Hanging Baskets of Flowers

15x22 watercolor finished yesterday of fresh greenhouse baskets of red and variegated geraniums and mixed petunias.  Drawn from a combination of two photo references, I changed the left side pot to off white and right side variegated blooms were red ones.  This painting was fun to do as we have no flowers right now to buy to even dream of spring or summer.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Heartfelt Geraniums-reworked mixed media floral

 9x10 mixed media (inks, colored pencils, gouache) done today in 1 hour approximately from existing painting titled Primary Colors Heart from Feb. 2013 (inks, see below).  I've painted these same red geraniums before and did another watercolor yesterday of hanging baskets, but changed the flowers to a variegated salmon.  The photo was taken of my friend Barbara's plant on her sun porch a few years ago.  Tonight this was featured in WetCanvas! Weekend Drawing Event in the All Media Arts Forum where I am the host.

You can see where I've left parts of it showing in the new reworked image which I like a whole lot better
Images are COPYRIGHT 2013/2014 Kay Smith.

Jezebel Cat Dozing

6x6 watercolor and ink line wash on Masters paper of my studio Siamese Jezebel dozing in a southern window.  The warm sun helps her 14 year old joints and bones feel better I'm sure! She is such a sweetheart and has many friends who stop by just to pet her.  One of my customers even brings her cooked fresh salmon!
Image is COPYRIGHT 2013 Kay Smith.

Cliff Trees

8x5.5 watercolor and ink with Staedtler pen on Strathmore Visual Journal for mixed media, a quick 5 minute exercise of cliff trees facing the ocean.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2013 Kay Smith.

Cobalt Blue abstract art

30x22 acrylic on Lanaquarelle 140 lb hot press paper, painted last week in Douglas Walton's workshop here at our Heritage Museum. Initially I had designed this to be a horizontal nonobjective work, with cobalt sky at the top.  However, Doug likes to change, shake up, and mix up, so he had me turn it vertically then finish development.  Lastly, I used bubble wrap stamping to unify the design and you can see it if you look closer or enlarge the image.  Again, our work was all developed from 3x3 tiny squares of various color combinations.
COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Rabbits Gone A-Courting

 6x6 watercolor and ink line wash with Daniel Smith paints and Micron 01 pen on Masters paper, drawn Monday and painted yesterday and today.  These two lovebirds are welcoming Spring with a little bit of romance as he's gone a-courtin' her foot in marriage.  Image is
COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Ink sketch line drawing without any color applied.  I like it this way, too.  Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Hidden Hearts - acrylic abstract

22x30 acrylic on Lanaquarelle 140 lb hot press paper, the last one done in Doug Walton's class on Thursday.  Its abstract design is based upon a tiny 3x3 square of 5 colors chosen thru a random drawing.  Top background is glazed with Liquitex fluorescent red.  As I worked, dark and pastel pink hearts appeared, hence the title.  In my tiny square, the black only went about 1/3 of the way across from right side; Doug had me paint it all the way to indicate a mountain.  Later when it is back from the Heritage Museum show, I may take the black out and further develop the heart theme.  More detail is what I like so this one's my favorite of all the pieces done.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Umbrella Parade

6x6 watercolor and ink line wash with Daniel Smith paints and Pigma Micron 01 pen on Masters paper done this weekend.  Since rain is in our forecast next few days, I thought this outdoor cafe scene might bring it on earlier!
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Aspen Illusions

30x22 acrylic and collage on Lana 140 lb hot press paper done this past week in Douglas Walton's workshop.  From a 3x3 inch square I painted the edges then pink and yellow areas following its patterns, then added black next.  The design needed more pizzazz so yellow tissue paper was collaged on with a half Elmer's glue/half water solution.  This work is now hanging in the Heritage Museum group show.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Spring Fever Daffodils

22x15 watercolor of a daffodil spring blooming bulb arrangement in front of a patterned background.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Signs of Spring

16x20 watercolor of pink geraniums in my old white wicker chair, painted wet in wet on 140 lb paper/Daniel Smith and DaVinci paints.  Seeing geraniums each year for the first time always lets us know it is Spring. I also painted the same porch scene in oil and that version has been purchased by a private collector.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith

First Day of Spring!

22x15 watercolor of fluffy daffodils bending their heads as they bow to Spring and its most welcome sign, the sun! This work is currently on display at Hall Center for the Arts at Howard College Big Spring TX campus.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2013 Kay Smith.

Antique Store Pots

11x15 watercolor on Arches 140 lb cold press paper/Daniel Smith paints limited palette.  Red yucca and white petunias flank an old antique store doorway that was next door to my first studio downtown on Main Street in Big Spring, TX.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Tiny Abstract

This tiny 3x3 abstract does resemble an aspen tree.  I made lots of these using a multi-step process yesterday in Douglas Walton's class here in Big Spring, TX at the Heritage Museum.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith

Sleepy Bassett Hound

6x6 watercolor and ink line wash on Masters paper with Micron 01 pen/Daniel Smith paints from an old photo of mine I'd been planning to draw a long time of a tired Bassett hound lounging and sleeping on the nearest couch.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Garden Gear Supervisor

 

6x6 watercolor and ink line wash on Masters paper done on Friday for a WetCanvas challenge.  When almost through I added the tabby cat under the bench supervising the gardening chores.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith..

Blue Shutters and Magnolia

5.5x8 watercolor on Strathmore Visual Journal 140 lb cold press paper done today, a side of a building complete with blue shutters and pink magnolia tulip tree.  This was featured today on WetCanvas weekend drawing event.Image COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Elephant Eyes - WIP to finished

Elephant Eyes 24x18 watercolor, finished late today and ready to go! This was a fun one to do and I hope to watch as seen in the work in progress (WIP) steps below.

Detail of right eye and right tusk.  I used indigo blue and wetly dropped in quin burnt orange, manganese blue, UB, along with Peachy Keen by Cheap Joe's Art Stuff (American Journey paints).

Right tusk detail to show the amount of shading done with the blues plus QBO pigments.

Detail of his left tusk with color added, a glaze of quin gold, letting indigo mix into wet area underneath for shadow tones.

 

View of entire piece with masking tape removed from both tusks, which we know are white but not to leave them untouched...Right shoulder is a mix of Peachy Keen with lines of UB put in fairly wet.  More lines added for textural wrinkles and folds. His left eye needs more work!

More darks added to his right ear fold shadow.  Small lines put in for cracks and folds of his hide.

His left side is worked on down to end of paper.  The only background will be our right mid-to lower side which I'll do as a dust storm, and only have to look outside for a model for blowing sand.
Images COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Three Pears

15x22 watercolor on Fabriano 140 lb hot press paper, demo done today for the Snyder TX Palette Club located at the Winston Airport, about 50 miles north of our town.  I color sanded several watersoluble colored pencils into the wet areas for texture.  This was a timed demonstration for one hour.  The painting is SOLD.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Elephant WIP continued

 More work was done on his left eye using a mix of Coastal Fog, Coffee with Cream, indigo, quin burnt orange on dry paper.

 Same colors here but with manganese blue added along with carbazole violet to do the entire left ear.

Detail horizontal view of upper forehead and beginning of trunk.  I've used Halloween Orange also here to bring a warm color in.  More to follow later.  Time to post today's demo in Snyder, TX.

Elephant - WIP

 

 Today I decided to do wildlife art as I've been showing my Monday students how to draw elephants.  With this macro view, I put tracing paper over the pencil drawing on 24x18 Canson paper and drew felt tip pen lines so you can see this work in progress.  I have no preconceived notion how or what I'll use to accomplish a decent looking ellie.

 

 

 I decided to work on dry paper, so used masking tape for his ivory tusks, then took 4 colored fine spray mist bottles, spritzing with yellow dilute watercolor, then pink, followed by blue.

 

I let drips run along and down edge of his trunk and it followed the pencil line with no problem all the way to the bottom.

 



Sorry for the poor iPhone photos! In this view, I've painted in his dark eyes with black India ink.  Again, I let paint drip downwards on opposite trunk line.  At this point I spritzed the middle with clear water to let all blend.  Stay tuned for more work in progress.  This may be mixed media. I just can't see painting him in all neutrals the way they are in real life.
All images COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Custom Pet Portrait - Relocation Rescue Big Spring TX April 5

I'm offering a custom pet portrait gift certificate during Relocation Rescue's April 5, 2014 event to be held at the Heritage Museum, 510 Scurry, Big Spring from 4-6 p.m.  See their Facebook page or visit their website at www.relocationrescue.com for more information on their silent auction.





Any questions, contact me HERE or here or Lisa Emerson at 432-213-1283.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2013 Kay Smith/Brushworks Studio

Torn Paper Collage - step by step

SUPPLIES:  12x12 wrapped cotton canvas, black felt tip marker to draw mug design (mistakes don't matter).

 Glossy magazines with colorful photos you'll tear, not cut, with your hands.  Here are several favorites.

Jar of matt or matte medium to adhere torn pieces, one craft brush, and a table to lay canvas flat.  Decide if you want a warm or cool colored mug; I like hot colors so this'll be mostly oranges, yellows, pinks, and reds with a few cool accents for balance

 Close up of color combinations and black pieces for the coffee or tea; brush thin coat medium onto canvas then brush on top of paper, pressing out any bubbles

Left mug edge was a natural line found in an ad; these are good if you can find lines or curves with a good color on other side

 More warm colors added with cool accents of blues and greens. Don't worry about ragged jagged edges!

 More oranges and magenta pinks added to saucer covering up my bad drawing on left side. Remember you can cover over an area you dislike

 Background coming into focus now that'll be mostly white with pink touches, coffee or tea references, and I added a bunny for Spring. White shouldn't have lots of color on reverse side as it might show through the medium.  I added different blue/green pattern inside of mug rim that was a bracelet ad

 More patterns added here and there; I'm not liking the magenta mug bottom so may collage on top of that.  Sides are done last after finishing up the bottom here.

 

Final step! I added three red strawberries to right side of saucer and one on its left.  Finished! Now to coat with several, maybe 5 brushed on gloss medium varnish layers for shine and to protect/seal the collage.  Sign with black permanent marker, add wire and hooks to the back and it is ready to hang in someone's kitchen!

Coffee or Tea 12x12 torn paper collage on canvas COPYRIGHT March 11, 2014 Kay Smith

Dusty Trails Saddle Barn

20x16 watercolor on 140 lb CP paper/Daniel Smith paints of an old saddle in a dusty barn, ready for a ride with rope, tack, and other gear.  This painting was featured in the Chisholm Trail Museum ads in Duncan, Oklahoma when our blog Chisholm Trail artists had a show March 2011.  It is SOLD.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2011 Kay Smith.

Coffee or Tea - torn paper collage

12x12 collage on wrapped canvas using torn paper collaged on with matte medium, started over the weekend and finished yesterday.  Using a line drawing I tore, not cut, scraps of slick magazine piece colors and put into place with the medium.  Avoiding using any straight edges such as page sides, patterned paper was put over the wrapped edges.  I will varnish several times using gloss medium to give this cute mug a special shine.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Sunset Colors Sunflower

6x6 watercolor/ink depiction of mature red sunflower with sunset colors of orange, pink, red and yellow petals.  This was yesterday's daily painting done before starting on a torn paper collage coffee mug that will be a WIP (work in progress) for my blog here.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Main Chef

11x11 watercolor, drawn and painted from a small kitchen figurine of my collection.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.