Update

Sorry I haven't posted for such a long while. I started one piece which ended up in the bin and i'm now working on two more ATCs but haven't done a scan of my progress, I may just do the finished pieces. I've also been working on other things, photography (of course) and some crochet. I need to decide on my next larger piece and get it started before the days get much shorter. I really don't like this time of year for that very reason, although I love crisp autumn days and cold frosty ones too. But indoors, when darkness falls so early............not good for drawing!

Cat ATC

My cat ATC finished. 'Rigsby' is for a private trade with a fellow artist and Flickr friend who is doing me a barn owl based on Soren, one of the owls in the Ga'hoole fantasy series. I've actually seen my barn owl already - he is beautiful and I will be delighted to have him as my first ATC.
Rigsby is on Clairefontaine Pastelmat in Faber Castell Polychromos and Prismacolors, 2.5"x3.5"

Cat ATC wip

My first attempt at an ATC (Artists Trading Card) for a swap with an artist friend in America who is doing me a lovely barn owl based on the owl Soren from the Ga'hoole fantasy series. ATCs must be 2.5" x 3.5" and it is really hard for me to get the detail I like in such a small size, even using my optivisor. Quite a lot more work needed on this one to build colour to get some depth - though I'm reasonably happy with her eyes. It is on Clairefontaine Pastelmat and I'm using various coloured pencils, but mainly FC Polychromos and a few Prismacolors.

snow leopard completed

This is scanned, so hopefully the colours are more accurate. As you can see I have altered the crop, mainly because I couldn't get the paper to take any more pastel and I felt the fur on his body didn't look quite right.

I've added more white and dark grey, some light touches of pinky brown and peach to the fur and a hint of grey to his eyes.

I will definitely use velour again, but must get some soft pastels for the early layers and just use the pencils for detail, then naybe I will get better coverage.

A little progress

I've not had much time for art in the last few days but did a little on the snow leopard today. I'm finding him harder now, the softer fluffy looking fur is proving tricky.

I've darkened some areas on his head and lightened others and put in his whiskers - they don't show up as well as I'd like. Hopefully the next time I post, he'll be finished.

I'm taking photos of the wips rather than scanning and I notice that the colour is looking different on each one due to the different light and time of day that I've taken the photo. I shall have to decide whether to risk scanning the final one or if I'll just play around with the colour to get it as close as possible. Even scanning doesn't reproduce the picture perfectly.

snow leopard work in progress 3

I was able to spend some time drawing this morning while waiting in for a delivery, usually such a sunny day would have had me grabbing the camera and departing for the forest - especially as last week the weather was so bad.
Anyway, he is progressing quite nicely I think and even Clive has said it is good!! This one might even be framed and hung on my wall.

Snow Leopard progress

I'm happy with the way this picture is progressing - at the moment anyway! Today I've added some basic shading for his fur and done more work on his mouth, teeth and muzzle. I would have got more done, but had unexpected visitors. Probably a good thing, making me put it to one side and give some thought to the next stage, instead of rushing it, which is what usually happens.