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!!

“Katie’s Moustache,” 6x12, pet portrait in acrylic on canvasboard, $90. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . One glimpse of Katie’s face, and I was hooked. Not only did she fall into my beloved “black & white” category, but she came with a full moustache and doe-like eyes. I first covered the canvas with a variety of blues and purples, using a (mixed) light green and pink for the highlights. (Right now my palette has been expanded to include the following: pthalo blue red, azurite hue, cad red dark, alizarine crimson, cad yellow dark, and then for graying/hazing out I use light green yellow and ultramarine purple.) I lighten with titanium white and darken with one of the blues and a touch of one of the reds. As a side note, at this time last year I was really struggling with my limited palette (I went from about 60 pots of paint to 3), but I have lived the benefits – I am so much more familiar with what I can mix given just this handful of colors. My paintings are also m...

Dear Copyright Thieves

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Paintings With Soul

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