Posts Tagged ‘tree’

Old Haunts

Saturday, September 5th, 2020

Old Haunts, 8″x4″ brush & ink and watercolor on paper

I’ve had the spooky, misty-dusk background of this piece sitting around my studio aka living room for ages, and finally one day I just pulled it out and put some trees on it. The light in the middle begged for its own something, and this loosely-constructed, half-overgrown haunted house grew out of that.

It’s possible your artist watches a few too many Halloween movies.

There’s a trio of trees, a handful of crows, and of course the spooky old house rising up out of the mist.

Old Haunts, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see some spooky trees and spooky birds and the misty gloaming sky behind them both. Below, it’s on my shiny new table easel, waiting to haunt its new home.

Old Haunts by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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Where Lightning Once Was

Thursday, March 12th, 2020

a watercolor painting of a raven in flight, coming to land on the lightning-struck center of a spiky tree in front of a sunset, by Amy Crook

Where Lightning Once Was, 8″x8″ watercolor on paper

Another richly-colored sunset, this one is a smooth wash of red and orange with only the early moon to break it up.

The tree is spiky and strange, not quite a silhouette and filled with surprise sparkle in the depths of the trunk. Perhaps it’s all that’s left of the thorns that once caged in Sleeping Beauty, before the lightning and the prince both. In A purple-tinged raven is coming in for a landing in the open space amidst the destruction, finding room to accommodate its wingspan there.

There’s something a little vicious and rough about both the tree and the bird; they’re clearly made for each other.

Where Lightning Once Was, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see this mantled raven, its eye a baleful glint out of its dark feathers. Below, the painting is framed, though it will soon make its way to another frame, another home.

Where Lightning Once Was, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books
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Both Alike in Dignity

Sunday, March 8th, 2020

a watercolor painting of a dove in a branch, a flying crow, and a stormy sky behind them both, by Amy Crook

Both Alike in Dignity, 5″x7″ watercolor on paper

Two birds, both alike in dignity…

This is one of those “more cowbell” pieces that used to be something else, and now is something better. It’s the same storm as above, perhaps, but lower to the ground, closer to home. Leaves and the first drops of rain are suspended in the moment, with the carefree crow below while the dove above is already safe in its nest.

Which one are you, the one out playing in the rain, or the enjoying the weather from home where it’s warm and dry?

Both Alike in Dignity, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the crow silhouetted against the stormy sky, determined to get home despite the winds and clouds. Below, the painting is framed and waiting to find shelter in its new home.

Both Alike in Dignity, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Sea Creatures and Other Animals
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Three Crows 2

Friday, March 6th, 2020

three crows with shining eyes flying past a setting sun, and a twisted, spooky tree, watercolor by Amy Crook

Three Crows 2, 6″x4″ watercolor on paper

Sometimes original, amazing titles come to me, and sometimes you get Three Crows 2.

The art that goes with the uninspired title, however, has a gorgeous sky full of hidden shimmer in the sunset-painted clouds. The tree twists out into the middle ground with gorgeously shaded branches, and the three crows have just enough spook and shimmer to them to stand out beautifully against both. Their eyes are painted with a dot of one of my favorite weird paints that shimmers from red to green like a scarab.

Where do you need a little bit of spookiness in your spring?

Three Crows 2, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see two of the crows flying past the shimmering clouds, their eyes reflecting unknown secrets. Below, this deceptively small painting is waiting in its frame to be whisked away to a new environment, with new secrets to be learned.

Three Crows 2, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books
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Inktober 2019, week 1 plus

Friday, October 11th, 2019

Normally I do these on Mondays, but I was out of town and then there was some kind of power shutoff madness (mine was supposed to go but did not? whatever, PG&E, you run your public utility like the Muppet Show.) So, anyway, here you go, week one-and-then-some of Inktober!

an ink drawing of mushrooms in a fairy ring by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 1: Ring, 7″x5″ pen and ink on paper

an ink wash drawing of tentacles in a mirror by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 2: Mindless, 5″x7″ pen & ink and ink wash on paper

an ink wash drawing of a monster under ice using a hockey puck as bait by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 3: Bait, 3.5″x2.5″ pen & ink, glitter gel pen, and ink wash on ACEO bristol, nfs

an ink drawing of Tony Stark with brain freeze by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 4: Freeze, 3″x3″ pen and ink on paper, wip

an ink painting of a building in 4 stages being built by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 5: Build, ink wash on paper bookmark, sold

an ink drawing of Cthulhu by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 6: Husky, 7″x5″ pen and ink on paper, wip

an ink wash of a tree with a distressed face next to a basket by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 7: Enchanted, 5″x7″ ink wash on paper

an ink drawing of a sapling with a single apple and three leaves by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 8: Frail, pen and ink on a bookmark, wip

an ink drawing of a pendant swinging by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 9: Swing, 7″x5″ pen and ink on paper, wip

a series of repeated patterns in ink on an ACEO by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 10: Pattern, 3.5″x2.5″ brush and ink on ACEO card, nfs

an abstract painting in ink on black paper of snow falling by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 11: Snow, 6″x4″ white ink on black paper

Abbreviation decoder ring!

  • wip = work in progress, ie, I’m probably going to color some or all of the drawing before it’s really done
  • nfs = not for sale, ie, it’s a Patreon sketch and already belongs to someone else
  • ACEO = Artist Card, Edition Original, also known as ATC or Artist Trading Card when traded rather than sold, which is a standard size I use for all my Patreon sketches these days

Want to get your own sketches, dibs on art, or just feel the warm glow of being part of my community of supporters? Head over to Patreon and pick a tier to get started! There’s also bonus cat photos sometimes, if that helps.

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Completed Commissions, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, People, Figures and Faces, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books, Tentacles, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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Halloween Trees 3

Wednesday, September 4th, 2019

Halloween Trees 3 by Amy Crook, a watercolor of bare trees and flying crows against an orange sunset

Halloween Trees 3, 6″x4″ watercolor on paper

Halloween is starting to be everywhere, and I added some clinging leaves to this month’s ode to autumn. A soft wash of gold and orange gives a rich background to the skeletal trees and swooping flock of birds.

This warm palette brings to mind pumpkin spice and apple cider, crisp leaves and cawing crows, whispered winds and cheap candy, at least for me. Not to mention all the amazing goth housewares that I can find in stores this time of year and use year round!

What’s your favorite part of Halloween season?

Halloween Trees 3, detail, by Amy Crook

Halloween Trees 3, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the twisty branches bleeding into the fiery sky, a few leaves just hanging on and a single crow flying in the background. Below, the painting is resting in a small frame, waiting for its time.

Halloween Trees 3, framed art by Amy Crook

Halloween Trees 3, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books
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Patreon Sketches, July 2019

Thursday, August 22nd, 2019

six small sketches in a grid

6 sketches for Patreon patrons by Amy Crook, July 2019 requests

More Patreon sketches! I’m all caught up now, so there’ll be another half dozen or so next month, from August’s request post. These are all the size of a trading card – 2.5″x3.5″ – and either of bristol board or watercolor paper.

From the top left we have:

  • a little doodle for Corinne’s story,
  • Lab Coat Pikachu for Eric,
  • Mehdays kitty for Jeff,
  • a Carousel Selkie for Rebecca,
  • “hurry up autumn!” for Kim,
  • and some sunshiney goodness for Roxanne.

There’s still time to get in on the goodness for September — I’m giving extra rewards out for my birthday, plus patrons get a preview of all the Floating Gallery art, and a bunch* of other perks. If I get just a few more patrons, I’ll even be adding a new reward to the lineup! Become my patron today.

*including extra cat photos, as voted upon by my patrons

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Completed Commissions, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, People, Figures and Faces, Pretty Words, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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