Posts Tagged ‘crosshatching’

Giant Rats 2: Murder? Good.

Thursday, August 8th, 2013

Giant Rats of Sumatra, page 2: Murder? Good. Sherlock art by Amy Crook

Giant Rats of Sumatra, page 2: Murder? Good.
Sherlock art by Amy Crook

Three! Three whole pages inked, ah-ah-ah-aaah. I’m going to try to keep up some sort of useful pace with this project so that someday I might actually get the whole book done and able to be printed in one way or another. After Sherlock’s gratuitous snottiness in the first one, John’s very pleased to see Lestrade’s face and have the prospect of a case to keep Sherlock amused.

Giant Rats of Sumatra, page 2: Murder? Good. 7″x5″ pen & ink on paper.

Giant Rats of Sumatra, page 2: Murder? Good. detail by Amy Crook

Giant Rats of Sumatra, page 2: Murder? Good.
detail by Amy Crook

In keeping with the tradition, above you can see the painstaking pattern on Sherlock’s chair, as well as John’s welcoming smile for Lestrade. Below, you can see the piece in a frame, though it will have a long wait before it can go visit anyone at home. Also, a gratuitous hedgehog.

Giant Rats of Sumatra, page 2: Murder? Good. framed art by Amy Crook

Giant Rats of Sumatra, page 2: Murder? Good.
framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of, Works In Progress
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A Series of Uncanny Fears: Under the Bed

Thursday, August 1st, 2013

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Under the Bed, by Amy Crook

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Under the Bed
by Amy Crook

My Series of Uncanny Fears is actually a series now, yay! I found it extra challenging to draw the pattern on the duvet with the monster glaring at me from under the bed all the while. Not that there is a monster, mind you, I’m sure it’s just shadows, and reflections. Nothing to fear. Nothing at all.

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Under the Bed, 5″x7″ pen & ink on paper.

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Under the Bed, detail, by Amy Crook

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Under the Bed, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can get a closer look at that space under the bed and the inexplicable shadows that are totally not reaching toward you now. Not at all. Below, it’s safely behind glass in a frame, just waiting to find the perfect owner.

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Under the Bed, framed art by Amy Crook

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Under the Bed, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Series and Books, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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Giant Rats 1: Blogging Again?

Thursday, July 18th, 2013

Giant Rats of Sumatra, page 1, Blogging Again? Sherlock art by Amy Crook

Giant Rats of Sumatra, page 1: Blogging Again?
Sherlock art by Amy Crook

Ages ago, I started a little project combining the worlds of Sherlock with Edward Gorey and my own twisted mind, and I’ve finally gotten back to it! I scripted a 20-page story based incredibly loosely on the offhand mention in one of the original stories of the giant rats of Sumatra, and I have page 1 here for you. Page 2 is sketched, and hopefully this will start the ball rolling a little faster. I’d like to eventually publish them into a little book, which means that there’ll be front and back art, as well, but I think getting more than 2 pages done is the next step.

These pages aren’t for sale yet, because if I do make a book, I’ll try to use Kickstarter to fund it, in which case they’ll be a premium reward level.

Giant Rats of Sumatra, page 1: Blogging Again?, 7″x5″ pen & ink on paper, nfs (for now).

Giant Rats of Sumatra, page 1: Blogging Again? detail, by Amy Crook

Giant Rats of Sumatra, page 1: Blogging Again?
detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see a close-up of the fine pen texture on Sherlock’s chair. Below, I’ve got it in a frame along with one of my own volumes of Sherlock Holmes.

Giant Rats of Sumatra, page 1: Blogging Again? framed art by Amy Crook

Giant Rats of Sumatra, page 1: Blogging Again?
framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of, Works In Progress
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A Series of Uncanny Fears: Mirrors

Thursday, June 20th, 2013

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Mirrors, by Amy Crook

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Mirrors, by Amy Crook

I’ve had a note to start this series on my whiteboard for ages, but I finally sat down and worked on this first installment. A Series of Uncanny Fears will visually explore those things that we, as adults, know we shouldn’t be afraid of. It’s an echo of being a kid, feeling a shiver despite our grown-up logic.

Mirrors have been thoroughly demystified by science and yet hold a certain creepy fascination, especially in the dark. Fiction explores mirror worlds, mirror traps, things lurking behind mirrors or traveling through them, impressions left on them or even messages written.

In my bathroom I have a blue canary in the outlet by the light switch to watch over me (no, really!), but I still sometimes turn the lights on properly at 3am when it’s dark and creepy, because of reasons. Mirror reasons.

How about you, what’s your uncanny fear?

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Mirrors, 5″x7″ pen & ink on paper.

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Mirrors, detail, by Amy Crook

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Mirrors, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see that I did go out of my way to make the mirror extra creepy with a skull motif as well as the built-in candleholders. Below, you can see the piece in a frame, with my quill pen and ink bottle for ambiance.

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Mirrors, framed art by Amy Crook

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Mirrors, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Series and Books, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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Harvest Bookmark

Saturday, June 8th, 2013

Harvest Bookmark by Amy Crook

Harvest Bookmark by Amy Crook

Today’s bookmark started life as a color study for last Friday’s art, Harvest, which in the long run I decided not to color at all. I finished this off with a bit of extra inking anyway, and added it to the pile of bookmarks. I like the warm glow of the big moon and the subtle browns on the figure and background, especially with the bit of added texture on the ground.

Harvest Bookmark, 2″x3″ pen & ink and watercolor on paper, nfs (sold).

Harvest Bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook

Harvest Bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see a close-up of the texture in the paper, and the crosshatching on the burlap hood. One of the reasons I decided not to color the original piece was to keep the ambiguity as to whether it was a scarecrow or a person being lit by the big harvest moon. Below, the squat little bookmark is resting on the book, looking small and mysterious.

Harvest Bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook

Harvest Bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook
(book not included, do not harvest the book)

Categories: Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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1 Comment »


Tentacle Deeps 47

Tuesday, April 9th, 2013

Tentacle Deeps 47 by Amy Crook

Tentacle Deeps 47 by Amy Crook

The tentacles are back, and it’s even Tuesday! This piece started with the crosshatched background in black Sharpie marker, and then watercolor in layers on top of it. The tentacles themselves are thickly scribbled on, so the iridescent paint has a bit of texture to it where it floats atop the watery teal wash.

Tentacle Deeps 47, 8″x8″ iridescent watercolor and Sharpie marker on Fluid watercolor paper.

Tentacle Deeps 47, detail, by Amy Crook

Tentacle Deeps 47, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the sunlight reflecting purple off the iridescent tentacles, and the metallic golden bubbles floating serenely nearby. Below, you can see the piece in a frame on my wall, though without the helpful iPhone which for some reason doesn’t yet come with an anti-gravity feature.

Tentacle Deeps 47, framed art by Amy Crook

Tentacle Deeps 47, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Series and Books, Tentacles
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Blue Moon 4

Friday, August 24th, 2012

Blue Moon 4 by Amy Crook

Blue Moon 4 by Amy Crook

This piece took forever! Twelve weeks of little spirals in the interstices of my day, fifteen minutes here and an hour there, until finally, finally it’s done.

I really liked the texture pattern on the couch in B is for Baker Street, interior, and so I thought, wouldn’t that make a cool pattern for the night sky around this mysterious blue moon? I really need to learn to think before I start spiraling sometimes, though, because the difference between that wee couch and this big piece of paper was a lot of hours. So many hours. @_@

I actually really love the result, though, and I’ve got the piece on display in my studio until someone takes it home to decorate their own life.

Blue Moon 4, 8″x8″ pen & ink and watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.

Blue Moon 4, framed art by Amy Crook

Blue Moon 4, framed art by Amy Crook

I’ve framed this beautiful piece and hung it on the wall above my writing desk.

Why yes, that is a Jack in the Box holiday-themed antenna ball, why do you ask?

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
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