Cat Study and Prep for Italy

Siena circa 2006

This is a crazy week of deadlines and prep to head out to Italy next week. To warm up since the weather has kept me from a lot of urban sketching (yes, I am a wimp when it comes to cold), I did this from my 2006 photos. Boy, my photos were mostly awful. I am glad to get a second chance. At least I have a better "real" camera now (sorry iPhone).

I just signed up for Vine video so I hope to show some little videos of the sketchbook panning to location.

I have got all my sketchbooks together and replenished some of the half pans in my watercolor set. I even got some ice-fishing fingerless gloves to use (I suspect it will still be a little chilly).

I am going with my mother, aunt and a couple cousins so it will be a fun trip, except for the fact that Italy currently has no pope, no government...  Interesting times...

Fortunately, our travel keeps us away from Rome, but my Aunt and cousins are meeting us in Florence via Rome. We are going via Milan because I have always wanted to go there. It is a design capitol of the world! Troy will be here in Cincinnati to hold down the fort.

Finally, here is a picture of our car Miffy from my sketchbook. She was doing that wonderful kneading the air thing. I am painting a lot of furry pawed critters this a year so it was good practice. Her fur is short enough that you can really see the toe/claw articulation.

Miffy, Always a Star...

Rough Cat Studies

Boris and Spike

Boris and a little Miffy Sketch

In preparing for our journal workshop, many of the books about making journals have lovely cat studies so I decided to do some of my cats. 

Yes, Boris really looks like this. He is almost 17 and has been shaved because his fur gets severely matted. It gives him an odd appearance. He has a huge head and a little old man body underneath. Great for sketching cat anatomy...You can see every bone and muscle.