Showing posts with label girl. Show all posts
Showing posts with label girl. Show all posts

Friday, September 4, 2015

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:

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Girls GameOn

Girls GameOn, 2014
graphite and ink on paper
5" x 7" 
Collection of Yvonne McKessy

Through the fun of soccer, help young girls build their confidence, find their voice and learn how to lead. The Goal Fun soccer activities will introduce the girls to new leadership concepts. Through these activities, they are encouraged to explore a variety of leadership styles, empower them with the ability to choose the way in which they will accomplish a goal, and then support them as they put their ideas into action. Often this helps find a girl’s personal strengths, skills and interests, which gives them the confidence to be a leader. Through this camp, girls better understand themselves and their values. The girls will learn to recognize how situations, attitudes, and the behaviors of others affect their sense of self.

Please visit their website at: http://www.girlsgameon.com/ 

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

An Ode To Babysitting

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"Where does he get those wonderful toys?"  From Aunt Meg and Uncle Mike's of course!  And what better way to go for a walk around the neighborhood than in a Batman mask.  This girl owns my heart.

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I am required to write: "WHAT A STRANGE BOY!"

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Drawing mermaids and Ren & Stimpy-esque portraits of each other

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Dedicated to her art or mesmerized by the Eagles losing to the Cowboys?  Your call...

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So much cupcake covering her hands.  She's almost as bad as me...

That's all from Rochester.  I just realized Thanksgiving is next week.  So, got to figure that all out.  Anyway

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRANCES!!!

Happy Birthday Frances!!! We had a great time hanging out with you!!!


Leslie and Amanda with cat (Kung Fu or Pop Tart?)


Same cat


Frances (the b-day girl) and Noah (soon to be b-day boy).


Dinner at Feed the Beast. This use to be a funny little German restaurant. Now it's a funny little hipster restaurant


Frances and Leslie


Frances! You were suppose to make a stupid face! Now we have to do this all over again!!!


Noah and Frances at the Save More Bar. This bar was completely awesome. It was a dive with cheap beer, pool table, and jukebox.


Frances with our new favorite bartender Jason.


WHOA FRANCES! That's quite a chug you took!


When did the Save More turn into Coyote Ugly?


Megan, Leslie, Andrea, Jason, and Frances!


ANDREA: If blonde is "blonde," red is "redhead," and brown is "brunette," what is someone with black hair"
MIKE: Um... "Sulty?"
MEGAN: Definately a "Vixen."
JASON: VAMPIRE! What? No good? I'd make out with you...


Frances' new career path


Wise words are placed on post it notes


Leslie, Andrea, and Frances.


Leslie and Andrea rockin' out!


Leslie and Andrea in a nice pic


Leslie, me, and Andrea


Frances and Andrea w/ glasses


Leslie w/ glasses and Frances


Megan posing for the American Eagle catalog spread


Life's hard for Francy Pants blues musician


Noah is such a badass


Me with the redheads (Frances & Megan)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRANCES!!! Noah, what are we doing for you?

Please add my FACEBOOK page. I'm still sticking with MySpace, but using this as my "professional page" in hopes of getting a job.

Michael Kraus's Facebook profile

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

"That Was Awful." "What Are You Looking At Me For? You Said It." "I know. It's Still Awful."

The festivities continue. In fact, I might have to help others in finding festivies. A lot of people have been sending me e-mails acknowledging their lameness and wanting help. So, I think I am going to start a "What To Do In Muskegon" website. It will have parties, bars, concerts, shows, and other events. So, start sending all public welcome events to me and I will see what I can do...

This is GH pier right before it rained.

Hasan and I planned a huge party last night. Look at all the people. People refused the invitation by phone, so we ended up going out because people cannot refuse by force. The Beast From the Middle East knows that all too well...

Ahhh... Friends Forever...

Here are our recruits for Hasan's party just as everyone was to head home. Notice the guilty looks and body postures on everyone. By the time 5:30 am rolled around, I think everyone had something to regret...

Not sure what I am doing today. Andrea's birthday is at midnight and she becomes legal. I don't want to be out too late since I have to work tomorrow morning and have to catch up on some sleep. Especially since Monday is going to be my Day of Wreckoning...

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