Time To Put Wings On These Cats

I am wrapping up the illustrations for the latest middle grade novel, and I am really excited to see this one come together. The first few ink painitngs were not quite right, and I had to make a paper change. I started on Arches hot press, which is a lovely paper, but I was more pleased with a change to cold press paper. I think it had a bit more texture that gave the ink a better play with blossoming and staining.

I still think my drawings of cats are a bit stiff, even after working with them for a few months. They have such strange heads, I still need so much reference. On the other hand, I now know more about four masted barques than anyone of the twenty-first century should. I love research!!