Summer Sparrow

12x9 watercolor, gouache and ink (Uniball pen) on Canson 140 lb wc paper done yesterday.  Using the paper as a backing sheet accounts for all the random color marks in the background.  I used a 3" sponge roller and ran turquoise blue gouache in vertical manner from top to bottom.  When dry, I drew the bird in with ink then added only part of its color markings plus the branch to complete the painting of the chipping sparrow.
Image COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Common Chipping Sparrow

8x5.5 watercolor on Strathmore Visual Journal done today.  A pencil drawing was done lightly to mark outlines then watercolor put in over areas wet with #8, #10 round brushes.  A fairly limited palette used of ultramarine and Prussian blues, quinacridones burnt orange and gold, Bice and Periwinkle blues (American Journey).  When dry I used small amounts of white and Coastal Fog (AJ) on the sparrow's breast.  Background is loose and abstract with diagonal lines indicative of branches or twigs; splattering with Blue Bice applied when dry.  This work is part of WetCanvas weekend drawing event timed exercise; photo courtesy AvengingManatee.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.