Featured Artwork: Calico Cat Mystery Book Six: “Olivia’s Meow Moment”
Patricia had a few ideas for Olivia’s Meow Moment, but the basic premise was that Olivia helps to catch a criminal, and it actually sounded like fun.
…she’s sitting tall–proud, like she’s the queen of everything–similar to the cover on Book 3–on a porch railing. This time with a flower pot. She ultimately pushes that flower pot off onto the crook and knocks him out. We don’t need to show that happening–I’m just giving you that background into. So a scene similar to Book 3 only with a different house and this is a backyard porch, so the design isn’t so elegant, although it is a big Victorian. I’m attaching a photo similar to what I want–only this cat isn’t Olivia, as you can tell.
So that was Olivia’s literal meow moment!
I built this cover from that photo that Patricia sent, then she also sent a photo of Olivia making a fist as if she was about to push something. I changed the original flowers to some more colorful ones, and of course we have to show Olivia’s voluminous tail on each of her covers, and that was that! For all the covers that I work and rework and run out and take reference photos on the spot, this one was finished so quickly I barely remember painting it. We did this in February, though, and painting flowers and a nice summer porch with green leaves on trees was sweet at that time of the year.
Calico Cat Mystery Book Six: Olivia’s Meow Moment
Olivia conquers evil while purring like an angel.
Parker, Jag, and their two feline companions team up to advocate for working cats. Jag’s client, Harriet Plott, runs a cat-leasing company for all the wrong reasons. No wonder she’s met by obstacles at every turn, including vicious neighborhood dogs that ultimately attack her. But how did they get out? Did they have a little help? Who’s really behind the reign of terror in her neighborhood?
In this story Olivia saves a kitten from the pack of dogs. She takes a harrowing ride with a catnapper and enjoys it, locates an explosive in the nick of time, helps a desperate man find a very important ring, and she displays just enough naughty to stop an extortionist in his tracks and save a neighborhood from imminent destruction.
You can find Calico Cat Mystery: Olivia’s Meow Moment on Patricia’s website and on Amazon.com.
About the illustration materials
I use a self-prepared two-ply illustration board with a very fine surface texture to hold the pastel, and also be able to use other media. It’s not entirely opaque so I can put it on my light table and trace the details in place. I start out with a sketch in watercolor and even marker to block in the colors and especially the dark areas. Then I put it on my drafting table and finish it with my pastels, first the soft pastels for coverage, then pastel pencils for details.
Depending on the detail in the illustration, I work them about twice the final size of the cover. Getting all the details just right on an illustration like these book covers can be tricky when they are small. The books are 5″ x 8″, but these illustrations are usually about 10″ x 16″, which helps me to paint in all the details.
About these book covers
I’ve also illustrated covers for Patricia’s original cozy cat mystery series. You can see them in any post for the Klepto Cat Mystery series.
Klepto Cat Book Covers
CWA 2018 Muse Medallion AND Certificate of Excellence for “Illustration: Series”
Illustration: Series, Klepto Cat Covers 27 through 32
MUSE™ Medallion and Certificate of Excellence
Patricia publishes about six books each year and I’ve entered the covers since 2015. I’ve won a Certificate of Excellence each year, and this year won a MUSE™ Medallion too.
2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019
Click the links above to see the other awards.
All books are available in electronic format and most for print on Amazon.com as well as find the print versions on Patricia’s website. Reviews have been good, and a few reviewers have even mentioned the covers! I hope you enjoy these books, and Patricia and I are currently working on the next cover. That woman can write!
When we finished book 12 we also updated the two-sided bookmark that includes all twelve books so far which Patricia can hand out at book signings and book shows.
We’ve also printed several runs of note cards from multiple covers, including a Christmas series.
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Read more about book covers I’ve designed. Also, click here to read more about the Purrs of Wisdom cover and bookmarks, and also about books I’ve designed on my blog, What’s New?
Are you interested in illustrations or a book cover, or book design? Please contact me, I’ll be happy to discuss your project.
Featured Artwork
Each week on Wednesday I feature a piece of artwork, sometimes a current or historic portrait, sometimes an illustration or an art project from years ago, usually cat-themed, but sometimes wildlife or even non-animal subjects, and even projects from my commercial art life. Read other Featured Artwork posts.
Custom Commissioned Artwork and Illustrations from Portraits of Animals
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From Animal Portraits to Book Covers to Advertisements
In addition to creating commissioned portraits beloved animal companions for the past 25 years, I’ve also been a commercial artist since the 1980s both full-time and freelance and created many illustrations, book covers, advertisements, display signs and more. Visit my Commissioned Artwork pages to read more. They are not quite complete at the moment but there is still quite a bit to look at.
Copyright
All images and text used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission, although links to your site are more than welcome and are shared. Please ask if you are interested in using and image or story in a print or internet publication. If you are interested in purchasing a print of an image or a product including it, check my animal and nature website Portraits of Animals to see if I have it available already. If you don’t find it there, visit Ordering Custom Artwork for more information on a custom greeting card, print or other item.
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Weekly schedule of features:
Sunday: Essays, Pet Loss, Poetry, The Artist’s Life
Monday: Adoptable Cats, TNR & Shelters
Tuesday: Rescue Stories
Wednesday: Commissioned Portrait or Featured Artwork
Thursday: New Merchandise
Friday: Book Review, Health and Welfare, Advocacy
Saturday: Your Backyard Wildlife Habitat, Living Green With Pets, Creating With Cats
And sometimes, I just throw my hands in the air and have fun!
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That is a beautiful cover.