The Workings of Diamond

The adorable bully dog I posted below had a makeover. I decided to make Diamond larger to fill the 11x14 paper better and get in tight with the landscape. I started by just working on the dog and seeing if I could reproduce what I had in the smaller version. I was not only able to replicate it but fix up mistakes I thought I made in the smaller version.

Happy with the results I moved on the finishing up the dog and adding in the background. Using NuPastels and Derwent Pastel Pencils I accomplished the palm trees and rocky ground. I'm looking forward to a class I am taking in January that focuses on creating landscapes with pastels. That'll help me sharpen up my landscape skills.

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Finally, the client wanted a matt. I picked a nice deep green to pull out the the colors of the palm trees and gives it a nice finish. This commission for the client's sister as a Christmas present. 

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Medium: Pastel

Size: 11x14

Bully Dog WIP1

Up next is a work in progress of an adorable bully dog named Diamond. Even though it's a Christmas gift this pup is lounging in the luxury of palm trees. I started with the head and the mouth. That huge smile as been a challenge...took me about an hour for just that part.
Medium: Pastel on sanded pastel paper
Size: 11x14

Two Lab "Heads"

I have returned! I had a hard month of November some of December but now I am getting back into my art, which I missed terribly! I have about 4 commissions waiting with 2 of them for the holidays. One client provided a photo of her Aunt and Uncle's two Labradors to be done as a scratchboard. It will be given as a great Christmas present!
Medium: Scratchboard with ink wash
Size: 8x10
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Solitary Dog

I finished the charcoal dog the other day. Everything is sent out the SAA and fingers are now crossed. I won't know until mid November if I've been accepted. In the meantime...when I showed the owner of the reference I was allowed to use...I wasn't expecting this:
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Hi Jessica! I LOVED the drawing, you did a really wonderful job, and on behalf of me and my whole family, thank you for doing it. ^^ You see, we recently had to put Wren down, due to old age and sickness that she just couldn't combat any longer. She was a very vital and loved part of our family, and it has just been heart breaking these past few weeks living without her. We've been trying hard to get back on solid ground around the household, and especially for my mom, this portrait has just been lovely in helping us get there. She cried tears of joy when I showed it to her. ^^ And my dad, as a traditional-art-loving guy.. really applauds your skill! As do I.  

Once again, a big thanks from the James family. 

- Evan 

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Black & White Dog: WIP 1

I'm gathering my 5 pieces of work to submit to the Society of Animal Artists tomorrow. I'm hoping I get in this year but we shall see. I wanted to make sure I had a good variety of mediums to show. I have scratchboard and pastel but I wanted to get one more in. So, I started a charcoal this afternoon. I don't usually work in charcoal but I wanted something I could work with relatively quickly. Surprisingly all of my pastel work is making charcoal a lot easier then I thought. I think that is because charcoal is relatively similar to pastels. I found this beautiful photo and was given permission to use it as a reference. I am really liking the results so far.
Medium: Charcoal
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Sleepytime Complete

Sleeptime Wolf is...complete! I think I'm pleased with it. I can always go back & work on it but for now I'm going to leave as is. Not sure if I want to sell it but I am offering prints! Nice and affordable! 5x7 are $5 & 8x10 are $10. I can do larger prints if needed. Contact me if you'd like to place an order. 

Medium: Scratchboard with an ink wash & acrylic for the rocks

Size: 8x10

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Sleepytime WIP2

Sleepytime wolf gets an update. I was able to get a solid 2 hours of work on it yesterday. Relatively happy with it so far. I'm thinking of experimenting & using acrylics to paint in the rocks. We shall see!

Medium: Scratchboard

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A new WIP out of boredom

In anticipation of the Society of Animal Artists member submission deadline I've been trying to put together new/better pieces of artwork. I started this WIP earlier today out of boredom. I love the pose of this wolf. He looks so comfy sleeping on his pile of rocks. Depending how the rest of scratching goes I may or may not submit it.
Medium: Scratchboard
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Autumn Shepherd

Finished my first autumn inspired piece! I've become a fan of the blurry/smushy backgrounds. I've also been busy preparing for Mutts Mania, a pet expo event sponsored by one of my favorite shelters! Hopefully I'll have some luck selling a few prints & cards...We'll see!

Medium: Pastels on sanded pastel paper

Size: 11x12

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Getting ready for fall & the holidays!

This year I've decided to try the fall and holiday themes. First is a fall inspired piece. A work in progress that is turning out nicely.
Medium: Pastel
Size: 11x12
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And in preparation for the holidays I'm offering this adorable holiday card!

A seasonal greeting card featuring a print of my scratchboard piece titled "First Snow". A cat delighted by catching snowflakes. The cat is framed in a snowflake border. 

This card is printed on Bright White Cardstock with nothing printed on the inside of the card. Not only is this a card but the a print that can be cherished and put on display.
Envelopes included!

A pack of 2: $6

Ask about varying pack sizes.
Contact me to order!

Scooby Finished

I'm happy to announce that the adorable kitty under the blanket is complete. A lovely "in memory" commission as a birthday gift

Medium: Pastel pencils on sanded pastel paper

Size: 8x10

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And I have added a close up shot of Scooby to see the finer detail.

Online Newspaper Review of Gallery Opening

I'm so excited to announce that my first art show made it into the local online newspaper!

Artist’s Love of Animals Comes to Life at Art Show

BY Meg Beattie Patrick  |  SEPTEMBER 15, 2010 11:42AM  |  COMMENTS (0)

If you were lucky enough to attend Jessica Kale’sfirst art gallery opening last Friday evening at Erin Anthony’s Artistic Endeavors Art Studio & Gallery  in Little Falls, you’re probably still marveling at the expertise of Kale’s intricate artwork.  Perhaps you even purchased a print or an original. Perhaps you’re already a collector.

Kale’s etchings and watercolors speak to animal lovers of all types because her work primarily focuses on animals.

“I find the creative use of animal subjects gives the subject of my artwork an essence of spiritual power,” states Kale in an Artist Statement distributed at the opening.

Using a technique known as scratchboard, Kale meticulously creates warm renderings of animals ranging from cats and dogs to wolves and birds. Some of Kale’s art is done with watercolor paint.

The daughter of a well known etcher in the art world, Linda Kale, Jessica was born weighing a mere one-and-a-half pounds.  Tragically, her mother died during childbirth.

Jessica is proud to carry her mother’s talent gene for art saying, “When I’m painting and etching, I feel a connection to my mother.”

Diagnosed at three months with pulmonary hypertension, the artist underwent two double-lung transplants in early adulthood at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center.  Today, she volunteers her time with NJ Sharing.  The artist holds an associate’s degree in fine arts and is currently studying for her bachelor’s degree in illustration.

The collection of 26 pieces was exhibited at Artistic Endeavors and works not sold are still available on her website.  Her work may also be commissioned through her small business venture.

Kale lives with her dog, Ellie, and two cats, Jasper and Evey. Her proud father, Marty Kale, said that seeing his daughter create art and smiling is one of the most important gifts in his life.

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Scooby WIP4

I fixed up the blanket. I just need to pick a color for the floor. I'm starting classes at the art center tomorrow so I'm going to bring it in and ask around.
Medium: Pastel pencils on sanded pastel paper
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Scooby WIP3

Another update on Scooby the adorable cat covered in his favorite blankie. I just need to finish the blanket and put finishing touches on it and it should be done!
Medium: Pastel Pencils
Size: 8x10
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Scooby WIP2

I've been busy getting all of my artwork together for my art show. Through this experience I have learned that I should always measure my drawings to fit a standard photo frame because getting custom matting to fit odd shaped drawings is a huge pain. Also, do it yourself framing is a pain as well. Next gallery show I may have someone frame for me.

In the midst of everything I did get some work done on my commission.
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Medium: pastel pencils on sanded pastel paper

Golden Pup

My show is about 2 weeks ago and I'm still trying to pour out more original work to display! I finished this adorable Golden Retriever puppy the other day. 

Medium: scratchboard with watercolor wash

Size: 8x10

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In other news, my fan/like page on Facebook has reached 99! Please feel free to become a fan and pass it on! 

Little Falls Newspaper Article

Artistic Endeavors Showing the Artwork of Jessica Kale!

Little Falls, NJ. – Artistic Endeavors is proud to announce that they will be showing the artwork of Jessica Kale from September 10^th- September 24^th!  A special exhibition reception will be held on Friday, September 10^th at Artistic Endeavors, located at 102 East Main Street, Little Falls, NJ from 6pm-9pm.  Refreshments will be served and a meet and greet with the artist will also take place!

Jessica Kale is a fine artist who currently holds an associate’s degree in fine arts and is studying for her bachelor’s degree in illustration. Animals have been her passion since she was young and they influence her artwork on a spiritual level. She also does fine art pet portraits. Her primary medium is scratchboard. Scratchboard is a technique where drawings are created using sharp tools for etching into a clay tablet covered with black ink. This gives a great amount of detail to the artwork. Another medium, pastels, are also used to capture the intensity and eye-catching colors of the animal’s fur and eyes. Her artwork will be displayed at Artistic Endeavors’ Art Gallery where she will be selling original pieces of art, high quality prints, and taking commissions.

Scooby WIP1

In the midst of preparing for my art show I took the time to at least get a commission down on paper. This precious kitty is named Scooby. Sadly he has passed away but he is being fondly memorialized in one of my pastel portraits. The portrait will be given as a birthday present. This WIP is in the extreme beginner stage. Before I start any portrait I make sure everything is in it's proper place and then sketch it onto the desired medium surface.
For some reason my scanner did not scan it that well so the lighting is off but the final drawing is easy to see.
Medium: Paste Pencil
Size: 8x10
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Scratchboard for Cats Explained

Someone explained my cat scratchboards perfectly. "Scratchboard is a great medium to create art renditions of cats because cats scratch." 

Hiatus: Aug 3-14

Not that it is tremendously important but I wanted to leave a note that I will be away visiting a friend in California from Aug 3-14. I'm very excited as I'll be celebrating my birthday there as well! I don't plan to bring any art with me as it's hard to find time to draw on vacation. Plus I don't have my studio work in. But! I do have a lot of new, hopefully exciting ideas for things to work on when I get back. I'm going to be putting a lot of time and effort into the last 3 weeks before classes start so I have a lot to put up for my gallery show. Exciting things to come, I hope!

A Dog's Purpose

For all of the animal lovers out there, especially dogs, I wanted to share with you an amazing book. A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron has to be one of my top 10 favorite books. The story is engaging, touching, and gives an amazing insight into a dog's mind. I loved this book from front to back and haven't been touched by a book like this in so long. I 100% recommend this book!

3 New Pieces

I've been busy this week trying to finish up on some artwork. First is a commission of two adorable Dachshunds named Pete and Porsche.
Medium: Pastel Pencil
Size: 5x7
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Since my gallery show is only a month away I've been trying to work on "generic" pet portraits. My first is a Pug. There are so many Pug owners out there and I thought I'd create a piece to honor them. This certain Pug is doing the classic "head tilt".
Medium: Scratchboard with a watercolor wash

And last but not least...I wanted to add more cat scratchboard to my portfolio. This adorable cat is catching snowflakes. This is one of the few scratchboards I think looks best completely black and white.

Medium: Scratchboard

Size: 5x7

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Mixed Media Adventures

This summer I am taking two community art classes at Summit Art Center in NJ. Great place. One of the classes is a mixed media class. Our first project is collage. Students were supplied with various items: stamps, textured papers, old books, magazine clippings, oil pastels, and gold foil. Using these materials we were told to make a collage. Of course mine centered around what animals I could find. I ended up making a bird collage. It was a lot of fun! I think my favorite part was putting the gold foil on. It is just so pretty and adds to the collage.
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Size: 5x7

Shaney & Marlow Complete

I finally finished my largest pastel commission to date. Yay! It was a challenge but I think I did pretty well. The owners, two dentists, are going to frame it and put it up in their office. I'm going to have them take a picture for me once it's up to show.
Medium: Pastel Pencils
Size: 14x16
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Baby Blue Eye

My obsession with cat eyes continues. This reference was of an adorable foster kitty named Cappy with the most dazzling blue eyes or in this case...one. I think this is my best eye experiment to date. I'm thinking of doing a small series of 4 cat eyes to display in a square format in my gallery show. Oh, yes, if I did not mention earlier and am too lazy to go back and check I have finally found a place to display my artwork! It'll be some time in early September so keep checking for updates.

Anyway, I really like this eyes especially because I seem to be having an easier time getting the surrounding fur to look realistic. Further experimenting shall come...now on to the drawing!

Medium: Pastel Pencils
Size: 5 x 5 1/2
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And in further news...I have started selling prints and original artwork on ebay! After being accepted to Art for Critters [yay!] you are required to sell a drawing on ebay with a portion of the proceeds going to a rescue. I usually do that anyway but now it'll be even better because it's part of a well known group! So check me out on ebay for what I have in stock.

Blue Eyed Beauty

I'm proud to announce that I will be having my first gallery show this September. It will take place in a cozy studio/gallery called Artist Endeavors. I have a solid month to work on pieces I'd like to display and sell. I want to have more original pieces to sell rather then a lot of prints. The piece below is something I hope to be selling at the show.
Medium: Pastel Pencils
Size: 10x12
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Two WIPs

Shaney and Marlow are getting there. I need to put in a background and some finishing touches.
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After I learned the "secret" to cat eyes using pastels I have been experimenting. This cat has to die for blue eyes and I wanted to capture them. I hope to give her the rest of her head soon.
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Baby Ocelot

I would have posted an update on my current WIP but by the time I found the digital camera it was dark out. So, instead I did a fun/experimental piece of a baby ocelot! Such a cutie. I'm actually thinking of selling this [the original piece] and donating a portion of the profits to The Defenders of Wildlife. Selling for $200. If anyone is interested drop me an email!
Medium: Pastel Pencil
Size: 9x12
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Voting Time

The Canine Art Guild is hosting another art exhibit featuring cats, hence titled "Here Kitty, Kitty". I have entered 3 pieces. They can be found on pages 1, 4, & 5. Please take the time to vote for one of my pieces in the show. Thank you!

Shaney & Marlow WIP

I worked a lot on this yesterday. A commission of two adorable pups named Shaney and Marlow. This is measured about 14x16 on UArt sanded pastel paper. This is the largest commission I have done so far as I usually stick to 11x14. So far it isn't as tough as I thought it would be but still a challenge. It's still pretty rough but getting there.
Medium: Pastel Pencils
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Ocelot Eye Study

Took a small break from my commissions. I did an eye study on an Ocelot. Ocelot's are my favorite wild cat. I'm pleased with the eyes, which was the main point of the exercise and I hope to have some free time this summer to do at least a head shot.
Medium: Pastel Pencils on UArt Sanded Paper
CLICK TO VIEW FULL SIZE [I feel it looks better from far away or small as in the preview]

3 for the price of a $1

I have entered my new puppy, Dexter and Evy the kitten in my favorite shelter's annual Calendar Photo Contest. Each vote is $1. That $1 goes directly to helping the shelter care for all of those beautiful dogs and cats that need a loving home. Your $1 vote not only helps the shelter it helps me gain votes...and...if you email me telling me you have voted you will receive 10% off a pet portrait or any other item of your choosing. Vote here! Thank you!

Lab complete

Finished! I love the solemn look on this beautiful lab's face. Remember to check out PHA, the orginazation for Pulmonary Hypertension, a rare disease that needs a cure!
Medium: scratchboard with a watercolor wash
Size: 5x7
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Kodi Memorial & Lab WIP

I finished the memorial piece I did for Kodi. I'm not sure I am 100% pleased with it. I think Kodi came out well and I got the image in my mind sketched out well enough...but not sure...I may try this again one day.
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Medium: Scratchboard with watercolor wash
Size: 8x10
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My next piece is a donation for a rare disease that is close to my heart called Primary Pulmonary Hypertension. I auctioned a 5x7 pet portrait. The winner wanted a portrait of their older lab, Nicol. I hope to finish this up tonight or close to it.

Alley & WIP

It's been awhile since I last posted a commission. I've been really busy with finals but now freedom! This fluffy kitty is named Alley. She is the kitty sister of Jake. They even get along in real life which is the cutest.

Medium: Pastel pencils on sanded pastel paper
Size: 8x10
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I am so excited to be going to New Jersey Annual Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators conference in June! As I hope to one day illustrate my own children's books I eager to see what I can learn from the conference. I have also signed up for a portfolio critique. And, I have entered the juried art show. I decided to try and compose an illustration using scratchboard.

It's hard to completely understand what is doing on since it is not complete. But the illustration is supposed to be a person aka me, in the forest releasing Kodi's ashes...which transform into an image of Kodi. Pretty pleased with it so far. More to come soon as I need to finish it by June 2nd.

Chloe WIP 3: Almost complete

I think I am more or less finished with this piece. I may do some tweaking to the bed and make the background a little bolder but other then that it's done.
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Chloe WIP 2

Another hour spent on Chloe. I need to finish up the bed and add a background. I think I'm going to go with a very soft grayish/blue for the background color. I want Chloe to continue to pop out.
Medium: Pastel Pencil
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Chloe the Yorkie in Pastel WIP

I recently did a scratchboard of the same Yorkie and the owner wanted a pastel version as well. I completed this much in 2 and a half hours. I wanted to try and finish her up tonight but I lost that creative edge.
Medium: Pastel Pencil
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Dog Gonn-it Art Exhibit

I'm happy to report 3 pieces of my artwork is in the Canine Art Guild's "Dog Gonn-it" Art Exhibit celebrating 5 years of amazing canine art work. Please vote for me for People's Choice. My work can be found on page 1 & 4. Thank you!

Brothers: Complete

Spoke with the client and decided it'd look best cut down. And it does. The cats don't look so overwhelmed by the background. I'm content with it now!
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Brothers: Complete, maybe?

Spent this beautiful day working outside and finishing up Gus and Bruno. I'm very pleased how the cats came out. I'm starting to really get the hang of pastels, or I think so. I think I like the background color. Mmmm...also feel like there is a tad too much background. May cut it down or suggest another creative option to the client.
Medium: Pastel Pencils
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New Business Card

Random update. I finally designed a new business card. I started using an awesome new print shop called Overnightprints. The samples they sent me look beautiful so I'm very excited to see how mine come out. I also ordered a couple of magnets.

Front of business card:


Back of business card:



Magnet: $5
Contact me if interested in purchasing [JessKale@gmail.com]

Chloe In Loving Memory

This adorable Yorkie is Chloe. A beautiful way to memorialize any beloved pet.
Medium: Scratchboard with watercolor wash
Size: 5x7
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Brothers: WIP 1

Work in progress. Two cat brothers named Bruno and Gus. They are almost identical so this will be a fun challenge.
Medium: Pastel Pencil
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Silly Kitty Close Ups

I had some time to fiddle around with some of my new art supplies. I call these the Silly Kitty Close Up series. Once I finish off some commissions I may do more.
Medium: Pastel Pencils
Size: 5x3
Surface: Ampersand Pastel Board
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