Bobcat Sentinel with Beads

Garment illustration by Janet Tarjan Erl

Bobcat Sentinel with Beads

Medium: Watercolor, Image Size: 16″h x 20″w, T-shirt Image Size: 9″h x 11″w, 2002.

I did this illustration of a Bobcat as part of my Native Visions preprint line for T-shirts. Native Visions was a collection of illustrations where wildlife and Native American beadwork were combined together. Each design pays homage to an important animal in Native American mythology. The beadwork is painted to create the illusion of beads complete with imperfections. It was done in Photoshop, and I created my own custom bead brushes to do it. I admire Bobcats because they are intelligent and curious.

Painted in watercolor. Scanned into the computer and floated. Digital painting and enhancements, graphics, colors, effects, and text were done in Photoshop.

Note: Image Watermark of Copyright and/or Website are NOT on the Original.

Kitten’s Retreat

Oil painting of three bobcat kittens in a tree by Janet Tarjan Erl.

Kitten's Retreat

Kitten’s Retreat
Medium: Oil, Image Size: 34″h x 48″w, 2001.

My husband and I were hiking up Copper Mountain in Jarbidge Nevada when we saw these bobcat kittens. We only saw two kittens at the time, but when we got our photos processed, we found the third kitten hidden in the tree. When we first saw the kittens, we weren’t sure if they were bobcat or cougar kittens, so we looked about for their mom. After we were sure she wasn’t nearby, we quickly photographed the kittens and finished our hike. I took a lot of artistic licenses and painted the kittens in this very sculptural and interesting Western Juniper that I had seen in the eastern Sierras near Markleyville, California.

Original is sold.

Reproductions available on Etsy.

Note: Image Watermark of Copyright and/or Website are NOT on the Original.

Retreat From the Heat

Watercolor painting of a bobcat by Janet Tarjan Erl.

Retreat From the Heat

Medium: Watercolor, Image Size: 17.5″h x 27″w, 1991.

I depicted this bobcat resting beneath an immense rock in Joshua Tree National Park. I chose to paint this bobcat in this setting because of the unique similarities of the cat and the scene. For instance, the triangular shape of the bobcat mimics the same shape in the rock opening behind the cat. Additionally, the colors and spots of the rocks were strikingly similar to the colors and spots of the bobcat. The combination the two made a great painting.

Original is sold.

Reproductions available on Etsy.

Note: Image Watermark of Copyright and/or Website are NOT on the Original.

Distant Gaze

Watercolor painting of a bobcat on rocks by Janet Tarjan Erl.

Distant Gaze

Medium: Watercolor, Image Size: 12 3/4″h x 18″w, 1994.

I am so amazed at how well these cats blend into their surroundings, so I painted this bobcat in a notch between boulders, to show this. This bobcat watches the scenery below from rocky vantage point. The rocks were on Black Mountain, in Siskiyou County, CA.

Original is sold.

Note: Image Watermark of Copyright and/or Website are NOT on the Original.

Concealed Among the Stones

Watercolor painting of bobcat in rocks by Janet Tarjan Erl.

Concealed Among the Stones

Medium: Watercolor, Image Size: 15 3/4″h x 22 1/2″w, 1996.

I painted this watercolor of a bobcat resting contentedly among rocks in the Ruby Mountains of Nevada. The camouflage pattern of this bobcat is so closely matched to the rocks you likely wouldn’t see the cat unless you saw it moving. This was published as a limited-edition print.

Original is sold.

Note: Image Watermark of Copyright and/or Website are NOT on the Original.