for Dorothy once while she was in the hospital. Sylvester hid most of the evening, but I woke up on the couch with him sleeping on my chest. Sylvester still has skin wounds from his allergies. Sylvester was under the care of a dermatologist at PVSEC and needs to continue care with them.
Melanie says thanks
I want to thank everyone for their supportive and kind words and donations during this time. I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate everything. I know Dorothy did her best to hang in there until she knew her pets were taken care of. That meant everything to her. I could not have done all of this without you.
I have used all of the donations that I received to care for Dorothy’s pets. They have been used to help me with Sylvester. If anyone would like to contribute to help me continue to care for Sylvester it would be more than appreciated.
http://dorothyspets.chipin.com/dorothys-pets
All the other pets and where they are
Barney and Petey are doing very well in their new homes. Their new owners are thrilled to have them as part of their families.
Lilibel and Mickey were living with Dorothy’s friend in Ohio where Dorothy was moved to in her final days. They have been found a home together with a wonderful middle aged couple that are huge cat lovers.
About Dorothy
Many of you already know, but for those of you that do not, Dorothy passed away on Friday, February 3. She is finally at peace. She was cremated and her wake is on Friday, March 2 at Bohn Funeral Home in Ambridge. Her funeral is on Saturday, March 3 at St. John Baptist Church in Baden. If anyone would like specifics, please e-mail me.
Contact Melanie
Sylvester lives in Baden, PA. If you are interested in adopting or fostering him please e-mail Melanie.
Dorothy Must Finally Let Them Go: A Final Wish
An Update on Dorothy’s Pets: A Final Wish
Chipin for Dorothy’s Pets: A Final Wish
The Creative Cat 