LuAnn Graber Art

07/10/2024

I need watercolor lessons!!! I played around in Photoshop with color balance, saturation, etc. to get a look I could live with for the card I will print, but the original is not a piece I will display. I'm in a learning curve here!

07/10/2024

I've been working on artwork for another birthday card. Yesterday I created two blotted line prints. Then I started adding in color. I've been playing around with water color, which I have absolutely no experience and a limited collection of colors. I was finding it difficult to create the correct colors. By evening, the first attempt at color was beyond hope. Putting in a background was disastrous. Also, Cleo (the dog) is a brindle - a brownish or tawny color of fur, with streaks of other color. I had no clue how to create or suggest this. That print went in the trash. However, by evening, I had a good beginning on the second, though Cleo looks more spotted than streaked. I worked a bit more this AM and then decided to scan the artwork as is, before I work Cleo more, before I add a background -- just in case everything goes south again. I can still create the card from the artwork at this stage. It's all about learning and growing!

07/02/2024

In January I used Andy Warhol's blotted line print technique to make a birthday card for our daughter-in-law, Jasmine. Her cat Tegan was the subject. Tomorrow is another DIL's birthday; today I decided that I needed to make another personalized card. This card features Enzo and Lily. I suppose before the end of the year, Clifford (Aaron's dog), Cleo (Joshua's dog), and Daisy (Rachelle's dog) will have their happy doggie selves on a personalized card.

06/22/2024

The latest portrait, finished and delivered. Mama said, "I feel like I could reach in and touch him."

05/20/2024

I spent the weekend in our woods and creek gathering stones, pinecones, and pre cut cedar rounds (cut months ago while processing a fallen tree), cutting up an old pallet, and playing with arrangements for this "wee faerie holiday" village. Today I put it together. It is the sample project for a December class I am scheduled to teach at Willow Oak Arts Center. The final touches would be to drill holes in the back drop for tiny battery operated LED lights and paint in birch trees over a few of the dark marks from the rough sawn pallet board show through, leaving the others to suggest more trees in the distance.

05/16/2024

I have been brainstorming/working on sample projects for a 1 and 2 point perspective class at Willow Oak Arts Center. I will be presenting it in November, thus the holiday theme: From Baby's Blocks to Home Sweet Home!

05/13/2024

This little guy is "in process", both the artwork and the "boy", but he isn't a little guy or even a little boy anymore. He is a young man, 6 foot plus, soon to walk down the aisle as a graduate. I told his mom that I wanted to do a portrait of him as a graduation gift for the mom who helped to get him to this point in his life's journey. She sent me a few reference photos and told me to choose. I choose this particular one because his happy, inquisitive expression drew me in. I also liked the story suggested by his crawling position -- he is on the move!

Hopefully, as I lay in the shadows and erase out (as needed) the highlights, his movement and his expression will come to life!

05/04/2024

05/04/2024

I'm working on some samples for a November Willow Oak Arts Center adult class on perspective--working with one and two point perspective using blocks and a Thanksgiving theme.

05/04/2024

Here's a peek into my March and April afternoon arts classes plus a piece I did just for relaxation and fun.