Petticoats - Mexican Redhat Wildflowers

11x8.5 watercolor and ink on paper of wildflowers growing in our vacant lot. Commonly known as Mexican red hats, these have so much character and different form and colors; their petals resemble petticoats. From dark red to a red-orange, their vibrant saucy pigment dot the landscape, often growing in clumps. This ink and line wash is my 3rd piece featuring their lively design. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2026

Vacant Lot Wildflowers

4.25x2.75 watercolor on Bristol board 300 series of Mexican redhats and others growing down the street in a vacant lot.  This was brush only, no pre-drawing with pencil today.  I first did an underpainting with Naples yellow and cerulean blue and when dry put the blooms into the composition.  Blades of glass were last and darkening the undergrowth with sepia and sap green in this west Texas wildflowers scene.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Mexican Redhat Blooms

5.5x2.75 watercolor and gouache with ink line (Pigma Micron 01 pen) on brown sketch paper done this week.  Another Mexican red hat wildflower, each bloom is different in color, form, and value.  Some have pale yellow petals while others are yellow orange or red.
Also known as the prairie coneflower, these inhabit dry areas and seed themselves along roadways and vacant lots.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

Mexican Red Hats wildflowers

4.25x7.25 watercolor on 300 lb cold press Saunders paper, wet in wet wildflowers that grow all over town.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Hot Hats - Mexican Redhat wildflowers finished

7.5x11 watercolor wildflowers, prairie coneflowers or Mexican redhats, a work in progress is finished today.  I had to trim one inch off the top as I laid its damp edge next to large manila envelope, and you guessed it! Glued itself to the envelope, LOL! Wildflowers are such fun with their vivid splash of color in an otherwise boring landscape.  It is a bit different from the first one that sold quickly.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2013 Kay Smith.

WIP Mexican Redhats wildflowers continued

8.5x11 watercolor and ink work in progress (WIP) continued with last night's drawing more blooms and painting today about 1.5 hours. Tomorrow I'll fill in foreground tall skinny leaves and do a wash over the background.  Some values have to be adjusted before it is done, so do stay tuned! I looked this plant up with its many variations in Neil Sperry's Texas Gardening book, and it is quite fascinating.  Seed companies also sell many types to directly plant yourself if you don't want to trust Mother Nature.
Image COPYRIGHT 2013 Kay Smith.

Red Hats wildflowers

11x8.5 watercolor over ink sketch using Pigma Micron 01 pen of our vacant lot wildflowers earlier this year.  I combined two photo references to make this composition.  This image is SOLD.
Image COPYRIGHT 2013 Kay Smith.

Petticoats - Mexican Redhats

11x8.5 watercolor and ink on paper of wildflowers growing in our vacant lot.  Commonly known as Mexican red hats, these have so much character and different form and colors; their petals resemble petticoats.  From dark red to a red-orange, their vibrant saucy pigment dot the landscape, often growing in clumps.  This ink and line wash is my 3rd piece featuring their lively design.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2013 Kay Smith.