Pinto Continued

I worked on this piece more last night and some today too in between updating my website and adding some new sections.

Arabian Night completed

Simple and effective, at least that is my goal :)  I like it when I can let the black do some of the work for me and let the viewers eye fill in details in the shadow.

Detail look at the scratchwork on the piece

Tailwind Completed

I am calling this one done, though have not sprayed it yet with fixative.  I have done some research and found out the name of the horse in the photo and it is Circle Bar Pistol, an AQHA stallion.  I photographed him at the AQHA Ranch Horse Versatility competition in Denver in January.  I am contemplating contacting his owners and sharing the work with them.  My piece from a few months ago titled "Distant Gaze" is of another stallion from the same event by the name of Chic Packin.

A wee little bear and Tailwind progress

This past Saturday I taught my 3rd workshop... the weather outside was frightful, but the scratching indoors delightful :)  I started this little bitty 5"x3" board at the workshop as a demo and finished it at home.  He was just for fun.

I have made a bit more progress on my horse and rider as well over the weekend and today and have decided on the title of "Tailwind" for the piece.  I am getting close to done, but still more touch ups to do.  Not very good photos due to glare today.

A close up where the reins meet the mane and the mane meets the body - all textures have to differ for it to read right to the eye.

Twirling... slowly

A wee bit more done on this piece.  This piece holds some new challenges for me that are going to take some figuring out on how to do them.

A Driving Force - Finished

My friesian piece is completed.

"A Driving Force"
10"x8"

Prints should be available soon.

Trotting along

This mornings update from the Friesian- you can see how I am working the upper muzzle area in fur even though much will be covered over with the mane.

And now this afternoon/evenings update- the last for the day.  I think I have picked out a title and am going to call him "A Driving Force"

Friesian Elegance - WIP

I started a smaller 10"x8" piece today of a Friesian horse in harness.  I really enjoy doing the leather work along with the horse- the variation in texture is always a challenge I enjoy.  I hope to finish this piece this week.  I think I am aiming this one toward the AAEA show if they allow me to use photos with references I did not take (have to re-read the rules).  I e-mailed last year to ask what category I could enter my scratchboard in and was told I could not enter it because there was no category!  But Julie Bender has entered her woodburning pieces for several years and there is no class for her either.  I e-mailed Julie earlier this year and she enters her pieces as paintings!!  So this year I am going to send in my entries, put them as drawings and see what they do with them- worst case they don't let anything in.  Best case I win some cash or sell a piece!  The AAEA show is hold at the Kentucky Horse park, which also happens to be where the Friesian Horse Association of North America's main headquarters are....hmmmm.... maybe someone will see is from there and not be able to live without it!   :D


 The lovely photo reference was provided by Daisyree Barkkar, a friend from wetcanvas and fellow artist.  Thanks Daisyree! 

I get asked sometimes how I do it when there is long hair (such as a mane) going over the top of shorter fur.  In cases like that I work the short fur in first and then the mane and forelock will go over the top, just as it is in real life.  However I do it darker and less dense than areas where it is not covered, as the mane usually obscures the fur and casts a shadow on it.  In my next update (or two) you will be able to see this in practice a bit more.

On the Prowl - WIP and Bending

I am working on a new mountian lion scratchboard that I have titled "On The Prowl" size is 12"x24" , which looks pretty close to cougar life size.  Here is my progress to date.

A close up look - I suppose maybe around the actual size, maybe a bit bigger.

And I guess I didn't post this one that I finished this last week too.    Well maybe not finished, I think I am going to work the tail a bit more.  This is a smaller piece 10"x8"  This ended up being a very tough angle to make look right!  Title on this one is "Bending"  It is colored with Ampersand Inks

A Kind Eye Finished

A Kind Eye (Quarter Horse)- 12"x17"

This piece is graphite (not scratchboard)

Original Graphite Artwork © Cathy Sheeter
Original Available from http://www.aphelionart.com/
 

One of those days...

I have been working on a new smallish scratchboard (8"x10") and it just isn't coming together to my liking... so after struggling with it for several hours... still not quite ready to bin it... but feeling a bit frustrated.

Anyways decided to give it a break and come back to my graphite piece "A Kind Eye"  I think I have the eye close to the softness I want, now just finishing up the rest of it.