Romance

12x9 mixed media (acrylics, ink, paper transfers) on Crescent matboard started yesterday and finished today.
It's a disaster but I had fun! I used gloss medium and varnish over acrylic painted areas that I'd used paper round doily on, then quickly pulled up. The figures are from an old Victorian catalog cover and bottom right a new Dick Blick sale book cover; black lines from an inkjet print of my cosmos...it was too old a copy and so lines did not all come off. When dry, I went back in with pink acrylic and lightly brushed in paint where top layer of the mat had peeled off.  This painting is featured on WetCanvas Mixed Media/Alternative Materials forum for May, where we practiced different photo transfer methods.
Image COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Birdhouse

11.25x7.5 watercolor of a Ruidoso NM birdhouse photographed years ago.  I've had requests for prints of it so decided to reshoot its image and enable for prints on demand with Artspan website gallery onlne.  Painted partly wet in wet and wet on dry on 140 lb cold press paper with Daniel Smith/DaVinci paints.
Image is COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2014.

Riding Around dog

6x6 watercolor and ink on Masters paper drawn yesterday and painted today with Daniel Smith pigments.  Pigma Micron 01 pen was used to draw this happy fellow getting to go for a ride around town in the car.
Image COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Layered Landscape

5.5x9 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper completed today, an exercise in layering one color over another and finishing with darkest values.  No pencil was used, brush only, in this semi-abstract design of cool hues with warm accents.  This technique was outlined in Veronica Lawlor's new book One Watercolor a Day: A 6-Week Course Exploring Creativity Using Watercolor, Pattern, and Design (Quarry).
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

White Persian Kitten

6x6 watercolor and ink line on Masters paper; drawn with Pigma Micron 01 pen by Sakura.  Pigments used were Daniel Smith.  This is a quick study of another white kitten painted last July.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2013 Kay Smith.

Blue Green Funky Floral

9x12 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper, today's work inspired by a detail pattern on an old rug.  Unrealistic this funky bunch make a cool bouquet of greens, turquoise, mint green and green gold.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Got My Goat

18x24 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper drawn yesterday and painted today of this curious goat sticking his head out of old farm building and pen.  I featured it on the WetCanvas Animal & Wildlife forum for our May challenge, courtesy of Morguefile.  I used Daniel Smith and American Journey paints, wet on dry, and used lots of drybrush technique for the old textured wood.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Garden Party Geraniums II

15x22 watercolor completed today, a work in progress over the past few days of several geranium varieties in clay pots.  I've repeated this work as my first version sold.  Prints or the original are now available on Artspan website and original also can be purchased via PayPal on Daily Painters dot com, Kay Smith gallery.  This is painted on Lanaquarelle 140 lb hot press paper/American Journey and Daniel Smith pigments.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Garden Party Geraniums WIP continued

 15x22 watercolor work in progress (WIP) continued today with painting wet on dry of the background, a midtone green mixed with neutrals.  I can see it is too light in value so will have to add another glaze to darken.  I've used these paints:  American Journey Mint Julep, Blue Bice, Prussian blue, Ultramarine, Coffee w/Cream, Coastal Fog, Brown Derby; Daniel Smith Permanent Brown.

Beginning on geranium leaves and one red bloom shown in this closeup detail.  Tomorrow I plan to finish the potted annuals as I have a cute goat just waiting to painted.
Images COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Garden Party Geraniums WIP

15x22 watercolor work in progress (WIP) on Lanaquarelle 140 lb hot press paper begun today, patterned after an earlier work I did in 2009 that should be visible in the blog sidebar, Geraniums Garden Party.  That work sold quickly and I've had multiple requests for prints on Artspan, but the photo was not high resolution enough.  Hopefully, this floral still life will turn out all right.  Stay tuned for the next stage of the work.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Siren or Seductress

6x8.5 watercolor and ink line done over this past weekend.  This greeneyed beauty could be either a siren or a seductress.  It is up to the viewer to decide; another in my wild women series on ColorSketch paper.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Gourmet Giraffe

11x15 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper, drawn and painted today from one of my many zoo animal photos.  After painting a bunch of them yesterday I just wanted to continue on exploring the subject.  Painted wet in wet I used Daniel Smith paints.  This fellow is busy trying to discern which tree leaves are the most tasty so he is a true gourmet.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Giraffes Grazing

7x10 mixed watermedia collage on Canson mixed media paper done this afternoon. Drawn with an orange Magic colored pencil, then a fast underpainting with transparent pyrrol orange/quinacridone gold watercolors was done.  When dry, I added brown and quin burnt orange patterns with some green, then the bg foliage.  After that dried I used brown torn tissue paper that had small squares and a giftwrap paper featuring colored circles, adhered with matte medium.  Lastly, I used a blue Magic pencil to make calligraphy marks in bg trees and bushes.  (Ref courtesy Connie/WetCanvas and featured on All Media Art Events forum, Weekend Drawing Event in which you have only 2 hours to select a subject and do your art).
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Girls Just Wanna Shop

8x5.5 watercolor and ink done yesterday on Strathmore Watercolor Journal 140 lb cold press paper and Daniel Smith pigments.  Drawn with Pigma Micron 01 pen this is another in my wild women series of girls and their handbags hustling toward the shops in an imaginary town scene.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Flamingo Friends

20x30 watercolor on illustration board Strathmore 500 series plate heavy weight of a flock of flamingos parading around their pond. These tropical beauties area always a joy to paint and observe.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2013 Kay Smith.

Bobcat

5.5x8 mixed media quick sketch of a roving bobcat, drawn with Micron 01 pen, Staedtler ink tip, Inktense pencils and blended with water.  I featured him on WetCanvas last weekend, photo ref courtesy of host Mary.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Sparrow Watch

5x4 watercolor on 140 lb cold press paper done this afternoon of a pair of house sparrows surveying their world.  I put an abstract cool background in with some strokes for repetition of feather shapes.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.  This work is SOLD.

Vamp or Vixen?

8.5x6 mixed watermedia (watercolor, inks, Caran D'Ache watersoluble crayons) on ColorSketch paper done today, an imaginary woman to be included in my wild women series. I drew her using Pigma Micron 01 pen then her eyes with black felt tip.  Watercolor was next and when totally dry I used the ws crayons for accents.  Lastly, black India ink was applied for line emphasis here and there.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Sunflower Garden WIP - finished

 15x11 watercolor completed today, brush only.  More leaves, foliage, and background trees were added then shadows were last, a mix of UB and permanent rose.  I've put pink hollyhocks and blackeyed susans into the composition.  Step 2 is seen below.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith

Tall sunflowers were added in background for height in this second view of the work in progress.

Sunflower Garden - Work in Progress

15x11 watercolor work in progress (WIP), brush only, of imaginary garden scene of sunflower varieties that will include the common roadside weeds that resemble sunflowers.  Those tall yellow invasive specimens dot the west Texas landscape.  Negative painting has been done in between white pickets.  This is today's work on Canson 140 lb cold press paper/Daniel Smith pigments.  Tomorrow I hope to finish today's work.  It would actually work, if cropped, as a vignette even unfinished.
Image WIP copyright Kay Smith 2014.

Tangerine Winter - reworked acrylic

22x30 acrylic on Saunders 140 lb hot press paper, the AFTER version of the initial abstract disaster below.  I flipped it horizontally then for top tree line, did mostly negative painting to form trees.  Then I put in a dark value blue for the land and had snowy areas for far background skies.  Largely leaving much of the original, I added shadow shapes across the fore and middle ground.  At least it is now recognizable as a wintry landscape and is Copyright 2014 Kay Smith.

BEFORE version, an abstract nonobjective mess done in Doug Walton's workshop in March.  Its title was Tangerine Sky.

Wishy Washy Sunflower

6.5x4.5 watercolor on 140 lb cold press Langton paper done today.  Using my friend Mollie's instructions I put in a fairly thick center, then put clean water towards ends of petals and paint flowed to make a wishy washy floral.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Rembrandt Tulips

15x11 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper painted today using NO PENCIL, brush only on spritzed paper.  A collection of variegated spring tulips known as Rembrandts caught my eye and since they're my favorite flower they were quickly done in a direct method.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Mighty Mite dog

15x11 watercolor pet portrait, a scruffy ragamuffin and a mighty mite of a dog posing on her car seat.  Finished today I will feature this artwork on WetCanvas animal and wildlife forum for our May challenge.  Support used is Langton Prestige 140 lb cold press paper.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Bulb Bouquets

15x22 watercolor still life of three potted bulbs I set up and painted several years ago.  On the left we have narcissus (paperwhites), parrot tulips in center, then purple miniature irises far right in a handpainted pot.This work is SOLD.
Image is COPYRIGHT Kay Smith.

Broads and Bimbos in a Bar

8x5.5 watercolor and ink on Strathmore Visual Journal for mixed media, drawn and painted today, another in my wild women series.  It occurred to me while sitting in a meeting that I should depict girls in a bar, some laid back and carefree while others were uptight, mad, or too pretty to care.  Sort of a tribute to my days of bar hopping, hoping to find that one cute guy who'd ask you to dance, buy you a drink and sweep you off your feet during the Texas two-step.  These gals are made up and not patterned after anyone I know.  Maybe you will find yourself in this nightclub bar scene.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Cottage Geraniums

5.25 x 4 acrylic, an experiment done yesterday. I used a scrap of tan matboard and covered with 1 coat gloss medium. Let dry, then drew geraniums in a windowsill with Pigma Micron 01 pen. For lace curtains, I used a tiny paper stencil, then brushed dilute white acrylic into its holes. Next painted the white window frame and sill, then the 3 pots of red and pink geraniums. With very dilute mix of red, blue, and green I lightly did sides of the house and below sill. In between curtains you can see the original mat color. Title of it is "Cottage Geraniums". A good experiment. I'll try watercolor or gouache next with GM coated mat for a Yupo-like effect. I think we should be willing, as artists, to try new ideas to keep the old brain cells recharged
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith

The Lion King

11x15 watercolor on Yupo synthetic paper, drawn and painted yesterday with Daniel Smith pigments in about an hour.  Featured on WetCanvas Watermedia forum this month, ref is courtesy Jess Shippee, who says this king of the jungle was in a local zoo.  I've not worked on Yupo in about a year so hope I've not lost my touch.  Title is "The King".
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Nautical and Nice

11x6.75 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper drawn yesterday and finished painting today of a swimsuit model on board one of our cruises.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Midge cat

5x7 photo sketch of rescue kitty Midge.  I took a shot of her then manipulated it using Color Sketch iPhone app which makes it appear as a hand drawn art piece.  She is laying on my zebra desk chair.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Doing Nothing kitty

12x18 watercolor on Strathmore 140 lb cold press paper, painted today wet on dry in a direct manner.  This young kitty is lounging in the grass on his back, doing nothing but being lazy.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.