Katie Smith is an award-winning artist in a variety of mediums, inviting viewers into the natural environments that inspire her work. From fine art on canvas to detailed vinyl stickers, her art captures the vibrant colors, organic shapes, and textures that nature has to offer.
This watercolor piece was inspired by her recent paddle boarding trip in Rainbow Springs, Florida. It’s reminiscent of “the earthy greens and blues of the palm trees and water, combined with the pop of pink on [her] paddle board and flip flops.” Katie often takes her sketch book and markers when traveling or hiking, while also taking photos to use as inspiration when she’s in her studio.
The Process
She created this piece using Tombow’s Dual Brush Pen Retro palette on watercolor paper. She started by taping the edges of the paper with washi tape for clean margin lines and sketching the scene in pencil. Then, she used the Dual Brush Pens as watercolors. Her favorite way to create this watercolor effect is to work in layers, scribbling the ink directly onto the paper in greens and yellows to create a wash for the background. Then, once the initial layer dries, she added more expressionistic marker strokes for the foliage and brushed them with water to build up the landscape.
When mixing colors, she applies the Brush Pen ink to a Blending Palette to then pick up the combined ink with a paintbrush and use as she would with traditional watercolor paint. Katie’s biggest tip is to let each layer dry before moving onto the next step. This technique allows for optimal blending and prevents the colors from looking “muddy.”
She explains, “I chose to leave this piece very loose, because I love how the feel of the loose watercolor captures the tropical vibes of the landscape.”
Supplies Used
Dual Brush Pens Retro 10-Pack, MONO Drawing Pencil 2B, Blending Palette, Paint Brush + Water, Vif Art A4 Watercolor Paper Pad, Washi Tape
To explore more of Katie Smith’s art: https://studiokatie.com/ | @studio.katie
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Author: Samantha Taylor
