This week I was drawing an ACEO (an ACEO is art that is 2.5"x3.5") and started with two rats. As I tried to decide what to make them doing, I just came up blank. My solution was to add a bunch of rats and call it a Rattie Reunion. It's done on a nice toothy paper called Art Spectrum Colourfix Coated Pastel Paper. I've used it before and really like it. I think the Rats at the Reunion like it too, they all look pretty happy to me.
I've also done a rat training a raven.
To keep my ratties looking as life like as I can I use as my inspiration photos by KristyR929, who I found on Flickr, and who gets some of the most acrobatic shots of rats I've ever seen (and who also has a website) and more recently I've used a few from the Rhinelander Rat Rescue a non profit Rat Rescue in WI that fosters and finds homes for cute little rats.
The Ravens I use are from a nice guy in Canada, Paul Lantz. He has lots of gorgeous pictures and the shots he gets never cease to amaze me.
I have gotten permission from the above photographers to use their photos as reference. As with any photo, before using them in your art, on your website, in print, etc., please contact the photographer and see if it's OK and what their terms are.
And, of course, a lot of the ref pictures I use are my very own, any cat pictured in my art is from one of my very own pictures, as are some of the rats and mice (or I just make them up if I want them doing some really wacky things). Here is a picture of my cute long haired cat Fluffy, (yeah I know, real original name), getting a massage from two of her rat buddies.
