Animal Skins: A Timeless and "un-trendy" Elegance

Isn't this guy totally gorgeous?!! He's a Jaguar from the jungles of South America. I've had this picture and the following ones in my "animal skins" filing cabinet for several years, and just now have dug them out, as I was looking for my other drawings I've now used as "traceable patterns."

I haven't used the jaguar spots yet, as they are large compared to the leopard, and also have spots within their spots - too big for my little mini-stockings, etc., but would be gorgeous for a big sofa pillow. My original idea was probably to just paint the whole picture onto needlepoint canvas - but I am old and lazy at this point, and will never get it done - either drawn, painted, or stitched.

As I have used animal skins for many many years as patterns for painting (flower pots, candles, small pieces of furniture as well as needlepoint designs) I have no recollection of where I found the pics.
This cheetah pillow is beautiful, I think- and I would love to do a large canvas mesh sofa pillow with the design and colors. I use cheetah a lot on small pieces, as it is so adaptable and easy with the little random spots and patches. My favorite threads for it are the Petite Very Velvet (18 mesh canvas), as it looks when stitched in basketweave, quite velvety.

I have never intended for this blog to be commercial or for marketing of my designs - but rather to pass along my own knowledge and experience, etc., as well as that of others I meet on the internet via blogs and web pages - and to learn from other people too.

However, I have had a lot of interest on the "Freebies, etc." blog in the animal skin projects I put there, and have had requests for larger, traceable animal skin patterns. I have now accomplished an "e-pattern" booklet on my web page, Elegant Whimsies, as I can't give them all away - after all, I have to buy needles and beads and canvas and paints and brushes and wonderful fibers for creating this stuff and keeping it going. Did I mention beads and more beads?
This Tiger and Leaf pillow is another picture I had cut out - probably in a home accessory catalog or a decorating magazine. I did something similar about 25 years ago, but used leopard on the border, and surrounded the center with very loose looking caladium leaves. There was a monogram in the center, I think.

Animal skins do wax and wane in popularity as decorative items and for clothing, but they never really go "OUT" or become "trendy" as the sunflower did in the mid 80's. Nature is incredibly beautiful, and my own interest in the animals and leaves never goes away..