Bee's Knees Industries

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Coloring Page: Party Animals!

It's been a little while since I've shared a coloring page, so I thought it was high time I got to it, already.

I created this piece for Siren Nation's Celebration show last year, and I had so much fun coloring it in, I wanted to share the joy.

Files:
• Download the Party Animals! coloring page here (PDF) - prints on 8.5" x 11" paper
• Use regular printer paper or cardstock. You can even experiment with printing onto art papers to try some different coloring techniques.

Print: Love Triumphs

Hello, friends.

I've spent the past couple days processing the results of this year's election, and I'm trying to focus on ways to enact positive change. I know that we are much more powerful than the hate that overtook the election and that, in the end, love will always win.

Now is the time to remember the power of our daily actions. There are so many people who now need support, protection, and love, so please take time each day to be the change you want to see in the world.

I've created this little piece of art to remind me of an important mantra that I'm holding onto right now. Know that I love each of you very much, and, together, our love can change the world.

Peace!

Files:
• Download the "Love Triumphs" printable here (PDF) - prints on 8.5" x 11" paper
• Set your printer to photo quality for best printing
• Use regular printer paper or high-quality matte photo paper, depending on your preference

Coloring Page: Witch in a Faery Ring

I took part in Inktober again this year, and it was a blast! Many of my drawings were witch-themed, and I thought they'd make fun, Halloween-y coloring pages. You can see all my posts on my Instagram.

Files:
• Download the Witch in a Faery Ring coloring page here (PDF) - prints on 8.5" x 11" paper
• Use regular printer paper or cardstock. You can even experiment with printing onto art papers to try some different coloring techniques.

Tutorial: How to Draw a Cat

I created this little tutorial for the Crafty Wonderland program this past spring, and wanted to share it with my out-of-town readers, too. This is the method I use to draw pretty much all the cats you see in my portfolio, and I hope it gives you some tips on how to make cat art as well!

Files:
•  Download the How to Draw a Cat tutorial here (PDF) - prints on 8.5" x 11" paper

Coloring Page: Cat in the Garden

So, I haven't posted anything here all year. It's been kind of a crazy year (I found out I'm pregnant right after New Year's Eve, so that kinda changed things around here.), and I'm not quite sure what I want this blog to be.

While I figure that out, it will just be a holding space for freebies and printables like this one! You can download your own coloring page right here.

Files:
• Download the Cat in the Garden coloring page here (PDF) - prints on 8.5" x 11" paper
• Use regular printer paper or cardstock. You can even experiment with printing onto art papers to try some different coloring techniques.

Instagram Cats

I set myself a little challenge recently to start drawing more likenesses. I did a few faces, but mostly I've focused on cats that I find on Instagram.

Aurora Purr

Melissa Einstein

Milla the Cat

Molly, Tabby, & Munchkin

Percy Peter Wells

Geysha Divinity (She and I are running a giveaway on Instagram right now. Take a look!)

With all the fun I've had drawing cats, I'm excited to draw some more, so I have decided to offer custom pet portraits in my shop. Feel free to email me (myself at cateanevski dot com) if you're interested.

Tutorial: Embroidering with Sequins

A few years back, I started making new felt ornaments for my tree every holiday season. Last year, I discovered sequins, and now I'm hooked. They just add so much fun holiday sparkle and cheer! Making felt ornaments with them is easy as pie.

I have a tutorial for using sequins over at the &Stitches blog. This month's theme is Shiny, so be sure to check out some of the other posts, too. There are so many fun ideas for holiday crafting!

MATS Part A: Gift Market Week

This week was the final assignment for Make Art That Sells class. I'm relieved to be finished but also very sad for it to end. Lilla does such an amazing job coming up with assignments that are interesting for pretty much any illustrator and that really challenge your skill and taste. I'm so happy I decided to take her classes this year.

This week's assignment was to create art for the gift market. The inspiration was to come from our personal collections. However, I don't really collect much of anything, so I was a bit stumped at first. Then I realized I could broaden the definition of a collection and decided to start drawing animals from the photos I've taken over the years. I got stuck on rabbits and had a great time drawing their sweet little faces.

Since I spent some time learning new Photoshop techniques, I thought I'd put them to good use and make a couple of colorways of my art. This is something I don't play with often, and I'm glad I gave it a shot. There's a lot to learn in the world of color, and it's amazing how much colors can impact a design.

Now it's time for me to find some new challenges for my artwork. Anyone have any fun projects they're using to grow their creative skills?

A Few of My Favorite Things no. 5: Vintage Illustrators

With the work that I did for MATS class on children's books, I spent a lot of time this month poring over children's illustrations that I really admire. There are a number of illustrators from the past that are so inspiring to me. Some of them I knew when I was a girl, and some are new to me now.

1. Eyvind Earle

I'll never forget the first time I watched Sleeping Beauty on VHS. My copy somehow actually had special features, including an interview and mini documentary about Eyvind Earle. He did much of the design for Disney's Sleeping Beauty and is responsible for the incredible style throughout the film.

2. Gordon Laite

I recently rediscovered Gordon Laite's Golden Books and have been studying them to try to pick up just a little bit of the beauty he instills in his images. Each of his images is so rich and full of detail to enjoy. Amazingly, there is no web presence for him and his work, but a Google search will give you lots of images to peruse.

3. The Johnstone Sisters

I found these ladies when searching for reference images of white cats for my class assignment. Their work is so fantastic. Layers and layers of richness with plenty of whimsy thrown in for fun.

4. Mary Blair

No list of inspiring vintage illustrators is complete without Mary Blair. If you're unfamiliar with her work, you need to check it out right away and prepare to be amazed.

Tutorial: Colorful Pencil Lines in Photoshop

In my quest to "find my style," I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out what I do and don't like in my drawings. One thing I've discovered I surprisingly like a lot is the sketchy graphite linework in my initial thumbnail sketches, so I'm trying to find ways to bring that into my finished work.

I've been taking some Skillshare classes recently to work on the Photoshop skills necessary to make nice pencil lines in digital art and wanted to share a tutorial for my new favorite method.