The Cat Knows

9x7 watercolor in sketchbook (Master's Touch) done last week of a close up tuxedo cat face. After distorting my photo the focus became on his eye, nose, and side of his face. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2026

Chester Cat Looks Up

7x5 watercolor on black Stonehenge 140 lb cold press wc paper done this past weekend.  Working on black paper was a first for me and this took 3 days off and on.  With this dark of a paper you have to build up light values, opposite from working on white paper.  Sketched with a white watercolor pencil and #2 pencil, I got the cat done.  Chester was perched on the back of my brown leather chaise.  White Daler Rowney watercolor used for white fur, and mixed blacks for his black fur.  Patterns on coral background were made using a paper stencil doily and Mint Julep and Periwinkle blue (American Journey).  Those two cool opaques were applied to far left background.  Whiskers were sketched first using white wc pencil.  No masking was used.  Highlights on the cat's black fur were thinned versions of palette greys.  A step by step demo can be seen on WetCanvas! in the Learning Zone on the Watercolor forum (www.wetcanvas.com)
COPYRIGHT 2019 Kay Smith

Tuxedo Tomcat

8x7.5 mixed media on foam core board begun yesterday and finished today.  Initial Micron 01 ink sketch was followed by Mantilla black alcohol ink applied with a brush then 91% alcohol was flooded over the cat (same one as previously on the faux batiks) to allow color to resemble soft fur.  Eyes were a mix of green + yellow.  Nose and lips were a mix of orange, yellow, and red.  Background is red Montana acrylic marker and whiskers are white gel pen.
COPYRIGHT 2018 Kay Smith.