Cats I Know

As an artist I mainly paint landscapes, but occasionally I liike different subject matter. They say you should paint what you love and since I live with 4 cats I often love sketching or painting them. they are great quick pose models as they never stay still for long unless asleep.

This is Ruffie, he lives in my neighbourhood. He comes and visits our cats and he knows that sometimes he'll get a few cat treats. He's quite a rugged male and I think our young girl cat nibs is quite taken by him, but he could never be tied down.

Here's another painting of Ruffie, he's just absorbing a nice summer day.

Here is a quick monochromatic painting of Nibs at a more tender age. She really has big eyes that are very cute and unfortunately I don't think I captured them.

I think one trick to painting cats (or any animals for that matter) is not to see them as just a cat, but as a unique individual with a special personality. Paint them just as you would do a portrait of a human being.

This is a small watercolor sketch of Nibs, actually her real name is Niblette. I think she was named Niblette because when she was a kitten she would give little love bites.

The cat in this watercolor is Merlyna, she's our older female cat. Very shy and retiring, but she does have a regal manner about her.

I have done other paintings of our cats but for now, I'll leave you with 2 fantasy cat paintings of mine:

This is Lou C. Fur, I guess he might be sort of a bad cat, if there could be such a thing.

This Susan B. Cathony, leader of the Suffracats.