Hello Hollyhocks!

10x8 watercolor done today from our first house backyard, pink, red, dark pink hollyhocks along the wooden fence. When we were in the mountains last week there were still some of these old fashioned lovelies blooming here and there. I still plant them every year as they are my favorite and they are coming up wild in the studio yard. Paper used is Langton 140 lb cold press. Colors: Alizarin crimson, quinacridone violet and magenta, Grumbacher red, permanent rose, Taylor's Pink Flamingo, quin gold, arylide yellow, Midnight blue, Undersea Green, UB, gamboge, Prussian blue, Coffee with Cream, Sepia. At the end when dry I splattered alizarin. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith

Dandelion Patch

6x6 watercolor and wax crayons on sketchbook 80 lb paper done for another WetCanvas weekend drawing event for June 13/14; host Connie of the Netherlands. I liked the small weed patch of dandelions growing and used the crayons in white and neutral tones for a resist. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Tulip Woman

11x8.5 watercolor on Grumbacher 140 lb cp paper, done last week. Using a line sketch out of one of my older sketchbooks, I combined tulip shapes to the side of the figure as well as her dress and behind her arm. A fun exercise. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Neurographic Cat

9x7 watercolor and ink using Micron 01 pen and STA Lictin brush pen in sketchbook done last week. I started a neurographic piece with the wavy ink lines then decided to incorporate an animal such as this black cat. A fun painting. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Cactus Tidbits

6x6 watercolor of imaginary prickly pear cactus patch, just a playful exercise of color and line. In this desert landscape flora or plant scene, one can think of finding a cactus with all these tidbits. This was painted last week or so. COPYRIGHT 2025 Kay Smith

Lawn Chair Kittens

8x9 watercolor on Grumbacher 140 lb cp paper done last week for another online WetCanvas challenge for the weekend; photo ref courtesy WC reference image library. Host was Maureen. These cute tabby kittens were so fun to paint. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Rolling in the Deep

5.5x8.5 watercolor done last week, a marine scape of deep dark blue waters with a distant storm threatening. One can imagine being in this spot, lost, just rolling in the deep. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith

Thunderstorm Arrival

7x9 watercolor in Master's Touch sketchbook painted last week or first week of June when we were having multiple thunderstorms in this area. This landscape is imaginary. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Quiet Hummingbird

6x4 watercolor on Grumbacher 140 lb cp paper done last week of a quiet hummingbird being still. This is from a photo taken last year at our feeder and is a ruby throat. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Annual Purple Poppies

7.5x5.5 watercolor on Fabriano 140 lb cp paper done last week using White Nights paints along with Rosa Gallery paints. This was a fun small miniature floral. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Colored Cactus Pears

8.5x5.5 watercolor done in mixed media sketchbook last week, another imaginary cactus theme focusing on its edible pear fruit. This was painted quickly and loosely. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

A Man Named Matt

9x6 watercolor on Canson XL 140 lb cp paper, a male portrait for day 12 of this April's portrait challenge #sktchy #30faces30days. I really enjoyed doing this muse. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith

Paper Sack Hat

9x7 watercolor portrait for this year's April 30 day challenge by #sktchy #30faces30days. This was the muse for day 11 done in Master's Touch sketchbook using White Nights paints. This little boy was wearing a makeshift hat he fashioned from a brown paper bag. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Girl with Headphones

9x6 watercolor portrait of young girl wearing headphones, one of the model/muse subjects for #sktchy #30faces30days done in April. For a month, each day student painters are given a new face to render in watercolor. This one was fun using a limited palette and working on Canson XL paper 140 lb cp. This was day 10 assignment. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Pink Toboggan

11x8.5 watercolor for day 9 in sketchbook for #sktchy #30faces30days challenge done in April; I enjoyed this sweet little face, a real pleasure. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Colored Hair Boy

5.5x8.5 watercolor portrait for day 8 #sktchy #30faces30days challenge in April, done in mixed media sketchbook by Master's Touch. This young boy was very cute and I enjoyed doing his portrait. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Red Beard

11x7 watercolor and white charcoal pencil along with colored pencils on Strathmore toned tan paper, done for day 7 in April. As part of a month's challenge, #sktchy has instructors who have selected a muse or model to do a videotaped portrait demo. Usually lasting at least an hour or more, each day we had a different teacher with their own methods #30faces30days COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Pipe Smoker Rick

8x6 watercolor using limited palette of only two colors: Sepia and ultramarine blue. This was painted on handmade rough paper for day 6 of #sktchy #30faces30days challenge in April. Rick is one of the models/muses on the Mighty app for Sktchy. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Picasso's Bikinis

15x11 markers on Master's Touch paper done in April as a commission; based on an earlier smaller neurographic piece this version is retitled with Picasso's name. It still has the abstract bikini shapes. Love the colors I used. It is my 11th neurographic work. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Proud Crow

9x6.5 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper, another crow in an ongoing series of the black birds and their habits and habitats. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith

Gentleman Profile

12x9 watercolor done for day 5 of April's #sktchy #30faces30days challenge. This was done in Canson 138 lb paper for mixed media sketchbook. I really enjoyed this portrait exercise. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Somber Man

8.5x5.5 watecolor using Daniel Smith's Moonglow, a monochromatic portrait of a somber looking man. This is in Master's Touch mixed media sketchbook done for day 4 of #sktchy #30faces30days challenge in April. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Cute Dimples

9x6 watercolor and liquid pencil on paper for day 3 of #sktchy #30faces30days that was all of April. I enjoyed the instructor's choice of this cute little girl with her dimples! COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Rugged Man

8.5x5.5 watercolor in mixed media sketchbook 110 lb paper done second day in April for #sktchy #30faces30days challenge. For day two, this guy's rugged face made a real challenge for the artists. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Woman in Car

6.5x4.5 watercolor on tan paper done first day in April of #sktchy #30faces30days challenge. I used Inktense and white charcoal as well for this day one endeavor. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Rough Cactus Patch

8x6 watercolor on rough handmade paper done week before last using graphite paints by Gansai Tambi (Kuretake) and Rosa Gallery paints. In this imaginary southwestern desert landscape focusing on cactus plants, I've used the graphites for the rough texture and Rosa paints for their brilliant colors of the prickly pears. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Lilypad Life

7x9 watercolors using White Nights paints in Master's Touch sketchbook done over the weekend. As part of a weekend drawing event on WetCanvas, participants have 2 hours to select an image then do a drawing or painting. Reference courtesy Rousay in the UK who hosted the challenge. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith

Blue Headed Bird Cassowary

9x7 mixed media in sketchbook done last week while on a trip. Starting with an R2 Rollerball pen 0.7mm to sketch this devilish bird, I then added watercolor using White Nights paints, colored pencils (multilead), and oil pastels. As part of WetCanvas! weekend drawing event, our host Shane in Australia provided the ref photo of the violent bird who will attack humans at times. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

May Prickly Pears

6x8 watercolor using White Nights paints done last week, an imaginary cactus of prickly pears on handmade rough paper 140 lb cold press. I put in darks first followed by midtones then lights. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025