Posts Tagged ‘gold’
Murder Plaid
Tuesday, June 24th, 2014
Murder Plaid, abstract art by Amy Crook
Even though Hannibal and I are on a break that will, I suspect, last beyond the actual hiatus of the show, I couldn’t resist making a reference in the title of this painting. There’s layers of semi-opaque Japanese watercolor in four shades of red, mixing and blurring until you get a very creepy not-quite-face staring out at you from something resembling a murder scene. The broken gold lines run through the whole thing like gold thread through one of Dr. Lecter’s murder ties, not to mention the understated plaids that make up most of his wardrobe.
Murder Plaid, 5″x7″ Japanese and metallic watercolor on Arches cover black paper.
Murder Plaid, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see a close-up of the textured pinks and reds and oranges layered together, with light glinting off the ‘threads’ of gold. Below, you can see the piece in a frame, staring at you, daring you to take it home.
Murder Plaid, framed art by Amy Crook
It really is that creepy in person. Also, now in a drawer.
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Series and Books, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
Tags: black paper, for sale, gold, hannibal, japanese watercolor, meta, watercolor
Cthonian Skies
Monday, December 2nd, 2013
Cthonian Skies by Amy Crook
The Floating Gallery has touched down for December, and I thought I’d start your Monday off strangely.
The swampy greens in this strange sky are laced with shimmering iridescence. The moon shimmers darkly beneath spirals of gold, and strange salt-formation stars radiate yet more gold into the gloomy mists of night. Perhaps this is what Cthulhu saw in his native skies, or what he sees now in the slice of reality he occupies as he slumbers deep beneath the waves — beautiful, maddening dreams of a night that never was.
Cthonian Skies, 5.5″x8.5″ pen & ink, salt, watercolor, and iridescent watercolor on acid-free embossed paper.
Cthonian Skies, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the sunlight making long shadows from the salt crystal stars, and the textures of paper and paint interacting. Below, it’s loosely attached to a frame for size. The final product will be properly matted and framed for shipping, to protect the nifty salty bits.
Cthonian Skies, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes
Tags: for sale, gold, green, iridescent watercolor, lovecraft, moon, more cowbell, pen and ink, salt, spirals, watercolor
Deck the Smaug
Saturday, October 19th, 2013
Deck the Smaug, holiday fan art by Amy Crook
I’m pretty sure this is the silliest holiday card I’ve ever designed, but I’m such a fan of the silly Smaug/Bilbo art out there on the internet, I had to toss in one of my own. Bilbo raided Smaug’s hoard for bells and gold chains, but I have no idea where he got the giant ribbons or pine boughs for the rest of his cheerful holiday decorating.
At least Smaug will smell delicious while he’s eating you!
Deck the Smaug, 7″x5″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper. He is, of course, available as a card in my Etsy shop.
Deck the Smaug holiday card by Amy Crook at Etsy
Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Card Design, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: bilbo baggins, copic marker, dragon, etsy, gold, hobbit, pen and ink, smaug
Red Sky Firefly
Friday, September 6th, 2013
Red Sky Firefly by Amy Crook
Strings of glowing fireflies flit in the distance through red-tinted dusk in this abstract piece. The night is slowly banishing the last hints of color, but for now the fireflies still eclipse the stars. There’s a dreamy, gorgeous feeling to this painting, with its metallic-bright firefly spots and softly textured ruddy end-of-sunset background.
Red Sky Firefly, 7″x5″ Japanese watercolor and metallic watercolor on Arches cover black paper.
Red Sky Firefly, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the texture of paper and paint, and the soft glow of golden light that seems to float above the surface. Below, I’ve put the piece in a frame so you can imagine it like staring out a window into some fairy world where it’s always dusk, and sailors always delight in the red sky at night.
Red Sky Firefly, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes
Tags: black paper, fireflies, for sale, gold, metallic watercolor, red, watercolor
Z is for Zoomorphic
Thursday, February 21st, 2013
Z is for Zoomorphic, calligraphic illumination by Amy Crook
It was surprisingly easy to find a theme for my Z, and then once I’d decided on a zoomorphic letter, cats was the second most obvious choice (after zebras). Even the border fits the theme, with little abstract silver and gold mouse kissing all around these sleeping cats. Their poses are inspired by my own fickle felines, but I chose to go with different markings, a nice grey top kitty with a slumbering tabby for the base.
This is the end of my Alphabet! It’s almost sad that it’s over, except that I have at least two more letters to do, and I might go back and “fill in” the sold pieces with variants so I can display the whole set somewhere. I’m happy to take commissions on any letters someone wants in a different style, or that’s already sold (I’m already doing a second J!), and you can click here for the details.
Z is for Zoomorphic, 5″x5″ Japanese watercolor, pen & ink and glitter gel pen on paper.
Z is for Zoomorphic, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see a bit of the kissing-mice border, with their simple curves of body, tail and ear. Below, you can see it tucked into a frame, though I forgot to sneak my iPhone into the shot.
Z is for Zoomorphic, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Daily Art, Illuminated Alphabet, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: alphabet, black, calligraphy, cats, for sale, glitter gel pen, gold, green, illumination, pen and ink, silver, watercolor
Tentacle Idol
Tuesday, February 19th, 2013
Tentacle Idol by Amy Crook
When I look at the final piece, I imagine some sort of dizzying bas relief in a hidden temple under the depths of the ocean or out of some horrific dreamland in one of HP Lovecraft’s tales. The sepia shadows and gold highlights give this art a steampunk air, but the way the art fades to a vortex of swirling madness is pure horror.
Tentacle Idol, 8″x8″ sumi-e ink, Sharpie marker, and watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.
Tentacle Idol, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see a close-up of some of the swirling tentacles, their gilt textured and worn, the spirals and suckers just uneven enough to be unsettling if you stare too long. Below, you can see a the art in a frame, up on one of my lovely wheat-gold walls.
Tentacle Idol, framed art by Amy Crook
And this time we have a bit of a bonus! This art started life as an experiment, layering sumi-e ink with Sharpie marker and gold paint and getting… mush. And so, I took photos from the point of mush to show how I nurtured it past the ass point and into a piece of art worth going on your wall.
Getting Past the Ass Point – with Tentacles!
a demonstrative gif by Amy Crook
Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Tentacles
Tags: for sale, gold, sharpie marker, sumi-e ink, tentacles, watercolor
Ampersand
Thursday, February 14th, 2013
Ampersand, calligraphic illumination by Amy Crook
I find it appropriate that my Ampersand has fallen on Valentine’s Day. The penultimate character in my alphabet, this black cut paper ampersand floats above the intricately detailed green and gold circuit board background like a particularly gothic microchip. This whole series has been about using modern, nontraditional materials to explore a Medieval art form, and so the ampersand ties it all together.
Ampersand, 5″x5″ Japanese watercolor and glitter gel pen with Arches cover black paper and glue on paper.
Ampersand, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the intricate pattern of interlocking gold on top of the bright circuit board green watercolor, and the three-dimensional ampersand itself really stands out, floating on its spikey feet. Below, in honor of the holiday, I’ve put U & I together.
U & I, framed calligraphy by Amy Crook
Categories: Daily Art, Illuminated Alphabet, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: alphabet, black paper, calligraphy, collage, for sale, glitter gel pen, gold, green, illumination, watercolor
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