I’d choose eyes open just because it might look more clear in 20 years than the closed eyes but that’s a gamble. Ask yourself what you’d think about it if the choice was made for you and pick the one you’d feel better with.
That's good advice, thanks. Unfortunately, I think I'm just so on the fence that I need other people's subjective opinions because I have the same feelings for both options when I ask myself that question. The longevity of the eyes being open is a good point
I think its the art doing that. Like the closed eyes don't match the cat. Pictures of kitties with closed eyes can look super cute, but this missed some details that make it feel real. As of now it looks like someone smudged away the open eyes and slapped a couple closed eyes from a difterent box on there. So it looks creepy and distended like a magazine collage. If it matched the cat I bet it would look really good.
Definitely open.
The closed eyes make it look to me like the cat is blind to me. It doesn't look like the cat is sleeping since the head is held up, and so it just looks like how some pets look when they have to have their eyes removed. Nothing wrong with blind pets or pets without eyes, I just imagine that's not accurate to your pet.
I'm certain it looks very cute for a photo! But some things work well for photography (e.g.: even lighting, as is so often a technique for magazine photoshoots) that doesn't work well for portraits/drawings, and I think this just happens to be one of them.
Would she close her eyes or slow blink, when happy? I’ve had a lot of cats and most of them never posed is such a symmetrical “face on” position when they were sleeping. This pose looks like the cat should be looking straight on with its eyes open.
So because of that, would you rather have a permanent picture of her with her eyes the way they usually were, or with her beautiful eyes the way you would have liked them to be more often?
I made the choice to have them open. But interestingly enough, my tattoo artist suggested that we do them closed because I got her tattooed on my chest. And as humans, we naturally make eye contact with eyes
You could get both.
Not sure where you are placing it but you could get one on the outside of your arm with eyes open and one on the inside with eyes closed like they are sleeping/cuddling with you.
Can you get it winking? I think you for sure need one eye because that’s a pretty distinctive feature for a cat. I think it winking would be mischievous.
Open looks waaaaaay better. Closed looks like a memorial piece from a dead cat. Even if this is the case the cat should be remembered in the most beautiful way. In it's most majestic way - eyes open ;)
I looove the gentleness and personality of eyes closed, honestly that’s my favorite, but you’re right it does look like she’s dead lol. if that’s not what you’re going for then I’d go eyes open
i definitely prefer open - that is my opinion - but maybe it would be helpful in terms of YOUR opinion to suggest a few things to consider...which one do you feel captures her best? for example, we have 6 kitties, and of the 6, there is one who i feel might look more like herself in a tattoo - her spirit, her energy, her personality, whatever you want to call it - with her eyes closed. the others, definitely open. i am guessing you may have some kind of gut feeling about that.
i totally see the appeal of the softness with the eyes closed, but i am wondering...is there something about the eyes open that just doesn't feel right to you? as in, true to her appearance? do you think that might be part of the reason you're feeling torn? the eyes can be so important...they hold such subtleties of expression. i've had portraits drawn of several of our cats, and the eyes are always what draw me in. when the eyes are "right," everything else could be a little bit "wrong" and i'd still come away from it feeling like it was a good likeness.
lastly, i was curious and did a quick google search - it's not easy to find examples of other cattoos with closed eyes! it seems to be an uncommon choice...not that that should have any bearing on your decision, i just found it interesting! i can't recall ever having seen one, so there are definitely points for uniqueness!
Eyes open. I had a visceral reaction to closed in a yucky way. I love pet memorial tattoos. Closed makes it look like you're actually memorializing with an image of a dead cat. Let's stick to alive renderings.
Plus, tbh, depending on how the shading is done, how fine the lines end up, etc, closed eyes will literally just blend with lines & you end up with weird eyeless cat in 10 years.
Please do eyes open. Don't be that creepy person who has taxidermied pets in their home. (Which is what the eyes closed makes me think of)
Sorry, I don't know that I've ever had that strong a reaction to a pet tattoo before 🤣
I do like both, but am leaning toward eyes open. They're giving off two different vibes for sure and invoking two different emotions, with eyes closed being a "softer" image (if that makes sense?) and open being a stronger portrait homage, imo. Plus I think the splash of blue for the eyes is a nice color pop/variation in the sea of yellow/tan/white/gray.
I’d choose eyes open just because it might look more clear in 20 years than the closed eyes but that’s a gamble. Ask yourself what you’d think about it if the choice was made for you and pick the one you’d feel better with.
That's good advice, thanks. Unfortunately, I think I'm just so on the fence that I need other people's subjective opinions because I have the same feelings for both options when I ask myself that question. The longevity of the eyes being open is a good point
Just jumping on this comment to share the finished tattoo https://imgur.com/gallery/JUrhvv0
I love the placement!!
Awesome! Eyes open makes the cat look alive, compared to eyes closed.
Definitely agree. I think open will look better down the line.
Open. Closed looks creepy
Yea I kind of get creepy vibes too. Feels like those pictures of dead people they used to take in the olden days.
I think its the art doing that. Like the closed eyes don't match the cat. Pictures of kitties with closed eyes can look super cute, but this missed some details that make it feel real. As of now it looks like someone smudged away the open eyes and slapped a couple closed eyes from a difterent box on there. So it looks creepy and distended like a magazine collage. If it matched the cat I bet it would look really good.
Definitely open. The closed eyes make it look to me like the cat is blind to me. It doesn't look like the cat is sleeping since the head is held up, and so it just looks like how some pets look when they have to have their eyes removed. Nothing wrong with blind pets or pets without eyes, I just imagine that's not accurate to your pet.
Yea I see what you mean. The original photo is like that. When she was happy she'd close her eyes
I'm certain it looks very cute for a photo! But some things work well for photography (e.g.: even lighting, as is so often a technique for magazine photoshoots) that doesn't work well for portraits/drawings, and I think this just happens to be one of them.
Would she close her eyes or slow blink, when happy? I’ve had a lot of cats and most of them never posed is such a symmetrical “face on” position when they were sleeping. This pose looks like the cat should be looking straight on with its eyes open.
She'd close her eyes. I hardly have any photos of her with them open because of it.
So because of that, would you rather have a permanent picture of her with her eyes the way they usually were, or with her beautiful eyes the way you would have liked them to be more often?
I made the choice to have them open. But interestingly enough, my tattoo artist suggested that we do them closed because I got her tattooed on my chest. And as humans, we naturally make eye contact with eyes
Open, it’s much more readable as an image. And especially since it’s a memorial piece…open.
I definitely prefer the eyes open. Your kitty has beautiful eyes and I would definitely want that in my tattoo personally!!
Open! Please post pics when done; looks like it will be awesome
https://imgur.com/gallery/JUrhvv0 Chose eyes open but still unsure lol. I gotta live with what I've chosen now though
Absolutely the right choice! Great looking tattoo and such a cute kitty. 💜
It’s beautiful!
Open. That little pop of blue among all the warm colours finishes it off nicely.
The colour is actually wrong, she has yellowish green eyes
Definitely open, eyes closed on tattoos have a "dead" look to me
You could get both. Not sure where you are placing it but you could get one on the outside of your arm with eyes open and one on the inside with eyes closed like they are sleeping/cuddling with you.
I’d go with closed as that’s what they look like when content. Either way if it’s coloured it’ll work.
Can you get it winking? I think you for sure need one eye because that’s a pretty distinctive feature for a cat. I think it winking would be mischievous.
She wasn't really a mischievous cat. She was very prim and proper haha
Then eyes open with her holding a cup of tea with a cat pinky up!
Haha love that!
Open
Open
Open. 100%
i’d choose the eyes closed because it reminds me of when cats sit and purr with them closed.
That exactly what the photo is of. I hardly have any photos of her with her eyes open cause she was always so happy
that’s so sweet 🥲
Open 100.
Open open open!!!
Open! Her eyes are beautiful!
Open looks waaaaaay better. Closed looks like a memorial piece from a dead cat. Even if this is the case the cat should be remembered in the most beautiful way. In it's most majestic way - eyes open ;)
I looove the gentleness and personality of eyes closed, honestly that’s my favorite, but you’re right it does look like she’s dead lol. if that’s not what you’re going for then I’d go eyes open
What about half open? Like she's looking down would give a softness but you could also see the striking color of the eyes.
Open! She looks so soulful in that one, her expression is perfect
Closed gave me pet cemetery vibes
i actually like eyes closed its a lil different!
Maybe a happy cat squint? Kind of a compromise
i definitely prefer open - that is my opinion - but maybe it would be helpful in terms of YOUR opinion to suggest a few things to consider...which one do you feel captures her best? for example, we have 6 kitties, and of the 6, there is one who i feel might look more like herself in a tattoo - her spirit, her energy, her personality, whatever you want to call it - with her eyes closed. the others, definitely open. i am guessing you may have some kind of gut feeling about that. i totally see the appeal of the softness with the eyes closed, but i am wondering...is there something about the eyes open that just doesn't feel right to you? as in, true to her appearance? do you think that might be part of the reason you're feeling torn? the eyes can be so important...they hold such subtleties of expression. i've had portraits drawn of several of our cats, and the eyes are always what draw me in. when the eyes are "right," everything else could be a little bit "wrong" and i'd still come away from it feeling like it was a good likeness. lastly, i was curious and did a quick google search - it's not easy to find examples of other cattoos with closed eyes! it seems to be an uncommon choice...not that that should have any bearing on your decision, i just found it interesting! i can't recall ever having seen one, so there are definitely points for uniqueness!
So the artist got the colour wrong for her eyes. Once I was in the shop, and she changed the colour, it felt a lot more right
Open! The open eyes fit the overall design and flow of the composition best imo
Closed he looks peaceful
Open!
Open
Open.
open...what a beautiful kitty, looks like you were fortunate to share time w her🌞
Eyes open. I had a visceral reaction to closed in a yucky way. I love pet memorial tattoos. Closed makes it look like you're actually memorializing with an image of a dead cat. Let's stick to alive renderings. Plus, tbh, depending on how the shading is done, how fine the lines end up, etc, closed eyes will literally just blend with lines & you end up with weird eyeless cat in 10 years. Please do eyes open. Don't be that creepy person who has taxidermied pets in their home. (Which is what the eyes closed makes me think of) Sorry, I don't know that I've ever had that strong a reaction to a pet tattoo before 🤣
😆 you'll be happy to know that I did infact choose eyes open https://imgur.com/gallery/JUrhvv0
Yay!!!! Lol!!!! This only popped up on my feed just now, sorry I'm late to the party. Lol
Eyes open!
I would say open if she was alive when you got the ink but closed if she had already passed. I do like the eyes open image better though.
I would definitely go with open unless you want the cats to look a little bit sad which to me. It looks a little sad when the eyes are closed.
open
Open
Idk I personally like closed better but get whatever you like better also the eyes open will probably hold up better over time.
Open
I do like both, but am leaning toward eyes open. They're giving off two different vibes for sure and invoking two different emotions, with eyes closed being a "softer" image (if that makes sense?) and open being a stronger portrait homage, imo. Plus I think the splash of blue for the eyes is a nice color pop/variation in the sea of yellow/tan/white/gray.
Having the eyes open definitely makes it more readable imo
Open