Ari Cat is sleeping contentedly on our heated waterbed.

Visit www.Explore-Oil-Pastels-With-Robert-Sloan.com for a growing site with articles, product reviews, techniques and tips for a medium I'm really into. Over 97 pages of information, how-to articles, book and product reviews. Now featuring Video Art Lessons!

Robs Art on eBay - username robertsloan2art.

ETSY shop

COMMISSIONS: -- I will be doing Cat Commissions starting at $60 for an 8" x 10" pastel or oil pastel portrait of your cat or a big cat of your choice. When I accept one, I work on that till it's finished without a deadline. Due to my disabilities I can't promise how long it'll take to finish, the up side is that if it takes months or years it comes out tons better than when you first put down the deposit. If I get a few good days in a row it could be finished fast - it's sheer luck what happens. Which is why I don't maintain a queue and do them one at a time.

Dick Blick is my favorite art supply company, with unbelievably good customer service and the best online prices. I was a proud Affiliate of Blick Art Materials until May 20, 2011. However, Arkansas passed legislation that forced Blick to terminate all Arkansas affiliates, so until they change the law or I relocate, this is just a convenience link to my favorite art supply place. I think I've spent on average about half retail for the immense stockpile of supplies that I play with over the years. I still recommend it.

Plenty of changes in my plans. Due to a weekly medical treatment on Thursday evenings and the effects of weather on my stamina, I probably won't be doing the SF Street Artist Program for a while - at least a few months. I'm qualified and screened but in three months of the license I did not get one good day that wasn't taken up with going out for necessary appointments and errands like grocery shopping and medical appointments. Bummer, but I will hopefully reach a stable point where I can build the strength to go out once or twice a month and then I'll renew the license.

No sense paying for it before I know I can do it. Besides, I wanted to be able to go out to Golden Gate Park and paint outdoors - another thing I haven't done yet that I really wanted to do once I got to San Francisco. Once I can do that I can probably handle a day of Street Art.

I've continued studying with Johannes Vloothuis in his free online classes. ImproveMyPaintings.com is his website, where you can find out about his free webinar classes and register for the next one. "Rocks" begins late in March. This month's class on Waterfalls just ended, so I did three good waterfall paintings during it - and had some serious breakthroughs on rendering water again.

I love Pan Pastels. They are a fantastic medium. They mix like paint and on the PastelMat they stay where I put them and layer beautifully. I added stick accents on Running Eagle Falls but didn't need anything at all in Tall Waterfall.

Today I painted a cat for a pastel challenge that ended today - just barely squeaked in the final image in the challenge! Coming up in March, I've got two more beautiful cats to paint for commission. Crossing my fingers to have at least sketches for them done by the reveal date of March 13th but if it's possible I'll try to get both done in that short a time. I hope I've got enough good days to paint two serious projects.

Also click the link on my Etsy Shop. I've added new paintings to it and they've been going well! Welsh Road - Enchanted Forest sold and I'm adding more Etsy listings every time I do a good landscape. Enjoy!

Photography Conditions to Draw, Photomanip, Collage:
Link back to my original Deviation in your Artist Comment, credit me and send me a note so that I can come see, feature and maybe favorite your work. I like seeing how people use my photos. No other restrictions, except not claiming you took the photo.