frequently asked questions
Q: Where do you find your inspiration?
A: I'm fascinated by the colours & textures of feathers & fur & the fun little quirks that make each creature unique. I have a soft spot for cats, and I enjoy painting animals of all kinds. My work combines my love of pop culture, mythology, mysticism, Steampunk, cybernetics and the natural world. Tiny fat wind-up things make me smile, and I plan to take over the world with the strange & the adorable.
Q: How did you develop your painting style?
A: I have over 30 years of photorealistic drawing experience & a BFA in oil painting & photography from Cornish College of the Arts. My cats started getting into the oil paints post-graduation; so for the sake of their health & my sanity, I made the switch to a non-toxic, quick drying, water soluble medium. My watercolour technique is a self-taught process that incorporates my favourite elements of pencil & oil and includes a good bit of trial & error, unpredictability & continued experimentation.
Q: What are your materials of choice?
A: I paint primarily with watercolour & gouache on Arches fine grain cold press watercolour paper. My preferred gouache is Holbein, and my favourite watercolour brands are L'Aquarelle, Daniel Smith, Windsor Newton, Fine Tec & Poems About You's honey-based handmade pigments. I use Kuretake water brushes, super fine point Daniel Smith & Princeton brushes & Micron pens for most of my detailing. All of my painting materials are archival & acid-free.
Q: Why cats?
A. Why not? I have 3 cats at home who model for me; they're cute, convenient & officially contributing members of the household. I've always felt an affinity for felines, and it doesn't hurt that they've captured the collective heart of the internet.
Q: Can I see photos of your cats?
A: Of course! I'm pleased to introduce Diesel (centre), Ghost (left) & Earl Grey (right). They're frequent features on my social media, you can visit 'Just Here for the Kittens' on my Patreon for exclusive behind-the-scenes photoshoots with my feline muses!
A: I'm fascinated by the colours & textures of feathers & fur & the fun little quirks that make each creature unique. I have a soft spot for cats, and I enjoy painting animals of all kinds. My work combines my love of pop culture, mythology, mysticism, Steampunk, cybernetics and the natural world. Tiny fat wind-up things make me smile, and I plan to take over the world with the strange & the adorable.
Q: How did you develop your painting style?
A: I have over 30 years of photorealistic drawing experience & a BFA in oil painting & photography from Cornish College of the Arts. My cats started getting into the oil paints post-graduation; so for the sake of their health & my sanity, I made the switch to a non-toxic, quick drying, water soluble medium. My watercolour technique is a self-taught process that incorporates my favourite elements of pencil & oil and includes a good bit of trial & error, unpredictability & continued experimentation.
Q: What are your materials of choice?
A: I paint primarily with watercolour & gouache on Arches fine grain cold press watercolour paper. My preferred gouache is Holbein, and my favourite watercolour brands are L'Aquarelle, Daniel Smith, Windsor Newton, Fine Tec & Poems About You's honey-based handmade pigments. I use Kuretake water brushes, super fine point Daniel Smith & Princeton brushes & Micron pens for most of my detailing. All of my painting materials are archival & acid-free.
Q: Why cats?
A. Why not? I have 3 cats at home who model for me; they're cute, convenient & officially contributing members of the household. I've always felt an affinity for felines, and it doesn't hurt that they've captured the collective heart of the internet.
Q: Can I see photos of your cats?
A: Of course! I'm pleased to introduce Diesel (centre), Ghost (left) & Earl Grey (right). They're frequent features on my social media, you can visit 'Just Here for the Kittens' on my Patreon for exclusive behind-the-scenes photoshoots with my feline muses!
.Q: Where can I see your art in person?
A: Conventions & galleries! I (normally) travel frequently for comic cons, horror shows & cat events, and I encourage supporting local businesses. Check my Exhibits & Events page for more info on upcoming appearances & scroll to the bottom of my Shop page to shop local.
Q: Do you accept commissions? Can I purchase a custom portrait for a friend?
A: Happily! As long as it fits in with my style & recent bodies of work, and you have reference photos ready *before* you place your order. Please visit the Custom Pet Portraits section of my Etsy shop for more info on sizes, pricing & my process. Please be aware that I will not pester you for photos, and if you're purchasing a portrait for a friend, it is not my responsibility to contact your friend for photos. Your order will be delayed if I don't have pictures to work with at the time of purchase.
Q: Are you going to paint [insert character here]?
A: Maybe! I paint what I love, so if it's a character I haven't heard of, or I'm not personally a fan, it's not likely to happen unless it's a commission. That said, I do receive *a lot* of requests, and in many cases the characters are already on my radar, I just haven't had time to paint them yet. It never hurts to ask!
Q: Do you offer original pieces for exhibit and/or wholesale for retail shops?
A: Yes! If you represent a gallery interested in showing my original work, please contact me for scheduling & availability. I also happily offer wholesale pricing for prints, cards, magnets, stickers & enamel pins. Feel free to email me with a link to your shop, and I'll send you my wholesale price list.
Q: Can you make prints of the pieces on your Pet Portraits page?
A: No. Exclusivity to your pet's image is part of the custom portrait agreement, so prints of client pieces are not available for reproduction or resale without client permission. If you commission your own custom portrait, it will come with a digital file that you can use to make your own prints (for personal & gift purposes, not for resale).
Q: Where do your Art for Charity donations go?
A: I donate 100% of proceeds from original paintings & 50% from prints & cards to the organisations listed in the descriptions of each Art for Charity piece. I started painting koalas in January to help raise awareness & funds for the Australian bushfire efforts, then wildcats to benefit local feline rescues when the pandemic struck. I'm currently creating pieces to help support my friends on the front lines of the civil rights movement.
Q: Can I have your piece tattooed on me?
A: I love seeing tattoos inspired by my work! All I ask is that both you & your artist credit me as the inspiration when sharing the finished piece on social media so that we can cross-promote.
Q: Fan Art & Intellectual Property Info
A: My fan art pieces, while inspired by characters from pop culture & literature, are based on photos I take of my own cats, and the compositions are entirely my own. I respect & support the intellectual property (IP) of the original creators, and I take care to ensure that any fan art I create falls firmly under the categories of 'parody' & 'fair use.' My pop culture inspired pieces give a fun new twist to well-known characters without stepping on any IP paws, as it were.
Q: Copyright Info
A: All artworks on this website are © Braden Duncan (aka Clockwork Art) unless otherwise noted. They are not free to edit, reproduce (either entirely or in part), or sell without express permission from the artist. I encourage social media sharing as long as my watermarks remain intact & proper credit is given (tagging & links to my website are preferred when possible). Art theft is unfortunately rampant in the creative community, and I watermark my images to discourage art thieves from downloading & profiting from my work without my consent. Art is 100% my livelihood, and sharing without credit makes it harder for folks to find & support my work. Thank you for being respectful & considerate when re-posting.
A: Conventions & galleries! I (normally) travel frequently for comic cons, horror shows & cat events, and I encourage supporting local businesses. Check my Exhibits & Events page for more info on upcoming appearances & scroll to the bottom of my Shop page to shop local.
Q: Do you accept commissions? Can I purchase a custom portrait for a friend?
A: Happily! As long as it fits in with my style & recent bodies of work, and you have reference photos ready *before* you place your order. Please visit the Custom Pet Portraits section of my Etsy shop for more info on sizes, pricing & my process. Please be aware that I will not pester you for photos, and if you're purchasing a portrait for a friend, it is not my responsibility to contact your friend for photos. Your order will be delayed if I don't have pictures to work with at the time of purchase.
Q: Are you going to paint [insert character here]?
A: Maybe! I paint what I love, so if it's a character I haven't heard of, or I'm not personally a fan, it's not likely to happen unless it's a commission. That said, I do receive *a lot* of requests, and in many cases the characters are already on my radar, I just haven't had time to paint them yet. It never hurts to ask!
Q: Do you offer original pieces for exhibit and/or wholesale for retail shops?
A: Yes! If you represent a gallery interested in showing my original work, please contact me for scheduling & availability. I also happily offer wholesale pricing for prints, cards, magnets, stickers & enamel pins. Feel free to email me with a link to your shop, and I'll send you my wholesale price list.
Q: Can you make prints of the pieces on your Pet Portraits page?
A: No. Exclusivity to your pet's image is part of the custom portrait agreement, so prints of client pieces are not available for reproduction or resale without client permission. If you commission your own custom portrait, it will come with a digital file that you can use to make your own prints (for personal & gift purposes, not for resale).
Q: Where do your Art for Charity donations go?
A: I donate 100% of proceeds from original paintings & 50% from prints & cards to the organisations listed in the descriptions of each Art for Charity piece. I started painting koalas in January to help raise awareness & funds for the Australian bushfire efforts, then wildcats to benefit local feline rescues when the pandemic struck. I'm currently creating pieces to help support my friends on the front lines of the civil rights movement.
Q: Can I have your piece tattooed on me?
A: I love seeing tattoos inspired by my work! All I ask is that both you & your artist credit me as the inspiration when sharing the finished piece on social media so that we can cross-promote.
Q: Fan Art & Intellectual Property Info
A: My fan art pieces, while inspired by characters from pop culture & literature, are based on photos I take of my own cats, and the compositions are entirely my own. I respect & support the intellectual property (IP) of the original creators, and I take care to ensure that any fan art I create falls firmly under the categories of 'parody' & 'fair use.' My pop culture inspired pieces give a fun new twist to well-known characters without stepping on any IP paws, as it were.
Q: Copyright Info
A: All artworks on this website are © Braden Duncan (aka Clockwork Art) unless otherwise noted. They are not free to edit, reproduce (either entirely or in part), or sell without express permission from the artist. I encourage social media sharing as long as my watermarks remain intact & proper credit is given (tagging & links to my website are preferred when possible). Art theft is unfortunately rampant in the creative community, and I watermark my images to discourage art thieves from downloading & profiting from my work without my consent. Art is 100% my livelihood, and sharing without credit makes it harder for folks to find & support my work. Thank you for being respectful & considerate when re-posting.
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