Cats on Red Roses Couch

10x15 mixed media done today of two cats lounging and sleeping on red roses collage.  Initially sketched with India ink, no pencil, on watercolor paper it has a background of watercolor.  Montana acrylic markers are the golden yellow ochre along with some black and white.  Large areas are black ink.  Other collage is patterned envelope and has white marker on top.  Since cats, at least mine, are always on a bed of roses, the red collaged dollar store gift wrap seemed appropriate for these two rescues.  (This is a redo of a 2012 ink/wc image)
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Jo's Longhorns

9x12 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper, completed today, a young calf, its cow and another brown and white spotted longhorn grazing by a small street somewhere in Texas.  Photo ref courtesy Jo Castillo which was featured on this month's challenge on WetCanvas in the southwest/western art forum.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Assorted Hollies

 3.5x2.5 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper, an art card also called an ACEO (Artist Cards Editions & Originals) done last week.  The size as seen in real life is posted below at lower pixels.  These assorted hollyhocks were fun to paint using no photo references.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Poppy Desires

4x6 alcohol inks done yesterday using four colors plus green.  In this imaginary poppy bloom it actually appears to be more than one flower behind the orange red one.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 KaySmith.

Femme Fatale

9x6 watercolor, Brusho and black India ink on Canson 140 lb cold press paper done today.  Yesterday I started the underpainting background that was thalo blue brushed onto semi-wet paper.  After that dried, quinacridone violet was scattered about, then a stencil used with transparent pyrrol orange/Peachy Keen mix; the orange Brusho crystals were next sprinkled on top.  Today I used black ink to do only the darkest darks from an old movie star photo of Garbo. It's for the August challenge on WetCanvas' abstracts and contemporary forum where I asked participants to make an abstract background then use line to add parts of a face, etc. 
Definition:

A femme fatale is a stock character of a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She is an archetype of literature and art. Wikipedia

Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Linda's Bike

6x9 watercolor over pencil line drawing on Canson 140 lb cold press paper begun yesterday then finished today.  This is part of our Big Spring Art Association summer challenge and the photo ref is courtesy of Linda Rupard Irvin.  She photographed this old yellow bicycle from above, inside a dark wall with sunlight peeping around the edges and underneath.  I love the old baskets on its handlebars.  We are to post our efforts on the BSAA's Facebook page you can see HERE.  So far I have painted Sandee's Donkey, Frida Kahlo, and Yellow Orange VW.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Sunflower SunShine

15x22 watercolor on 140 lb cold press Saunders Waterford paper, of a mature sunflower bending its head down from the weight of the summer sun.  It was painted using one of my sunflower photos.  This painting was a demo, done in about 1.5 hours, and has now been SOLD.
Image COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2017.