Bing Crosby and the manic kittens

This is my first attempt at a pencil portrait of one of my all time favorite actors, Bing Crosby. This portrait is 5 x 7 inches on Bristol Smooth paper done with black, white, french grey 70%, and cool grey 30% Prismacolor pencils. If you haven't seen or heard of this great actor and singer much, I would highly suggest checking out "Going My Way". It's a very good, funny, entertaining, and touching movie. One of my definate favorites.
My kittens are getting very restless by now, since they have probably explored every inch of my room so much by now that they know it better than I do! They've found numerous things which I would have completely forgotten about in places such as under my bed. Things such as paper, rubber balls, jewerly, wash cloths, and numerous lost dust bunny pets. Tamlin, the black kitten, has grown very adventurous and fierce in her advancement of growth, as you can see above.
You can also hear my little feline minions galloping madly across the floor from downstairs. What on earth are they doing? You wonder. They are chasing each other and fighting for ultimate kitten supremacy, that's what they're doing! You'll see them grasping each other's necks and each rabbit-kicking the other's head. Whatever got into these kittens? I ask myself. Too much food, I decide. Or is it too much kitty litter? Whatever the reason, I told someone the other day that if they kept up this head smacking they'd end up completely brain-dead by the time they were full grown. But then, isn't that what happens to all cats?
Until next time,
happy blogging!

Cookie?

Today, I did a really fast art card of my brother's mischievious Irish Terrier, Bailey. I called it "Cookie?" because that's what my brother always carries in his pockets for him, alas the adorable and irresistable expression on his face.
Bailey knows this word all too well. Once, he got at a table while we weren't with them and brought down a half-full container of dog biscuits! Did I mention that it was a one pound box at least? He and his eager friend, (my biscaholic scottie, Lucy) voraciously, and as I can imagine, fairly easily ate the whole loot between them.
Bailey also knows the word "walk", too, and you better be careful what you say, cause he knows how it's spelled, too. When the word is pronounced, he'll madly jump up and down and paw you crazily until you retreat out the door.
Anyway, this art card is on 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches on colourfix paper, done with Prismacolor pencils.

Until next time, be careful what you choose to tell (teach) your dog.

Oh, and don't leave any biscuits (food for that matter) anywhere lower than 3 1/2 feet tall. It doesn't matter what size they are (even a yorkie for that matter). Beware, they will always find a way.
Happy Blogging!

Milo and Max

This is my latest ACEO (which is 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches) of a horse affectionately nibbling his equine friend. My mother and I dubbed it, Come here, Suga! Reminds me how when I was little my dad would pretend his lips were stuck and make loud kissing noises while my mother would roll her eyes. This is what this card reminds me of.
Sigh. What a month. A few days ago, one of our favorite cats, our own Milo, disappeared. We suspect that he was killed by a coyote, by the telltale signs that my family and I witnessed, which I will not go into now. This post is in honor of him, as well for my beloved, wonderful, gentle giant schnauzer, Max, who died yesterday. I'll always miss them, especially for Milo who died at an unfitting age, and an unfitting death. You can also visit "Come here, Suga" at my website under horse ACEOs, and the numerous art cards I made of our wonderful Milo are under cat ACEOs.
I know this is not a happy post, so I can't very well say 'happy blogging' but I had to mention it.
Have a happy blogging, anyway!

It's showtime!

This is my most recent colored pencil project. I thought I'd do fruit for a change. Did I mention I've never done fruit before? Okay, just once, but I didn't finish it, err, I won't go into that...I always find that it's very important to choose your drawing subject very carefully- you can't just like it, you have to really enjoy looking at it, otherwise you might not be able to pull yourself through to finishing it.
Take my advice: draw what you like.
Anyway, this is 9 1/2 x 12 1/2 inches on olive green colourfix paper, done with Prismacolor pencils. You like it? Well, umm, yeah, I know it's not done yet.....It's kinda in that awkward stage at the moment.
I took this reference among a few dozen others, on one particularily sunny day about a week ago, as well as a few pictures of some keys. I know, who would draw a picture of keys? I would! They're sooo....shiny, and complex. They're a very realistic subject too, once you've nailed them.


Anyway, my fruity picture involves a lot of interesting colors. Among these unusual colors includes: indigo blue, violet, and lime peel. Why? The first two work well for shadows of all sorts, and lime peel goes well behind red.

One other thing-make sure to glance at my website-I've added a few more items to a couple of my galleries, especially under cats in ACEOs; so be sure and take a look.
Happy blogging!

October Oliver and Time Wasting

Ever since I took this photo early last month I've really been wanting to use it for some colored pencil drawing. I felt very lucky to have caught our usually lazy inside cat batting so passionately at an oak leaf.
This is an art card, 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches on blue colourfix, done with Prismacolor pencils.
I've noticed recently how you won't do much of anything, yet you find that you have no time. My brother complains about this, oh, at least twice a day. You find this out very well when you watch your sister's two year old and one year old for a few days....I won't go into that. All I'll say is that there was a lot of noise, hair-pulling, and sibling rivalry involved.
Anyway, you check out your calender, and you find that everyday is booked. How could this have happened? What am I doing that takes up so much time?
Feeding, playing, doing general verb like things with our seven cats and three dogs. Watching House and America's Next Top Model (why, oh why do I watch that show?) Planning. Planning what? Anything! Everything! I love lists, even if I don't 'touch' them later.
Why is it that I had endless amounts of time when I was young, then? What did I do with my time?
Ate stuffing, refried beans, macaroni and cheese, cheese sticks, milk, apple juice, and french fries. I played with stuffed animals, ran a lot of outside, and argued with my brother senselessly. All the time.
Has anyone else noticed lack of time as they get older, even for no particular reason? Argh!
This is exacly the reason why I don't use the exuse, "I don't wanna." My advice for the day? Just get up, get moving, and do that chore or thing that you've been putting off for a day. A week. Maybe a month. Who knows how long? Just do it. Time is not something that you can buy. As someone who tries to fit a lot of things in, such as art and music, I need to make time.
Remember, no and's, if's, or but's!
Happy blogging!

Trial and Error of Halloween decor

I am glad to say that this is finally done. All bricks are completed, the walls, the lights-done, everything! Sigh of relief.
Don't get me wrong, I really like this picture, but after a while, all that time of carefully, correctly drawing out all the proportioned windows and bricks and architecture really start to get on my nerves!
I spent this year's Halloween decorating my my sister's house. That sounds nice. You might say. Oh really? Does it actually?
This is what Halloween decorating involved this year. Here's just one of my examples.
Putting up twinkle lights. Sounds simple enough, right? Wrong!
Detangle them
Test them
Do all that, then realize something's wrong with the outdoor plug-in.
Hang them up. How do you hang them up? What with? Ummmm.....
I resorted to using scotch tape.
Bad idea.
My sister greets someone at the door. She turns to me and mentions that my lights are falling down. Bother!
I will not go into anymore halloween decorating, other than mentioning to be careful when you jump on a sofa to stick streamers to the ceiling, not to spill yellow food coloring all over the kitchen counter, and to keep your cat away from manufactured spider web. Alas, your cat will get a 12 inch rope of this gagging substance down their esophagus, in which your sister will have to pull out.
Halloween turned out pretty well, despite the trials and errors of Halloween decor, but I must say I'm relieved that it's over.
Now, leave me be to decorate for Thanksgiving.
Happy blogging!
Also don't forget to visit my website at: http://www.sitekreator.com/Blarneygirl15/

Just A Note

I also forgot to mention that I recently finished putting up my website, where you are free to scroll through my various colored pencil works, at: http://www.sitekreator.com/Blarneygirl15/. Make sure to have something when you look through it, say, a tall glass of ice-cold milk and a mighty stack of oreos, or, my other personal favorite, a container of Ben and Jerry's ice cream, such as strawberry cheesecake, or oatmeal cookie dough.....Mmmmm......
Now, if you don't mind, I will do my best to rub the dreamy expression off my face so that I get myself some ice cream and a runcible spoon.

Where am I?

I know, I know, it's been a while since I've said anything. But it would be a while until you said anything if you had these little guys to watch, huh? Meet Tamlin (black female) and her orange brother, Vinegar. My sister and I rescued them from uncertain 'cat'astrophe (okay, bad pun) of a rather large drain, which their mother seemed to behold no worries about, for she boldly and fearlessly jumped in and out of them regularily. Did I mention that when she jumped down that it was about a 20 foot drop?
Tut, tut, tut. Shouldn't mama cats know any better? Now you know the reason for my unlawful absence.
I did get some work done on my art, though. Here's an update on my after-dark, "Lovers Lane".
Happy blogging!

Lovers Lane Work In Progress

Inspired by other very talented colored pencil artists, I have decided to start an after-dark picture. An after-dark picture? you may ask? Yes indeed, I reply.
I took several dozen pictures of a cheerful colonial downtown in Virginia, and I myself, as a part girly-girl part tomboy, melted like an orange popsicle on the hottest of Virginia days when I saw this handsome well-dressed couple walk down the street. They were walking together, the man with his arm wrapped tenderly around the woman. I thought, Wow! What a beautiful photo, or maybe even colored pencil piece this would create. I snapped a shot before they became too far down the street, and on the right is what my camera entrapped.
Very soon after I downloaded it onto the miraculously slow laptop that resides lazily on the desk, I decided that I must do it as my afterdark picture. The bricks itched to be sketched, the shapes of the lanterns, begged to be filled, the people, wished to be made alive on paper....
Oh, stop being so gushy! she smacks herself in the forehead.

Happy blogging!

Blooms in October

Spurred on by the Wetcanvas! october colored pencil challenge forum, I started this art card (2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches) on grey-blue colourfix with prismacolor pencils. I was rather inspired by all the varieties of color in just one rose. Included in this pallette are Sunburst yellow, Goldenrod, Hot Pink, Henna, Marine Green, Peach, Salmon Pink, Spring Green, White, Black.... I could go on and on. The funny thing is, I never actually count the number of colors or layers that I use/do. I just do them when the picture needs them, or as I feel like it. Which may mean making it more saturated or a different tone entirely (evil snickers).


Ah well, the luxury of artistic license enables me to put on an extra eye or nose if I ever desired to. Not that anyone would look especially good with an extra nose or eye, but I wouldn't wish to offend anyone if he or she would disagree.

Happy blogging!

My favorite Spot

This is a art card (2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches) of our family cat, Milo, on colourfix paper, done by Prismacolor pencils.
This art card was great fun to do, it included so many warm colors.
Goldenrod
Vermillion
Burnt Ochre
Look at that cat! Doe's he know how to do anything but lay there like he's in a spa? He's always in that basket, at least if it isn't already taken by another fellow cat. "Milo! Do something useful! Dust some cobwebs with your tail." I should command him. He would merely roll his eyes over to gaze scornfully at me, and I wouldn't even have to hear his low grating of a meow to know that he felt that he was superior in the matter. Oh well, I tell myself, at least he supplies photogenic poses for me to draw.

Meetings and Greetings

Hello folks! As my first post on my blog I will introduce myself, but I'll will not go too far as to bore you. This blog is the holder of art posts, whom the artist lives in the Middle of Nowhere, Virginia. Here you will encounter art of cats, dogs, horses, and anything else I might feel at the moment. I am an Irish musician, action/romance/comedy/fiction/fantasy movie audience, knitter, maker of sweet treats and of humble pieces of art. I, am Kate Hummel.