Fortuitous Accident

Hmm. What does it take to appear clever?

I posted the "I" Catphabet critter for Thing-A-Day yesterday and only just noticed today that there is a happy little accident posing as tiny allegedly intentional detail.

I is for Inmate Cat

If you look somewhat closely at the cat's right eye you see a small brownish line transecting the "socket" - like a little bad-ass scar! I think I might just pretend that it was intentional.

What is it really? Well... just between you, me and the server (and anyone with access to a computer that stumbles across us)... I usually use black thread to outline the kitty eyes because it helps define the lighter colors as well as make the eyes stand out:

B is for Box of Cat

...however, it can impart a bit too much of a Vegas showgirl glamour onto the figures - perfect for show folk:

J is for Jester

...but a bit outr'e for the average unwilling guest of the Department of Corrections. All I wanted was to imply the look of your standard, run-of-the-mill, temporary ward of the state.

So I initially outlined the eyes in the same shade of brown that I used on the nose and mouth. No photo, but trust me, it looked rather too bulgy eyed meth head for my purposes. I ripped out the thread and apparently missed a piece that got caught under the right eye itself.

So lazy follow-through and shoddy clean-up result in the creation of a nice little touch. I love not having to be creative or smart to appear clever. Love love love.

Ooooo, but I'm fighting the impulse to go back in and darken the "scar". That's my trouble - a heavy hand for a subtle detail. After all I already photoshopped the holy hell out of the photo to get this far. Those numbers on the chest? Not nearly that legible in stitch. The entire figure is only an inch and a half tall after all.

Original Image

Slightly Monkey-ed With

Whole Hog Monkey-shined

... and that's the best I can do as a photographer.

sigh

Oh my, but I have revealed too many of my warts...

Hook On!
C