Midge Half Asleep

9x12 Brusho watermedia on Canson 140 lb cold press done yesterday of my rescue kitty Midget. I used the complimentary set of 12 colors Dick Blick sent to the moderators who do watercolor as a thank you for working on WetCanvas.  I sketched kitty in pencil then lightly spritzed with fine mist water sprayer and shook out the black pot of Brusho, transparent ink powdered crystals. This was fun.  Lots of youtube videos are out there and take a look at Ward Jene Stroud's website, the king of Brusho, which is amazing to see. Brusho is made in the UK and has been in Europe for 40 years but only recently been used and learned here in the US.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Flower Hill

11x14 alcohol inks on Yupo done yesterday, an imaginary scene made by applying drops of ink with blender solution and 91% alcohol.  Aqua blue was put on first and allowed to swirl around aided by sprays of canned air to resemble sky and clouds.  Next gold and yellow large areas added for background floral color.  Individual blooms with pink, red, and tangerine were put on then greens in foreground were last.
Image COPYRIGHT Kay Smith.

Rabbit Days

5x7.25 watercolor, gouache, and ink line on old novel page of a discarded book done today.  Sketched with Pigma Micron 01 pen I put in the dark mixed blacks and browns first then added white gouache on his fur.  Whiskers were drawn with white gel pen.  Now that Spring put in an appearance we are seeing rabbits everywhere so rabbit days are here again, yay!  Love to paint black and white subjects so hope you enjoy.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Hydrangea Explosion

6x9 alcohol inks on white freezer paper finished yesterday that was an ongoing work in progress that kept getting better as I went along.  That is the case with these ink paintings; you can add to them forever and not be through.  Or a new color mingle will happen exposing unseen territory.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Windblown Petals

7x5 alcohol inks on Yupo synthetic paper by Tim Holtz done today.  Two reds were used, a light hue and a darker one. For the stem, grasses and leaves, one green and one yellow and were applied using a wooden chopstick (put a drop of ink at the tip then draw with it).  No pencil or reference was used so with your imagination think what this one is.  A parrot tulip? A poppy? A red weed?
Image Kay Smith COPYRIGHT 2017.

Spring Burst

6x9 alcohol inks on paper done yesterday using canned air instead of my own with a drinking straw.  This flower whatever it is looks happy to be burst open for Spring.  Two ink colors were used for the blooms, Santa Fe Red and Sunbright Yellow, and two greens Willow and Lime for foliage and stems.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Oregon Building

10.25x9 gouache and ink on paper done today as part of another weekend drawing event on WetCanvas. The challenge set by the host, Holly, was to work only from a monochromatic image so that is what I did here, not using a colored version of the building scene.  Sketched last night with a Pitt XS pen, it was painted today, reminding me of the white stucco structures in Greece.  Stained glass windows decorate its lower half and hollyhock flowers were imaginary added by me for balance.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Lonely Longhorn

4x6 watercolor, gouache, and ink done yesterday on a New Mexico magazine subscription card as I had no sketchbook handy and was in a longhorn mood.  Any animal that is white or has spots as well is an added bonus I can't resist.  Ink sketch below was drawn with a Pigma Micron 01 pen. 

Images COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.



 



 

 



Pinkaboo

5x7 alcohol inks on white freezer paper done at beginning of spring earlier this week using only two colors of the inks, Pink Sherbet and Sunshine Yellow.  The pink shape could be any flower and reminds me of a poppy with its paper thin petals.  No pencil or reference was used, only a large drinking straw to blow the pigment around.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Florida Egrets

24x18 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper, a recent bird painting of a group of white egrets lined up watching along the waterfront.  I so enjoyed living in Florida and go back there periodically to visit and see the wildlife activity.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Poppy Prize

6.5x7 alcohol inks on paper that is today's work.  Starting off with only three primaries of pale pink, turquoise, and yellow gold I covered the area then blended with blending solution.  When dry within a few moments I added lime green then more yellow around edges.  Sangria Magenta was added which is a pink but over the yellow gold it turned more red.  Center dark areas were blown with a large drinking straw and a coffee stirrer.  Juniper green was last and leaves and pods done with it; stems made by ink drops on tip of a wooden chopstick for thin lines.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Spring Floral

10.5x8.5 acrylics on dark pink matboard done today to herald the first day of Spring! So glad it has arrived and was long awaited.  Although I looked at a blooming rose this resembles a tulip more.  Painted with only a 1.5" brush there was not any detail to be had.  To paint with that size or larger brush (any subject) was part of a WetCanvas monthly challenge in the acrylic forum.  Actual time about 20 minutes.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Soft Yellow Rose

12x12 watercolor of a soft pale yellow rose on 140 lb Saunders cold press paper, done for an online timed contest.  Total time was 1.5 hours and this image is now SOLD.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Geisha Girls

22x15 watercolor and gouache on 140 lb cold press paper, an older work that is SOLD. 
These women figures were drawn from small figurines.
Image COPYRIGHT Kay Smith.

Time for Rabbits

8x5.5 watercolor and ink line (Micron 01 pen) on Strathmore Visual Journal for mixed media done yesterday.  This hopping animal is getting ready for Spring to arrive on Monday just as the rest of us are.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Time for Geraniums ~ alcohol inks demo

6x7 alcohol inks on Yupo synthetic paper done yesterday.  As usual I had no idea what might develop from dropping inks onto blank white support.  A usual rule of thumb, at least for me, is to always start with the most pale or light colors as the dark ones tend to go to black with only a few applications.  An informative demo with photos illustrating each step including supplies used will follow this image.*
*All photos COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

SUPPLIES:  Alcohol Blending Solution (Tim Holtz), alcohol 91%, fine mist sprayer filled with alcohol, large red drinking straw, Yupo, assorted alcohol inks (Jacquard Pinata brand and Tim Holtz Adirondack Ranger)

 

Do not use alcohol 50%.  I place all on a 11x15 sheet of foamcore to protect my table.  No pencil or brush used in this demo.  Five colors:  Shell Pink, Senorita Magenta, Willow, Juniper, Poppyfield were used and will be shown together at the end.  Yupo is 6x7 inches and is adhered on back with masking tape on a sheet of white printer paper that sits on the foamcore

STEP 1

Spritz or spray 91% alcohol onto Yupo then add Shell Pink (Adirondack) ink, the lightest pink value



 

STEP 2

After blowing through the large straw to push ink around, add 3 puddles of Senorita Magenta

 

Another view

 

Turned a different way

 

STEP 3

Adding blending solution to top of magenta shapes

 

STEP 4

Blowing with straw again quickly (canned air is also used if available).  Ink is feathering outwards

 

STEP 5

Spritz or spray with fine mister the alcohol 91% again which gives tiny droplets over the surface.  Blow again with the straw or add more blending solution if you need to do so

 

STEP 6

Adding greens.  This will no doubt be a floral of some kind with the 2 pinks and now my lightest green, Willow

 

STEP 7

Place Willow in 3 areas as shown for balance, add blending solution to move the inks, and blow air again to widen and spread

STEP 8

Adding second green, my darker value Juniper 1-2 drops at edges.  Inks starting to bleed into each other,  mix and separate



 



 

Continue adding Juniper around 3 sides at least

STEP 9

Turn the Yupo several ways to get a sense of what it will be, a floral or an abstract

 



STEP 10

Add a stronger deeper warm hue such as Poppyfield, a rich red for single drops as seen below

 



Continuing to add Poppyfield

Adding more Poppyfield with this orientation, having the leaf shapes mostly at bottom

 



 

Separated single drops of Poppyfield ink to mimic geranium blooms and florets (upside down view).  I've not blown air on these final drops

Five colors used for this demo in order of application L to R

 

 



Signing my name with Sakura Pigma Micron 01 permanent ink at lower right

 



Finished alcohol ink "Time for Geraniums" 6x7 on Yupo

Cat with Green Ball

5.5x8.5 watercolor and ink on Masters sketchbook paper done over the weekend.  Our old cat Bootsie who had long thick hair loved to play with the soft spongy balls.  Here I have used a four color combination to make a mixed black:  First pairing was ultramarine blue + quinacridone burnt orange application, and second was alizarin crimson + thalo green.  The ball is thalo yellow green and some of that opaque color is mixed in his tail.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Peace Rose Petals

12x6 watercolor on Strathmore 140 lb cold press paper begun yesterday and finished today.  No pencil drawing or use of a reference was used.  I was thinking of peace roses as some had bloomed last week at my studio.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

City Rain

12x9 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper, finished late last night while we were still in the isolated mountains.  As a timed WetCanvas exercise I had to complete within 2 hours but did go over the limit.  Photo courtesy Bunny from a street scene in NYC,
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Cafe Cat

15x11 watercolor on 140 lb cold press paper, a composite of more than one separate photo of a sidewalk cafe bistro set and calico cat.  She is enjoying her day waiting on shoppers to stop by and give her a biscuit.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Sunflower Jewels

5x7 alcohol inks done yesterday just imagining how decorated the center could be of this common yellow summer flower.  This is on freezer paper mounted to a thin support.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Barn Chicken

22x15 watercolor on 140 lb cold press paper by Saunders with Daniel Smith/Da Vinci paints.  Done wet in wet quickly, this work is showing a curious hen looking back where she came from.  This work is SOLD.
COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Poppy Poetry

15x11 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper painted this afternoon using only a #38 round brush (no pencil drawing) and totally imaginary.  With spritzing and using lots of water I came up with this poetic arrangement of poppies swaying in the pre-Spring winds.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Fat Faux Batik Pear

12x9 alcohol inks on wax paper, one of the demos done last Thursday night for the Die Kunstler Von Fredericksburg art organization.  I was showing them how to make a faux batik painting by crumpling wax paper (after felt tip marker drawing was done), smooth it out and apply the inks, then let dry.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Painted Poppies

5x7 alcohol inks on Yupo done yesterday, another abstract background I was not fond of, so diluted the inks with blending fluid then dropped two different reds.  Blowing through a straw from the bloom base, the round poppy shapes appeared.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Roxy the Boxer

5.5x8.5 watercolor and ink (Pigma Micron 01 pen) on Masters sketchbook, done this afternoon.  This boxer pup belongs to EP, another artist active on WetCanvas who is hosting our current Watermedia challenge.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Almost Spring Tulip

7.5x5 alcohol inks on white freezer paper using only 2-3 colors of ink, done as one of the demos Thursday night in Fredericksburg, TX.
I put the light colored background on first then the warm red/pink and blowing the ink from the flower base up and out.  This gave it the tulip shape.  Lastly the stem was added using a cotton swab and a dark green.  This exercise took about 5 minutes for the Die Kunstler Von Fredericksburg (translation:  The Artists of Fredericksburg) art group.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Porch Detail

15x5 watercolor on Saunders 140 lb cold press paper done today.  This view is a detail from a larger piece showing more of the building.  It is the porch of a local realty.  Of course I used artistic license on the flowers showing more lush blooms that what is there.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Underwater Iris ~ alcohol inks

5x7 alcohol inks on Yupo synthetic paper, one of several demos done last night in Fredericksburg, TX.  For the Die Kunstler art group I was tasked to present a program on the application and attributes of the inks.  This one reminded me of a submerged iris bloom in an abstract design.  Support and inks are by Tim Holtz.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.