Quiet Cowboy

8.5x5.5 watercolor using White Nights paints on Canson 117 lb cold press paper done last few days of August while on a trip. For now, this cowboy is the last imaginary portrait I will be doing. This guy looks so quiet and contemplating his next job or duty while working hard outdoors. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2026

Daydreaming Cowboy

8.5x5.5 watercolor on Canson 117 lb cold press paper using White Nights paints. This daydreaming cowboy was sketched in pencil first and was painted during the last week of August while gone on a trip to the mountains. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2026

Cigarette Cowboy

10x8 watercolor using White Nights paints on Canson 117 lb cold press paper. Done the last week of August while on a trip, I used a movie still of Lee Van Cleef. This doesn't resemble him much but it was a challenge to his face and hat. Usually he played an outlaw and I was mesmerized by his eyes. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2026

Red Scarf Cowboy

8.5x5.5 watercolor on Canson 117 lb CP paper done last week of August while on a trip, another imaginary western cowboy rancher. I've used White Nights paints with this fellow, over a pencil sketch. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2026

Patriotic Cowboy

8.5x5.5 watercolor using White Nights paints on Canson 117 lb cold press paper. This imaginary cowboy art was created last week of August, still celebrating America's 250th birthday. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2026

Tall Cowboy

30x11 watercolor using 5 different brown hues on Kilimanjaro 140 lb cold press paper, an imaginary western cowboy figure done in March. I have let the wet paint drip down, mix, move and texturize his hat, coat, and boots. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2026

Roundup Cowboy

12x6 watercolor on Grumbacher 140 lb cold press paper done mid-February, an imaginative western cowboy getting ready to ride a roundup. This is loosely based on a photo of my brother. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2026

Cowboy Up

6x8 watercolor using grey Brusho crystals on handmade rough 140 lb cold press paper, sketched today and painted from one of my real cowboy photos. It is the first painting of the year in the lovely grey monotones. Have a Happy New Year! COPYRIGHT 2025 Kay Smith

Cowboy Days

7.5x5 watercolor on Moleskine for watercolor sketchbook, sketched with a carpenter's pencil a few days ago then paint added in this quick view of a cowboy. Ref courtesy Jo Castillo. Note he is holding a lit cigarette. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Cowboy and His Horse

9x12 ink using black Tombow brush pen on Bristol board 300 series done last week.  With no pencil drawing beforehand, only dark areas were put in first then water added for greys; white is the white of the paper.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Remington Statue ~ plein air sketch

11x8.5 ink sketch on Strathmore mixed media art journal done en plein air this morning at Hotel Settles in Big Spring.  I hosted the Odessa Watercolor Horizons Group artists for a paint out.  Two of Remington's western statues are east of the main entrance and this is a crop of one of them.
COPYRIGHT  2019 Kay Smith

Rodeo Bull

11x15 Lanaquarelle hot press paper/Daniel Smith watercolors done today from a black & white image, not an easy task.  This is featured on current challenge on WetCanvas Southwest/Western forum for July.
COPYRIGHT 2018 Kay Smith.

Handlebar Moustache Cowboy

10.25x15 watercolor on hot press 140 lb paper, an imaginary funky cowboy with gigantic moustache almost as wide as his hat.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2013 Kay Smith.