Daily Sketch: Resting, Spring Afternoon
Posted: April 19, 2012 Filed under: animal artwork, black cats, cats, daily sketch, giuseppe, mr. sunshine, watercolor | Tags: black cat, cat art, cat sketches, cats, colorful cats, two black cats, two cats 3 Comments
Resting, Spring Afternoon, watercolor pencil © B.E. Kazmarski
Hmmm, testing some new/old watercolor pencils found in a box of stuff, not sure but they might be ready to retire. These weren’t quite the colors I was expecting, some blended nicely, others ended up with a lot of scribbling.
Nice composition, though, always nice when Giuseppe and Mr. Sunshine settle together to look out the window and watch the birds on a spring afternoon.
Maybe I like it in black and white. This way you can see the underlying sketch, the tones intended to create the shapes, and the overall composition.
Same as above, converted to grayscale in PhotoShop.
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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.
Mewsette the Big Little Sister: 2011
Posted: March 24, 2012 Filed under: black cats, cat behavior, cat photographs, cats, cookie, daily photo, feline affection, mewsette, my household of felines, photographs, senior cats, tortoiseshell cats | Tags: black cat, cat photographs, feline photographs, pet photography, photography, tortoiseshell cat, two cats 2 Comments
Cookie and Mewsette
A sweet one from last year…
Mewsette always makes these little overtures to Cookie, and you can see by Cookie’s reaction that it’s not well-received. You can also see that Mewsette is easily twice as big as Cookie and can take a beating from a sometimes fussy senior tortie girl. Mewsette apparently loves her little big sister, and perhaps some day Cookie will learn to appreciate her big little sister.
Cookie doesn’t know, but Mewsette curls up next to her on the bed after Cookie has fallen asleep, and Cookie certainly appreciates Mewsette’s warmth, even if she’s not awake to know it.
Here are a few images of Mewsette keeping watch over Cookie as she slept: Big and Little Sisters and Copy Cats, and cuddling with her when she wasn’t feeling well: A Loyal Sister and Cookie Says Thank You. Cookie did grow to appreciate big, warm, soft Mewsette, as seen in Cookie’s Blessing.
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Unless I have linked the photo to something else, which is rare with daily photos, you can click the photo to see a larger version. I save them at 1000 pixels maximum dimension, and at that size the photos are nearly twice the dimension and you can see more detail in many of the photos I post. Please remember if you download or share, my name and the link back to the original photo should always appear with it.
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.
Listening to Mom
Posted: March 21, 2012 Filed under: black cats, cat photographs, cats, daily photo, giuseppe, mimi, photographs | Tags: black cat, cat photographs, cats, feline photographs, pet photography, photography, two black cats, two cats 5 Comments
Giuseppe attentively listens to Mimi.
Giuseppe is resting but attentive when he and Mimi were resting together in the sun on the landing. I know they were communicating very deeply, and Giuseppe’s golden eyes were glowing as he calmly listened. Was she telling stories of life on the streets? Telling him about his daddy cat? Perhaps giving him tips on how to further woo Mademoiselle Daisy Emerald Marguerite? Perhaps the relative flavor of chipmunk versus field mouse?
Not for me to know, I suppose, silly human that I am, outnumbered and outwitted daily by the wisdom of cats.
So many lovely photos today I had a truly difficult time choosing. I think I’ll cheat and use a few others on other days.
And unless I have linked the photo to something else, which is rare with daily photos, you can click the photo to see a larger version. I save them at 1000 pixels maximum dimension, and at that level you can see more detail in many of the photos I post. Please remember if you download or share, my name and the link back to the original photo should always appear with it.
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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.
Daily Sketch: Contrast Couple
Posted: March 20, 2012 Filed under: animal artwork, black cats, cats, daily sketch, jelly bean, mimi | Tags: black cat, cat art, cat sketches, cats, charcoal sketch of cat, two cats, two cats in sun Leave a comment
Contrast Couple, charcoal pencil © B.E. Kazmarski
Jelly Bean and Mimi hang out in the sun on the counter by the dining room window.
A nice contrasty sketch since the sun was bright, using a good soft charcoal pencil; not as dusty or smeary as the vine charcoal, but a nice dense black, just right for two black cats with deep shadows.
Mimi and Bean have been hanging out lately, as in the sketch a few days ago, Cats on the Edge. Mimi tends to spend a few days at a time with each of her kids.
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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.
Thinking Together
Posted: March 20, 2012 Filed under: black cats, cat photographs, cats, daily photo, jelly bean, mimi, photographs | Tags: black cat, cat photographs, cats, feline photographs, pet photography, photography, two black cats, two cats Leave a comment
Two heads are sometimes better than one.
Mimi and Jelly Bean enjoyed a little quiet time sitting in the sun. Now that I’ve moved the geraniums outside, very early but it’s been consistently warm, all the cats can enjoy the sunny countertop by the dining room window.
They actually struck a variety of nice poses, one of which is also today’s daily sketch, coming up soon.
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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.
Daily Sketch: Cats on the Edge
Posted: March 16, 2012 Filed under: animal artwork, black cats, cats, daily sketch, jelly bean, mimi | Tags: black cat, cat art, cat sketches, cats, charcoal sketch of cat, two cats, two cats sleeping on box 3 Comments
Cats on the Edge, charcoal © B.E. Kazmarski
Jelly Bean and Mimi curl up on the top of the highest box on the stacks in my office. But they could curl up in the center of it, they don’t have to hang on the edge. Both of them like it that way too—Mimi is always on the corner, even when she’s up there alone.
Yes, the box is as beat-up as it looks, and it’s also listing along with the ones underneath it; I like sketching objects now and then. And they will all be moving to other areas in the house this weekend. The kids will miss these boxes—cats love heights, and while they have two other perching places in this room each of which can fit two of them at a time, one up near the ceiling, these boxes are: 1) new; 2) higher than me, and; 3) right behind me, so they can really look down on me and even jump down onto my shoulder.
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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.
Daily Sketch: Uneasy Truce
Posted: March 11, 2012 Filed under: animal artwork, black cats, cat artwork, cats, daily sketch, kelly, mimi, senior cats, tortoiseshell cats | Tags: black cats, cat art, cat sketches, cats, charcoal sketch of cat, tortoiseshell cat, two cats 2 Comments
Uneasy Truce, charcoal pencil © B.E. Kazmarski
Kelly had been enjoying catnip (again) and bathing by the sunny back door, and Mimi wanted to join her. Kelly was fine with this at first, then Mimi moved a little closer and Kelly got nervous so they essentially traded places.
Of course, no one but me would know who this is or that one of the cats is tortoiseshell Kelly. I didn’t even add her facial detail because her face was entirely in shadow, but even that was difficult to catch as every new view I tried as the cats walked around and I stood in the same position in relation to them their faces were different.
For me, it was a lot of interesting and difficult angles as I tried to capture their placement in the moment, then flesh them out later; I had to do a good bit of study after the fact. Often I take a photo of my subject but I only have two hands and if one is holding the sketchbook and the other is sketching, the moment goes by.
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Click here to see other daily sketches, and for a gallery of the ones available for sale, visit my Etsy shop in the “Daily Sketches” section.
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.
Daily Sketch: Boys on Purple
Posted: March 10, 2012 Filed under: animal artwork, black cats, cat artwork, cats, daily sketch, giuseppe, jelly bean | Tags: black cats, black cats cuddling, black cats with purple, cat art, cat sketches, cats, sketch of two cats, two cats 4 Comments
Boys on Purple, colored pencil © B.E. Kazmarski
So much color on sunny days! Giuseppe and Jelly Bean cuddle on the old purple shawl I keep in a cozy corner of the bathroom for Kelly when she spends her time in there. The boys discovered it this morning and could barely fit on it since it’s folded several times to be nice and thick and to fit her.
With the extra sunlight the purple was vibrant, not so much here but eye-catching nonetheless, as well as Bean’s big citron eyes in his dark face. Poor Bean, I had to keep tapping my pencil on the bathroom door and calling his name to make him look up at me so I could get the details in his face! I can fill them in from memory, but it was an odd angle and I wanted to be sure it was right.
Totally realistic color today, no fanciful green and orange and blue cats! I just loved the way they looked on the purple shawl, such a simple composition, but so graceful and lovely.
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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.
Daily Sketch: Apple-colored Cuddle
Posted: March 8, 2012 Filed under: animal artwork, black cats, cats, daily sketch, giuseppe, jelly bean, watercolor | Tags: black cat, cat art, cat sketches, cats, colorful cats, two black cats, two cats 5 Comments
Apple-colored Cuddle, watercolor pencil © B.E. Kazmarski
Well, I have a lot of sketches of cuddles, I have to come up with some new names and apples are red and green, most of the time. In this case, it’s Jelly Bean and Giuseppe, who cuddle after they wrestle, especially on a dark and rainy day when I have all the lights on at my desk.
But I’m decidedly disappointed in the new set of watercolor pencils. They are just not as deep and brilliant as the partial set I first experimented with in Colorful Cuddling Kitties and Colorful Kelly. Now that’s color!
I’m sure I’ll be able to use a more pastel set of watercolor pencils at some point, but I may need to move on.
Nevertheless, the boys are sweet, no matter what colors I use.
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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.
Daily Sketch: Two Girls at Dinner
Posted: February 10, 2012 Filed under: animal artwork, black cats, cat artwork, cats, daily sketch, kelly, mimi, senior cats, tortoiseshell cats | Tags: art, black cat, cat art, cat sketches, cats, colored pencil sketch of cat, tortoiseshe, two cats 2 Comments
Two Girls at Dinner, colored pencil © B.E. Kazmarski
Mimi and Kelly enjoy dinner on the cabinet while “the kids” eat on the floor.
I’ve been wanting to try this idea for a while. It’s every hue of colored pencil in the box following nearly the same lines, but with enough variation that you see full color and mixed color throughout the sketch. It tends to cover up all the little tweaks and trills I add to my sketches as my hand skips from place to place, but I like the strength of the shapes and the colors themselves, it makes me think of confetti and makes me happy.
I am determined not to pull up sad moments as I begin posting again, but I sketch what happens in life. While browsing photos over the week I saw one from two years ago of “the other big four”, four girls at dinner: Peaches, Cookie, Kelly and Mimi.
Then when I began sketching I was glad to catch one of my favorites, “Dinnertime”, featuring three girls at dinner: Kelly, Mimi and Cookie.
So here are Mimi and Kelly with the entire cabinet to themselves. Over the years I’ve seen a parade of cats on this cabinet, always reserved for the ones I need to observe a little more closely, or those who were uncomfortable eating in close proximity to too many cats. Or those who are just special, like Mimi, who is not older or ill and certainly enjoys the company of her children, but who has always felt it was appropriate that she get to eat on the cabinet eating special kitty food, as the seniors often get, like a special kitty should.
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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.
The Creative Cat 