Cat-up-a-tree

Drawings, cats, and random history facts

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Alnoor is a kind person, but be prepared to face the consequences if you mess with his friends

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19th century weapons studies.

Remington rifles, Pistols, British and Ottoman Army sword handles and a couple of traditional leather wallets used by Sudanese women.

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The ground is his bed and the sky is his cover.

Salim and his trusty companion, Antar the camel.

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Amoona preparing her herbs to be dispensable when she needs them.

At first I played with the idea of making her a poet, but since I can't write poetry, and the crew will need to be patched up after their fights, it made sense for her to be the healer.

On the other hand, the land they're exploring (based on my own country) is rich with medicinal plants that I thought would be fascinating to research and include.

Where did she acquire these books and apothecary tools from?

We'll find out! ;)

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"Good luck getting past these walls. And even if you did, you'll wish you didn't!"

I keep posting about my protagonists but decided I needed to show some villains as well. A local garrison captain and his subordinates.

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In case you didn't know, Jaafar is a boat builder.

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My cats in a scene that I didn't write yet xD I imagined this with the dramatic lighting, something I didn't try before.

Room for improvement? Definitely, but good enough for now.

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Jackson taking a stroll after a spring shower with a close friend.

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Traditional really does hit different

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My flower crown cat with a blep watercolor painting recently got hyped in Deviantart, so I thought I'd try to draw more cats in that style.

My friend suggested I draw my cat colors, starting with Cow, so a tux.

It felt a little awkward at first but got easier and more intuitive.

What cat color should I try next?

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Sugaray/Jackson Color scheme and outfit design

Sugaray/Charles Jackson/خواجة جاكسون is a foreigner in the country for a scientific mission. He became a passenger on Crookshanks and Cow's steamer in order to document the natural flora and fauna as well as the landscape around the Great River. He is rather shy, but is quiet observant and is good as reading people and situations. However, the cultural difference leaves him confused sometimes.

Him and Miheira are on friendly terms, bonded over their common love for knowledge.

Though less common due to the extreme heat, Sugaray wears a brown suit and waistcoat, plus a red beret. Why a beret? Because he's also an artist.

Sugaray wears a lime green shirt and brown pants and shoes, with suspenders and a teal neck scarf. He often wears a pair of pince-nez, especially when he's reading.

Unlike his friends, Sugaray's coat is thick, which causes him to overheat sometimes in the hot, arid weather in the country the story takes place in. He keeps his hair neatly tied with a green ribbon.

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Chicken/Salim Color scheme and outfit design

Chicken/Salim is a fearless nomadic warrior (or highway robber as Amoona calls him).

Secretive and mysterious, he wanders the desert on his trusty camel Antar, his only friend for a long time. He loves coffee and always carries a coffee making kit on him.

He will occasionally recite poetry that he conceives on the spot.

Chicken usually wears a two-piece outfit, Salim will often wrap his head with a slim turban, letting a small tail trail on his back, in addition to a sash and a long piece of cloth that he wraps around his body to form an X shape. He also wears pointed leather shoes.

In casual settings, Chicken will wear a 'Arragi (tunic) and straw or leather flipflops.

Chicken styles his hair in an afro with some curls falling over his forehead and the back of his head, a hairstyle common among Eastern Beja tribes today but was more widespread across the country in early and mid-nineteenth century Sudan. In addition to a sword, he has a small dagger that he ties on his upper arm. He also wears amulets like holy text around his neck, and a band enclosing blackseed on his wrist.

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Miheira/Amoona Color scheme and outfit design

Miheira/Amoona is a young female in her mid-teens. 

She is a wildcat, hailing from the northern desert. She is intelligent and curious, which often lands her in trouble. 

She was separated from her family on her journey back home and is currently a passenger on Crookshanks and Cow's steamer. She has a special interest in traditional healing herbs, and is aiming to learn more about them on her journey.

Miheira's default wear is a "rahat"; a skirt made of strips of leather, and a green belt that holds a small pouch. She also wears a long white cloth that she wraps around her body. She will occasionally cover her head and/or face with it, especially is markets and other crowded places. Her footwear of choice is black leather shoes.

In more casual settings, Miheira might don a "tobe", which is traditionally worn by married women in public. Since Miheira comes from a religious family she will wear it out of modesty in the presence of guests or for errands close to her home. This one is borrowed from her elder sister, Maimoona.

Miheira braids the front of her hair, adorning it with cowrie shells. The rest of her hair is loose, conditioned with a local perfumed pomade. She also has a small "sibha" (rosary beads) that she occasionally uses. She wears a single gold earring, since she lost the other one.

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Cow\Al-Noor Color Scheme and Outfit Design

Cow\Al-Noor is a tuxedo cat in his mid twenties. He's Crookshanks's cousin and business partner, although he probably carries the business single-handedly at times.

He is hardworking, righteous and kind.

Cow's outer wear of choice is a traditional two-piece 'Ala-alla (على الله) with a sash, khaki turban and markoub.

In more casual settings, he wears a 'Arragi and Sirwal which is a traditional Sudanese tunic and pants, in addition to a cloth cap and markoub.

Unlike most other characters, Cow shaves his head and is usually seen with a necklace of rosary beads (sibha) around his neck, which he uses frequently.

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Crookshanks Costume Design

Crookshanks\Jaafer is the main character of my story. He's a late teen calico male cat with one eye. He co-owns a steamship river transport business with his cousin.

Outer Outfit: Turban with green detail, blue and gold decorated jacked, knee-high leather boots and eyepatch.

Mid layer: White two-piece outfit, yellow sash. Will occasionally wear a yellow Markoob (footwear).

Crookshanks's color pattern. The one item he never takes off is a small rectangular leather satchel he wears on his neck.

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Emma my child, although she's in desperate need for some proper character development which I'm procrastinating :|

This is in a way a redraw of another drawing I posted a while ago.

Also, we're still in autumn in theory but snow already started falling over here :cries:

I still didn't properly enjoy the season :( </3

Here's the original, which I drew in 2012:

You know what, maybe the original wins xD

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We are up to 14 kitties! This is "Disappoint," which I'm sure you feel right now.