It is known that some cats "paint".(link). Whether or not these cats are making representational art is open to debate, but the bottom line is that, given the right materials (and, I suspect, supervision), some cats produce paintings that people find appealing.

While gazing thru a muddy window at the zoo, I realized it had been muddied by muddy tiger paws. A tiger had been "painting' using mud. If that tiger had been provided paint instead of mud, and the canvas had been removed before being painted into a blur, I suspect a result would have been a reasonable cat painting. Which I bet the zoo could have sold at auction for a mint.

I propose that the zoo set up a painting booth where tigers could enter and paint. The best of these would be auctioned off. Snow leopards, pumas and other cats could try their paw in the booth as well. In the end, the zoo makes money and zoo beneficiaries have a new conversation piece.
-- bungston, Dec 27 2003

Painting cats http://www.monpa.com/wcp/
[bungston, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 06 2004]

Elephant paintings http://www.animalsc...phant_Paintings.htm
by Nellie. [waugsqueke, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 06 2004]

Chimpanzee painting http://cheetathechimp.org/purchase.html
Sold for charity. [kropotkin, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 06 2004]

Painting Turtle http://www.turtlekiss.com
Koopa the Painting Box Turtle, only professional turtle artist in the world. [turtlekiss2, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]

I've heard of zoos doing this with elephants.
-- waugsqueke, Dec 27 2003


and they win prizes...
-- po, Dec 27 2003


Given enough time, any room full of cats can come up with a Van Goh.

Siegfried & Roy: Painted With BLOOD
Coming Soon to a Theater Near You!
-- Letsbuildafort, Dec 27 2003


Bun, as long as it's tiger friendly paint.
-- silverstormer, Dec 28 2003


Oh, I thought U meant stripey, orange-and-black paint for your walls. Give your bedroom a delightful "Calvin and Hobbes" theme.
-- spacecadet, Dec 28 2003


Cats "paint" because they are doing what they normally do (i.e., spread the scent from their pads on walls and trees) but with paint on their paws.
-- DrCurry, Dec 29 2003


Excellent - with this, tigers can frame their own fearful symmetry!
-- friendlyfire, Dec 29 2003


It's refreshing to see something not done by a human for a change. +
-- sartep, Dec 29 2003


+ for the idea.
[ff] That was truly awful. I'm still laughing now!.
-- gnomethang, Dec 30 2003


I would like to see Sabre Tooth Tiger pointalism.
From a distance.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 30 2003


cool, 2-fries...
-- Tiger Lily, Dec 30 2003


I have a picture painted by Kumala, an elephant at Calgary zoo. The idea is that they use all of the profits from the paintings to fund other enriching projects for the animals.

My picture is called "retreating stegasaurus" and is accrylic on canvas. It came with a video of the picture being painted, as well as various shots of the elephants 'looking happy'.
-- Fishrat, Dec 30 2003


Great idea, bung. + . (I had a turtle walk through a tray of white paint and then across my livingroom floor. Looked cool so I left it.)
-- lintkeeper2, Dec 30 2003


“I suppose the palette is a bit limited, then, with just blood and mud?
“Well yes, but they can do a lot with that. Our Siberian does terrific sunsets. Look at this one.”
“Hummm...looks like a drop of blood on a smear of...is that fecal matter?”
“It’s organic, so it is.” He picks up another canvas. “Now this one, we call it dreaming of Africa.”
“But you said she’s Siberian, didn’t you.”
Sniffs. “Well, she can dream, can’t she?”

-- ldischler, Apr 29 2004



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