Sparrow Adventure

9x9 mixed watermedia on paper done a few days ago from one of my sparrow in snow photos.  Since this paper already had an architectural print sketch in brown I decided to go with several brown and rust colored inks around its perimeter, then sketch the bird with Micron 01 pen.  Lastly a mix of white gouache/acrylic was diluted and brushed over the background to subdue it somewhat.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Petal Push

11x5 alcohol inks on paper done yesterday using only 3-4 colors for a loose floral.  Since the mourning doves are out it won't be long until Spring arrives.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Chickadee on Forsythia

8x8 watercolor on 140 lb cold press paper done a few days ago from some of my chickadee photos.  Being ready for Spring in 3 weeks or so I added the cheery yellow forsythia blooms.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Vegetables on Talavera Mosaic

18x12 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper still life I set up of two onions and a red bell pepper on tile surface.  The pattern areas are Talavera pottery pieces along with rusty iron and concrete parts.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

A Sparrow's Serenade

19x15.25 watercolor on 140 lb cold press paper of two sparrows in their spring nest.  One is singing to the other against a splashy abstract background in this imaginary nature scene.  Masking was used for parts of the nest.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

New Hollyhocks

6x4 alcohol inks on paper done over the past weekend and when dry I used a Micron 01 ink pen to sketch outlines of the blooms including stems and buds.  For the most part this one is using a complementary color scheme of red and green.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Splash of Tulips

22x15 watercolor of mixed tulips in old white vase.  This still life is remembering the flowers painted I bought myself after getting my work of a white cockatoo included in North Light's Splash series.  It is painted wet in wet on 140 lb cold press paper.  The book Splash 7 was the first one to accept my work.
COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2020.

Rescued Rabbit

12x9 watercolor on Yupo synthetic paper done today.  A light pencil sketch was done first of this rescued multicolored rabbit from my photos.  It is almost time to see them hopping about although I did see a very large jack last week in New Mexico running through the brush.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Redbud Trees abstract

5x7 alcohol inks on paper done a few days ago.  With a wooden chopstick in the wet ink, I pulled lines upwards to resemble tree branches in this abstract piece.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Birds Flocked Together

12x18 watercolor over gessoed matboard completed yesterday.  Some of the birds were sketched in colored pencil.  There are 9 total with a blue parakeet in flight.  This imaginary scene was previously done in other colors so all were lifted out and repainted using cardinals, robin, bluejays, etc.  Negative painting also for branches and leaves.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Studio Black Hollyhocks

28x20 watercolor on Lanaquarelle 140 lb hot press paper completed yesterday.  These black hollyhocks grew along the classroom side of my studio along with pink, red, and white ones.  Many colors went into the deep purple almost black hue:  Quinacridones violet and magenta, permanent rose, alizarin crimson, carbazole violet, indigo, UB, thalo green and blue, etc.  Since the blooms were transparent for the most part I used opaques for the background:  Periwinkle, Mint Julep, and Peachy Keen (American Journey).
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Fluffy Sparrow

4x5 watercolor on Italia 140 lb cold press paper painted yesterday, a sparrow whose feathers appear fluffed out maybe due to the cold weather.  A very limited palette was used with this painting, mostly burnt sienna, quinacridone burnt orange, sepia, and Blue Bice by American Journey.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Actual color is below:

COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Sweetheart Seagull

5x7 mixed media collage on paper begun on Valentine's Day Friday then finished today.  I used the inside of my sweetheart's card envelope which was brown to sketch the gull in ink with Micron 01 pen.  Then collaged white paper for its head.  Oil pastels, gouache and watercolor were other media used.  The gull was then adhered to matboard with matte medium a brayer to smooth out air pockets.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Naptime Kitten

8x8 watercolor on Italia 140 lb cold press paper done over the weekend from one of my kitten photos. This sweet baby is sleeping on white linens so she blends in well.  Cats sleep so much so that they can have enough energy for the short bursts of increased activity.  The term cat nap or catnap is derived from their behavior and sleep patterns.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Sleepy Basset 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.  This image was sent for possible publication recently.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith.

Inca Doves in Love

6x6 watercolor and ink line wash on Masters paper drawn and painted quickly in the afternoon of a pair of mourning doves huddled together to stay warm.  This is more work done in neutral tones.  Sepia, Coastal Fog, and a bit of indigo blue was used with this composition.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith.

Valentine Collection

6x9 mixed media on paper of various heart shapes just in time for Valentine's Day on Friday!  The heart upper left is modeled after a necklace of mine while others are imaginary.  See if you can find the EKG strip.
Have a lovely day!
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Spring Nest Eggs

4x4 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper sketched and painted this afternoon in between working on a very large piece.  In this imaginary still life, three different birds put their eggs all in one little nest.  Hurry up Spring!
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Chilly Cardinal

3.5x2.5 watercolor on 140 lb cold press Kilimanjaro paper done today, another cardinal out in the chilly snowy landscape.  This fellow seems to be searching for some red berries to eat or for his mate.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Snowy Spotted Towhee

4x6 watercolor on Italia 140 lb cold press paper sketched in pencil today then painted from some of my towhee photos shot in New Mexico.  A member of the sparrow family, these birds seem to prefer ground feeding I've discovered, and are larger than the ordinary house sparrow.  This fellow was feasting on birdseed scattered on the snowy patio tiles.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

February Peony

4x6 watercolor on Italia 140 lb cold press paper, some hot red abstractions mixed with purple for the background, just in time for Valentine's Day on Friday.  This white peony is enjoying colder weather and shines just for you and your love.  This work is SOLD.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Ginger Tabby in the Sun

7.25x8 watercolor on Italia 140 lb cold press paper sketched yesterday then painted today.  This cat belongs to fellow artist Sandy in Australia and she featured him in this weekend's drawing event on WetCanvas.  I love the look of disdain on his face as if he is asking why he has to pose for his picture.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Snowy Tufted Titmouse bird

4x5 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper completed today of a lone titmouse bird amidst snowflakes.  The winter bird paintings always intrigue me with their puffed up feathers and endless search for food.


Actual size is below:

COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Las Cruces Yuccas

7x9.5 watercolor on Ecosystem sketchbook paper completed today.  Photo courtesy Jo Castillo/WetCanvas for Southwest forum's February challenge, minus the telephone pole. The tall yucca plants with their spiky leaves reach upward in the hot landscape.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Wrinkles ~ Day 26 of #30Faces30Days challenge

11x8.5 colored pencil, Magic by Koh-i-Noor, on Crescent sketchbook done last week for one of the Sktchy faces challenges.  The muse had multiple forehead wrinkles which was the focus of the lesson.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Tea on a Cold Day

5.5x8.5 watercolor over pencil sketch in Masters sketchbook done yesterday; ref courtesy Miniature forum on WetCanvas (reference image library).  I loved the cool blues in the cup, the powdered sugar sweets and the crocheted doily.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Kingbird Trio

3x5.5 watercolor on Canson 140lb cold press paper finished today from one of my many hundreds of bird photos. These three kingbirds were sitting on a barbed wire fence.


Actual size is below:

COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Maureen's Orchid

11x8.5 watercolor on Bienfang paper sketched in pencil then painted. I was so tired of focusing on figures and faces this past month that just had to do a floral. This is a cropped version of friend Maureen's orchid in front of a window.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Dreadlocks ~ Day 30 of #30Faces30Days Sktchy challenge

11x8.5 watercolor and ink (STA Lictin 0.2 pen) in Bienfang sketchbook completed today for the last portrait in the #30Faces30Days challenge.  I first sketched the muse in pen then added layers of purple, violet, magenta, quinacridones gold and burnt orange, thioindio violet, burnt sienna, raw sienna, aureolin, and transparent pyrrol orange.  I left his white jiu jitsu clothing the white of the paper to focus only on face and neck.  This one took about 2 days to do.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith