Category: Cattle

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Apparently I’m selling animals (I’m not)

Cow in a party hat, cow card for Christmas, blank cow card for Xmas, festive funny cow card

Are we amooosed?

 

I spend a lot of time studying and sketching animals and mostly my drawings stay in my sketchbook, but I’ve been doing something a bit different…..

I recently followed a 5 week online illustration course (though it took me three times longer due to family issues) and I learned some Photoshop tools and tricks. I love painting, so I was a bit reluctant to embrace digital art, as it feels like “cheating” but I wanted to learn a bit more about Photoshop, and I was reassured that the course would use my painting and drawing skills. The image shown on the Christmas card above is one of my first Photoshop creations – apart from the Christmas hat, all of it is “actual” art work that I’ve then scanned into my computer and manipulated to create an image.

I don’t think it’ll replace my “proper” painting, which feels much more natural to me, but what do you think? Feel free to reply with your comments, do you want to see more animals in this style?

Facebook have decided not to let me list this card in my Facebook shop as they “don’t approve of the sale of animals”!?! I didn’t think it was THAT realistic, so I’ve appealed, telling them that I’m not amooosed and what heifer were they thinking?

 

funny cow Xmas card, blank cow Christmas card, colourful cow card

Christmas card showing a cow, funny cow Christmas card, blank cow Xmas card

In the meantime, it’s available here, along with 2 other cow in a party hat cards.

 

 

 

 

Would you like to join my mailing list to get exclusive follower offers and discounts? I send occasional newsletters and discounts, and you can unsubscribe at any time. I hate spam, and I do not share your details with anyone.  Sign up below. 

 

 

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Festivals, Cattle and Art

British White cattle, reference for Caroline Skinner's art projects

Each summer I volunteer as a festival steward for Oxfam at several music festivals in the UK. If you have the time to help out and you enjoy festival life, I highly recommend it.

Last month I went to Shambala Festival, held each year in a “secret” Northants location. It’s a music festival that also includes cinema, talks, workshops in various crafts  and permaculture, and a wellbeing area with yoga, massages etc. Recycling and clearing the site afterwards are actively encouraged and one-use plastic bottles are not sold on site. 

Also, for the last few years, all food offered by festival caterers is vegetarian or vegan, with a huge range of great food on offer. The cattle that usually live on the field where we were camping may have been relieved about the lack of meat on site!

These cows are a herd of British White cattle, one of the oldest cattle breeds in England, used mainly for beef, with some milk production. This particular herd of handsome cattle dates back to the 18th century, so that is quite some pedigree!  They were in a nearby barn during the festival, so as an animal artist, I naturally spent some time sketching and photographing them for future art projects. 

Here are a few of my sketches (paintings to follow!): 

              

 

If you would like news of my animal art and exhibitions, wildlife and animal stories, plus special offers for my followers, sign up below to join my mailing list. I promise not to bombard you with emails, I never share your details, and you can unsubscribe at any time. 

You can see original paintings and giclee prints of some of my colourful farm animal art here.