Japanese Artist Creates Stunning Life-Like Cat Portraits With Felted Wool
Some artists work in paint, clay, or stone, but Wakuneco turns wool into something that looks startlingly alive. The Japanese needle felting artist creates cat portraits so detailed that they seem to blink back at you.
Each bust is based on a real cat, using photos sent in by owners. With wool, needles, paint, and glass eyes, Wakuneco builds every face layer by layer until the fur, markings, and expression all come together.
The finished pieces are framed like tiny sculptures, and the process is just as mesmerizing as the result. Read on.
Her delicate workspace
Making cat eyes
Building up the face
Perfect little ears
Adding those tabby details
"This is a Trabee that boasts a nice face."
Yuzu-chan 2017
Kaede-Kun 2017
This work is "Cha-kun," created in 2018
My cat works have various expressions.
And if you love the “cat eyes” focus, check out the professional catographer’s adorable, funny cat photos.
I made the header image of Ameba Wakuneko Noritama-kun
It's Chobi-kun IN Nyaa
This Teo-chan is the first order cat to commemorate
This is Kaede-kun, a tea tiger
This is Yuzu-chan, a calico cat
It's Mr. Knight
Mr. Apollo
I'm Elsa
This is Hiro-chan
Fuwa-chan
This is the first Wakuneco I made
You can watch her mesmerizing process in the video below:
And watch the equally mesmerizing video of her making eyes
She's even released a How-To Book!
She does take commissions but does so through Yahoo! Auctions, where interested buyers submit their applications, and one is chosen at random. While she currently only ships to Japan, she plans to extend her shipping internationally for her next commission. You can get more information on her website and follow her work on social media:
Hopefully, she'll have a version of her how-to book published in English in the coming months. But in the meantime, share this with your friends!
Want more cat attitude, see the artist who paired his sarcasm with his adopted cat.
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