Autumn's End

8.5x5.5 mixed media in sketchbook for mixed media done about a week ago using white wax crayon resist along with watercolor. No reference was used in this imaginary autumn/winter landscape. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

January Birches

11x8.5 watercolor on paper, a quick demo done week before last to show how to color this particular type of bark using a #1 rigger or script liner brush and lots of water. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Birch Woods

4.5x3.5 acrylics on Bristol 400 series plate, an imaginary scene of birches in the woods covered in snow. The paper had been covered in various marks of different media in black and green so I painted over that. Copyright 2021 Kay Smith

Untouched Powder

5x7 watercolor snow scene at dusk showing pristine white powder untouched by animals or humans.  Four birch trees stand guard in front of evergreens in background.  I painted this imaginary scene on Lanaquarelle 140 lb hot press paper with Daniel Smith paints:  Permanent rose, Prussian blue, sap green, quin burnt orange and gold, carbazole violet and burnt sienna.
COPYRIGHT 2019 Kay Smith

Three Birches palette knife painting

12x8.5 watercolor using only a small palette knife of birches on Strathmore 140 lb cold press paper, done this evening.  I used the knife usually reserved for my oils and scraped and dragged paint up and down until tree shapes were visible; lots of lost edges to blend in with white snow background and foreground.  I was not sure I could do shadows with the knife but those were easy once I wet the horizontal areas with water, then the paint.  Colors used:  Quinacridone burnt orange and gold, carbazole violet, UB, Midnight Blue, raw sienna, transparent pyrrol orange, new gamboge, Peachy Keen, Brown Derby, Coffee with Cream.

Birches in Snow

15x11 watercolor done today on Strathmore 140 lb cold press paper using American Journey and Daniel Smith paints and a palette knife for the large tree colorings and marks as well as twigs and branches. Of course I always add my own intuitive or impulsive colors as these here do not exist in nature.