Dewi's Bunny - Almost Easter!

9x12 watercolor done Sunday as part of a 2 hour WetCanvas timed exercise in the All Media Art Events forum. I was able to draw and paint host Dewi's bunny in less than a half hour.  A limited palette was used on dry Canson 140 lb cold press paper.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Quiet Cardinal 4 - torn paper collage

6x8.5 watercolor, Uniball pen ink and torn paper collage on blue tinted Color-Sketch paper drawn Friday and done today, the fourth cardinal in a series of four birds. I was answering a free lesson #sketchbookskool #art4all in which you look at a subject and draw it by not looking at it. With this final exercise they must've felt sorry for participants and allowed 10 quick glances plus an extra bonus of 2 more minutes for details in the initial drawing.  Total time today about 2 hours.  From his polkadot tail feathers to golden polkadot beak and cultured pearl for an eye, this red guy is singing.  An umbrella is serving as his top wing feathers.  This was a fun little series of drawing the same object then making art with each so different.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Quiet Cardinal 3

6x8.5 watercolor, Uniball pen ink, and Caran D'Ache watersoluble wax pastels on pink tinted Color-Sketch paper drawn Friday and done today, the third in a series of four birds. I was answering a free lesson #sketchbookskool #art4all in which you look at a subject and draw it by not looking at it. With this, they cut you some slack and allowed 5 quick glances. Mid-tone underpainting done first with
acrylics then followed by multiple pastels.  It is now possible to go in with a small brush and blend the very vivid pastels since they literally melt once water touches them.  I like this look so it stays for now.  This third cardinal was fatter than the first two.  Tomorrow will be the last bird and will be on blue tinted paper.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Quiet Cardinal 2

6x8.5 watercolor, Uniball pen ink, and Caran D'Ache watersoluble wax pencil on pink tinted Color-Sketch paper drawn yesterday and done today, the second in a series of four birds.  I was answering a free lesson #sketchbookskool #art4all in which you look at a subject and draw it by not looking at it.  With this, they cut you some slack and allowed 3 quick glances.  Mid-tone underpainting done first with arylide yellow, Prussian blue, and permanent rose. Colors were more pink-dominant with strong magenta and violet along with permanent rose.  Yesterday's cardinal had more reds.  Background colors applied very wet with constant dropping in of different ones and drips encouraged.  Not many branches this time.
Image COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Quiet Cardinal 1

6x8.5 watercolor and ink (Uniball elite pen) on pink tinted Color-Sketch paper drawn yesterday and painted today.  Sketchbook Skool sent an email with instructions to play.  You select an object and first draw it without looking at your paper.  I used a photo of one of our backyard male cardinals.  I got his back too high where it hits his crown and right foot is unattached to his body.  Background is made up abstract forms and colors.  We were asked to post our results on social media afterwards.  Second bird will be done almost identically but you're allowed three quick glances.  Third bird gets five quick glances.  Fourth bird you can have ten quick glances and are given two more minutes on details (that one is on blue tinted paper as I ran out of pink).  A fun exercise! I'm pretty sure my favorite will be this one as it was sketched so much looser.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Proud Peacock

4.25x5.5 mixed media (Tombow black brush pen, watercolor, and Caran D'Ache watersoluble wax crayons) done yesterday on another magazine card.  Yes, another bird.  I can't stop.  A cardinal series begins tomorrow which will be interesting for all of you bird watchers out there.
Image COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2015.

Spring Hummingbird

6x9 mixed media (watercolor, acrylic, ink, colored pencils) on 140 lb cold press paper done a few days ago.  Using two fern leaves from my kitchen hanging basket, I carefully drew their shapes over paint marks made with acrylics and watercolor.  Those looked lonely without a bird so I put in a hummer half hidden and looking towards the letters spelling Spring.
Image COPYRIGHT Kay Smith.