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The Scratching Log Presents:

A Solstice Salute.

(As it appeared on Twitter 12/22/2011, the Winter Solstice).

As much as I love Ratha, I enjoy artistic interpretations of other Named clan cats, such as Bira, Fessran, Thakur, and others, including Meoran.  We've seen Ratha attacking him in an earlier entry by Karyl Cunningham, but fan artist Leonca showcases him in a menacing portrait.  She mentions in her DevArt Gallery that he's based in part on the American lion, and cites the passages in Ratha's Creature about some of the Named being able to crush prey or opponent s skulls with a bite, in

Hi, clan cats, and welcome back to The Scratching Log, the Ratha series blog.  This creature has been asleep in it's den for too long, so Imaginator Press and I  decided to wake it up again. The first set of Scratching Log posts willl showcase the various artists who submitted entries to the recent Imaginator Press-sponsored  Facebook Ratha Fan Art Contest. 

Halloween is creeping closer.  Night begins encroaching further into day, and colors fade to black, white, and gray.  Perhaps it is appropriate that our eighth and last artist to be honored has created a ghostly image of the Named leader in such spectral shadings. As a side note, Rhiannon says that she was drawn to the Ratha series by another piece of fan art!  Here is Rhiannon Fields with her very different and original "Charcoal Ratha".  /CB

The Ratha series would never have returned to print without the devotion and support of readers and fans.  Tori OShea's early fan website, Clan Ground of the Named, woke me up from a discouraged daze to the realization that the series still lived on the net, and in the hearts of readers. She adopted "Ratha" as her fan name, and (as far as I know), did the first Ratha fan art on the web, appearing on the Lion King Fan Art Archive in 2002. 

Cheyanne Dawn Welch is artist number five up on the sunning rock, receiving the light and warmth of recognition.  I like the way Cheyanne made Ratha's fur "rough and unruly" to capture her defiant spirit. It looks spiked and wild.  The Red Tongue also looks saw-edged and spiked, which gives a fierce unity to the piece. I am pleased to present Cheyanne and her "Ratha and the Red Tongue".

Rachel McCoy is the next artist to take her place on the sunning rock's seat of honor. The first feature that strikes me about "My Creature" the striking composition.  The sweeping line that runs along Ratha's extended forepaw, around her shoulder and along her back, down her tail to the lashing tail-tip, giving the piece a fierce motion. 
 

Third up on the sunning rock to be bathed in the warmth of praise and honor is Karyl Cunningham, who stunned me with her unusual and energetic entry depicting a scene that rarely if ever shows up in Ratha fan art.  Her creativity is unmatched only by her persistence in battling time constraints, unco-operative materials (dried-out acryrlic paints) and other adversities.  So, you are being honored also for your determination in meeting the challenges as well as your artistic ability.  /CB