'Big Red' is Selected for the Gallery Prize at the Llewellyn Alexander Gallery

'Big Red'

While on holiday in Canada I found out that my painting Big Red had been selected by the Llewellyn Alexander Gallery to receive their gallery prize for best in show. The painting is one of four I am currently exhibiting as part of The Society of Feline Artists annual exhibition in London.

Having recharged my batteries while on holiday I'm really looking forward to getting back to painting. I have hundreds of new reference photographs to choose from including both grizzly and black bear, elk, small mammals and many birds. I also took many photographs of trees, rocks, streams etc which will come in very useful.

I was lucky enough to see a humpback whale from the ferry when crossing back to Vancouver from Vancouver island, that was a very special couple of minutes.

I'll be exhibiting at Harrogate Autumn Flower Show later this week, probably still suffering from jet lag!

Sepia Cat Completed

'Hurry By'

Limited Edition Print

Mounted/Matted in white to 16 x 20 inches

I've finally finished the sepia cat and it's available as a limited edition giclee print. 

I decided to add a ladybird in colour to create another focal point. I called it Hurry By' because the cat hasn't yet spotted it but it could at any moment.

If you're interested in buying a print please email me and I can supply all the details, gayle.mason@gmail.com

I thoroughly enjoyed Harrogate Spring Flower Show with Made in Yorkshire, the first show of the year is always a great social occasion. Sales were up on the same show last year so that's a step in the right direction. I was working on a pastel hare which should be finished in the next couple of days, it seemed to be popular with the visitors.

I have more or less finished this years cat images for this years SOFA (Society of Feline Artists) exhibition so I'll be back to concentrating on wildlife.

Red Maine Coon - Finished

'A Cat's Tale'

Mixed Media on hot press watercolour paper.

I was planning on adding a few more steps of progress along the way, but unfortunately my deadline didn't leave me time to stop and scan the stages.

Work in Progress A Red Maine Coon - Stage 1

I've decided to do a work in progress in a bit more detail, highlighting some of the stages I go through to create a portrait. This will be a fairly large mixed media work. There will be no background other than a shadow to ground the cat so once I've drawn the outline and main fur clumps on my paper I start to select the colours.
I'm working on Arches hot pressed watercolour paper.

1. Selecting the Colours
I make a fairly quick initial selection of pencil colours I think I can see in the cat and draw a small square of each on the edge of my paper. I remove this edge from the finished portrait but it helps me to see how the colours work on my support.

2. I compare my selected colours with the reference and discard any that don't work.
Tip - For a red cat I discard any pencils that tend to look yellowish as they end up giving the orange/red fur a greenish tint.

3. I select the colours for the eye and  complete it before moving onto the surrounding areas of fur.

4. If you look at the tail you can see I'm putting down a base of watercolour before adding the coloured pencil.

Two New Cat Images

'Family Portrait'
Mixed Media on Board, 11.5 x 14 inches

'Playtime'
Mixed media on colourfix paper, 11 x 17 inches

I've managed to complete my first two cat images for 2012. Both are painted using mixed media, Playtime is coloured pencil and acrylic, Family Portrait is coloured pencil and pastel, with a pan pastel background.

Mixed Media Cat on Colourfix

I'm working on the first of my cat paintings for 2012.
This is acrylic and coloured pencil on blue colourfix, plenty of work still to be done on the background. There is more above the cat< I've just included the bit that fit on my scanner.

I'm going to be doing at least a couple of shows with Made in Yorkshire this year. The first of these will be Harrogate Spring Flower Show held on Thursday 26th April to Sunday the 29th. I'm hoping to launch a series depicting animals and birds from the UK.

Back to Black - Black Cat Mixed Media Painting

'Back to Black'

Image Size 12 x 17 inches, mixed media on board.

SOLD

Following the success of my painting Black on Black which was sold at the Society of Feline Artists exhibition early this year I have painted a matching image.
I used coloured pencil and acrylic on mountboard making the eyes the focal point.

Blue Point Siamese in Coloured Pencil and Pan Pastel

The last image is now completed and ready for me to print in the morning so that it will be available at the Supreme.
The image size is 6 x 8 and it will be mounted/matted in white, the mounted/matted size will be 10 x 12.
The prints will be giclee, signed by me in pencil and limited to 350 worldwide.
Anyone interested in a print but not going to the Supreme can email me for details. The print will be available from my website once I have time to add it.

Siamese Cat - Part 3

I've added some blue pan pastel to the background but it still needs more work.

As for the cat I'm getting to the end, one more leg and foot then some little touches and hopefully it will be finished.

Poppy the Tabby Cat

'Poppy'
5 x 7 inches, to bid click here

This is the original drawing of Poppy that I used when creating my guide to drawing a tabby cat in coloured pencil. The drawing is coloured pencil on watercolour paper and is mounted/matted in white and backed.

Siamese Cat Continued

I've continued to work on the siamese. For the white in the fur I've started with an under layer of neocolor II in white using a damp brush and blending it into the paper. I can then add the coloured pencil on top.

Maine Coon Cat in Mixed Media

'Black and Gold'
9 x 7 inches, mixed media on black pastel paper
To bid click here.

The birds have slowly been returning to the garden feeders since we arrived back from holiday. There are more coal tits about than usual and they are one of my favourite birds so I'm spending a lot of time looking out of the patio doors.

This little hedgehog has also been a regular visitor over the last few days. I just hope it will have enough fat reserves to hibernate, it is really small for this time of year.

Blue Point Siamese

This is a blue point siamese. coloured pencil on a buff coloured stonehenge paper.
I need to darken the ear quite a lot yet to contrast with the body fur.

Portrait of a Tabby Cat and Kitten in Coloured Pencil

'Sleep Over'

Mixed Media on watercolour paper 4.5 x 6 inches
To purchase click here

Almost finished, just a few tweaks needed.

I have lost a little around the edges by adjusting to lose the background tone in photoshop, I'll post a corrected image tomorrow.

Persian Kitten Part 2

Very slooow progress.

I have a pair of Bluetits going in and out of my new nest box ( at least I assume it's a pair).

If they do rear a brood the baby birds will be sitting in comfort because the adults are lining the box with dog hair. Roma has decided to cast her coat so I've been putting handfulls of soft undercoat in the hedges for the birds. It seems to be popular because it soon gets taken. Roma makes sure there is plenty to go round, she helpfully leaves huge amounts all over the carpets which manages to spread everywhere.

Persian Kitten in Watercolour

This is part of my newest cat painting, a Persian kitten with tons of attitude. The kitten has a great deal of very soft coat so I decided to use watercolour to portray it. I thought that I could build up layers leaving them pale and indistinct in the areas where the fur is very soft and fluffy. I seem to have cropped the left side in the scanner but the whole body will be on the finished painting. I'm using Arches hot pressed watercolour paper as I wanted a very smooth surface that I am used to working on.

Three Kittens in Graphite

'Three Little Kittens'

To bid click here.

I had a short break from the tiger to create another cat ACEO. This is graphite on watercolour paper, 2.5 x 3.5 inches.

Print of the Week (2) - Long Haired Tabby Cat

'Fluffy'

Image size 7.5 x 6 inches

Limited Edition Giclee print (350 worldwide)

Thank you to the people who bought 'Pretty Kitty' the first print of the week. Pretty Kitty has now reverted to the usual retail price of £18.00.

This is the second in my print of the week series, although the first ran for rather longer than a week.

This print is printed on Epson Archival Matte paper using genuine Epson Archival inks.

It is mounted/matted in white and the mounted/matted size is 10 x 12 inches.

In line with all my other feline limited edition prints of a similar size the normal selling price is £18.00.

For the next few days it will be available for £10.00, I have included a paypal button in the sidebar or you can contact me if prefer.

The print will be sent direct by me and each print will be signed and numbered in pencil.

I painted the original in oil pastel on ampersand claybord and really enjoyed tackling the long fur in a different medium.

The cat herself is one of our friends beautiful Norwegian Forest cats. To see more of the cats them visit Tiganlea Norwegian Forest cats website.

Note; As I had no sales of this print I decided to make it an open edition and the price will remain £10.00 rather than reverting to £18.00

Maine Coon Cat in Graphite

To bid click here.

I decided to carry on with graphite, another Maine Coon this time 3 x 5 inches.
I am still in the process of setting my aims for 2011 but one of them is to create at least 4 small drawings or paintings a week. This is the first for 2011.