Snowy Sparrow

8.5x5.5 watercolor using Rosa Gallery paints made in Ukraine, on 80 lb sketchbook paper in Master's Touch. This imaginary bird scene was fun to do, especially the snow and fake winter. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2024

December Dark-Eyed Junco

9x6.5 watercolor and Brusho wc crystals on 140 lb cold press Grumbacher paper painted yesterday from one of my many junco bird photos. Common all over the country, these can be seen foraging for food on the coldest of days. COPYRIGHT 2022 Kay Smith

Chickadee Snowstorm

5.5x5.5 watercolor on Arteza sketchbook paper done a few days ago, an imaginary chickadee braving the cold snow, out searching for food. COPYRIGHT 2021 Kay Smith

Steller's Jay in Snow

5.5x8.5 watercolor sketched and painted last weekend after seeing this fellow foraging for food in the snowy mountains. I like the contrast of his dark brownish black head against the white. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Chilly Cardinal

3.5x2.5 watercolor on 140 lb cold press Kilimanjaro paper done today, another cardinal out in the chilly snowy landscape.  This fellow seems to be searching for some red berries to eat or for his mate.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Snowy Tufted Titmouse bird

4x5 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper completed today of a lone titmouse bird amidst snowflakes.  The winter bird paintings always intrigue me with their puffed up feathers and endless search for food.


Actual size is below:

COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Emperor Penguin

15x11 watercolor, which was a demo for North Light Books PQR: Birds & Butterflies (2008) along with a house sparrow illustration/demo. This imaginary fellow is enjoying his cold domain, lifting his head to heaven so thankful for his snowy world and wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
COPYRIGHT Kay Smith

Frosty Flier finch

4.5x7.25 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper completed today. Red color is mostly restricted to head and upper chest, contrasting with cold gray-brown nape, back, and wings. Pale sides show distinct brown streaks, lacking red tones. Females lack bold face pattern and have more diffuse patterning overall.  We see these, often confused with purple finches, at the feeders in New Mexico.  I tried a new experiment for the icy snowy background first covering it with a wash of white gouache, letting dry, then painting in the positive brown branches.  When that dried, I went back over with another gouache glaze and finally splattering the white for snow.
COPYRIGHT 2019 Kay Smith

Joyous Junco

9.75x6.75 alcohol inks on white foamcore lightly sketched in pencil first done today.  I've used the neutral inks such as Shadow Gray, White, Burro Brown, and black on the bird's body.  Greenery is Willow and Rainforest along with Ginger.  White snow is seen as the white of the substrate/support.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.