cat

New Merch Type – Clay Cat Pins!

merch, pet portrait / / / , ,

Here’s something new I’m testing out. This year, I’d like to get more into making my own merch instead of having it produced in a factory. It’s slower, but slower can be very good! To start out, I made a batch of kitty magnets!

These are made from air dry clay using stencils I designed and 3d printed myself. Then I painted them with acrylic paint pens and sealed them with a high gloss varnish. They have neodymium magnets, so they’re VERY strong. If people like these, I’d eventually like to open custom slots for pet portraits, and maybe make some as pins instead of magnets.

You can find these guys here on my Etsy shop: https://squidtartsart.etsy.com/ca/listing/4443907407/handmade-clay-cat-magnets

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New Pins – Axolotl and Fluffy Kitty

merch, pet portrait, watercolor, watercolour / / / , , ,

Continuing on from the gecko pins I introduced last week, I’ve also made some kitty and axolotl pins! I try to have a variety of types of subjects so more people can find something they like.

These guys are 2″ across and look super vibrant in person. The axolotl looks a little more subtle since it’s such a long and squat design, and the round kitty is more of a statement piece.

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New Painting Process: Rainbow Tabby on Black

ink painting, pet portrait, watercolor, watercolour / / / , , , ,

Here’s my latest experimental piece. To no one’s surprise, it’s a cat!

I really enjoy the contrast between colour and pure black, but I’ve never found a way to introduce black into my rainbow pieces without dulling the colours. I think black backgrounds like this might be the solution?? It’s definitely something I’ll be experimenting more with in the near future.

This piece was also my first painting with acrylic inks! I love using India inks, but the lacquer in them dries on the palette and can create crumbs in the finished painting. Acrylic inks dry in more of a film that doesn’t tend to crumble into the wet ink, so it was very pleasant to work with. Bonus points for maintaining the transparency and vibrancy of my other inks and watercolours!

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Black Cat Experimental Watercolour Painting

pet portrait, watercolor, watercolour / / / , , ,

Here’s a little black kitty portrait for practice.

One of my self improvement goals for this year is to figure out fully black animals. I feel like I’ve actually gotten worse at conveying their darkness as I’ve developed my painting style over the years. This is where we stand now. I have a few ideas for how to improve, and I’m excited to see where I end up.

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Mini Kitty Rugs

pet portrait, rug tufting / / / , ,

Here are some new kitten rugs! This is my first time tufting out this design, and I’m pleased with how it turned out. Tabby cats are my favourite to create, and I’m glad others seem to like them the best, too. There’s just something so charming about stripes.

I’ve made these two little kitties for the Capital Art Sale starting May 8th. I know money is tight for so many right now, so I’m trying to focus on making lower-priced goodies. Everyone deserves something colourful and fun to bring them joy!

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New Class Drop: Tufting a Mirror Rug

pet portrait, rug tufting / / / , ,

After a long delay, I’m thrilled to finally be releasing a new Skillshare class! This is an intermediate level class about adding a mirror to your rugs.

This class is perfect for anyone who wants to add more function to their wall-hanging pieces or who wants to add a bit of a surprise to their work. This is an easy way to add an extra level of interactivity to your work, which makes it super fun!

Thank you so much to everyone who supports my work by watching my classes. Please let me know if you have any questions or requests for future class topics!

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