[ForJazz]

Here you can get a tin of prismacolors for about 40 dollars. I believe there are 64 in the tin. You can also buy them separately for less than a dollar each. They are the BEST -- I love them. They last, and the color is pure. Prang is also very good, which is what I have.

I agree that the black on the left side is effective to show the contrast and to balance it out, since otherwise the angle of the cat would have made one side very light and the other very dark. I think I might have faded the black out instead of leaving it as a sharp square -- but then again that might be a very nice effect when matted and framed. I love your artwork, you know that.