Posts Tagged ‘j herbin’

Cheshire Catnap

Saturday, December 5th, 2015

Cheshire Catnap by Amy Crook

Cheshire Catnap by Amy Crook

Caturday is the perfect day to give yourself a catnap.

This fuzzy Cheshire Cat is just in it for the naps, much like every other cat I’ve ever met. His floof has floof, and one can only imagine the grin on him when he’s awake.

Where do you need a little bit of wonderland in your life? This kitty would be great in a bedroom or nursery, soothing someone to join him in sleep.

Purr.

Cheshire Catnap, 6″x6″ brush & ink and ink wash on Fluid watercolor paper.

Cheshire Catnap, detail, by Amy Crook

Cheshire Catnap, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see this mystical kitty’s sleeping face, soft and bright blues giving its markings some mystery. Below, he’s tucked in a temporary frame, waiting for his forever home.

Cheshire Catnap, framed art by Amy Crook

Cheshire Catnap, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Sea Creatures and Other Animals
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Distance 2

Friday, December 4th, 2015

Distance 2 by Amy Crook

Distance 2 by Amy Crook

Misty hills ascend into the distance, where a single gold light shines out of a structure atop the farthest reaches.

The night descends in beautiful teal, just a few stars starting to peek out through the twilight.

What draws your imagination out wandering?

Distance 2, 4″x6″ ink wash on watercolor paper.

Distance 2, detail, by Amy Crook

Distance 2, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the detailed texture of ink and paper, and the tiny pinpoint of golden light beckoning you to the summit. Below, the piece is in a frame like the view out of a tall window, waiting to bring some peace to your hectic desk.

Distance, framed art by Amy Crook

Distance, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
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Mod Bird

Thursday, December 3rd, 2015

Mod Bird by Amy Crook

Mod Bird by Amy Crook

This adorably stylized bird was an experiment in water solubility — although the ink is in no way waterproof, I loved the result anyway!

I’m reminded of childhood, the Partridge Family logo and the patterns one might find on things in the ’70s, or lingering from the ’60s. The teal and apple green inks are softened to watercolor-like texture, except in the eye, where there’s a tiny bit of gold lurking in the depths.

Mod Bird, 7″x5″ pen & ink and ink wash on paper.

Mod Bird, detail, by Amy Crook

Mod Bird, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the tiny spirals in his lovely blue breast, gently blurred by the water blush into a pattern that looks pettably soft. Below, the bird is caged in its frame, waiting to decorate your hep pad.

Mod Bird, framed art by Amy Crook

Mod Bird, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Whimsical and Strange
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Blood Moon 6

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2015

Blood Moon 6 by Amy Crook

Blood Moon 6 by Amy Crook

This ink wash is a vivid addition to my City series, which is also the 6th of my Blood Moon paintings.

The blood moon glows with a rich red-gold radiance. The sky is home to a thousand glittering golden stars in halo around it. A dark city awaits below, reflecting the glow of them both.

Built in layers, this piece was first a wash of red and gold inks, and then a globe of light in the middle of gold-dusted night, and finally became a city. Each layer is a different kind of ink, even the gold dust.

Blood Moon 6, 8″x8″ brush & ink and ink wash on Fluid watercolor paper.

Blood Moon 6, detail, by Amy Crook

Blood Moon 6, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the shimmering gold dust in the Stormy Grey ink, and the solid Deleter Manga ink that blacks it out where the buildings rise up, with the beautiful red shining through both where appropriate. Below, you can see the piece in a frame, waiting to grace your walls with its eerie beauty.

Blood Moon 6, framed art by Amy Crook

Blood Moon 6, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
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Ink Tests

Wednesday, May 27th, 2015

bookmark in J. Herbin Cacao du Brésil ink by Amy Crook

bookmark in J. Herbin Cacao du Brésil ink by Amy Crook

I recently took a few bottles of ink off a friend who was thinning out her art supplies (which makes me sound far more generous and less grabbyhandsy than I really was), and I thought I’d share a few of the tests I did.

First up, above, is a bookmark painted with the lovely brown, which gave me rich layered colour in the trees.

sketch in J. Herbin Gris Nuage ink by Amy Crook

sketch in J. Herbin Gris Nuage ink by Amy Crook

Second we have one of the two delicious greys she sent me, this one a lighter, almost lavendery grey that also layered interestingly, though never got very dark. Below is the real treat, a sample size of the gold-flecked Stormy Grey, which I used to doodle this little city in my sketchbook.

sketch in J. Herbin Stormy Grey ink by Amy Crook

sketch in J. Herbin Stormy Grey ink by Amy Crook

I really like them, though I think they all will do better on higher quality paper than my test swatches here. There’s going to be some Stormy Grey in this month’s Floating Gallery (as well as another experiment using a fourth bottle of ink from her stash). Get on my list if you want to see it first!

Categories: Daily Art
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