Beer and Onion Rings

5.5x8 watercolor and ink on Strathmore Visual Journal for mixed media done today as featured on WetCanvas Weekend Drawing Event.  In this event, a host will upload 16 images and participants have only 2 hours to select, draw, and paint their choice.  Mike Beckett had some great pictures and I chose this pub scene from Canada where he lives; my time was 1.5 hours. I've rearranged some of the photo elements such as a back table and chairs, then added a chair back behind the food.  I used a Lamy Safari pen with Noodler's grey ink.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Loudmouth Kitty

3.75x5 watercolor and ink on a Soap Opera Digest magazine card; letters are seen inside the kitty's mouth.  I used a Lamy Safari pen with Noodler's grey ink.  Based on a photo of Midge I changed some of her black fur to white only coloring above her right eye for a mostly white cat.  Background is more yellow orange than red orange.  This one will be featured on WetCanvas in the 30 Cats in 30 Days challenge on the All Media Art Events forum and NetWorked Blogs will roll over onto Facebook for the challenge there.  Thanks for the comments and emails with the cats on cards series; I'm having way too much fun.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Let the Cat out of the Bag

3.5x5.5 watercolor and ink on a magazine insert card done today.  The card is advertising Safe Step Walk-In Tub.  Since I had Chester peeking out of a brown grocery bag or sack, the tub faucet handles appear to belong there as if in a kitchen.  Even the heading Yes! I want my independence back could be the cat's mantra.  The 30 Cats in 30 Days Facebook and WetCanvas challenges are almost up!
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Chester Cat Stare

6x4 watercolor and ink line (Micron 01 pen) done today on a People magazine card insert to add to my series of cats on cards.  This big fellow is Chester, a domestic shorthaired tuxedo cat, as mean and nasty as the day is long.  He loves other people and children but hates us; even loves to go to the vet clinic where they say he is an angel.  As I've said before he is one of our two most recent rescues from Big Spring Animal Shelter, a kill facility.  His partner in crime is Midget whom I've posted about on this blog as well.  I painted a mixed black of quin burnt orange and ultramarine blue that barely covered lower left black splotch that was on the card originally.  It is almost as if he is looking at the object.   This will be featured in the Facebook 30 Cats in 30 Days or Cool Cats challenge and also on WetCanvas in the All Media Art Events forum.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Kitty Car

5.5x8.5 watercolor and ink line on Masters sketchbook painted today as part of the 30 Cats in 30 Days Challenge on Facebook and WetCanvas!  These two funny kittens were in a kiddie car going for a ride. Pigma Micron 01 pen was used to draw them.
Image is COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2015.

Watchful Cat

4x5.5 watercolor and ink line (Micron 01) on paper, a Southern Living magazine travel card insert.  Luckily my magazine came early so I was able to grab the annoying paper cards and busily plan which kitties to feature on the Facebook cat challenge along with WetCanvas!  This fellow is Hungry Jack, another rescue from a few years ago, who sat under the street lamp across from our front door.  He was hunting bugs to eat as he was starving; very tame and loveable, he was either lost or was tossed out.  One of our employee's cats had to be put down so was able to find him a home within a few months.  I loved Jack as he found a baby snake in my kitchen and caught it.  God bless cats!
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Nasturtiums and Petunias

15x11 watercolor on Canson paper, brush only, done this afternoon in a timed exercise on WetCanvas.  This detail of hanging flowering plants is courtesy Lauren, host for current Weekend Drawing Event.  I spent 1 hour and 5 minutes on it.  I like the flowers' softness contrasted with rough old wood wall texture.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith

Sourpuss

4x6 watercolor and ink with Micron 01 pen on a magazine insert card from my latest issue of Cloth Paper Scissors done today.  This longhaired grey kitty is not happy so I have named this Sourpuss and painted around him in lemon yellow.  This will go in Facebook's 30 Cats in 30 Days challenge currently in progress for February.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Sleeping Midge cat

4x6 watercolor and Micron 01 pen on a magazine insert card done yesterday for the 30 Cats in 30 Days challenge on Facebook and on WetCanvas! Meet Midget, who goes by Midge, all curled up in her kitty pet bed that is really brown in color, not lavender blue. (She's a rescue kitty from our town's kill shelter).  I used a card from F+W Publications' Drawing magazine that I subscribe to for this cat pet portrait.  Whiskers were painted around and not masked.  Now all of the artists out there can save their art magazine inserts and do some serious painting on them rather than throwing away.  I did not plan for Drawing to be across her white fur, it is just how it worked out luckily.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

People Kitty

4x6 watercolor, gouache, and ink line (Uniball pen) on magazine card insert from People publication.  This is Jezebel, studio cat, again, whom I quickly sketched yesterday and painted.  She does not wear a collar anymore as she rarely ventures outside but I added one here for color and balance.  Jezzie really is a people purrson and has met hundreds over the years.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Deer Shadows

5x7.5 watercolor done this past weekend while in the mountains.  On Saturday morning these does were camped out in the early morning sunshine right outside our door.  The current Sketchbook Skool assignment homework with Cathy Johnson was to draw and paint a nature scene outside so this is what I used.  Support is Moleskine for watercolor sketchbook.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Forest Scene

14x10 watercolor painted on location in the Lincoln National Forest, an area commonly called the Blue Hole due to its water pond and surrounding vegetation.  This plein air was fun to do.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Al's Kitty

6x4 watercolor and ink line on paper, a magazine insert, that I grabbed to sketch after meeting this fat, fluffy black cat. It belongs to Al, a retired golf pro, who is our neighbor in New Mexico.  A WWII veteran, Al takes care of the strays, and when I need my DH gone awhile, Al takes him to a golf course for a lesson.  This solid black cat of his suns herself on our condo steps so was there to greet me with a friendly purr. Now will have to post this on Facebook's 30 Cats in 30 Days Challenge as started by Valri Ary.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith

Italian Pitcher and Orange

9x12 watercolor and ink (Tombow brush pen) done this past week for Sketchbook Skool assignment of setting up a 3 object still life.  Using a watersoluble pen, a contour line drawing had to be done and then painted.  I used this pretty ceramic pitcher given to my by my sister-in-law Christy, a fresh orange cut in half and the kitchen knife.  Soon I'll plan to do this one over.  The instructor was Brenda Swenson.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Skillet Dinner

5.5x8.5 watercolor and ink using Micron 01 pen on Masters paper, an iron skillet of what we call goulash. It is a mix of ground beef, onions, peppers, tomatoes, corn, and elbow macaroni with spicy seasonings.  The gingham checks should be in everyone's kitchen.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Looking Up Cat

6x6 watercolor and ink line (Micron 01 pen) on paper done in 2013 but not yet posted.  This tabby is looking at something interesting.
COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2013.

Lost in Thought Portrait

15x11 watercolor on 140 lb cold press Arches paper done last summer while in Florida learning new portrait techniques Stephie Butler was teaching.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Trio of Birds

11x15 watercolor on 140 lb cold press paper, brush only, so no pencil used.  I painted this a few days ago of three birds in a windowsill, just inanimate objects longing for Spring to come and come quick!
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Sunflower House

6x6 watercolor and ink on Masters paper painted today.  I had previously drawn this scene in my sketchbook but never did any more work on it.  The stylized look of the sunflowers or poppies gives the imaginary house a fresh appeal.  With temps in the 80s today we are all ready for flowers, sunshine, and blue skies.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Self Portrait Gallery

Here are my seven selfies done last week for the "Seeing" section of online instruction Sketchbook Skool.  Each one has a label such as Mirror for images done while looking in a mirror, Contour line for images done in ink without lifting the pen, Photograph for images drawn or painted from photos, and Imagination one in which no reference or aid was to be used.  Media used in these are:  Watercolor, gouache, ink, colored pencil, watercolor pencil.  Instructor for this part of the skool was cofounder of SBS, Koosje Koene, Netherlands.  Danny Gregory of New York City is the other partner.
Images COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Self Portrait #6

8.5x5.5 watercolor and ink (Micron 01 pen) on Masters sketchbook, number 6 in my self portraits.  I snapped a photo selfie with my cell, then drew this partial side view.  Tomorrow I'll post the group of them together in a collage type gallery.  This past week's Sketchbook Skool "Seeing" section was very entertaining and it is not easy drawing yourself from life, photos or memory.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Self Portrait no. 5

10.25x9 watercolor on paper done this week also for Sketchbook Skool assignment of one selfie a day.  Two had to be done from photos so I'm posting this one today and the other tomorrow.  I drew my face too wide and square.  The photo was taken by Susie Powell aka SuzyPal in Dallas at the Southwestern Watercolor Society exhibit so those are frames behind me here.  This selfie was fun to do.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Self Portrait no. 1 Sketchbook Skool

8.5x5.5 mixed media (watercolor pencils, colored pencils, watercolor) on paper done last week on day one of second Sketchbook Skool lesson in Seeing section.  Instructor Koosje Koene assigned our work for the next 7 days which was to focus on drawing ourselves, or selfies, as she called it.  This image was my first attempt drawing by looking in the mirror.  We could do another mirror pose, then two contour line drawings, two from photos, and one from imagination (yesterday's blog post).
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Selfie No. 7 - from imagination

12x9 watercolor, brush only (#12 Escoda round) on Artists Loft paper done this afternoon.  It is the final day of a 7 day Sketchbook Skool assignment which was to do a self portrait a day for a week.  Two were by using a mirror, two from photos, two contour line drawings, and one from imagination.  So no references, no photos, no mirrors to see yourself, just painting what you think you look like.  I will post the other portraits after this.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Sisterly Cat Love

5.5x8 watercolor and ink line done right before the year ended of another artist's two cats who are sisters.  I did the ink sketch first and almost left it alone, but decided to add color to the lovely sweet furbabies.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

February Snowy Landscape

11x15 watercolor of a rural road covered in snow with a dreary winter sky above.
Image is COPYRIGHT Kay Smith.

New Mexico Yucca

8.5x11 watercolor and ink (Uniball pen) on Crescent Rendr sketchbook done last week while driving between Socorro and Carrizozo, New Mexico.  I stopped to photograph the land in its desolate beauty; yuccas were the only living thing to be seen for miles in this semi-arid country.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Chickadees and Pinecones

15x11 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper that is today's work.  This is brush only, no pencil drawing before and no references.  First I used a white crayon to mark the birds' feathers and snow areas. Then began painting with mixed darks first: Quinacridone burnt orange + UB, and quin gold with Prussian blue for green areas.  Midtone greys, a mix of colors already on the palette, were put in then raw sienna, quin gold, quin burnt orange for pinecones.  Splattering was done last when dry.  I tried to show their feathers fluffing against the cold.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.