Sunflower Style

9x12 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press, a demo from yesterday's art class that I didn't quite finish. After sketching various sunflowers using a black watercolor pencil, the paper was wet and washed across using a 3" hake brush. Black lines were encouraged to blend into a gray and fill petals, leaves, and stems. Quinacridone burnt orange was put into the centers and all over water misting done with a fine spray mister to move colors. Undersea green by Daniel Smith was added as was quinacridone gold and raw sienna. Vertical shapes were added top right and bottom left for balance; I continued to put more black wc pencil leaves, stems, etc. at random. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Midday Sunflowers

6x6 watercolors over ink pen using STA Lictin 0.05 in Masters Touch sketchbook done last week, a bit early to see sunflowers so used my own photos of them. So bright and cheerful I'd like to plant some. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Sunflower Synergy

8x8 watercolor on 140 lb cold press paper by Masters Touch done last week of one of my many sunflower refs. With this one I have tried to focus on its relationship with the sun, the reason for its existence. Look closely to see some sunflower seeds poking up in the center. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Sunflowers in Blue Vase

12x12 watercolor on Masters Touch Premium 140 lb cold press paper done over the past weekend in part of an online challenge. I used Daniel Smith paints in a direct wet on dry method. Sketching was done quickly almost in a blind contour. COPYRIGHT 2022 Kay Smith

Kinky Sunflower

12x9 watercolor and ink on Canson for mixed media paper done over last week from a previous version, intensifying color value, and line design elements. COPYRIGHT 2021 Kay Smith

Odessa Sunflower

15x22 watercolor on Kilimanjaro 140 lb cold press painted previously for the Odessa, Texas Art Association live demo program. I photographed the sunflower in 2003 in that town as Leada Wood and I were traveling for an art meeting; many other photos from that day have been painted but not this one. About 1.5 hours was the time limit. This is wet on dry using 1" flat sable brush and these pigments: Quinacridones burnt orange and gold, Prussian, ultramarine and Bice blues, arylide and cadmium yellows, and new gamboge. A very wet Blue Bice (American Journey) hue was the main background color. As an opaque, it had to be thinner. Note the two small lavender and brown shaded moths. COPYRIGHT 2021 Kay Smith

Birthday Sunflower

5x7 watercolor on Masters premium paper 140 lb cold press sketched in pencil and painted today, a foggy, wet day, to celebrate getting a year older. This work is SOLD and is from my many sunflower photos. This one in particular is from a bouquet my mother had and I photographed it from every angle. COPYRIGHT 2021 Kay Smith

Special Sunflower

4.25x3.5 watercolor and Brusho on Kilimanjaro 140 lb cold press paper just done, a small but sunny and happy sunflower to cheer anyone's day.  I used Gamboge Brusho crystals first on partially wet paper for an underpainting, then sketched the petals before painting wet on dry.
COPYRIGHT 2019 Kay Smith