Monday, January 18, 2010

Cone Critters

When I'm not working on WooWork.com, I'm saying yes to YES Mag: The Science Magazine for Adventurous Minds. Since 2006, the YES Mag team has kindly invited me to draw for each educational issue.

In the Nov/Dec 09 issue, I drew a piece titled "Urban Dining", about the eating habits of city animals:


An urban duo included a fox and a kitty-in-a-cone:


Last month, I crocheted an amigurumi version of this edible cat:


Another piece I drew (in the Mar/Apr 09 issue) was titled "Lost", which detailed the body language of dogs:


Jim the dog was the star:


I crocheted Jim too. He'll have to express his body language through a cone body:


Over the holidays, I mailed both Cone Critters to the YES Mag team as gifts. Everyone seemed to enjoy the fuzzy treats.

I hope you enjoy ice-cream in the winter too!

Ruff Ruff! Meow Meow!*
(*translation: Yes to YES!)

13 comments:

  1. Hahaha - those are so cute! Great work.

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  2. Love your work!!! Any chance you will share the instructions for these two cuties?? I've tried to make cones before and can never see which stitch to stitch into first. The are so smooshed together. Any hints?? Deborah M. in CA

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  3. Very cute, and slightly disturbing! I love how you take your brilliant artwork and turn it into crochet masterpieces - I'm so very envious!

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  4. You do such awesome work - you really should start drafting the patterns - they would sell!

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  5. They're both cute but I really find the cat the cutest! :-)

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  6. PaisleyJade: Pets-in-a-cone are instantly cute haha Thanks!

    Deborah: Yes, those cones can be kinda tight to crochet, especially at the narrow base! I'll need bionic metal fingers when I'm older :)

    I haven't written patterns (I barely have time to crochet!), but I've been skating by with trial & error & improvisation ;) Thank you!

    Jessica: After spending last summer making the Fridge Critters, I've delighted in crocheting disembodied animals haha More to come too!

    I envy your lovely masterworks too, along with your blog's reviews & tutorials!

    lkeipp: Thanks! I may write out patterns someday... They remind me of math equations, which I always dreaded in school :D

    MJ: That's a great compliment, especially coming from a dog-lover like you! :)

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  7. Wow Howie, the illustration of Jim the "Lost" dog showing body postures is perfect!!! And I almost snorted cookies out of my nose looking at & reading about urban animal diets! Who knew that coakroaches eat mouse turds?! Answer: Woo Knew & now I know, too!

    Looks like 2010 is off & running! and chasing squirrels, and butt sniffing, and...

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  8. As usual, your humor puts a big smile on my face. :D

    Funny and cute, and just a little bit scary :)

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  9. Those are totally cute! Love the magazine illustrations too!

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  10. ecuadoriana: I'm happy that you like the YES drawings! It's very rewarding to hear your feedback, especially since the magazine drawings rarely visit the blog world :)

    You're right, 2010 is off and running with fun creations! I'm sure you have some exciting projects planned as well :D

    ewushka: Thanks! I also like seeing things that are funny & cute & a little bit scary (though not with clowns, that's TOO scary ;)

    If there were cone-bodied animals rolling around at the local park, their cuteness hopefully balances out their scariness haha

    Serendipity Handmade: Thanks for your kind words :)

    In case you were wondering, the cat and dog were made fluffy by using Velcro strips to pull out the yarn.

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  11. I can't believe I miss this one! OMG...I LOVE the cat and dog cones!!!! Furry yarn rules! You draw like a superstar, Howie!! The expressions on each animal's face is right on!

    I draw (since I was 3) but only with pencil. Never tried to use the tablet. That must be hard.

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  12. TADA's Revolution: Thanks! You're the master of furry yarn! I used velcro to make fuzz up the cat & dog fur. Jim didn't mind but Kitty-in-a-cone was furious!

    It took me a couple of months to feel comfortable with the tablet, but now it's second-nature :) If you chose to, talented-you would be a tablet whiz. It would be amazing to see your pencil sketches of that Tada critters!

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  13. Thank you Howie! There are many advantages to drawing with tablet. My pencil sketches get smeared and lost (if I don't draw them in my book). Maybe one day I will share my sketches!

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