Katie Croonenberghs Art
@kamakru.bsky.social
🎨Artist in the PNW: #dragons, fantasy, nature
🖌 #Watercolor, #gouache
Gallery: https://cara.app/kamakru
NO 🚫A/I 🚫N/F/T
Contact for freelance: katie@kamakru.com
Website: kamakru.com
ALL LINKS [shop/portfolio]: http://kamakru.com/directory
🖌 #Watercolor, #gouache
Gallery: https://cara.app/kamakru
NO 🚫A/I 🚫N/F/T
Contact for freelance: katie@kamakru.com
Website: kamakru.com
ALL LINKS [shop/portfolio]: http://kamakru.com/directory
Pinned
Hi I'm Katie, a fantasy and fine artist in the PNW.
I paint landscapes, nature, animals & creatures. My specialty is what you see below!
✉️ Katie@kamakru.com (book covers, illustration, TTRPG)
🌐 kamakru.com/portfolio
🛍️ kamakru.com
#portfolioday #fantasyart #dragons #traditionalart #watercolor #art
I paint landscapes, nature, animals & creatures. My specialty is what you see below!
✉️ Katie@kamakru.com (book covers, illustration, TTRPG)
🌐 kamakru.com/portfolio
🛍️ kamakru.com
#portfolioday #fantasyart #dragons #traditionalart #watercolor #art
Steps are usually as follows:
Find reference photo, or photos
Digital color comp: editing, sketching, digital painting and layout adjustments
Digital lining (makes it easier to transfer)
Print grayscale, transfer
Refine sketch
Paint!
So in essence I paint/sketch/trace the same piece 5 times
Find reference photo, or photos
Digital color comp: editing, sketching, digital painting and layout adjustments
Digital lining (makes it easier to transfer)
Print grayscale, transfer
Refine sketch
Paint!
So in essence I paint/sketch/trace the same piece 5 times
February 12, 2026 at 11:13 PM
Steps are usually as follows:
Find reference photo, or photos
Digital color comp: editing, sketching, digital painting and layout adjustments
Digital lining (makes it easier to transfer)
Print grayscale, transfer
Refine sketch
Paint!
So in essence I paint/sketch/trace the same piece 5 times
Find reference photo, or photos
Digital color comp: editing, sketching, digital painting and layout adjustments
Digital lining (makes it easier to transfer)
Print grayscale, transfer
Refine sketch
Paint!
So in essence I paint/sketch/trace the same piece 5 times
Something new in the works! Have a little WIP as I tighten the details of this piece before painting begins.
Yesterday was spent doing the full color comp digitally and today I transferred and refined it. There are lots of steps before painting begins, but all very important steps.
#dragons #wip
Yesterday was spent doing the full color comp digitally and today I transferred and refined it. There are lots of steps before painting begins, but all very important steps.
#dragons #wip
February 12, 2026 at 11:10 PM
I was thinking about grabbing some more when I saw their email last night!
They also put zero links to their shop in the email lol.
They have the best gold and silver watercolors imo, I may need to stock up a little bit
They also put zero links to their shop in the email lol.
They have the best gold and silver watercolors imo, I may need to stock up a little bit
February 12, 2026 at 5:57 PM
I was thinking about grabbing some more when I saw their email last night!
They also put zero links to their shop in the email lol.
They have the best gold and silver watercolors imo, I may need to stock up a little bit
They also put zero links to their shop in the email lol.
They have the best gold and silver watercolors imo, I may need to stock up a little bit
Thank you! The colored paper offers a layer of cohesive color that peeks through the paint. I saw oil painters use orange as an under layer and I liked the results, so this is my gouache version of that technique.
February 12, 2026 at 5:00 AM
Thank you! The colored paper offers a layer of cohesive color that peeks through the paint. I saw oil painters use orange as an under layer and I liked the results, so this is my gouache version of that technique.
Aw gosh thank you!
February 12, 2026 at 4:57 AM
Aw gosh thank you!
Thank you! :)
February 12, 2026 at 4:14 AM
Thank you! :)
Thanks so much :)
February 12, 2026 at 1:29 AM
Thanks so much :)
Thank youuuuu!
February 12, 2026 at 1:29 AM
Thank youuuuu!
Gorgeous work, Aaron! Well deserved. :)
February 12, 2026 at 1:29 AM
Gorgeous work, Aaron! Well deserved. :)
Aw gosh thanks so much Aaron! Oooh heck yeah, congrats!
February 12, 2026 at 1:27 AM
Aw gosh thanks so much Aaron! Oooh heck yeah, congrats!
Thank you! Yep it's been going for a while, and the resulting books are always gorgeous
February 12, 2026 at 1:27 AM
Thank you! Yep it's been going for a while, and the resulting books are always gorgeous
This piece is also one of the few very specific beaches in this series - with a few posts in the water removed for artistic purposes. Anyone whose been to Picnic Point, Washington may feel it as very familiar!
February 11, 2026 at 11:59 PM
This piece is also one of the few very specific beaches in this series - with a few posts in the water removed for artistic purposes. Anyone whose been to Picnic Point, Washington may feel it as very familiar!
I'm so pleased to find that my piece "Skyfire Flight" will be included in the Infected By Art volume 14 annual!
It's an honor to be included among so many amazing artists 💚
#IBA14 #InfectedByArt #watercolor #dragons
www.infectedbyart.com/iba14artist....
It's an honor to be included among so many amazing artists 💚
#IBA14 #InfectedByArt #watercolor #dragons
www.infectedbyart.com/iba14artist....
February 11, 2026 at 11:55 PM
I'm so pleased to find that my piece "Skyfire Flight" will be included in the Infected By Art volume 14 annual!
It's an honor to be included among so many amazing artists 💚
#IBA14 #InfectedByArt #watercolor #dragons
www.infectedbyart.com/iba14artist....
It's an honor to be included among so many amazing artists 💚
#IBA14 #InfectedByArt #watercolor #dragons
www.infectedbyart.com/iba14artist....
Congrats! It's a great piece :D
February 11, 2026 at 11:50 PM
Congrats! It's a great piece :D
Ahh yeah, and there's different types of gouache too so how it feels might be totally different depending on which you're using. Like, acrylic gouache vs artist gouache. The first will dry and won't reactivate but the second will reactivate even once it's dry. Wet palette sounds like the way to go!
February 11, 2026 at 10:03 PM
Ahh yeah, and there's different types of gouache too so how it feels might be totally different depending on which you're using. Like, acrylic gouache vs artist gouache. The first will dry and won't reactivate but the second will reactivate even once it's dry. Wet palette sounds like the way to go!
Thank you! Watercolor is my main medium but gouache is a close second since it can be used with watercolor pretty seamlessly. It does have a learning curve to it! I'm still learning to wrangle it, but doing studies like this has helped.
February 11, 2026 at 9:55 PM
Thank you! Watercolor is my main medium but gouache is a close second since it can be used with watercolor pretty seamlessly. It does have a learning curve to it! I'm still learning to wrangle it, but doing studies like this has helped.
Small gouache study of some rocks in a lake. Painted on orange paper. 2024
#gouache #painting #traditionalart
#gouache #painting #traditionalart
February 11, 2026 at 9:40 PM
Small gouache study of some rocks in a lake. Painted on orange paper. 2024
#gouache #painting #traditionalart
#gouache #painting #traditionalart
Gosh the amount of times I've been told that criticizing genai meant that I was "against progress". No, I'm against genai.
"Progress" is relative. There's a question so many people never bothered asking: who's actually benefiting? I remember people yelling at me for proof that genai would steal jobs
"Progress" is relative. There's a question so many people never bothered asking: who's actually benefiting? I remember people yelling at me for proof that genai would steal jobs
February 11, 2026 at 9:19 PM
Gosh the amount of times I've been told that criticizing genai meant that I was "against progress". No, I'm against genai.
"Progress" is relative. There's a question so many people never bothered asking: who's actually benefiting? I remember people yelling at me for proof that genai would steal jobs
"Progress" is relative. There's a question so many people never bothered asking: who's actually benefiting? I remember people yelling at me for proof that genai would steal jobs
Ah yeah, makes sense & I understand. I haven't seen those particular battles fully, just as many people haven't seen all the battles, discussions & forensic level studies on the art side. As far as the vid I took it more for online comments & not writing books (sorry if that wasn't clear in the op)
February 11, 2026 at 7:40 PM
Ah yeah, makes sense & I understand. I haven't seen those particular battles fully, just as many people haven't seen all the battles, discussions & forensic level studies on the art side. As far as the vid I took it more for online comments & not writing books (sorry if that wasn't clear in the op)
Oh that's so gross
February 11, 2026 at 7:32 PM
Oh that's so gross
I feel that title deep in my bones lol
Lovely work!
Lovely work!
February 11, 2026 at 7:27 PM
I feel that title deep in my bones lol
Lovely work!
Lovely work!
I don't know what else to look for, but I do know that I wouldn't ever go off just one of those things he mentioned. I don't want to assume anything right away. I can spot genai art, (mostly, ugh) but I don't know as much with chatgpt and the like.
February 11, 2026 at 7:11 PM
I don't know what else to look for, but I do know that I wouldn't ever go off just one of those things he mentioned. I don't want to assume anything right away. I can spot genai art, (mostly, ugh) but I don't know as much with chatgpt and the like.
I've been a wordy over explainer for a very long time, so I understand how this video would be frustrating. :(
I don't want to be fooled by this tech out in the wild, so what else can I do? Can you spot it in different ways?
I don't want to be fooled by this tech out in the wild, so what else can I do? Can you spot it in different ways?
February 11, 2026 at 7:11 PM
I've been a wordy over explainer for a very long time, so I understand how this video would be frustrating. :(
I don't want to be fooled by this tech out in the wild, so what else can I do? Can you spot it in different ways?
I don't want to be fooled by this tech out in the wild, so what else can I do? Can you spot it in different ways?
I'm not someone who would call out someone without irrefutable proof. Even then, I'm more likely to just block and add to my personal 'do not buy' list. I'm more familiar with art than writing, so I'm trying to arm myself with being able to spot genai in all areas, online comments included for ex.
February 11, 2026 at 7:00 PM
I'm not someone who would call out someone without irrefutable proof. Even then, I'm more likely to just block and add to my personal 'do not buy' list. I'm more familiar with art than writing, so I'm trying to arm myself with being able to spot genai in all areas, online comments included for ex.
The guy said "One red flag on its own doesn't prove anything, but once you hear one the others aren't too far behind" I took this as looking for all signs before making any possible judgements. If we're talking books, I also look for dates published and how many, history, reviews, etc.
February 11, 2026 at 7:00 PM
The guy said "One red flag on its own doesn't prove anything, but once you hear one the others aren't too far behind" I took this as looking for all signs before making any possible judgements. If we're talking books, I also look for dates published and how many, history, reviews, etc.