#Mermay2020 fast approaching - aka Mer-Kat

Last year I dabbled with a character for #MerMay2019, the annual month-long mermaid illustration event on the Internet. If you use Instagram or Twitter, I'm sure you will notice a large number of mermaid illustrations being posted during May.

Quick color comp of Mer-Kat "In an Octopus's Garden"

Other Links for Mer-Kat:
https://arrrggghhhink.blogspot.com/2019/05/arrrggghhh-its-another-quick-sketch.html
https://arrrggghhhink.blogspot.com/2019/05/more-mermay-with-mer-kat.html
Oh, and the original pencils and ink images of this image are two posts below.

Months Later: More #MerMay with #Mer-Kat

Back in May, I wanted to do the #mermaychallenge, an online event where artists draw and share their mermaid illustrations during the entire month of May. But I knew I had limited time, with everything happening that month (buying a new home/moving/fixing up the old home to sell), and a full-time job.

The inked version of "Octo-Pussy", using a Kuretake brush pen on Canson marker paper

I created Mer-Kat, a hybrid kitten/mermaid. I felt this was such a fun new character to explore. Life underwater with a feline-based personality.

The original pencil sketch, the background was later adjusted during inking, to create a better composition

Above is the sketch I did some time at the beginning of May. Got busy. Put the image aside, which then got grouped into other piles of papers and sketches, transferred to the new home, and pretty much was temporarily lost. So here are the original "found" pencils, and the inked version I was able to do over the weekend.

I plan to color this image sometime in the future.

Inktober 2019: Day 03 - BAIT

As mentioned in my previous post, this image is coupled with my Day#2 image. Always fun to flip the roles of the characters, now having Scare D Katt in control over mindless Mouse.

The final digitally touched-up color image, due to using the wrong markers

I was having trouble scanning the color image of this drawing. Unknowingly, I used several fluorescent markers, which don't scan very well at all. Something about the luminosity of these markers doesn't register correctly on a scanner. For example, the yellow cheese looks nice and vibrant on the original artwork, but the scanner picked up a brownish-green muddy tone. So I had to import this image into Photoshop to correct those marker colors (especially that of the hanging cheese.)

The original pencil sketch

The Inked version of the pencil sketch

Testing out the grayscale values of the image

Inktober 2019: Day 02 - MINDLESS

I decided that Mouse would be the companion of Scare D throughout Inktober. You can now see the ring from Day 1 is placed on the collar and will be part of the character from now on. (So yes, these two are engaged.) 

Day 2: Final inked image with marker coloring

At first, I had the cat simply floating mindlessly, but I wanted some interaction between the characters. That's where Day #3's prompt word, BAIT, came into play. This allowed me to tie today's word with tomorrow's word, creating a fun sequential connection between the two images.

The original sketch, working out the concept. 

I switched the layout to have the mouse take control, knowing tomorrow, I will turn the tables on Mouse.

Original final sketch images before inking

For those Inktober fanatics who insist ONLY using ink during Inktober, here you go!

The Month of Ink Cometh! INKTOBER 2019!

Yes, it's that wonderful time of year again, Inktober. This will be the 5th year I will "try" to complete the daily inking challenge during the month of October. This year I will focus on using one character, Scare D. Katt, a former Inktober character created 2 years ago.

Here's my little promo for #Inktober2019 using the original illustration from 2017

I also plan to use the prompt word list which is given by Inktober's creator, the great illustrator Jake Parker. I plan to sketch in pencil, then ink using various brush pens. I don't think I will have time to color, I don't want to over commit since work and life do get in the way.

The official Jake Parker prompt list for #Inktober 2019

More #MerMay with #Mer-Kat

Another Mer-Kat image for MerMay2019. Borrowed a fish image I did a few weeks back. Encountering the obnoxious BelchFish.

Arrrggghhh! It's Another Quick Sketch Video: Mer-Kat ( for #MerMay2019 )

So with work, moving to a new home, and many other things making May insanely busy, I still wanted to do a few #MerMay images for 2019. This little character popped into my head as a good mascot for the month-long drawing challenge. Not only do I like the character concept, but the name is a great little play on words: Mer-Kat. (I'm sure fans of actual meerkats won't find it as amusing.)

First #MerMay image of #Mer-Kat for 2019

I decided to record the 35+ minutes it took to create this image and speed it up to a more Internet consumable 4-5 minutes. (I think I still need to edit out the boring fish segment of the video . . .  just runs on too long with not much happening.) The YouTube link is embedded below.

Inktober 2017 • day 31 • Scare D. Kattz (Happy Halloween and a farewell to Inktober 2017!)

Inktober 2017: Day31 • Scare D. Kattz sleeps
Ending the month-long Inktober challenge with a tired Scared D. Kattz. Definitely how I was feeling after so many children showing up at the door. Personally, I do not like how this image turned out. Did not finish Inktober on a high note in my opinion. Special thanks to Jake Parker for creating Inktober!!

RE: Halloween this year, so MANY Batgirl costumes!! Wonder why?

#Inktober Day 31: Halloween night, Inktober ends and Thank You Jake Parker!!!

Original Inked version, using a brush pen and a white gel pen for highlights

Inktober 2017 • day 30 • Scare D. Kattz's First Broom Ride

Inktober 2017: Day30
Scare D. Kattz's First Broom Ride

Added this little nod to the Harry Potter books/movies.

#Inktober Day 30: Nimbus 4000, much faster than the 2000 version.

Original Ink image

Inktober 2017 • day 29 • Scare D. Kattz meets Skullbottom

Inktober 2017: Day29
Scare D. Kattz meets Skullbottom

Combining two characters I have drawn in the past. This time Scare D. meets Skullbottom, who was ironically named after he lost his entire body (and jawbone.)

#Inktober Day 29: Scare D. Kat meets the unfortunate Skullbottom

Inktober 2017 • day 28 • Scare D. Kattz & The Witch's Hat

Inktober 2017: Day28
Scare D. Kattz & The Witch's Hat

I was getting kind comments from others online and email, so I decided to wrap this year's Inktober with Scare D. Kat images. 

#Inktober Day 28: Continuing the remaining Inktober days with images of Scare D. Kat

Inktober 2017 • day 27 • Scare D. Kat & Pumpkin Head

Inktober 2017: Day27
Scare D. Kat & Pumpkin Head

Heading to the end of Inktober, I thought I'd get a little more colorful in the final days. This one was drawn with a black brush pen and colored with Copic markers.

#Inktober Day 27: Bring back the kitten character I created several years ago.

(Side note: We actually had to use this sign for Halloween at around 9PM this year.)

Daily Quick Sketch: Zombie Kitty

Today's quick sketch is a little walking dead cat. I know the season for me to start designing for Halloween is fast approaching, so this came to mind.

Zombie Kitty, colored in Photoshop CC

The original inked image that was hand drawn using brush pens and then scanned into Photoshop.