K Hopkins
K Hopkins has been drawing cats in humorous and slightly dark scenarios for over a decade. The House of Felis Feline Tarot Deck started with four cards designed for Halloween and, over a year, evolved into the full deck. K lives in New Mexico with his cat Findel where they enjoy hiking, cooking, and listening to audiobooks.
Step One
Sketch
K uses Adobe Fresco to create his designs. He starts by creating a sketch using blue lines. It's rough but helps get everything into place and set out the proportions. For reference, K often uses historical photographs, illustrations, paintings, and fashion plates. The Lovers was based on a photograph of two Victorian men sitting together in a window.
Step Two
Line Drawing
After K is satisfied with the sketch, he lightens the blue and, in another layer, draws out the lines for the finished design. This step is also when he adds the details of the cat's face after finding models with the appropriate facial expressions. Sometimes, the line drawing follows the sketch exactly, and sometimes, it deviates a lot.
Step Three
Color
Once the lines are drawn, K adds colors to the designs. The colors are drawn in solid sections, making a mosaic of hues rather than a blended or gradient effect one might get from painting or other techniques. Bringing the design to life with vibrant colors is K's favorite part.
step Four
Shadows
K's least favorite step is adding shadows after the design has color. The more complicated a design, the more shadow work it requires (don't get him started on shadowing complex aiguillette).
Step Five
Finishing Touches
The final step of a design is putting together the finishing touches on the desktop. K uses Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, or Illustrator, depending on the work needed for a particular design. For some pieces, K will hand-write any lettering required as part of the initial steps. For others, he adds it in this step using appropriate fonts.
Step Six
Printing
K worked hard to find the best printers, going over many samples and proofs of his various offerings, ensuring that he has high-quality finished products with vibrant colors. Once they arrive, he double-checks the quality, and, if excellent, they're ready for purchase.