Mask-erade

20x26 poured watercolor onto dry Saunders 140 lb cold press paper. This is an older mixed media abstract work taken back to the easel.  I put torn masking tape over it first and long strips at random. With no preconceived ideas I laid torn paper doily placemat pieces then spray painted those. After all dried, removed tape and confetti came to mind, then portions of playing cards painted using real ones for reference. I put 5 and a 3 for the year I was hatched, and a King of Hearts the K for my initial. The 2 of Hearts upper right means the 2 that can go with the 3 card for 23rd, my birthday date. Lastly I used real feathers to paint negatively red, green, yellow, blue feathers around eye holes then developed eye masks in the lower part, two obvious masks and there's a third one hidden.  See if you can spot it.  The whole thing is a  Mardi Gras mess and was it was fun to do a  fairly abstract piece.  The playing cards are actual size.
COPYRIGHT 2018 Kay Smith.

Red Pear on Doily

12x9 watercolor on Strathmore 140 lb cold press paper, a short demo this afternoon for my art students.  I drew a pear outline in white Crayola crayon, then laid in quinacridone gold, gamboge, arylide yellow, orange, red, UB, carbazole violet, and permanent rose.  Stenciled the doily using paper and painting the holes.  Colored pencil in purple was sanded over wet wash for texture; water spritzing, splatters, and spritzing colored dilute wc paint was done for more texture.  I even added Caran D'Ache watersoluble wax crayon lower right of the pear and the stem. Finally a background multicolored wash was loosely applied with manganese blue, green gold, and a mix of UB/alizarin crimson for the shadow when totally dry.  Just a little fun one using primary colors.

Cherries Jubilee

15x22 watercolor on 140 lb cold press paper of red cherries in small white bowl on lacy cloth with cherry blossoms.