Grandma's Cupcake

Grandma's Cupcake #138 

Gouache on Watercolor Paper

NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION

2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm) 

© copyright Mike Kraus 

To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/186507940/custom-commission-original-art-by-mike

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

This artist trading card or ACEO (Art Card Editions and Originals) is frameable, collectable, enjoyable and can be given as a special gift for a birthday, wedding, new baby, anniversary, thank you or other occasion.  It is a one-of-a-kind original work of art, NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION. It is signed on the back and lends itself to framing in a standard trading card frame or book.

FREE SHIPPING IN THE UNITED STATES

For more information or custom order, please visit:

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Portrait of Belize

Belize, 2016

acrylic on canvas

8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)

© copyright Mike Kraus

To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/186507940/custom-commission-original-art-by-mike

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

For more information or custom order, please visit:

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IN THE ROCHESTER, NY AREA?  See a show of my work in person at:

Canandaigua National Bank

Alexander Park Branch

210 Alexander St

Rochester, NY 14607

M-Th: 9am-5pm

F: 9am-6pm

Sat: 9am-1pm

Closed Sundays

A View of the Blue Mountains of the Adirondacks

A View of the Blue Mountains of the Adirondacks, 2016

Acrylic on canvas board

8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)

© copyright Mike Kraus
Collection of Eugenia Snyder

For information, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/186507940/custom-commission-original-art-by-mike

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

It was a steep and treacherous hike up the mountain in the Adirondacks.  A wild region full of deer, herons, and chipmunks.  You may even find a moose, coyote, or black bear on these trails.  The dense pine forest opens up to a meadow full of brisk autumn air.  There is a startling calmness.  And from this view, it's as if we can see all six million acres of this park.

This painting would look best in a space that is red, orange, purple, yellow, green, blue, beige, or wood.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MikeKrausArt 

The Making of Girl with Collie

 Girl with Collie, 2015

acrylic on canvas board

12" x 16" (30.5 cm x 40.6 cm) 
Collection of Seth Michael Rhodes

© copyright Mike Kraus

To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/186507940/custom-commission-original-art-by-mike?ref=shop_home_active_1

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

Today, I thought it would be fun to show what goes into making a custom piece of art.

 First, we have to figure out what we're going to paint.  My client requested something "modern, playful, and different" and "with lots of colors."  We discussed subjects and paintings that could serve as inspiration.  After our talks, this was the sketch that was accepted for the final piece.   

 Now I start painting! I laid a cadmium yellow ground to really make the colors pop on this piece.  And I worked it gradually.  Sometimes adding more yellow ground to parts to keep the vibrant glow.  The sun and sky is blended over and over from yellow, pink, purple, light blue, medium blue.  Something that I was inspired from walking home from the ice cream stand.

 Next, I placed the mountains.  A dark blue that I layered several lighter blues on top to get volume.  That was followed by the land.  This inspiration came from a recent trip to the Salvador Dali Museum (http://thedali.org/) in St. Petersburg, Florida.  The colors of the sky are light and airy.  I wanted the land to be heavier.  So, I did the reverse with the colors.  I started with a dark purple and covered the ground.  Then came a light purple, dark pink, and light pink.  Each with a hint of yellow to keep the brightness.  I then added the road, parking lot, and grass.

 Now for the ruins.  Some of the sources of inspiration for the client were Victorian paintings.  While researching for the sketch, I noticed that lots of Victorian landscapes had ruins in them.  The style of the building was inspired from my recent trip to Montreal and Quebec City.  At the art galleries, there were lots of paintings that used black ground with bright bold colors on top.  And there were also lots of traditional old churches.  I thought it'd be appropriate to this piece.  In the foreground is another set of ruins.  I liked the girl and dog in the interior space, but I wanted to include the depth of a landscape.  Since ruins were to be included, I thought this device would be fun.  Similar to the church, it's black ground with a white layer on top.

 I filled in the foreground with color.  I wanted to re-introduce yellow to give it some brightness again.  There's a little brown added to give it shade.  The floor is checker board red.  I wanted to keep adding depth and color.  I also left the original white because it reminded me of the speckled white tile at my school.  And that speckle could be a good way to play with light.

 Then there's the girl and dog.  What is this girl thinking?  What is is the dog looking at?  How did they get into a landscape like this?  I'll let the viewer try to figure that one out.  haha

Added some details.  Some lines in the road and parking lot.  A little touch up work on the church and other areas.  But, that's a completed piece from conception to finish.  THANKS!

For more information or custom order, please visit:

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Chicago Alley

 Chicago Alley, 2015

acrylic on canvas

18" x 24"

© copyright Mike Kraus

For more information, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/186507940/custom-commission-original-art-by-mike

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

Portrait for Roman, 2015

pen, ink, and graphite

8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm) 

© copyright Mike Kraus

For more information, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/186507940/custom-commission-original-art-by-mike

Gaudi's Chimneys

Gaudi's Chimneys, 2015

Acrylic on canvas board

5" x 7"

© copyright Mike Kraus

For more information, please visit https://www.etsy.com/listing/186507940/custom-commission-original-art-by-mike

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

To see other work, please visit:

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Mister Ed

Mister Ed

Pencil on paper

4" x 6"  

© copyright Mike Kraus 

To commission a piece, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/186507940/custom-commission-original-art-by-mike

For more information or custom order, please visit:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MikeKrausArt 

Las Condes, Chile

Las Condes, Chile, 2015

Acrylic on Canvas Board

8" x 10" " (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm) 

Collection of Lynne Lewis

© copyright Mike Kraus

For a custom art order, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/186507940/custom-commission-original-art-by-mike?

5 DAYS LEFT for 20% OFF with my anniversary coupon code 1YEARFUN

The blue skies over Chile with the Andes Mountains is a celebration of memories and knowing where you're from.  She was an exchange student there.  But all those souvenirs were lost in a fire.  Many years later, her family welcomed a new child from Las Condes.  A city that has a special place in all their hearts.

  For more information or custom order, please visit:

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Three Elephants On Teal

Three Elephants On Teal, 2014

Acrylic on canvas

36" x 12" (91.4 cm x 30.5 cm)
Collection Kevin and Lucy Allison

© copyright Mike Kraus

Please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/186507940/custom-commission-original-art-by-mike

10% OFF with coupon code: JOINtheFUN

Three Elephants On Teal was a holiday gift celebrating a baby's first Christmas.  For more information or custom order, please visit:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MikeKrausArt

Big Sis Helping the Twins

Big Sis Helping the Twins, 2014

Acrylic on canvas

36" x 12" (91.4 cm x 30.5 cm)

© copyright Mike Kraus

Please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/186507940/custom-commission-original-art-by-mike?

10% OFF with coupon code: JOINtheFUN

Big Sis Helping the Twins was created to honor the special event of baptizing twins.  For more information or custom order, please visit:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MikeKrausArt

Bushnell's Basin Along the Erie Canal

Bushnell's Basin Along the Erie Canal, 2014

Acrylic on canvas board

7" x 9"

Collection of Seth and Michelle Klein

© copyright Mike Kraus

Please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/186507940/custom-commission-original-art-by-mike?

Bushnell's Basin Along the Erie Canal was commissioned to honor a special event and given on Mother's Day.  For more information or custom order, please visit:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MikeKrausArt