Selfie No. 7 - from imagination

12x9 watercolor, brush only (#12 Escoda round) on Artists Loft paper done this afternoon.  It is the final day of a 7 day Sketchbook Skool assignment which was to do a self portrait a day for a week.  Two were by using a mirror, two from photos, two contour line drawings, and one from imagination.  So no references, no photos, no mirrors to see yourself, just painting what you think you look like.  I will post the other portraits after this.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Ray's Woman

22x15 watercolor of an imaginary nude from the back I painted awhile ago for a friend's husband's bathroom.
This work is SOLD.
Image is COPYRIGHT Kay Smith.

Silhouette - female profile

11x15 watercolor on Fabriano Artistico 140 lb hot press paper done a year ago this month; today took it out and reworked the model's face, edges of hair and dress in warmer colors.  Main color added was Daniel Smith's transparent pyrrol orange, a very thin but powerful warm hot orange.
Image COPYRIGHT 2012 Kay Smith.

Art & Sol Beach Figure

12x9 watercolor on Langton 140 lb cold press paper, Daniel Smith/American Journey paints.  I've been working on this for days for a monthly challenge contest on WetCanvas! We had to use bird of paradise plants coupled with art nouveau designs in unusual ways, so here is my figure wearing bird of paradise earrings at the beach with art nouveau (French for new art) design behind and the beach and ocean distant background.  We were encouraged to study artist Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939) and what a fascinating painter and master he was! Look him up online for some intriguing style worth seeing.

Beverly - mixed media figure

22x15 charcoal drawn figure on 140 lb hot press Fabriano paper with gouache paint and Caran D'Ache crayon accents.  Paper was prepared by adhering old phone book pages with half matte medium and half water then pulling off leaving parts of the Fabriano visible.
This woman was at a neighborhood hat party and had her eyes closed while talking.  Background elements are imaginary abstractions.

Unlisted Number - watermedia collage

22x15 Fabriano 140 lb hot press paper, charcoal drawing of a mannikin profile, then watercolor, gouache, and gift wrap paper from Dollar General used as collage in parts on her blouse. I had painted this figure before only reverse profile using transparent watercolor.
The hot press paper was treated first using a technique Liz Hill taught us in her class last month where you lay phone book pages down then peel them off, hence the title.

Rosemary II

22x15 watercolor, gouache, watersoluble crayon and colored pencil, plus charcoal.  This painting was done last weekend and I have reversed the image from the first time I drew this figure.  In the first one I used paper napkin collage as well as acrylics for the pattern and background respectively.   

Blue Jeanz - a mixed watermedia figure

22x15 self portrait in mixed watermedia with gesso stamping on prepared matboard.

Two Chinese Characters

Watercolor 14x22 of two iconic Oriental figures dancing in confetti shapes on a pink background.

Pixie - figure in gouache

22x15 gouache on Fabriano 140 lb hot press paper, also drawn from a live model.  I did lots of sponging off and repainting of her skin tones and clothing, and have not added collage yet but may do so.

Karen - 4 Poses watermedia collage

15x22 Arches hot press 140 lb paper with charcoal drawn views of the same model.  Collage added to middle ground and to her skirt while gold watercolor makes up the background.  A tennis shoe imprinted handmade stamp is the pattern seen on her blouse.  I used the Matisse acrylic paint for neutral foreground made by Derivan in Australia.   This is the last one done in Liz Hill's class and is the most unusual.

Attitude - a watermedia collage figure

22x15 watercolor, gouache, collage over life drawn figure in  charcoal done in Liz Hill's class a few days ago at Wenmoh's Ranch.  Stamping was done using my hand carved block; rose red giftwrap make up the collar, cuffs, and trim on the model's shirt jacket. I also used colored pencil at random.