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Here are some questions that I've been asked, think I might 
get asked someday, or wish people would ask me.

Got a question that isn't covered here? Email me!
 

Well, they come from a variety of sources. I have a number of magazines (Playboys, fashion magazines, clothing catalogs, etc.) that I leaf through to find poses I like, or other inspiration - sometimes it's a hairstyle, or an interesting accessory, and sometimes I have an idea what I want to do and am just looking for a figure reference.  If I'm using a model photograph,or if I'm drawing freehand but have an idea of the pose, I'll usually sketch in the body loosely first of all, then start drawing the face in detail. Sometimes I don't have any real idea where I'm going - I'll just draw a face, and see where it takes me.  Sometimes I have a technique I want to try, and the picture grows from that.  And sometimes, my husband says "draw this!" and, of course, I do.

2. How about hentai?

The students at the Wilde Home for Wayward Catgirls are too young for that sort of thing.  Most of them, anyway.  In any case, what they do is their own business, and I have no intention of peeping.  As for me doing hentai artwork, the answer is no. 

3. What other kinds of art do you do?

I also produce furry (anthropomorphic) artwork on a regular basis, and occasional bits of straight (which is to say, neither anime-style nor furry) fantasy art.  I like to paint with oils, but haven't in a long time because the kids make it difficult to find the time and space for it.  Artistic nudes are a favorite subject of mine as well.  Some of my other artwork will be showcased on the main Bewildered Art website once I get it up, but I am focusing on the Wilde Home for now.

4. What are your main artistic influences?

 I find manga artists Takahashi Rumiko and Masakazu Katsura have influenced my anime-style artwork the most.  Wendy Pini (artist of Elfquest) is another strong influence - much of my earliest art was Elfquest fanart, and I still find my inking techniques harkening back to her. Olivia has had a distinct influence on my "cheesecake" compositions, though I only wish I had her skill with fleshtones.  Alphonse Mucha and other Art Nouveau artists, the impressionists (particularly when I paint), and old woodcuts and etchings have all made their mark. But, like most artists, I tend to pick up things wherever I see them and absorb them into my own style, so there's no way I could list everyone that's influenced me.

5. Do you do CG?

Not yet.  Unfortunately, I can't afford to shell out for Photoshop just yet, and while I have its wimpy free cousin "Photodeluxe," it's really not good for much more than touchups and tinkering with existing artwork.  Even once I get Photoshop, I probably will do most of my work by hand - I'm a hands-on kind of gal!

6. Do you do manga?

I did the artwork for two issues of a manga entitled "Purrsia" published by Purrsia Press. Unfortunately, the other things going on in my life sucked time away from the manga, and after finally finishing issue 2 way behind schedule, I called it quits, both for my own sake and for theirs. The two installments are currently available as a single issue. 

Following "Purrsia" I was one of the runner-up winners in Tokyopop's Rising Stars of Manga competition with my entry "Trickster." The compilation volume is available now from booksellers everywhere, as well as directly from Tokyopop itself.

The "Catgirl Avengers" webmanga is still in the works, and I intend to launch it around Labor Day, assuming I get space from Keenspace... I also plan on rewriting and continuing "Trickster" as I go along, for eventual print publication. (Where, I couldn't tell you; we'll find out after I get it accepted somewhere.)

7. Do you do requests?

No.  This is not to be mean or snooty; I simply don't have drawing time available to do anything other than paying work, for medical reasons. Don't bother sending me your sob story, because it can't change the physical and financial realities of my situation; I'm not even taking new paid commissions right now.

8. Do you do commissions?

Not at the moment.  In the end, I am a mother and wife first and an artist second, and must work commissions into my schedule.  As things stand now, I have a larger-than-acceptable backlog of commissions, and my drawing time has been severely hampered by an early onset of arthritis. If you are interested in a commission, check out my commission policies for details on timeframe, subjects, process, and costs. I will update that page when I am accepting new commissions again.

9. Can I do fanart of your catgirls?

If you like.  However, I request that any fanart, fanfiction, or other derivative works posted to the web or published have a disclaimer clearly visible stating that the character was created by me and that your work is a fan work, and preferably also a link to my site.  If you do do fanart of my characters, email me a link - I'd like to see it!

10. Can I link to your page?

Of course!  You don't even need to ask me.  There are buttons on my Links page which you are welcome to use if you wish, or you can use a text link.  My only request is that your link points to the index page (http://www.bewildered-art.com/catgirls/index.html) rather than to any of the internal pages. 

11. Why do you want me to link to the index page? Why can't I just link to the Gallery?

You don't walk into someone's house through the window, do you?  You go through the front door. An index page is basically a website's front door, and I like polite guests, thank you! In addition, no matter what happens to the site, the index page will always be there; I can't guarantee that a few months down the line I won't reorganize the whole site and leave you with a broken Gallery link.  Also, the counter on my index page provides me with some cool stats (not including your email address, in case you were worried) and I like to look at them.  They make me happy.  When I'm happy, I draw more.

12. If I link to your page, will you link to mine?

No, so don't ask.  The sites that I link to on my page are those that I enjoy visiting on a regular basis, and I can't guarantee that I will enjoy every site that wants to link to me.  It is better for me to say here and now that I won't link to any sites than to hurt your feelings by saying no to your site. Plus, even when I find a page I want to link to, it sometimes takes me months to get the actual link up. I'm bad that way.

13. Can I put your stuff on my webpage?

Ask me.  I am generally willing to give permission for my unaltered artwork to appear on other webpages when credited to me and linked back to my site.  But you have to ask.  See my copyright page for more details.

14. But I saw your stuff on another page, and they didn't link to your site/credit you/etc....

Occasionally I may be flexible about the link, if I feel there are truly mitigating circumstances, but I am not flexible about the artistic credit, or about the images being unaltered.  If you saw the art that way on another site, please tell me about it, so that I can pursue the matter myself.

15. Boy, you sure are grumpy about copyright.  What gives?

I think most artists who put their art up on the Web are grumpy about copyright, because there is a tendency for people to treat the Web as one big festival of Public Domain.  It's not.  I have had my work copied and even stolen for someone else's own profit numerous times since I began this webpage, and I didn't like it one bit. Let's face it, artists put a lot of work into their creations, and to see them get stolen only dampens our desire to produce more art, and makes us unlikely to continue sharing it on the Web. See my Copyright Page for more fun details.

16. How do you reconcile this attitude with your own production of fanart and fanfiction?

I am of the opinion that fanart and fanfiction are, while technically violations of copyright, basically harmless as long as the original source material is credited.  Hence my answer to question 10.  I could go on about how fan participation is a boon to the industry and helps to inflame creativity among the people, encouraging them to go out and create their own original work, but I think I've said enough.

17. Do you sell fanart?

Not online.  When I first started selling art on eBay, I made a conscious decision to sell only artwork featuring my original characters, to respect the copyrights and trademarks of the original creators and commercial releasing companies.  My only exceptions to this rule are that I will do commissioned fanart, as commissions are not something the original creators are likely to be willing to produce, and I may sometimes sell fanart at anime conventions, where the anime industry is well-represented and can easily choose to step in if they feel they are being infringed.

18. Why don't you have prints of all your catgirls?

With my new color printer, I can do good color copies of anything I have a decent scan of. Unfortunately, some of them I DON'T have a good scan of. Those that are poor-quality but still printable, I offer at a discount. A few others will never be offered as prints because the only files I have are the ones you see on your screen. 

Black and white prints are down temporarily, but I do plan on selling everything I offered before eventually.

19. Are you a professional artist?

No, though I do plan on making up some business cards that say "Semi-Professional Anime Artist" someday... If the online sales go well, perhaps someday I can call myself a professional, but currently I would have to call myself a part-time hobbyist.

20. Will you be my friend?

Not if you ask me like that... If you want to get to know me better (and my husband is quick to point out that "know" is not in the Biblical sense) you can find me on our forum or the Fanfiction Mailing List. Emails will be replied to eventually, of course, but my days of 30K emails five times a day ended when I moved in with Jamie.