Graphite Tiger

Well Roma's season was immediately followed by her daughter Roxie launching into hers, so upheaval has continued.

In the midst of rampaging dogs I decided to retreat to graphite as it creates no mess, well until the dogs knock my electric sharpener to the floor.


I usually use clutch pencils but add touches of 6B with a wood cased pencil.
This is approximately 20 x 14 inches on Mellotex paper, using a range of pencils from 4H to 4B.
I have indented some of the hairs in the ear using a pergamano embossing tool.

There is more head and body in the complete image, but it didn't fit on my scanner.

More Grass

My husband has been in charge of the dogs today because I've done a 200 mile round trip for a business meeting.

He took 4 of them for a long run on the moors first thing this morning and reports all has been peaceful with the exception of Roma. She is demanding a husband, now, at once, or else we are ruining her life.

I did a bit more work on my grass, adding some acrylic washes to push some areas back. I might move onto the cat tomorrow, Roma permitting.

Painting Grass

I'm not having the easiest time at the moment, plus I've decided to tackle some of the things I find difficult.

Roma's in season and we don't want to mate her this time, but she has other ideas and is madly flirting with anything that walks past her.

With having the three male dogs who are all now squaring up to one another life is a bit complicated. Clinton caught Rio on his muzzle this afternoon and must have damaged a small blood vessel. I managed to get my hands round the wound before he shook the blood all over the walls and carpet, he only managed to cover about half the house. So there I was stuck with the blood pouring over my hands because I couldn't let him go. Eventually I got the bleeding stopped and sat holding a packet of frozen peas over his nose to try to reduce the swelling. He is fine now and friends with Clinton again because Roma is banished to the Conservatory with the door firmly closed.

I always seem to get myself into difficulties with grass, ending up with it fairly stylised which I don't want. So I decided to paint a cat which is lying in, you guessed it, grass. The grass is mostly dark with just some that is in sunlight.

I started by painting my darks in India Ink because it will be easy to work over in coloured pencil. I then added Sepia and Hookers Green acrylic to the next areas, with some Sap Green to lighten some stalks a touch.

I put an Ultramarine and Sepia wash over the darkest area to push it back further and so far so good.