Day 216

Buster, 4 x 4 inch oil on panel

© 2013 Kathleen Coy

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This gorgeous kitty was a commission. Buster looks like quite a character, and his people love him very much. I started with a light blue underpainting so that little bits of it would show through and compliment those beautiful blue eyes. Palette knife for the whiskers. Very happy with this piece.

Day 165

Boomer knife study, 6 x 6 inch oil on canvas

© 2012 Kathleen Coy

Day 3 of teaching myself how to paint with a palette knife, and I wanted to try something a little more ambitious than an apple or cup. This is my 19 year old cat Boomer, the original grumpy cat. As in the previous knife studies, I learned a great deal with this painting, and I'm really enjoying working with the knife. My goal is to get as comfortable with a knife as I am with the brushes, and while I'm not there yet, I'm closer than I was yesterday. My favorite part of this painting are the stripes on top of her head.

Here are a few in progress shots. This, as with the other two knife paintings, were started without a preliminary drawing on the canvas (a step I rarely skip. I'm not sure why I didn't start with a drawing, but I'll admit, I like the freshness of the results.) This was painted on a piece of canvas taped to a board.

Day 130

Boomer Value Study, 6 x 6 inch oil on panel

© 2012 Kathleen Coy

I'd like to introduce you to my 19 year old cat, Boomer AKA The Queen of the Universe. Boomy is the longest I've ever had a pet, and we've been through a lot together. Through it all, she constantly reminds us how lucky we are that she allows us to live with her Royal Self. I don't think I've ever met a cat with more of an attitude. In case you were wondering, she is named after Boomer Esiason, back when he was playing for the Cincinnati Bengals, which will give you an idea of how old she really is!

I approached this painting a little differently - instead of trying to get the details down from the get-go, I blocked in the painting using only four values, then went back in and refined it, adding the details and pulling out the darkest darks and lightest lights. Much less fussy, much more loose, and a really fun way of working. 

Day 65

Charles Koch, 6 x 6 inch oil on panel

© 2012 Kathleen Coy

SOLD

Charles Koch belongs to my dear friends Paul and Carol Jean Koch. Charles Koch was taken in as a stray, and even after he was neutered, never gave up the tomcat lifestyle. He has scars all over his face. He's missing the tip of an ear. His fur is not even all that soft, really. Yet beneath his rough exterior, beats a heart of gold. Charles Koch loves to sit on your lap, be held, and delights in belly rubs. He likes philosophy and long walks. There is more to Charles Koch than meets the eye.

Thanks again to my friend Don for another great photo reference.

Day 17

Beware What Lies Beneath

7 x 5 inch, oil on panel

© 2012 Kathleen Coy
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I couldn't resist painting this when a facebook friend showed me her photo and asked if I wanted a lurking kitty in my daily challenge.