Thawing Creek

15x22 watercolor done last week, an imaginary winter scene on Fabriano 140 lb rough cold press paper. This thawing creek with its hints of sunlight filtering through the trees offers hope for the next season. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

National Coffee Day! White Cup on Red Cloth

National Coffee Day! White Cup on Red Cloth 11x8.5 watercolor on Stonehenge 140 lb cold press paper done for National Coffee Day. This simple white cup about half full of coffee looks like an easy still life subject but it was anything but! Multiple ellipses and curves to get just right so many washes were painted before finishing. Sepia was the perfect hue for black coffee. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

White Clematis

11x15 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper done yesterday for my entry in an online floral challenge featuring clematis blooms. The abstract background is busy which is what the plain white clematis flower petals needed. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Three Gourds

6x6 watercolor and ink line using STA Lictin pen 0.3 done last weekend in Masters Touch sketchbook. This was featured on WetCanvas All Media Art Events forum in the weekend drawing event; participants have 2 hours to complete their chosen art. I've moved the gourds closer together than they were for compositional purposes and enjoy how they have turned out. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Nite Owl

6x6 watercolor on Masters Touch 80 lb paper in sketchbook done last week using many colors blown through a straw for this imaginary great horned owl. A mixed black was used for dark line work for this contemporary, loose wildlife bird art. Splattering was done when completely dry. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Frosty Bison

14x11 mixed media on Canson 92 lb black drawing paper done last week during our paint in. Media: White gel pen to sketch outline, colored pencils using Magic multilead/multicolor for highlights, and gouache. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Holed up Jackrabbit

6x8 watercolor and grey Brusho on Masters Touch 140 lb cold press paper done last week; ref courtesy WetCanvas. This adult jackrabbit has just come out of his hiding hole home, watchful for predators. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Day Owl

6x6 watercolor on Masters Touch 80 lb paper in sketchbook done yesterday using many colors for this day time great horned owl. A mixed black was used for dark line work. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Autumn Afternoon Trees ~ first day of fall

5x5 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper done yesterday as an exercise in shadows and distance. These three poplar trees are imaginary in this country landscape for the first day of autumn, and I've varied the warm and cool tones throughout the leaves and shadows. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Donkey Nose

6.5x9 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press done last week, another in my humorous donkey series. This fellow is vying for attention by putting his nose up and over the pen corner at his barn. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Aspens in Snow Drift

8x8 watercolor on Masters Touch 140 lb cold press paper done last week, another imaginary winter landscape featuring a few aspens in a snow drift. No sign of any wildlife except birds flying overhead in this quiet and cold scene. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Watch Out ~demo for Brownfield Art Association

11x15 watercolor on Strathmore 140 lb cold press paper over pencil sketch, a demonstration last Monday 9-11-23 for Brownfield Art Association (ref courtesy WetCanvas). I have added an imaginary background of dry southwest building for this scene of two donkeys. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Pear Shenanigans

6×6 watercolor plus ink using STA Lictin 0.2 pen on Masters Touch 80 lb sketchbook paper done over the weekend in under an hour. I sketched its outline in pencil, then placed 3 round colored adhesive dots at bottom and top. Next I coated them with matte medium and let dry a few minutes, lifting them off. Then paint was added but the round areas didn’t do much resist. Splatters at random using several colors was done. When dry some were outlined in ink as was the fruit itself for a little patterning. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Mighty Mushroom

5.5x8 watercolor and ink (Micron 01 pen) done on Strathmore Visual Journal for mixed media. I featured the mushroom online for a monthly online challenge. Lots of detail that I love not only in the background but underneath the exaggerated fungus plant, just a myriad of multiple mazes. It is so fun to explore these microcosms; so much going on at the tiny level most people don't care to see or examine. There are pine needles with their three prongs scattered about here, leaves, twigs, and parts of other botanicals and even a small insect underneath its umbrella. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Dried Sunflower with Chickadee

6x6 watercolor over pencil sketch on Masters Touch 80 lb paper of a solitary chickadee eating sunflower seeds. In this imaginary autumn countryside, the bird is alone surrounded by dead or dying sunflowers which provide its sustenance. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Winter Owl Post

6x6 watercolor on Masters Touch sketchbook paper, 80 lb., done last weekend using some of my snowy owl references. I perched this guy on a large wooden post where he sits surveying his territory at night, listening for a rustle which might mean a mouse is available. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Curled up Calf

6x6 watercolor and ink using 0.5 STA Lictin pen on Masters Touch 80 lb paper done over the weekend for another WetCanvas weekend drawing event. We have 2 hour to select an image then paint it; image courtesy Kat. Her reference had two other cows so they were cropped out to focus on the youngest who was curled up by a bucket. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Desert Mystery Woman

11x14.75 watercolor, gouache, and ink line accents finished last week on Fabriano 140 lb hot press paper. I had started with an abstract background then added a head and arm but put it away not sure if I wanted to complete this imaginary mysterious figure. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Winter is Coming

6x6 watercolor on Masters Touch paper 80 lb. cold press in sketchbook done last week for a small but cold winter scene just beginning in my imagination. From the old dead tree with its few leaves hanging on to the snow drifts one can dream the season will come soon. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Old House Garden

12x9 watercolor on Fabriano 140 lb cold press paper sketched and painted last week; this old pale yellow clapboard house sets a nice background for the blooming alliums, larkspur, lilies, etc. for a summer scene. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Dahlias and Cat Days ~ Junk Journal finished

8.25x5.25 mixed media collage on the last page of my junk journal that has lasted several years. I've used ink, watercolor, collage of various things to create a story about dahlias and cats. Pearl posed for the larger cat sketch at bottom. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

White Barn Owl

6x6 watercolor on 80 lb Masters Touch sketchbook paper done a few days ago, looking over barn owl photos. These nighttime predators love to hide out in old barns and other shelters. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Mountain Llama

6x6 watercolor of adult white llama, similar to the earlier animal I painted with clouds. This one has distant green mountains behind him. This work is SOLD. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Five Minute Landscape

6x6 watercolor using Gansai Tambi graphite paints by Kuretake. In this very quick rendering of a landscape, the season could be any of the four. I used a #1 rigger/script liner brush on dry Masters Touch 80 lb paper done a few days ago. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Dart ~ cat pet portrait

11x15 watercolor cat pet portrait commission painted on Strathmore 140 lb cold press paper recently finished; this lovely blue eyed boy is SOLD. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Dog and Boy at the Beach

6x8 watercolor on Masters Touch 140 lb cold press paper done over the past weekend as part of another WetCanvas event. Participants have 2 hours to select their image then render it. As hosted by Rousay, I cropped the ref photo to focus on the boy and dog playing and changed his swim trunks color from navy to red. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Baby Donkey Bobby

6x6 watercolor on Masters Touch 80 lb. paper from sketchbook done a few days ago from multiple donkey images. This little guy is just a baby donkey who was rescued along with his mother. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Maya ~ Cane Corso

12x9 watercolor on hot press 140 lb Fabriano paper done last week, a pet portrait that is SOLD. The Cane Corso is an Italian breed of mastiff. It is usually kept as a companion dog or guard dog. Maya is black with white markings. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Llama Eyes

6x6 watercolor on Masters Touch sketchbook 80 lb paper done a few days ago from a friend's animals. This llama's eyes look so large and innocent. A limited palette was used to create this design. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Hummer Bath ~ National Hummingbird Day

5.25x7.25 watercolor on Lanaquarelle 140 lb hot press paper previously done. This hummingbird has his eyes closed as he sits in a shallow birdbath. Let's honor the tiny flying wonder birds for National Hummingbird Day, September 2nd! COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith