Two more cat paintings - Siamese please

It's been a productive week at the studio. Besides experimenting with the kitchen lithography process (see my November 17th post), I've also finished two small paintings of Siamese cats, titled "Siamese - AUM 1" and Siamese AUM 2." These paintings were not intended to be a "pair" but that is what they ended up being.

Both are very simple and in that simplicity they are also elegant. The canvas paper, on which the works are painted, has a linen-like texture that I like. So I applied the oil paint in thin layers, allowing not only the paper texture to show but also my initial brushstrokes and color layers.

These paintings are the first that I've ever applied goldleaf to. I've been wanting to incorporate goldleaf ever since I first saw Gustaf Klimt's gold-embellishmented paintings. In my Siamese cat paintings I added a Sanskrit word (it is pronounced A + U + M) in goldleaf. I've never used goldleaf for anything before, so it was quite an experience (don't breath in its direction or POOF! it drifts away like air!) The ornate frames, like the goldleaf, contrast with the simplicity of the paintings.

As for the word AUM. there are a hundred or more meanings to AUM, but I was especially drawn to the explanation that "the word AUM itself is total divinity manifested." Ah, I thought. And is that not a cat? Especially a Siamese cat?

Here are the two paintings (shown with frames.) The first painting shown is based on an adult cat named Louie who is waiting to be adopted at the Pet Paws See no-kill shelter. Both of these paintings are listed in my on-line Etsy Shop at: http://www.etsy.com/people/PoppengaArtStudio   As with most of the cat paintings I'm creating, a portion of the sales from these two works will be donated to the shelter:

Below are a couple details from the Siamese cat paintings. Eyes are a specialty I take a certain satisfaction in accomplishing. Whiskers scraffitied (scratched) into the soft oil paint before it dries--which means being very certain and decisive about where to place each mark, because once it's scratched in it's there to stay.

Aluminum Foil Etching

I haven't posted in quite a while but have been busy in the studio -- and also making the monthly rounds as Artist-In-Residence teaching artist at several central Montana rural schools. The AIR job only takes me out of town on six days each month plus five days that involve just an hour or so of teaching teaching time just a few blocks from where I live in town. What it all boils down to is that, unlike last school year, I'm getting a fair amount of studio time.

So, what is happening at the studio? Lots! Besides painting more cat portraits and some landscape/skyscapes, I've been having a great time experimenting with a process generally refered to as "kitchen lithography."

Hmm, lithography you say. Expensive, you say.
But no! This "litho" process uses aluminum foil in place of the expensive limestone and soda pop instead of acid for the etching part of the process. The only other "tools" needed are some rags, a couple sponges and a baren or spoon. (Note: The baren or spoon sustitute for an etching press. I have a press so everything I'll post regarding "Kitchen Lithography" will use the press unless I state otherwise.) Other supplies include soap, soft brush, litho crayons or pencils, ordinary cooking oil, etching ink and suitable paper.

Years ago, I took a half year of lithography class at the (then) Alberta College of Art in Calgary, Alberta. Rummaging around in some storage boxes in the studio, I found my stash of remaining litho crayons (sticks, pencils and disks) plus my Tamarind Lithography textbook (great reference source!) I also have a supply of etching paper -- plus a big assortment of other kinds of papers. Two plexiglass plates (one to roll-up ink and one to hold the aluminum foil) and I was ready to give Kitchen Litho a try. Which I did. Over and over again.

Here are a few of my print experiment results:
This first one was drawn on the foil with soap and brush. Just simple quickly done cat lying down printed on yellowish domestic etching paper. The three images are the result of three progressive print pulls without re-inking between so the print is progressively lighter in value (I did, however, re-sponge the plate to push around the remaining ink.) (click for larger view)

The next print (at right) was pulled from an aluminum foil plate drawn on with a #1 litho crayon (I have #1, #3 and #5 crayons.)

As with all of my kitchen lithography experiments, I kept the drawing simple and worked very rapidly, not worrying about how the drawing looked as far as accuracy or proportion, etc.
This one was pulled on a snowy white card stock (which is why the edges of it do not show up on the blog/computer screen.)
(click for larger view)


 
 
The next print shown below was pulled from an aluminum foil plate drawn on with a #1 litho pencil (I have #1, #3 and #5 sticks which are thin like pencil lead and go into a special holder---sort of like a mechanical pencil.) I like this image. I based the drawing on one of my existing oil painting sketches. It is pulled on a white card stock just like the print shown immediately above. I feel like this print starts to approach some of the qualities I'm searching for.

The next print experiment used the same plate with still intact soap drawing of the cat reclining as shown in the first print above. For this print, however, I laid a cloth mesh over the image area and then ran it through the press (first image.) Then I removed the cloth mesh and printed again (without re-inking or responging) for the second image shown below. The results on the second print are of interest to me as I seek ways to make this process unique with my work. Both are printed on yellowish domestic etching paper. (click for larger view.)

The last print posted below was done with the #5 litho lead in holder. Because it's the hardest litho grade of what I have, it made finer lines and I was able to layer lines without "clogging" them. It's a freely drawn shell form. The lower half of the foil accidently lifted from the plexiglass when I was removing the litho crayon in the last step before inking. It got pretty wrinkled and I had to re-flatten it out carefully -- but even at that, I lost some of the lower left of the original litho drawing of the shell. Left of the shell print below is the foil plate used to make the print (click on image for larger view.)

Kitten Trio - Suki, Kato, and Jetta

I'm cutting back just a bit on my hours in the studio as I am getting ready for another year of teaching art in several schools within about a 100-mile radius of my home town. Once that schedule starts in earnest, there will be less evening hours for the studio too because I need to be alert and driving miles to schools first thing in the mornings.

However, a couple days ago I did get another oil painting off to a start. The kittens featured in this work are Suki (white) and Kato and Jetta. All three are with the no-kill shelter PetPawSee in Great Falls, Montana (as are most of the other cats/kittens I've been painting and posting here.

This painting is on stretched canvas and measures 18 inches by 24 inches. What I'm thinking about for "background" is to portray a blanket or quilt design. But for now, I've blocked in the negative space with a lavender hue.

As with all my work, this is free-hand with brush and paint. Also, in this work two different references were used although the viewpoint was essentially the same. At this stage, this work is very simple. I'll post it again as it evolves.

Cats: Barn Kittens

This work is in-progress, so it was photographed under just the light used for painting. I find it interesting how the digital camera sees some colors precisely and yet  not record others. This painting is one of those that was hard to photo and get an accurate color read. The "barn kittens" are based on two kittens - Bolt and Helen - who are with foster homes via a local animal no-kill shelter and are looking for permanent homes. The tractor seat shown behind the kittens is one of a various few I have as props in the studio. This painting is oil on canvas and measures 24 x 24 inches (60.96 x 60.96 cm.)

Cat Portrait of Mae Ling completed

I completed Mae Ling's portrait a couple days ago and cut a double mat for it. Now it's ready for a frame. At this point I have close to 20 cat portraits on canvas and in various stages of completion. That's about the right amount to be working simultaneously in a revolving manner. I start each session in the studio by starting a fresh painting as a way of "warming up" and then I pick one of the in-progress paintings to work on and may or may not bring it to completion but bring it closer to that stage. 

Cats: Portrait of Whiskers completed

Yesterday I posted that the portraits of Whiskers and of Mae Ling were completed. So today, I went into the studio and set each painting on the easel. And decided that I needed to adjust the painting of Whiskers. Specifically, I decided that it needed to show more of his left front leg behind the tulips. I also did some adjustments to his eyes to more closely approximate the bi-color mottle typically seen in older cats. I'll check with Whiskers' "Mom" to see if I've accurately portrayed the eye color or if they need to be more/less green.
Click on the images below to see larger views.

 

This painting had a layer of beeswax over which a mixture of colors were applied and formed an interesting base of interesting colors and textures for the eventual painting of Whiskers. I like the way this process worked out and it can be seen in the following detail photos of the painting:

Such a handsome cat!

Orange Cat, Linus

Well this was another good day in the studio. I finished Mae Ling's portrait and the painting of Whiskers, who was one of the first ones begun. I'll post both completed works sometime over the next day or two.

Also today, another cat painting was begun. This one is of Linus, a large orange tabby. His name suggested he might be King of the Back Yard and so I included in the background some clematis flowers and a small lion-head fountain. I'm contemplating place a small bird (maybe a wren) perched on the basin part of the fountain. So far, I like the complementary red/green and orange/blue arrangement and can envision this with the colors stepped up in brightness as the painting progresses. Plenty of adjustments yet to be made in this work. Like the painting of the cat named Miss Smith, this one has a naivete (stylistically speaking) that gives it a Colonial era.

 

After I photographed this work I hung it on the studio wall while I completed the Mae Ling and Whiskers paintings. Then I took some time to simply sit and look at this painting. The result was to make a small change: cross the cat's right leg/paw over the extended left leg. I didn't photograph again after making that change, but it was a good move that improved the attitude/posture of the cat. It will show up the next time I photo the progress of this painting.

Esmeralda and Mae Ling

Two more cat paintings today! The first one, painted in oils on canvas paper, is Mae Ling, a mostly white intensely green-eyed beauty. As with the black cat named Asia (see previous day's blog post), Mae Ling's name suggested the other elements in the painting -- in this case, mystery and travel by moonlit sea. A Chinese coin hangs from the red ribbon about Mae Ling's neck

Although this oil painting may have a bit to go yet before I'll feel it is finished, I also feel that it is very close and the eyes are, in fact, finished. It's possible that I may look this painting fresh in the studio tomorrow and decide that all it needs is my signature. The canvas paper yielded an interesting texture when I layered and wiped the paint, then layered again. This painting measures about 12 x 8 inches (I will post the actual size tomorrow - if I remember to measure it!)

 

My favorite part of each of the cat portrait paintings I've done so far are the eyes and this is especially true of the Mae Ling portrait:

The second painting today is oil on stretched canvas and measures 18 x 24 inches (45.72 x 60.96 cm.) This work is in-progress and seems to be stylistically very different from the Mae Ling work. It's an intentional shift, as I was inspired by the wildly mottled coloration of the cat named Esmeralda. I'm especially drawn to the color divide down the cat's nose; it brought to my mind Henri Matisse's painting, "The Green Stripe," which was of his wife. This painting has quite a bit to go yet. I plan to push the paint and colors around a bit and generally experiment to see where it leads.

At this stage in Esmeralda's portrait, my initial brush drawing is visible throughout the cat and is especially noticed in the extended front legs where I've adjusted the initial drawing a couple times over. To a lesser extent it is also visible in the cat's head.

A Cat named Asia

Another feline portrait today at the studio. I think this makes over a dozen cat paintings on canvas and a total of over 40 counting all the rest painted on canvas paper or birch panels. This cat's name is Asia. An older cat, Asia has been looking for a permanent home for at least two years that I know of.

This oil painting started out small and on canvas paper but it wasn't looking or feeling right and so it eventually led to painting on a 18 x 24 inch stretched canvas. All I had was a head/shoulders reference for Asia. Anything else I've added or will add as the painting progresses. I like Asia's round head and intense mint-green eyes. Asia's name is what suggested the evolving background and rich warm colors to go with this nearly all black cat (just a patch of white on her throat.)

 

My thoughts at this stage is to incorporate some sort of geometric design into the red surface the cat and vase are resting on. Several of Gustav Klimt's works come to mind as inspiration. Maybe this is the painting I will decide to try affixing some gold leafing to some of the decorative elements.

The detail image below shows some of the facial structure that is visible to the viewer's eye but not picked up very well by the camera and the the lighting conditions when the photo was taken. This will be a difficult painting to photograph once it is completed.

Cat painting finished - Thomas BigEater with iris

I decided to "take a chance" with this painting. instead of leaving the irises blue or painting them white, I opted for a reddish hue for the flowers. This gave a nice contrast/complementary hue to play off the green leaves. I'm pleased with the results. The finished painting, which is on stretched canvas, measures 18 x 24 inches (45.72 x 60.96 cm.)

Next photos below are some details from this painting. First is this cat's face--but especially his eyes, which are a luminous minty green.

Next photo shows portion of cat's front leg and some markings.

Last two photos here show a couple of the irises and the layering of first blue, then lavender. And then the reddish tone over top of those other colors.

Cat: Tangerine Dream

Well this is one of those fun surprises at the easel! I started out with a small oil sketch of a kitten called Tomas and ended up with the 18 x 24 inch painting shown above. The painting is not what I'd called "finished" yet but well on its way. I envision the finished work as depicting Tomas and the tangerines/oranges on a warm sunny day on the lawn, so there is a bit more to do to create the contrasts and brightness of color to convey sunshine. As usual, it's hard to get a totally accurate photo of a painting's actual colors and values without setting up special lighting. This photo is not as bright in color and value as the actual painting.

But before the painting above came about, there were two small oil studies painted. The first one (9 x 11 inch) is shown below. I have a collection of various still life props at the studio and decided that the white porcelain Chinese teapot with the blue carp painted on it went well with little Tomas' Siamese-like colors/markings. Here's the first oil sketch:

And here's a close up detail from this first sketch:

At some point I set the first study aside and started a second one, this time adding an orange or tangerine. It was this study that really made the leap to the larger work :

Neither one of the sketches are actually "finished" but when I put the oranges in the second one, a title popped into my brain: Tangerine Dream. And so I picked up the 18 x 24 inch canvas and painted the composition that was posted at the top of this blog entry.

Cat with checkered past

Another good evening session in the studio. I got the painting of Thomas Big Eater close to being finished and also started another painting -- this one is of a cat called Little Kitty. The "biography" of this cat has a twist not found in any of the other cats so far: Little Kitty has been homeless and in foster care for close to two years but her initial cause of homelessness was the misfortune of having had an owner who was sentenced to a jail term. Poor kitty! This is a very beautiful cat that has multiple colors but also some tabby stripes, such as the "necklace" rings on the neck and chest. This painting is only in the beginning stage, but off to a good start. The floor tile and background are invented directly on the canvas with no reference material. And, as always, free-hand drawn with paint and brush.