New family member! And more in progress.

We have a new family member that I picked up yesterday.  He's a 7 (8 in May) Exotic cat.  I had never heard of the breed before, and it's my first brachycephalic pet.  I will have pics, but right now he's still settling in.

His name is Vinni (he's actually registered as Vinni Willie Krauss, if I remember correctly, his papers are upstairs) and is the product of a breeder with champion and grand champion cats and, as far as I can tell, a responsible breeding program.  This is a problem, however, as we also have Vinnie the slutty tuxedo.  So, for now, we are calling him Snuffles because, man, is his breathing sometimes loud and scary.  He will be seeing my awesome vet next weekend and I'll see if he qualifies for any of the surgeries that can make their lives easier.  I honestly have a hard time looking at him without thinking that he's deformed (I am getting used to smushy face), but he is a sweetheart.

So, how did I end up with my first registered, hoity-toity cat?  My old boss' boss lost her mother a few weeks ago, and this was her mother's cat.  I am well known for being crazy dedicated to my critters, so she asked if I could take him.  After accepting she told me that she cried when she got the email as she had no back-up plan if I declined.  She wanted him loved as her mother loved her, and thought of no other home.

Awwwwww.

So far so good.  He's stand-offish, but he just had some very big changes.  He's yet another in the line of cats that find us, but the first one who was happy in his previous home.  It's gotta be hard for him.  We're not rushing him, just letting him have his space and get situated.

And, yeah, painting.  A work trip to Dallas slowed me down, but I finally got back to it today (after removing the moldy bits of paint from my palette).  I would also mess with the back legs when the mood struck, so there are some changes going on back there too.

I tell you, this painting should be called "Spot by Spot" because that sums up the painting experience.

Last leg getting blocked in.

The whole thing.

Whoo!  Up to the knees!  Also deepened the darks on the hind.

The whole thing.

Up and up, spots are blocked in before details are tackled.

And on up the leg.  Some of it is still wet in this picture.

This is the brush that I used for every stroke on the legs.  I don't know why it seems easier... maybe because he's such a spotty bugger.  I can't wait to move to a filbert on the body.