Funky Flowers

6x13 mixed media collage on paper done previously. Over an alcohol ink underpainting I collaged white and patterned tissue paper and part of a cocktail napkin. When dry, I stamped blue acrylic using a round bottle lid, then color in floral shapes was added using a 1" flat sponge brush in acrylics. Part of the inks show through. Lastly oil pastels were used as graphic accent marks. This work is mounted on matboard. COPYRIGHT 2025 Kay Smith

Sunflower Sizzlers

22x15 watercolor on Arches 140 lb cold press paper, completed yesterday afternoon. The steps to this WIP can be seen on my blog if anyone wants to look HERE. Years ago I painted this sunflower floral, sold it, and so wanted to do it again.  I like the lost edge in the glass vase.  It was a fun one!
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Sunflower Sizzlers - WIP

 22x15 watercolor beginning stage yesterday of a work in progress, a group of red and yellow sunflowers in a glass vase I first painted awhile ago.  This is on Arches 140 lb cold press paper,  On dry paper, I first laid down my darkest darks for their centers (quinacridone burnt orange, ultramarine blue, carbazole violet, quin gold, violet) and let the paint mix and mingle.

 I lightly wet the top background area with most of the same colors plus olive green and blue bice (American Journey); those areas are soft and out of focus and could be flower shapes, stems, or leaves.  Since I don't have my original photo reference I'm using the original painting.

In this view, I've added a couple of petals with top sunflower and the very large leaf front and center using UB, quin gold, arylide yellow, alizarin crimson, sap green, being careful with any tube greens being too harsh so I add a touch of any red.  I wet the leaf with my 1" flat brush first then lightly blotted it.  Fully loaded with two colors I quickly laid in the different pigments.  These steps show my direct method of painting wet on dry watercolor.