#InkTober day 31 ~ Orange Tiger Lilies (faux batik)

9x12 alcohol inks on waxed paper done today for the final work during this month's #InkTober.  Tracing one of my earlier florals with black felt tip pen on top of crumpled substrate (with drawing on white paper underneath), I put in yellows and mixed oranges using Pinata brand alcohol inks.  The blue sky was done first with large synthetic brush after mixing blues and greens.  Since these inks dry immediately I was able to start on the petals.  Lastly, the work will be adhered to white archival art paper then spray varnish protectant applied.  October was a fun challenge to do one ink piece per day!
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 30 ~ Garden Glory/alcohol inks

6x9 alcohol inks on freezer paper, shiny side, begun yesterday as a demo for Colorado City artists, then completed today in time to post for our almost last #InkTober effort.  I began by dropping sapphire blue ink, then juniper green, follwerd by honeycomb then yellow. As colors mingled and formed their own abstract this one reminded me of a garden fading in the warm fall days.  The substrate, or support, freezer paper will be archivally attached to watercolor paper with gel medium and a brayer.  Only one more day of the month for #InkTober! The challenge has been fun and very informative as I was not using this medium last year during October.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 29 ~ Hibiscus Fun alcohol inks demo

7x11 alcohol inks on Yupo synthetic paper, a demo done today in Colorado City for the West TX Art Guild.  It is now day 29 of the #InkTober October annual challenge and is almost over.  I also did a second demo that will be ready for posting tomorrow.  Ink brands used were Pinata by Jacquard and Adirondack by Tim Holtz.  The Guild has an upcoming show there Nov. 19 at their civic center.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 28 ~ Pear Group

6x9 ink and watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper done today for day 28 of #InkTober, a yearly challenge for artists to do one work per day in ink.  My favorite pen is Pigma Micron 01 by Sakura that makes a very fine line.  These pears will be featured on WetCanvas current weekend drawing event.  It has been awhile since I've painted any of them.  These works with watercolor and ink used to draw outlines is called ink and line wash work.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 27 ~ Dapple Grey horse

6x9 ink and watercolor sketch on Canson 140 lb cold press paper done today for day number 27 of annual #InkTober challenge. Only 4 more days to go! This dapple grey horse belongs to my brother and this photo was taken on the farm a few years ago. I used a Micron 01 pen for the ink sketch then Daniel Smith paints.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith

INK sketch

#InkTober day 26 ~ Raptor Brown Hawk

9x5.75 ink, watercolor, acrylic on 140 lb cold press Canson wc paper for this 26th day of #InkTober.  Only 5 days left of this annual fun challenge of doing one work per day using ink in some form or totally ink.  This work has 3 mediums in it and was sketched on a backing sheet I use to put behind smaller pieces to catch drips and edges; it makes for an unusual background for the brown hawk.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 25 ~ Zoo Elephants

9x12 watercolor with walnut ink on Canson 140 lb cold press paper; other colors used were raw umber and Payne's grey.  Sketch done with Staedtler 0.3 pigment liner pen in black.  Today is the 25th day of  #InkTober (October), so only 6 days left.  This limited palette I think captured the elephant hide hues well and walnut ink provided the dusty clouds.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 24 ~ Fowl Mood

12x9 India inks on Canson 140 lb cold press paper done today for the #InkTober challenge, a daily pledge participating artists do each year in October.  Lots of chickens and roosters I've painted and this one was taken from an earlier ink sketch and recreated with inks. Its neck area is more orange in real life and not as red as this photo is.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 23 ~ Donkey in walnut ink

9x6 walnut ink on Bristol smooth 100 lb paper done today for day 23 of #InkTober.  Each October artists worldwide pledge to do one work per day in ink.  I had ordered the walnut ink awhile ago from Daniel Smith art suppy company but never have used it.  The ink makes a nice monochromatic medium with such simple subjects as this pinto donkey.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 22 ~ White Aspens

14x11 white India ink outlines of trees on Stratmore Toned Tan sketch paper 80 lb for today's ink work for #InkTober. I filled in the tree trunks by stamping torn corrugated cardboard I'd brushed white acrylic paint on; branches are white India ink by Dr. Ph Martin.  White gel pen also used for signature and detail.  White dots for snow are India ink.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 21 ~ Pumpkins for Sale

12x10.5 watercolor and ink line (Pigma Micron 05 pen) on Daler Rowney Langton 140 lb cold press paper done today for the 21st day of #InkTober.  I photographed this fat pumpkin on top of others in a huge box at the Ruidoso WalMart recently.  Also the image was put on WetCanvas weekend drawing event challenge hosted by me last Friday.  Only 10 more days to finish the month with its daily ink offerings.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 20 ~ Iridescent Irises, alcohol inks

7x10.5 alcohol inks on foamcore done today for the 20th day of the month #InkTober challenge.  For each day of October every year artists vow to produce or create one work in ink.  I'm really enjoying the vivid hues of the Pinata and Tim Holtz brands of inks.  These colored shapes reminded me of iris blooms hence the title.  An upcoming demo will be for the West Texas Art Guild in Colorado City using alcohol inks.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 19 ~ Bearly Awake

9x12 ink line and watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper done for day 19 of October's challenge called InkTober.  With this annual endeavor artists strive to do one work per day all month using ink then post online.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 18 ~ Underwater Abstract

7x7 alcohol inks on foamcore, a cool color blues and greens abstract that mimics underwater vegetation such as seaweed and water in motion.  This is for day 18 of #InkTober which lasts all of October.  Started in 2009 by artist Jake Parker, it is a fun challenge to create one work in ink per day then post on social media.  I've used various forms of inks and this one has seaweed floating upwards, made by blowing air thru a drinking straw quickly as the inks dry very fast.
Image COPYRIGHT Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 17 ~ Petals upon Petals alcohol inks

7x7 alcohol inks on 3/18" white foamcore done for day 17 today of #InkTober.  An annual challenge, artists across the globe are pledging and promising to do one work in ink per day during October.  I love the warm fall colors this abstract floral has and the undertones seen as faint blues are amazing things alcohol inks can do.  Always a surprise, the inks are fun and stress-free, with no required pencil drawing beforehand.  Just drop by drop create interesting patterns and mixtures; if you don't like it simply douse with 91% rubbing alcohol and start over.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 16 ~ Classy Poppies alcohol inks

7x11 alcohol inks on Yupo finished today, an abstract floral for day 16 of #InkTober.  Look closely and you can see smaller blooms just budding out.  We are halfway thru the month of October now!
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 15 Peppermint Pie

8.5x5.5 watercolor and ink on Bienfang for mixed media sketchbook as today's work with ink during October's annual #InkTober.  Each year participating artists pledge to do one work per day using ink in some form.  Here I've used Micron 01 pen to sketch the peppermint stick pie.  I've adapted the recipe for use with Oreos and oreo ice cream so will do that version soon.  The hot fudge Hershey's sauce was very delicious.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 14 ~ Bee

5x8 watercolor and ink using Micron 01 pen on sketchbook paper that is today's contribution for #InkTober.  In this annual October challenge, artists worldwide commit to doing one work per day using some type of ink.  Since a buzzing insect caught my eye today I decided the bee would be an #InkTober subject for illustrated journaling.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 13 ~ Black & White Calla Lily

7x9.5 black India ink on Ecosystem sketchbook done for day 13 of annual InkTober challenge.  I like the pristine white lily against the blacks and greys in background.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 12 ~ Man at Art Show

8x6  ink sketch using Micron 01 pen on Stillman & Birn Zeta series sketchbook done for current #InkTober challenge.  Each October artists worldwide pledge to do an ink a day.  You can use prompts or just wing it.  This man here attended our art association show now hanging at Howard College center for the arts.  I'll probably add color to him later.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 11 ~ New Mexico Longhorn

4x6 watercolor and ink using Uniball Vision Elite pen on magazine card for the 11th day of worldwide #InkTober challenge.  Here I've used a brown and white steer seen on our trip last week to New Mexico. 
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 10 ~ Parrot value study

4.5x6.5 ink done with black Tombow brush pen, then water added for middle values.  The light brown sketchbook paper is the lightest value.  I cropped much of his body to focus on ruffled head feathers and top of wings.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 9 ~ Old Town ink sketches

8x5.5 ink sketches of Old Town located in Spring, TX, done from a photograph while staying there.  Using ballpoint pen and Sharpie on sketchbook paper I did this old two story house, parked car, light post, and side yard all together on one page.
Image COPYRIGHT Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 8 ~ Scary Tabby sketch

11x8.5 Pitt grey pen and ink by Faber Castell on sketchbook paper, a tabby cat trying to scare you for Halloween.  With its back arched he is ready to pounce.  I'm featuring this image for day 8 of the popular #InkTober worldwide artistic event in which artists and illustrators post works in ink all during October.  Any form of ink is acceptable so I've used a full range of the Pitt pens here.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober Day 7 ~Cuddlers Cats

5.5x8.5 watercolor and ink using black Tombow brush pen on Bienfang for mixed media sketchbook done for day 7 of the popular #InkTober challenge.  With this work in progress now finished of Jess Shippee's two cats cuddling in bed, I've added watercolor to the former white paper areas left blank.  The black is actual Tombow pen with only a small amount of water on my script liner/rigger #1 brush.  The calico does not look happy, almost as if she wants the grey kitty to move on out.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 6 ~ Cuddlers Cats WIP Tombow brush pen

5.5x8.5 black Tombow brush pen using brush tip to put in darkest darks from the cat photo.  Some have contacted me to ask how to do an ink sketch for #InkTober using the pen.  After this first step of this work in progress, you can simply add water with a script liner brush to mimic watercolor effects, or add watercolor to white areas.  No pencil used for this image.  Photo courtesy Jess Shippee of WetCanvas.  Her cats love to cuddle together and the one facing the viewer is a tortoiseshell calico, similar to mine named Hallie.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

#InkTober day 5 ~ Lipsticks

5.5x8.5 watercolor and ink line using Pigma Micron 01 pen on Bienfang for mixed media sketchbook.  This was done for day 5 of #InkTober.  Each day of October artists pledge to do a work using ink in some form.  Since no one loves lipstick more than I, this subject was an easy one in favorite copper, red, and dark pink colors.  Metal was made to look like chrome by not painting the areas.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

Zebra Head ~ #InkTober day 4

6x4 India ink and alcohol ink on professional photo paper, done for the 4th day of #InkTober, an artists challenge to do one work per day during October in ink and post online and/or to social media.  No predrawing done here, only darks first then brown alcohol ink.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

Abstract Flowers ~ #InkTober 3rd day

7x11 alcohol inks on Yupo, posted for the third day of #InkTober challenge in which artists commit to doing one work per day using various inks.  Here I have spritzed 91% alcohol onto the support then dropped mostly cool colors of blues and greens to form petals. Centers are a purple which look blue or pink depending upon what color was underneath.  Pinata inks used here.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

Wild Horses ~ #InkTober 2nd day

6x12 Tombow black brush pen and India ink on Strathmore 140 lb paper done today; sketch was with the brush pen.  I added water to the pen lines then put drops of India ink by Higgins into the wet areas, blending with #8 round brush.  It is for the second day of #InkTober, a worldwide challenge to all artists to use ink in some form (there are many different kinds) and create a painting or sketch each day of the month of October.  Tomorrow I may post one in alcohol inks.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

InkTober Starts Today ~ Li's Dog "Doc" in ink

9x12 Tombow black brush pen on Bristol 100 lb paper done today; Bristol is by Dick Blick.  Tombow pen is watersoluble ink and has a brush end and a smaller nib end.  I used a number 1 script liner brush to add water to dark areas to blend them and then make grey tones or middle values.  The initial ink sketch for #InkTober is below.  This dog's name is Doc, and belongs to Li Newton.  He is featured in the current weekend drawing event on WetCanvas dot com in the All Media Art Events forum.  Participants have 2 hours to select a subject and do it, and this one took me about an hour.  With InkTober, participants pledge to work in ink every day in October and post their works online on social media, blogs, or websites.

 

 

INITIAL INK SKETCH