Podovich
Posted on May 6th, 2017
Podovich, 7″x5″ Copic marker on paper
It’s Caturday – a wild Pod appears! Only this time he’s been evolved into a Russian Blue instead of his usual sleek black, hence the name.
Podovich is curled up in a fuzzy ball with just one pink ear to break up the soft, inviting grays. The white pillowy surface he’s sleeping on carries just a hint of shadow, as of course he’s found himself someplace flooded with light for his nap.
That must be why he’s got his paw over his eyes.
Where in your life do you need a kitty to remind you of the value of catnaps?
Podovich, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the little details of fur and ear and one closed eye not quite hidden completely. Below, Podovich is napping in a frame, safe and content.
Podovich, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Floating Gallery, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: cat, catnap, cats, copic marker, nfs, pod, sold
Prague Rock
Posted on May 5th, 2017
Prague Rock, 7″x5″ watercolor on Arches cover black paper
Another city gilded in metallic shine, only this one has silver starlight instead of golden sunlight glinting off the roofs and towers. The night has washed the city in shades of blue-violet, stealing away whatever color it has in the daytime.
The architecture here riffs on Prague without really being accurate in any way to any part of it. Much like the Painted Ladies, it’s more the idea of a city than a portrait of it, the feeling of somewhere magical you could live, if only you could turn just the right corner.
Prague Rock, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the light glinting off the silver highlights on the stars and spires. Below, this smaller city is nestled in a frame, like a window to somewhere you wish you could go.
Prague Rock, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: black paper, city, for sale, horizons, japanese watercolor, metallic, stars, watercolor
Halloween Pathways
Posted on May 4th, 2017
Halloween Pathways, 7″x5″ watercolor on Arches Cover black paper
Deep charcoal supports and subdues the bright Halloween orange in this latest Pathways painting.
The image suggests bold autumn trees, lit by the last orange rays of sunlight slanting towards them. Or is it a bright potion bubbling over the sides of an iron cauldron? Perhaps you see the stripes on some deadly orange monster instead.
The simple-seeming monochrome hides a depth of color and detail that will give you hours of peaceful contemplation while you sit and sip cider and think of Halloweens to come.
Halloween Pathways, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the the way the charcoal blackness of the paper draws the orange into itself, lending a base of deep gloom to the holiday brightness of it. Below, the painting is tucked into a frame, just waiting to haunt your home.
Halloween Pathways, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Series and Books
Tags: black paper, for sale, halloween, interference, orange, pathways, watercolor
Dream Well
Posted on May 3rd, 2017
Dream Well, 5″x5″ watercolor and brush pen on Arches Cover buff paper
May is here! I hope you had a good April, the cats and I missed seeing you terribly while I was convalescing.
Dusky lavender swirls like liquid, bounded by broken lines like a dream of an object, soft and subtle and strange.
Dip into the dream well and see what you pull up from its depths. The shallowness is only an illusion; the well of dreams goes down forever, full of endless possibilities and impossible futures.
This lovely mixed media piece is quite small at only five inches square, the soft buff of the paper making it perfect to warm up a space that needs a little imagination.
Dream Well, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the stuttering strokes of pen filling in the borders where the brush stuttered first, making waves in the soft, warm violet well. Below, this tiny artwork is resting peacefully in a frame, perfect for a small meditation nook, or even just your desk at work.
Dream Well, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery
Tags: for sale, formations, pen and ink, primatek, watercolor, zen circle
30 Day Marker Challenge, part 4
Posted on May 2nd, 2017
The amazing Sadynax gave herself a 30-day Marker Challenge last month, and I decided to do it for April to help get back in the swing of art after my surgery.
I managed to make art nearly every day this month (once I doubled up and skipped a day), and I can definitely see how I got back into using my materials as the month went on. I also got more energy to put into the finished pieces as my stamina returned, so hooray for healing!
Day 25: Draw liquid.
Day 26: Use your favorite colors.
Day 27: Choose 3 colors blindly, again!
Day 28: Use only markers that end in the number 7.
Day 29: Use cheap markers.
Day 30: Redo a challenge you were dissatisfied with and compare the two pieces.
Categories: Completed Commissions, Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Moleskines, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
Tags: 30 day marker challenge, bookmark, copic marker, gel pen, pen and ink, pencil, pokemon, sharpie marker, stars, tarot, tea
30 Day Marker Challenge, part 3
Posted on April 25th, 2017
The amazing Sadynax gave herself a 30-day Marker Challenge last month, and I decided to do it for April to help get back in the swing of art after my surgery. Three weeks and counting I’ve managed some daily art, hooray!
I’m giving my wonderful Patreon supporters some bonuses at the $5+ sketch levels this month, so it’s a good time to become a patron!
Day 18: Use colored paper.
Day 19: Draw stone or crystal.
Day 20: Draw fur.
Day 21: Draw water.
Day 22: Draw fire.
Day 23: Draw cold atmosphere.
Day 24: Draw warm atmosphere.
Categories: Card Design, Completed Commissions, Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, People, Figures and Faces, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Tentacles, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: 30 day marker challenge, cat, cats, coffee, copic marker, desert, gel pen, jellyfish, pen and ink, pencil, pokemon, tea
Random Recipe: Cardamom Milk
Posted on April 20th, 2017
I found a great place to buy green cardamom, and then went hunting for this recipe, which makes a wonderful, warm bedtime treat.
- 2 cups milk
- 8 cardamom pods, cracked open
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2-3 cloves*
- 6-8 slices of candied ginger*
*Optional — if you do use candied ginger, you might want to reduce the honey a bit to keep it from being too sweet. I know it seems like a lot of spices, but since you don’t boil them, it takes more to get the same flavor as in tea.
In a small saucepan, heat everything but the vanilla, stirring constantly. Once the milk is steaming hot but not boiling, remove from heat, add vanilla, and cover. Let steep for 5 minutes, then strain out the spices and serve.
I usually add the ginger back to the cup before serving, yum.
Categories: Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: copic marker, nfs, pen and ink, recipe
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