Cats of June 2019

Sophie Lawson · 5 May 2019, 21:44

@Joen-Söderholm you know, I was walking to work today and came up with an idea. As my abilities in character creation is still super limited, I'm going to collect 30 images of cats from cartoons, anime and videogames and master study them for this challenge. I'm going to use it as an excuse to practice my inking skills too

This sounds like a really fun, relaxing challenge, because when I've drawn animals in the past, I've always enjoyed it as you can be a lot more free than with humans.

I'm excited for this one Joen. All your cats together look so cool too, it looks like you were having fun with them

Joen Söderholm · 6 May 2019, 17:08

@Sophie-Lawson That's a great idea! Looking forward to see what you'll come up with. I looked a lot on different sources and styles while drawing these cats, even though only a few are direct studies or fan art. So I think it's a great way to go about it.

For me, checking out different styles and trying to draw in them really was a great way to develop my own style. You'll start to find different things that you enjoy and that works for you from them and can kind of piece them together to something that is more "yours". (Oh, actually, I just realized that's almost directly quoting something @Lee-White said in one of the 3 point-podcast episodes :smiling_face_with_open_mouth_cold_sweat: )

I really wanted this to be more fun and relaxing, without too much pressure. Both for me and for whoever wanted to have a go at it in their own way. I think the worst thing is if the challenge feels so daunting you're just relieved when you're through it.

Sophie Lawson · 8 May 2019, 21:28

@Joen-Söderholm said in Cats of June 2019:

I really wanted this to be more fun and relaxing, without too much pressure. Both for me and for whoever wanted to have a go at it in their own way. I think the worst thing is if the challenge feels so daunting you're just relieved when you're through it.

You know, last year was my first Inktober, and by the end of that I was both wanting it to carry on, and glad it was over lol

Joen Söderholm · 13 May 2019, 05:26

@Sophie-Lawson Haha, I did feel the exact same thing last year because I got a bit too ambitious with my cats after all :smiling_face_with_open_mouth_cold_sweat:

mag · 13 May 2019, 11:42

I love this idea! And I love cats too, see you on #catsofjune

Joen Söderholm · 13 May 2019, 19:31

@mag awesome I'm looking forward to this more and more

Paint Doodles · 14 May 2019, 15:10

I love this idea!

Joen Söderholm · 1 Jun 2019, 09:12

And so the month of cats begins! I won't spam this thread with all the cats I'll draw. But here's the first one. Don't forget that you can follow tags like #catsofjune on instagram to see what both I and others are drawing.

nadyart · 1 Jun 2019, 10:18

@Joen-Söderholm That’s such a nice challenge you invented. It will be nice to compare your new cats with last years cats

Joen Söderholm · 1 Jun 2019, 14:33

Thanks a lot @nadyart ! Yeah, it will be interesting to see what has changed since last year! Not to mention just having a collection of 60 cat drawings by the end of the month :smiling_face_with_open_mouth_smiling_eyes:

Joen Söderholm · 9 Jun 2019, 07:41

9 cats done and 21 to go!

ShannonBiondi · 9 Jun 2019, 18:12

@Joen-Söderholm So cute!!! My adorable cat, Casper, passed away a few months ago. Your 7th kitty made me think of him Casper was abandoned by the neighbours (they just moved one day and left him outside). A month or so after they left, I made myself dinner and while I was getting my vegetables from the stove, he came in through my window and stole my chicken fillet!!! He even turned at the window with the fillet in his mouth to give me a cheeky look! He adopted me that day. I had him for just three years before he got very sick and died after a couple of months of going to the vet's almost every day. But he was the best buddy ever. He was the most grateful cat in the world. And he followed me everywhere! He even slept right outside my bedroom door.

Eli · 9 Jun 2019, 19:18

@ShannonBiondi I am so sorry for your loss. It is SO heartbreaking to lose our beloved animals. Casper sounds amazing and I LOVE his origin story--I can just picture in my mind him turning at the window like that.

Joen Söderholm · 10 Jun 2019, 18:51

So sorry to hear that @ShannonBiondi but still glad I could contribute to bringing back that memory I do still miss the cats I grew up with, Simba and Zorro. Simba was like a grumpy old man from an early age while Zorro was as dumb as a bag of hammers (but in a very charming way). Ran into walls, ate worms, stuff like that.

ShannonBiondi · 10 Jun 2019, 21:09

@Eli and @Joen-Söderholm Thanks guys That's him there. Little potatoe.

Eli · 11 Jun 2019, 04:17

@ShannonBiondi Beautiful boy!!

Kat · 11 Jun 2019, 16:51

@ShannonBiondi so cute, I love the smudge on the bottom of his nose!

MissMushy · 11 Jun 2019, 18:50

@ShannonBiondi such a sweet boy. So sorry for your loss.

Jessica Jolicoeur · 11 Jun 2019, 18:58

These are great!
I think I might participate in this challenge. I was going to do MerMay but it got away from me.
I love cat's and I think this would be super fun to do.
This might give me the opportunity to challenge myself with a new style, something quicker and not as complicated from my usual style.

Joen Söderholm · 12 Jun 2019, 07:51

@Jessica-Jolicoeur Sounds great! There's still a lot of days of June left, so I say go for it. Last year I found it really helped me in finding a more simple style.