Green Dragonfly

8x8 watercolor on Masters Premium paper 140 lb cold press finished yesterday, another in my dragonfly series. Its vibrant green body blends in with the grasses surrounding this flying insect. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

August Dragonfly

6x12 watercolor of a contemporary winged insect, the lovely dragonfly, done with a #1 rigger/script liner brush on 140 lb Strathmore cold press paper, wet on dry, a few days ago. I will be painted this subject again. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Orange Dragonfly

8x8 watercolor of a lone orange dragonfly as it lights on a flower stem. Wildlife is always exciting to paint and explore the world they inhabit. This is another ongoing insect in my dragonfly series so stay tuned. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Colored Hair

8.25x5.25 mixed media in junk journal using Brusho, watercolor, Micron 05 pen, and collage done last weekend, a fun exercise of elaborating on a hairstyle that has gone out of style, or has it? It is enjoyable to do wild women and their hair and wardrobes. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Helen's Peony

12x9 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper done over the past week in another WetCanvas challenge of 2 hours time limit; my time was about 50 minutes to paint this floral, a red peony, of Helen's. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

California Poppy Cluster in Junk Journal

8.25x5.25 mixed media using colored pencils, watercolor, collage over gesso on junk journal page. I used California poppies images of mine to do this art. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Chickadee Eating Sunflower Seeds

5.25x8.25 ink sketch in my junk journal using STA Lictin 05 pen on an old page sprayed with Tim Holtz antique stain. I used the brush pen of STA Lictin to get the blackest areas of the sketch done. This is another in my chickadee series. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Cattleya Orchid

11x8.5 watercolor on Kilimanjaro 140 lb cold press paper done last week; this is fellow artist Dewi's orchid and I hope I have done it justice here in a direct painting style, wet on dry. This floral is entered in the Florals forum for August challenge. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Snake Plant in Mosaic Pot

8.25x5.25 mixed media in junk journal, sketched from life on Saturday. I used colored pencils, watercolor, and Montana acrylic markers on a page in the old book. I love these succulent snake plants, or sansevieria, and have several growing in pots. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Black-Capped Chickadee on Sunflower

6x12 watercolor on Strathmore 140 lb cold press paper done today from a compilation of my nature and bird photos. Maybe I'm wishing for autumn or fall to hurry up and get here with some cooler temps. At any rate, this chickadee is snacking on black sunflower seeds from a spent plant. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Fruit Pickles

5.5x8.5 watercolor and ink (Faber Castell Pitt pen) done today, a work on paper practicing the Sketchbook Skool style of illustrated journaling. With this, you can see a recipe for brine to make quick pickles, whether using fresh fruit or vegetables, to place in canning jars. COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith

Brusho Bird on Dictionary Page in Junk Journal

8.25x5.25 mixed media done today, a bird sketched with Micron 03 ink pen on old dictionary page. I had first adhered the page with matte medium onto a junk journal page that had a sketch I did not like. When dry, the bird was inked in then I wet the shape with water and sprinkled black Brusho wc crystals. With a large round brush, I went over the crystals and blended them, continuing the same method to the bottom. Eye is black felt tip marker with white gel pen highlights and beak was yellow Brusho covered with orange colored pencil. India ink was dropped using a loaded chopstick from about a foot above the design. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Orange Tabby Cat Asleep

5.5x8.5 watercolor over pencil sketch in Masters Touch sketchbook done over this past weekend as part of a WetCanvas.com challenge; images provided by the site or by the host. This sweet kitty was trying to catch a few minutes of sleep during his day. Paints used: Quinacridone burnt orange, Halloween orange, burnt sienna, raw sienna, sepia, periwinkle blue and blue bice. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

August Annuals

5.5x8.5 alcohol markers in Masters Touch sketchbook done over this past weekend testing new CaliArt products. These markers layer very easily and smoothly and a backing sheet needs to be behind it as you work due to bleed through. This is from a photo taken years ago in the Hill Country of Texas. Working from a photocopy showing black, grey, and white values only the darks were sketched in first, followed by medium colors then light ones. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Yellow Umbrella and Chairs

5.5x8.5 watercolor on Masters Touch 80 lb sketchbook paper sketched a few days ago of a summer beach scene. This was done for an online challenge and is available on www.DailyPaintworks.com in my gallery section. With the blue ocean framing the marine scape the yellow umbrella looks fresh and ready for visitors. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Midge Half Asleep

9x12 Brusho watermedia on Canson 140 lb cold press 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. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith.

Key Lime Pie

8.5x5.5 watercolor and ink on Masters sketchbook page done as part of an ongoing love affair I have with limes. Pie or cheesecake featuring the small green citrus fruit is nice as is a slice on the salty edge of a margarita or a swirl (sangria + frozen margarita), and even iced tea. Today I ate a slice of very cold key lime pie. Micron 01 pen used to do initial sketch. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith.

Beach Bikes

7.5x11 watercolor using all the blues in my palette: UB, Prussian, Midnight, cobalt, cobalt teal blue, Antwerp, manganese, peacock, ultramarine turquoise, periwinkle, cerulean, verditer, moonglow and carbazole violet. I used a black and white printed ref courtesy WetCanvas Weekend Drawing Event (Li Newton). The challenge was to use only blues. Support is Fabriano 140 lb rough paper. This work is SOLD. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2012.

Cowboy Days

7.5x5 watercolor on Moleskine for watercolor sketchbook, sketched with a carpenter's pencil a few days ago then paint added in this quick view of a cowboy. Ref courtesy Jo Castillo. Note he is holding a lit cigarette. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Peafowl

9.5x7 mixed media on Ecosystem sketchbook done today. I sketched him using a STA Lictin 0.1 pen liner then added Brusho watercolor crystals for the bird. Lastly I used pale blue Montana acrylic marker for the background color in this vignette. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Glad About Glads

22x15 watercolor completed earlier painted wet in wet. I really like how the multicolored gladiolus, bunched together in a single dark blue pot, are so vibrant and cheerful. Anyone can be inspired anyway until fall or winter happens. Paper is Italia acquerello 140 lb cold press sold by Dick Blick which is perfect for florals. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith.

Blue Emu

12x9 mixed watermedia on Canson for mixed media spiral bound sketchbook done today. Sketching with a Micron 03 pen, next was an application of turquoise then grey Brusho wc crystals. Watercolor followed then Montana acrylic marker in white for lost white feather area on his neck, and splatters of orange, the complement of blue were added. Ref courtesy morguefile free photos. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Friesian Mare

9x12 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper. For the dark brown I've mixed a limited palette of ultramarine blue and quinacridone burnt orange; this was painted wet on dry. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith.

Fruity Kitty

8x8 watercolor on Masters Touch premium paper, 140 lb cold press sketched yesterday and painted today for another online challenge. Participants on WetCanvas in the All Media Art Events forum for the weekly Drawing Event, have 2 hours to choose an image and paint it. This still life of a gray and white cat on a table took a little over the 2 hours and was so cute I could not resist. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Wheelbarrow Whispers

11x15 watercolor on 140 lb cold press paper done of an imaginary wheelbarrow and its surrounding floral garden.

COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Multicolored Cow

5.5x9 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper sketched and painted over the past few days, a vivid contemporary colored cow done in warm colors.  A couple of colors, ultramarine blue and Skip's green, are the only cool hues.  Background is a palette grey that resembles khaki green overall.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Bee on a Blossom

11x8.5 watercolor on Stonehenge 260 lb hot press paper done today of a busy bee on an apple blossom. I've enhanced the stamens and colors plus added splatters when dry.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

A Pink Hibiscus

12x9 mixed media on Canson 140 lb cold press paper done yesterday for August Watermedia challenge on WetCanvas.  Ref courtesy of Deborah.  The backside has abstract acrylic and alcohol ink marks hence the colored areas seen on the front that watercolor can't cover up.  White gouache, watercolor, and Caran D'Ache watersoluble colored pencils used over the Magic colored pencils sketch.  I held two Magic (multi-lead) pencils together while sketching for a looser look.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith.

Beach Crow

2.75x7.75 watercolor on Fabriano 140 lb hot press paper done over the past weekend for another WetCanvas weekend drawing event.  Participants are given 2 hours to select and complete a painting or sketch of their choice.  Image courtesy Clea.  I cropped most of the beach here to focus on a long horizontal format for this crow.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Rosebreasted Grosbeak in Wisconsin

8x6 watercolor and ink (Micron 01 pen) in Stillman & Birn sketchbook done past few days.

Photo courtesy JennaH/WetCanvas.com  COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Trashy Trashy Poppies

12x12 mixed media collage on matboard (media used: watercolor, gouache, ink, newspaper, paperback novel pages, yellow rice paper, cocktail napkins, gift wrap, doily, decorated craft paper).  Matte medium used to adhere collage elements by coating front and back with 1" flat sponge brush for house painting. This watermedia collage is based on an earlier poppy themed work.
COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2014.