We reached out to one of the artists featured in this article, Lisa von Vix of "The Vix Cats," to learn more about her creative process and the inspiration behind her whimsical feline illustrations.
The artist shared that while she has been creating art for over 13 years, she only began drawing cats in the past 3 years. "I've had a rougher time as a self-employed artist when Covid hit, and I actually swore I would quit drawing. Spoiler alert: you can't do that, haha! So, I wanted to steer away as far as possible from my old works (mainly linework female portraits), and because I was about to get a second cat, I said, 'Why not? Here's a new challenge: I'll learn how to draw cats!'. I needed something sweet, fun, and 'light' to get a fresh start. And it's been a really good decision, which I thank my cats for."
Lisa hopes her illustrations bring a little joy to people’s days, just as her cats bring joy to hers, and as drawing brings her a sense of happiness each time. "Whether they’re cat lovers or just need a smile, I want them to feel a sense of warmth and fun when they see my work."
When asked about the tools and materials she uses for her illustrations, Lisa shared that she typically works digitally, either on her iPad or using her Wacom tablet with Photoshop. "I do, however, sometimes go back to the old classic notebook and paper, and play around with colored crayons, Posca pens, or acrylics, or even just a basic random pen that I grab. The traditional works don't usually make it on my Instagram, though, since they're mainly either preliminary sketches or just personal, journal-like scribbles that I wouldn't share."
According to Lisa, she enjoys the freedom that comes with drawing cats—they can be graceful, goofy, devious, or sweet, and sometimes all of these at once. "For me, I feel like drawing cats has no limits, because you can easily draw them in the weirdest or strangest theme, and it still works, plus, it's a very nice creative exercise. I've had plenty of random moments, like watching Kendrick's HalfTime show, or buying strawberries, or going to the gym, and thinking 'oh I should draw this BUT AS A CAT'."
To see more of Lisa's work, be sure to visit her Instagram. You can also check out her illustrations and updates on Facebook and TikTok, or support her on Ko-Fi.
