Strange Places Where My Cat Chooses To Nap

Does your cat nap on the clean laundry pile? It's as if the clothes are the equivalent of a recliner in the sun.

Photography Tips For Awesome Portraits

Whether you are taking pictures of your child's birthday party or reference for a potential portrait, there are a few tricks that will enhance your photo sessions. By making a few adjustments, you can turn general photos into frame-worthy portraits. I've listed a few tips that have helped me attain clear reference pictures for my portraits. These tricks have been priceless in achieving accurate portraits of people and animals.

1. Turn OFF the flash!

When cameras became equipped with the flash function, people began turning the flash on as a necessity. We feared that our pictures would turn out blurry, dark, or fuzzy if we didn't. I was guilty of this myself. When I started using a digital camera, I became frustrated with the quality of pictures with the flash. Then, I realized that my outdoor pictures without the flash were looking rather artistic and clear. I turned off the flash indoors and voila! My indoor pictures looked completely different.

Here is an example of the same picture subject. The first picture was taken with the flash function. The next picture was taken without the flash.




In the first picture, the eyes are washed out by the flash. If I were attempting to use this photo as a drawing reference, I would need separate reference to render the eyes. The background is also very dark and plain.

The second picture is taken without any special settings. I turned the flash function off and zoomed in on my subject. I also lowered my position so that I was taking the picture at the same height of the dog. This allows me to capture the reflection in my subject's eyes and to obtain a steady, clear shot. Notice that the background is softer, with more light. There is a gentle quality to the photo.

2. Use Natural Light As Much As Possible

The pictures above were taken next to a window. Sunlight poured onto my dog's coat. With the flash picture, the highlights from the sun are not visible. By using natural light, pools of highlights appear, creating a more interesting photograph. I highly recommend taking pictures outside or next to a window. Natural sunlight will light your subjects perfectly. I understand that this is not always possible. Position your subject as close to a light source as possible, whether it is a lit birthday cake, a lamp in your living room, or outdoors.

3. Photograph Your Subject From Interesting Angles

Every subject can be photographed from a number of angles. I find that crawling onto the floor with my dogs and shooting the photo from their height greatly increases the quality of the photo. However, you can also position yourself below your subject to create a distortion of scale. Play around with different angles to find the most flattering view of your subject.

News Flash

It's time to put some excitement into this blog! It seems like lately, my posts have followed the same "vanilla" format.... Here is my latest artwork... Here is the story behind the artwork... Snore! Time to put some sprinkles on the vanilla.... and some hot fudge!

AKC Museum Of The Dog Registry

Did you know that there is a museum in the US, dedicated to dog art? The AKC Museum of the Dog holds juried exhibitions that showcase canine art and has an Artist Registry. Recently, I became an official member of the Museum of the Dog Artist Registry. Exhibitions are changed fairly regularly and the museum also has a permanent collection of classic canine paintings. The museum is located in St. Louis, Missouri in a historic estate. For more information, check out http://www.museumofthedog.org/.

Launching Into The World Of Illustration

I finally feel ready to start sending promotional packets to publishers. I've been working hard over the past year to build a strong portfolio of realistic animal drawings in color. A big part of the submission process is research. An illustrator needs to find their niche and pursue publishers that will support their subject matter and style. A big emphasis was placed on market research in my college studies. A lot of money and time can be wasted in sending samples to random publishers.

So, I began researching publishers through the Artist's & Graphic Designer's Market and through Google. The process is very complicated. I've found maybe a hand-full of publishers that are interested in realistic animal drawings. With computer technology, many illustrators are drawing on their computers in a whimsical style. Some publishers list a need for realistic animal drawings, but I am finding that the need is for colorful, digital work. Photo-realism is often substituted with photographs in books and magazines.

How do I work through this challenge? I will continue to research and discover magazines and books that feature animal subject matter and see if they buy realistic illustrations. I also am marketing my work to the poster and licensing markets. For this reason, I am trying to perfect a "style" and work on drawings in "series". My goal is to develop a soft, impressionistic style with a hint of realism (with a pinch of neurosis and attention to detail).

The Birdwatcher

I'm on a bit of a cat-drawing frenzy lately. I've been inspired by my lovely tuxedo cat, Molly. She seems to love the camera and takes on the most ridiculous poses.

The portrait above is 8x10" landscape on white, smooth vellum paper. It is drawn in soft pastels with the whiskers rendered with white pastel pencil.

The goal of the portrait was to demonstrate the intense look of a cat in hunting mode. When the reference photo was taken, Molly was hunting a bird perched on my birdfeeder, through the window. Thank goodness for glass! No carnage resulted. Just a fun, pastel study. Enjoy!

New Artwork!

I recently ran into a friend at the grocery store, who looked at me and exclamed, "You're alive!". That statement alone was motivation to move forward and produce some more artwork. This blog has been neglected over the past few weeks. It's not that I haven't been drawing, I just have been swamped with responsibilities.

Regardless, I am returning today with new work. The piece above is my latest pastel drawing. The subject is my beautiful tuxedo cat, Miss Molly. I took the reference photo this past weekend as my cat was luxuriating on my dining room table in a pool of sunlight.

The drawing is rendered with pastels entirely, with no use of the pastel pencils. I'm trying to "paint" with pastel sticks as much as possible for a smoother look. The drawing is 11 x 14" landscape in size on smooth vellum paper.

Lounging

Wow! It's been almost two weeks since I posted new artwork. I have been busy working on the piece featured above and am sending my work to various children's market publishers (I'm hoping to illustrate children's books).

Back to the topic....

The golden retriever lounging above is my own golden, Sunny. One of his favorite napping spots happens to be on a floral futon in my studio/sunroom. The reference photo was taken while the sun showered him with light through the window. The finished artwork is drawn in pastels on smooth vellum paper and is 11 x 14".

I am working on a softer look in my pastel portraits. The end result may be a bit painterly in style. My new style is a work-in-progress... Hopefully, it will continue to grow in a positive direction.

Artifacts

I never realized how much I missed my grandfather until I came across artifacts from his life. I called him Dziedz and he a special person in my life. When my mom went to work at school (before I went to school), he would take care of me with my grandmother. He taught me about birdwatching and came up with drawing exercises that made me think.

He would draw a line with a dip in it. I would turn his line into a complete drawing. Dziedz was patient and gentle. He had cancer for a good part of my life and lost his eyesight over time. When he was blind, he would still examine my drawings and somehow managed to point out parts that he liked. Maybe he could sense the emotions that went into the piece.

He died of cancer my senior year of college, shortly after my mom was diagnosed with cancer. When he died, my mom gave me his SU sweatshirt. He wore it in support of the college that I attended. It is a comfortable zip-up hoodie. When I first received it, there were still tissues in the pocket. Remnants from his life. I wish that I had saved them sometimes.

Yesterday, I came across his pastels. My grandmother had given me some of his old canvases and drawing supplies. I have the crayons and markers from our childhood drawing exercises and the sketchbooks with the drawings in them. I don't want to throw any object away, even the smelly markers that no longer work.

When I found the pastels, I had been working on a drawing of a swan. Something told me that they would be just right. The price sticker was still on the box. He had purchased them from a small store in Rutland, probably 20-30 years ago. They were cheap by today's standards. I didn't think that he had used them. Then I picked up a stick and it had been sanded into a point. Several of the pastel sticks had been sanded in this way. They felt like heaven on my fingertips. Smooth, buttery, and warm. The energy of my grandfather was imprinted on each stick like a fingerprint. I felt content and connected to him. It is a way that I can continue to draw with him.

Che

My latest commissioned charcoal portrait features Che, an adorable mixed breed boy. Che is a sweet, older chap, who is quite tall. Reclining in the sun, he maintains a peaceful, thoughtful expression. He is drawn in black conte crayon on smooth vellum paper.

Golden Illustrations... The Prequel!

The production above is a simple slideshow that showcases my work in charcoal, set to the music of Led Zeppelin. I figured that it was only fair to showcase my work in charcoal, since there's already two slideshows with my pastel work.

Chipmunk!

A few days ago, I felt motivated to work on another wildlife drawing. I've been wanting to draw either a squirrel or chipmunk for a while. After digging through my photo reference files, I found a picture of an exotic chipmunk that lives in the "Mouse House" at a zoo. When I took the picture, he was darting up a tree in his little habitat. This little chap is a nocturnal animal, which is why the drawing is set at night.

The drawing was created with pastel pencils and is 8 x 10" in size. The blurriness of the picture is intentional, to show the motion of the animal.

Catnap!

A few weeks ago, I happened to glance in my guest bedroom in between chores. My mellow kitty, Molly, was napping in the most peculiar position. It was one of those moments when you feel the need to grab your camera and just start snapping pictures. While I was snapping away, I was giggling at the fact that my kitty didn't even bother to move with a camera in plain site. She remained outstretched on her back, with her paws in the air. Apparently, this is THE most comfortable position. for morning naps.

The portrait is drawn in pastel pencils from my favorite reference photo taken that morning. A few areas were touched up with general pastels to create a smooth appearance. The drawing is 11 x 14" on smooth, vellum paper.

The small photograph above the portrait is the reference photo.

Illustration Friday - I Spy

This week's Illustration Friday theme is "I Spy". Many people spy on wildlife, the weather, or their neighbors through the windows of their homes. In this picture, I am spying on some squirrels in my yard. It was a particularly sunny day and I love playing with darkness and light in the composition.

The Niche

The dog drawn above is my own mixed breed, Lady Sasha. Sasha is not a snuggler per se, but she occasionally will place her head on you to show affection. The reference for this picture was taken while I was reclining in the sun and Sasha rested her head on my leg. She found a comfy niche and pouted. Her expression was priceless and it inspired the pastel pic above. Enjoy!

Pastel Demonstration

The video above demonstrates the steps involved in creating a pastel pencil portrait. I thought it would be interesting for artists and clients to see how I work. I'm still a novice at creating videos, but this is a start. I'm pretty proud of my portrait of Sunny and photographed the steps as I drew. It's always interesting in the beginning, when I am layering the colors. The piece looks flat and goes through the "ugly" stage. With a large piece, this stage can take time to work through. I have to remind myself that the piece will come together in the end. I guess that philosophy can work in life as well, when faced with a challenge.

Press Coverage

I've posted a clip above from the Syracuse City Eagle. The Eagle ran a story this week about my winning entries at The Art Show At The Dog Show. I am so thrilled to be in this week's paper!

Sunny Came Home

The picture above is my adorable senior golden, Sunny. This special guy is the subject of the two portraits below, that won awards at the Art Show At The Dog Show. Sunny is drawn in pastel pencils and his portrait dimensions are 11 x 14".

Sunny is recovering from a series of cluster seizures that occurred randomly two weeks ago. While he hasn't seizured since, he is quite sedate. He mostly rests and sleeps. I took the reference photo for this portrait while he was napping in the sunlight. He always looks like he belongs in a calendar, in front of a crackling fireplace when he naps. He just has the classic golden retriever look.

It's A Major Award!

Hee, hee. Any fans of the movie, A Christmas Story, will remember the classic line that is the title of this blog. I thought it would be a light-hearted introduction to some good news.... I won two awards at The Art Show At The Dog Show!

I received a list of winners in the mail on Saturday. My drawing "Golden Slumbers" received fourth place in the Drawing category. And... My drawing "Lazy Afternoon" won the "Best Entry Depicting A Golden Retriever" award. The second award is very special and difficult to achieve. My piece was selected as the best portrayal of the breed in any medium, including sculpture, photography, and painting. The second piece will be shown on the competition website once the 2007 winners are added.

What makes this story a little more tragic/inspiring are the events that surrounded the news. The subject of my golden retriever drawings, my own dog Sunny, was in the animal emergency hospital shortly before the competition judging occurred. Sunny began having violent seizures at night a few weeks ago. The seizure cluster did not subside, so he was admitted to the local Animal Emergency hospital. After 24 hours, they were able to control the seizures with medication and he was released home. Sunny has had a slow recovery. He has lost a lot of his vibrancy, but every day he gains a little more of his old self. These awards came at the perfect time to pay tribute to a remarkable rescue golden retriever.

I've posted pictures of the winning pieces above. The first piece is the "Best Entry Depicting A Golden Retriever" and the second piece received a 4th place award in the "Drawing" category. For more information about this prestigious art show, log on to www.artshowatthedogshow.com. The 2007 results should be posted over the next couple of months. You can also view past winners of the competition on this site. The art show hangs in Wichita, Kansas until the month of April.

Bear

The adorable puppy pictured above is named Bear. Bear's owner is wildlife and dog photographer, Lisa Husar. Photos of Bear have appeared in magazines, greeting cards, calendars, and catalogs, including the cover of the Fall 2006 Coldwater Creek catalog. I am proud to have drawn a golden retriever who I have seen in print. Bear is probably one of the most photographed golden retrievers around.

In this scene, Bear has stolen his owner's sneaker and happily chews on a few laces with the appearance of innocence in his sparkling eyes. The portrait of Bear is drawn in pastel pencil and is 12 x 16" in size.

Illustration Friday - Communication

There is something magical about animal communication. Sometimes, animals will get close and it appears as if they are whispering secrets to each other. Yet, the whole encounter is silent. They communicate with energy.

The reference to this photo was taken at a zoo, in the gorilla forest exhibit. I randomly was taking snapshots as the gorillas interacted and managed to capture this special moment. It seemed perfect for an illustration. It's 11 x 14" and drawn in pastel pencils. Enjoy!

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall

Here is my latest portrait... The kitty pictured above is Molly, a rather luxurious girl. She spends her days sprawled out in the sun or curled up on a pile of clothing. She always seeks out the warmest, softest places to lounge. I chose to work in deep, warm hues to show a sense of sophistication and warmth. This cat does not have a mean bone in her body so she is best portrayed in a warm, loving light. She actually will allow humans to rub her belly, like a dog. Now that is a mellow cat!

Seal Of Approval

Yesterday, I found myself looking for something new to draw. I have attempted to draw my husband several times and feel that I never quite get it right. I love him so much that I want the drawing to be perfect and reflect what I see. With Valentine's Day a recent memory, I've been feeling kind of mushy. It was time for a sappy "dog kissing human" portrait.

This piece is titled "Seal Of Approval" because I wanted to be funny. It shows exactly how much my beloved dog, Sasha, approves of my hubby. She adores him and watches him leave for work every morning with her ears perked up in the window. She is a very affectionate girl who has softened the likes of an intelligent software engineer.

Apollo!

The dog above is Apollo, an adorable german shepard mix. Apollo's hobbies include enjoying treats and running in the snow. He is a very excitable and playful boy. I love how he tips his head in curiousity in this portrait. It's almost as if he is saying "What is that "camera thing" that you are holding in front of me? Is it edible?"

On the Road To Kansas

Well, I survived the "blizzard" that hit yesterday. We got a few feet of snow. Syracuse University actually was closed for the second time in the history of the school. That's a good indication of the storm's severity. My neighbors struggled to climb our hill and the car that was snow-covered in the previous post was buried in snow by evening.

I managed to ship my artwork to the Art Show At The Dog Show this morning. I am keeping my fingers crossed and faith strong that my work makes it to Kansas safely and on time. This is such an exciting opportunity!

On a side note, the springer spaniel won the Best In Show award at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show a few days ago. Check out the springer spaniel post below to view an equally beautiful pair of springers.

Snow!

The pics above were taken in my neighborhood this morning. We are supposed to be bombarded with snow, so this is the "calm before the real storm". Pretty bad prequel, if you ask me.

Art Show At The Dog Show/Blizzard

For the past few days, I have been preparing for The Art Show At The Dog Show, which is a huge show for my art career. My work must be in Kansas by February 23rd, at the absolute latest for judging purposes. At the time of my acceptance, my work was unframed and I needed to have my pieces framed and shipped within the next week. My husband decided to help me frame my work myself, since it was economical and we could probably work faster than the local frame shops.

Last night, we finally finished framing. We did a good job, in my opinion. I've posted the framed pieces above. The pictures aren't the greatest, but they give you a general idea.

After framing, I was faced with a new obstacle... shipping. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem. In fact, the UPS Store is practically in my back yard. I can walk through a path in my yard and I am there. Except... I woke to a blizzard...

A blizzard! It's not that bad by CNY standards. In fact, we are supposed to get 1-2 more feet of snow today. The snow is so deep in my yard that I can't walk through it with my artwork. My husband offered to drive me around the corner to the UPS before he left for work (we share a car). So, we bundled up and drove around the corner. The store was closed. Apparently, the employees thought there is too much snow and decided not to come to work.

So, I am going to head back to UPS via car this evening. Hopefully, the roads will be clear enough for travel. My brave husband actually went to work today, even though blizzard conditions are being forcasted. He actually likes the snow. I, on the other hand, will be shaking with worry in our home, hoping that my work will make it to Kansas for the show. I'm sure I will be fine, but I am one of those people who does everything early. I hate being late and am a bit of a control freak. Perhaps, my lesson on this earth is patience. This situation is a fine test.

Springer Spaniels

The piece above is my latest commission. These gorgeous springer spaniels are named Leah and Cashmere. Both dogs were bred by Corrado English Springer Spaniels. I love how the composition shows the loving connection between mother and pup.

I'm In The Art Show At The Dog Show!

I just received a letter from the AKC's Art Show At The Dog Show and all four of my entries into the show were accepted. The Art Show At The Dog Show is the organization's national dog art competition. Each year, the show features the country's top dog artists. This is my first year entering and I am overjoyed that all of my entries were accepted! Now, I have to scramble to frame my work and ship it within the next week. Once hanging, all accepted works are judged in a number of categories for prizes. The Best In Show piece is purchased by the AKC and hung in the AKC's Museum of the Dog.

By the way, the piece above is not hanging in the show. It's my latest pastel drawing of my very special mixed breed dog, Sasha. She loves to gaze out the window, looking for my husband to return from work. This piece is documented proof of her daily window-gazing ritual. Once I finish typing, I will join her at the window. I can't wait to give my husband a hug in celebration!

Husband and Wife

The portrait above was taken on my own wedding day. This was the exact moment when we were pronounced husband and wife and shared our first kiss. I created this piece to lift my husband's day while he was at work. Now, I just need to come up with an even greater surprise for Valentine's Day!

I'm in the Alumni Newpaper!

I was flipping through my college's alumni newspaper yesterday and found my own name in the alumni updates section! For those of you who do not know me outside of this blog, I attended Syracuse University's College of Visual and Performing Arts and graduated with a BFA in Illustration in 2001. I had submitted news of my portrait business and exhibitions to display on my online profile and it ended up being published! The paper is viewed by students, faculty, and alumni. What a wonderful way to spread the word about my work!

Illustration Friday - Red

This week's Illustration Friday topic is "Red". Immediately, I thought of drawing a cat with a bold, red background. The cat pictured is Molly, a calm, sweet girl. On most afternoons, she prefers to curl up among the red blankets on my bed. The walls happen to be a muted red as well. I love the contrast between her black and white coat and the bold walls in the background. Comments and critiques are welcome!

Golden Illustrations... The Movie!

I'm always looking for new and exciting ways to display my artwork. With the popularity of Youtube, I thought it would be cool to post a slideshow movie of my work for the world to see. I uploaded my pictures to iphoto on my Mac and made a slideshow set to music. iphoto is great. You can customize the transition between images with neat animations and even add a Ken Burns film effect. The result of my efforts is posted above. The only complaint that I have is that the images are a bit blurry, due to the low quality that the file was saved at. Other than that, I feel excited to share my artwork, set to music!

Take The Leap

I decided that it was time for more wildlife portraits. It's been a while since I have drawn a wild animal and was missing the task of rendering warm, fuzzy critters. I fed this urge by drawing a cold-blooded critter (a snake). Now, I have progressed to drawing a creature that doesn't send me into the fetal position in fear - the penguin.

The reference for this piece was taken at the zoo on a sunny afternoon. I was almost trampled by a mob of children, eager to see the penguins splashing around in their simulated environment. This particular penguin seemed unsure of whether he wanted to jump into the water. Kind of a metaphor for where I am at in life. I am scared of taking the leap and sending my work to art directors.

I think that my biggest fear is that they will look at me as a fine artist. Not a bad thing, but I am wondering whether my work is marketable to big companies and publishers. I want to take the leap and get my work out there. In the meantime, I am researching publishers and am building promotional materials. If the penguin can jump in the cold zoo water, then I can be brave and jump into the world of publishing.

Snake!!!

Fear of snakes is my biggest phobia. In fact, my fear is so serious that I will hyperventilate at the sight of a garter snake in my yard. This drawing was a step toward facing my fear. I took the reference photo at a reptile exihibit at a zoo. Of course, the snake was behind glass and could not harm me.

However, drawing this creature took stamina. I had to pay detailed attention to its scales and shiny skin. Still, I cannot tell whether it is placidly taking a nap or hunting a rodent. Regardless, the picture gives me chills.

Now that the project is complete, I can say that I am still afraid of snakes. However, I am proud that I took a step to face my fear and express the shadows of fear in my piece.

Self-Portrait

There comes a time where an artist ponders whether to do a promotional self-portrait. A self-portrait shows who you are, in your style. During a recent slow-period, I thought that the time had arrived to attempt a self-portrait.

My last self-portrait attempt occurred in college, in the Syracuse University illustration program. We were to complete a self-portrait in black and white. I drew myself in pen and ink. I was holding a flashlight up to my face in a creepy way. I wanted to play with light and illuminate my face from below. I thought that my piece rocked. In critique, one professor told me that my fingers looked like male appendages. Only, he didn't say "male appendages". He was much more frank.

So... Scarred from my previous attempt, I move forward. Again, I wanted to play with light and reflection. Except, this time I wanted to use bright colors. And I made sure to hide my hands. Didn't want them to resemble "male appendages".

Illustration Friday - Super Hero

The drawing above is of my grandfather, my superhero. He served in World War II, battled cancer for two decades, and taught me how to draw. He also taught me how to stand up to bullies and to respect myself. This picture will never be good enough in my mind. I wish a reference could show how amazing this man really was. Then again, he would have smiled and told me it is great if he were alive.

Illustration Friday - The 80's

This week's Illustration Friday topic is the 80's. To me, nothing screams "the 80's" more than mullets and Full House. So... I have loosely rendered John Stamos in pastels. I tried to use the bright colors that were "so popular" in the 80's. I think I had leggings the color of the background. Comments, critiques, and rotten tomato throwing are welcome...

Distinguished Cat

The image above was a fun project that I completed in between commissions. A few months ago, my aunt made a trip to visit a friend in Canada. While she was there, she snapped a few photos of her friend's cat. The cat happened to be napping on a beautiful tapestry chair and looked rather distinguished. I came across these photos in my downtime and felt that they would translate well into a colorful drawing. I love the positioning of the cat in the composition. It's almost as if it wanted to wake up and reach to get attention, but was far too comfortable to be bothered.

Sophisticated Kitty

The picture above was a holiday gift to friends. I loved the original photo that this drawing is based on. The light hit the kitten just right through the window, creating dramatic shadows and highlights. For this reason, I thought that this picture would translate beautifully into a black and white drawing.

Children With Puppies, Is Anything Cuter?

The picture above was the final commission that I completed before the Christmas holiday. I needed to combine three compositions into an 11x14" image area. I combined the reference photos in Adobe Photoshop and drew the picture in pastel pencil. I love how the light reflects off of the children and puppies. Although the background is simplified, it seems that the subjects are drenched in sunlight. All in all, it's a bright, cheery picture. A welcome change from the grey weather in central New York!

Kids Love Mickey : )

The picture above was a fun holiday commission. The reference photo was taken at a Disney park with the fabulous... Mickey Mouse! I was very excited when I received this commission request, because I had just returned from Disneyworld at the time. I had taken several pictures of Mickey posing with random park-goers, because I was too lazy to wait in line for my own pic. Plus, I like taking pictures more than appearing in them...

Dutchess

The piece above is a special one. It is a conte crayon drawing of a rottweiler. For those of you who don't know what conte crayons are... They are a sepia-toned drawing pencil that creates the look of an old-fashioned photo.

Here is the story behind this drawing... Several weeks before Christmas, I received a call from a client that found me on Google. She was getting married shortly after Christmas and wanted to give a pet portrait to her new husband as a wedding gift. I could not say no to this project! I squeezed this commission in, even though I had a large backlog to finish before Christmas. I remember how difficult it was to come up with a creative wedding gift for my own husband. I think that she had a unique idea and really hoped that her husband loved the piece. I am flattered that she chose me to create this milestone gift...

Three Brittanies

The piece above was a Christmas commission, featuring three purebred Brittany Spaniels. Putting the composition together was a challenge, because I wanted each dog to stand out with their own personality.

Lucas

The picture above was my second holiday commission. The smiling boy in the picture is Lucas, a friend of my husband's family.

German Shepard

The picture above was my first Christmas portrait commission. It's a black and white portrait of an adorable German Shepard. Enjoy!