Starting Again

I'm back - in Canada, in my new condo home, and starting to paint, again. What with our house move last January, time away in the winter, and settling into a smaller condo townhouse that included painting a room or two, as well as other 'life' matters, painting has taken a back seat to everything else.  

Starting to paint after a hiatus of a couple of months, however, is really painful. I am working through lousy drawings, throw-away paintings, much soul searching and hand wringing.  Have you been there? The only way I know how to get through this tunnel is to keep my head down and keep working, and this week I am beginning to see some light. Realizing that I had to be purposeful, I looked again at the photos of Otis the cat and these inspired some drawings, and finally a small painting that I am quite happy with.

Otis Encore 

sold

12" x 12"  acrylic on canvas

Though I have never met this handsome orange feline, I am told he is quite the colourful guy. 

Otis the Cat

My house (I am moving in a week) is full of packed and labelled boxes, and I am waiting to start the move next weekend. Can one be too ready? Yesterday I dug out some paints and a panel and started this little work. Finished it today.

Otis I
acrylic on panel board,  8'"x10"

This is Otis - a most handsome feline, owned by the daughter of someone I know (actually my dentist). She quite liked my Diva Kitty painting and so has commissioned me to do a portrait of young Otis.  I don't normally do this kind of thing - but what the heck - the Diva was fun to paint, and it's not a big stretch from sheep and labs to cats. And she has provided me with some great photos to work with. She tells me that Otis is quite a character, so I want to capture that pizazz, hence the exaggerated colours. Not sure what kind of cat he is - a long haired orange tabby cat? I am hoping to do several versions - because I like his looks - and then she has more to choose from.

Now that I look at this - the big reddish area on the (his) left side of his face looks a little weird. Funny how things can look 'different' (better or worse) on your computer screen than when looking at the actual painting. Maybe I should change that. What do you think?