Dramatic Pears

7x9 watercolor on 80 lb sketchbook paper done yesterday, another online weekend drawing event for WetCanvas. As the host for 2 weeks my images were featured plus this one from the site's reference image library. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

New Year's Eve Pear

9x6 mixed media on Grumbacher 140 lb cold press paper done yesterday before the year ended. I used Brusho watercolor crystals, bleeding tissue, watercolor, white Montana acrylic marker, crayon, India ink and a stencil for the background. COPYRIGHT 2022 Kay Smith

Palette Knife Pears

10x13 acrylics on board using spatula and trowel style palette knife. This simple fruit still life was done on a previous weekend as part of a WetCanvas challenge. COPYRIGHT 2021 Kay Smith

Leftover Pear

7.5x5.5 acrylics on 140 lb cold press watercolor paper that was a previously painted abstraction. I sketched the pear in pencil then did it again using different paints, saving part of the original design at the bottom, hence the title. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Cruet and Pear still life

15x22 transparent watercolor on Italia 140 lb cold press paper of a ripe pear, clear cruet and glass bottle with lacy linens.  When painting glass it is important to paint what you see which are reflections for the most part.  A proper balance of values is vital, too, when planning your layout and palette, and don't forget bounce light.  This golden light reflects from the pear to the clear glass sides of the cruet.  For the lace cut-outs some are freehanded while other "holes" are placed strategically using a large round paper doily as a stencil.

Three's Company - fruit still life

15x22 watercolor demo for a local art group of three pears colorfully displayed on a white tablecloth done in about 1.5 hours.  I love the shadow play evident on the far right pear.  Photo ref courtesy WetCanvas! reference image library.  Paper is Italia 140 lb cold press, paint is American Journey by Cheap Joe's Art Stuff.

Appearently Pears!

20x26 inches, watercolor on Yupo synthetic paper, completed yesterday. Apparently, I am not yet tired of painting pears!

Second Demo of Pears - Watercolor Collage

More Pears on Pepper Plate, demo done Wednesday, about an hour, for the workshop on pears. This one is 15x22 matboard with collaged tissue (toilet seat covers) and paperback The Winds of War pages, and newsprint type. Also has white gesso in a few areas. The board was prepared ahead of time and when dry I drew the peppers then the pears. Transparent watercolor was next and black India ink line around some of the peppers for distinction. One of the students bought it so it is SOLD.

Demo: Three's Company

15x22 transparent watercolor on 140 lb Italia Acquerello cold press paper; this was my demo 2 days ago at the Midland Palette Club. Doing a direct painting technique allows the artist to drop in pure, fresh color and watch the medium do its thing mixing and blending.