Favorite Artist Friday: Devon Smith

Devon Smith's art caught my eye because of her unique style. Her line work is light and sweet, with beautiful detail. I've always loved how she draws noses too, something so easily ignored by most artists (including me), and she manages to create a nose that actually has dimension and is important to the face. Little things like that are what make a talented artist.

Devon's Website |  Devon's Blog

Wishful Thinking by Devon Smith

Scully by Devon Smith

Brooch/ Cameo Banner by Devon Smith

Pup and Cat Ornaments

I've been steadily working on making a pile of pup and cat ornaments. When I was working on a 30 day drawing challenge a couple of months ago the subject was to design some stamps, and then these cute gentlemen happened. Then I made them into actual stamps. And so, the history of an idea. Hope you like them!

Adopt one from my shop!

Jiji

Jiji from Kiki's Delivery Service 

My mom's birthday was this month, so for her gift she requested a painting of Jiji to be paired with a painting of Kiki I made for her last year. I used gouache on watercolor paper measuring 5"x5". 

Favorite Artist Friday: David Scheirer

David Scheirer is a long time inspiration and admirable artist. His paintings are masterfully composed and simple and every element is and important to the whole of the piece. His still lifes and realistic paintings are equally stunning and gripping. It's so difficult to tear away from his painting of the 6 owl feathers! You can tell just how soft and delicate they are. David Scheirer is one of the artists that I make sure to visit when I'm feeling stuck and I need motivation and inspiration. 

David's Blog |  David's 100 Owls

Autumn Owl Illustration by David Scheirer

Owl and Pinecones by David Scheirer

Elf Owls and Sagauro Cactus by David Scheirer

A Great Grey Owl in a pale snowy landscape by David Scheirer

Hot Air Balloon Illustration by David Scheirer

Manatees and mangrove trees in the Amazon by David Scheirer

Commission of 6 owl feathers by David Scheirer

Would You Be Friends or Enemies With a Monster?

I was waiting to post these paintings here until I had a good photo from the show they are currently on display at, but that won't happen until this weekend and I got impatient! Each piece is painted in gouache with a bit of graphite for details. 

Best Friends Forever

Manook Lady

Secret Garden (sold)

It's Okay Because He's an Omnivore (sold)

Cavities (sold)

Dullahan (sold)

Little Seema 

Young Blood

Taken Deep

Also! Limited edition prints are available for pre-order until October 31st! Email me at twoblackcatsstudio@gmail.com for more info, or check out my tumblr post.

You can see them in person at the Scary Art Project show in Fort Collins, CO at Art Lab until October 27, 2012. Visit the show's blog for more info.

My progress so far! My original goal of finishing all of the ornaments by this weekend is almost finished! I had planned on completely finishing them, but upon further research with block printing, I learned I needed oil based ink which takes 2-3 weeks to cure since normal block printing ink is definitely not permanent on fabric and can't be set. So I can't sew them until then, but I can make plenty of little stamped kitty faces! I have yet to make a successful batch of the blue spotted kitty, so that's my plan today, along with carving a cute little dog and another cat stamp (I dunno, maybe I like cats?) 

Happy weekend everybody!

Favorite Artist Friday: Dana Damki

Dana Damki's art is pretty rad. Seriously, soooooo rad. Her patterns are some of the coolest around and the brooches she designs are awesomely cute!

Dana's Website |  Dana's Blog

In The Park by Dana Damki

Der Zirkuselefant by Dana Damki

Notebook Super Cats by Dana Damki

Pink Pony by Dana Damki

 

Japanastic Zine by Dana Damki

Kitty Ornaments

Last week I started making some cute kitty face stamps to make an army of ornaments. I've never block printed before, but I've already added it to my list of favorite art things to do. Printing an image you carved, inked, and stamped onto fabric feels so official and important. Haha, does anyone else feel that way? 

cutting through this felt even better than cutting through butter

testing to see if i need to tweak them

first test kitty made

surprise! pretty flowers on the back!

I'm setting a goal to finish these by the weekend since I have other things I plan to make for an upcoming craft show. Namely, pug ornaments which I designed last year, some prints, and hopefully a zine or two!

Also, I update my tumblr much more frequently with works in progress, stupid things I find funny, artists that inspire me, and the like. So if that's your thang, check it out!

Celestine

I finished Celestine (a very fitting name given by my husband.) Her hair covers the blank areas of skin where eyes on a normal human would be, but then again, she's not even human! What?! She's painted with a combination of gouache and watercolor, then outlined with micron pens. Honestly, I think the pictures are truer to what she looks like in real life than the scan. Light gradients of watercolor are difficult to pick up by my scanner, but hey, that's o.k.

Happy, happy Monday!

Favorite Artist Friday: Chun Eun Sil

Chun Eun Sil is easily in my top 5 favorite artists. All of her paintings are breathtaking and nothing short of inspiring. She's the artist who first introduced me to gouache (I had no idea this medium existed until I saw her paintings). I only included two of her paintings which I grabbed from Google (hence, no titles) to give you an example of her work, but please visit her beautifully stocked portfolio!

Chun Eun Sil's Website