Evil Eye (Bad Kitty #!)

NEARLY COMPLETED: "Evil Eye (Badd Kitty #1)," 6" x 10", portrait of Mona Lisa, my gray tabby kitten, done in acrylic on a museum quality panel. Inquiries may come to me.

This is the first painting in a new series of Badd Kitties - I'll be painting cats with attitude and reputations. Do you know of any? We should talk if you do......

Mona does this thing when I'm working late on the computer - she leaps up onto my desk, snugs in under my chin, and gives me a head bump.

She usually also "Kitty types" across my keyboard.

I gently pick her up and put her back on the floor and edit her typed comments.

And two minutes later, she's back again.

She continues this game until I give in, turn the computer off, and take her up to bed (she sleeps in a warm little nest at my feet).

However, if I take too long, the head bumps stop.

Instead, she jumps onto the desktop in one graceful leap, parks her little butt on my hands and gives me the Evil Eye.

That's what I was trying to capture with this painting - that "you-had-better-or-boy-I'm-gonna-make-you" look.

It still needs a little work, but I'll finish it off later tonite. Let's hope it's not too late - I wouldn't want Mona to miss out on any beauty sleep.

Hope that you have a wonderful weekend and are spared your own "Evil Eye"s, whatever they may be,

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

Today is Your Last Day........

....to send an entry in for the Dog a Day Valentines Giveaway.

Send 2-3 clear, non-flash copyright free photos of your pet to me, using the subject line of "Valentine." Be creative in your photos - I will be looking for artistic merit, not just cuteness!!

JPG files (the photos you submit) should be at least 5" wide on the longest side and at 100dpi.

Entries must be received by midnight EST TONITE February 10th, 2012.

One entry (2-3 photos of same pet = one entry) per household, please.

Only photos submitted using the above guidelines will be considered.

On Monday I will share the finalists' photos on the studio Facebook page, and on Tuesday (Valentine's Day) I will reveal this year's Dog a Day Valentine via my daily painting.

The winning image will be chosen exclusively based on design elements apparent/inspired by the photographs.

The Dog a Day Valentine painting will be sized according to the composition, but at the very smallest will be a 5"x7" museum quality panel - this is a guaranteed prize of at least $289.

Winner will be responsible for shipping costs.

Please also keep in mind that by submitting your photos you are (1) guaranteeing that you own the copyright to the photos in question (meaning you took them yourself) and (2) granting me permission to use your photos/pet's likeness in a future painting. You have no obligation to purchase future paintings your photos or pet inspire, but you will have first right of refusal.

Now go, off with you, and take some amazing photos!!

Dear Copyright Thieves

Dear Copyright Thieves, Just because it's on the internet doesn't mean it's free for the taking. So let's just stop pretending the internet is a free-for-all. Don't play the card that you didn't know - that's insulting. And don't also tell me that you meant to follow up and get permission but never got a chance to. That's insulting too. And by the way, don't you have a copyright protection notice on your own site? And don't even try and point the finger at a third party who commissioned you to make a copy of my painting - again, an insult - you and I both know the difference between a reference photo and a painting. And don't tell me that I asked for it because I share my artwork on the internet. I share my paintings and ideas and the stories behind them so as to encourage others to pursue their own passions . I do not share so that those lacking integrity and morals can copy and market the images as their own...

Grindstone

"Grindstone", 16" x 20" acrylics on museum quality panel, depicting Grindstone, just a few strides away from winning The Kentucky Derby in 1996. Read more about this painting's story below - it's a good one! And inquiries may come directly to me . Paying it Forward Shortly after getting The Derby Gig, which neatly dovetailed my childhood passion for horse racing with my grown up obsession with painting, I started formulating a plan to give back to the universe. As it played out, The Kentucky Derby Museum got involved, and it was decided I would donate a piece to them, something they could use as a fundraising tool to further their education efforts. "Would I be interested in painting Grindstone, the winner of the 1996 Derby?" they asked. But of course! Little did I know the background story, though. Every year the Museum asks the owners of the Kentucky Derby winner to donate one breeding to the Museum when th...

Golden Open Acrylics

I get all sorts of process oriented questions. Most recently I've been getting asked a lot about my paints and palette, which made me realize what a nice blog topic this would make! I use a Masterson Sta-Wet Premier palette box . This is comprised of a box (think Tupperware) with a sponge liner and a slice of palette paper that work together to keep my paints wet. This setup allows me to work with the same palette for about a full week, having the box open for multiple hours every day. You can see what the palette looks like at the beginning of a new session above - below the exact same palette after this week's work. For the last 25 years I have used Golden brand acrylics, mediums, and varnish. I love the overall quality of these paints and the fact that, when I have a question, their customer service department is made up of artists who actually use the products. Until last year, I used their Heavy Body paints exclusively. They have a buttery consistency, a little loose...

Paintings With Soul

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