Shaken Not Stirred
Posted on February 18th, 2014
“Maybe I should’ve gone with stirred…”
Shaken Not Stirred, a Cthulhu parody comic by Amy Crook
When I was working on illustrations for my Cthulhu Holiday Fun Book, I wanted something for New Years that was like a pinup, only with Cthulhu. I actually googled up some cocktail pinups, and while I found a few delightful girls in martini and Champagne glasses, it was the one perky pinup in a shaker that caught my eye.
Alas, Cthulhu didn’t realize that he’d be the one shaken, and I think he got a little more than he bargained for.
I made him into a greeting card for my Etsy shop, because sometimes drunk Cthulhu is the right thing for the occasion. Especially if that occasion involves someone partying too hard and needing your, ahem, “sympathy.”
Shaken Not Stirred, 5″x7″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper.
Drunk Cthulhu card on Etsy by Amy Crook
Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Card Design, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Tentacles, Things I'm a Fan Of
Tags: cocktail shaker, copic marker, cthulhu, drunkthulhu, etsy, for sale, pen and ink, weeble, weeble cthulhu
Dancing Lessons
Posted on February 13th, 2014
Dancing Lessons, a Sherlock parody comic by Amy Crook
When watching the new series of Sherlock (which I hope you’ve seen!), my mind caught on the image of Sherlock teaching John to dance for his wedding reception. After John executed the perfect dip with Mary, I had a giggle over the idea of him learning how with Sherlock.
Sherlock, of course, had to demonstrate on John, first, but I’m sure they did the other way later. It was fun getting to draw John’s hair all fweeee!
I’ve also made it available as a card in my Etsy shop. Because reasons.
Dancing Lessons, 5″x7″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper.
Sherlock Dancing Lessons greeting card by Amy Crook on Etsy
Categories: Card Design, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
Tags: copic marker, dancing, etsy, john watson, nfs, pen and ink, sherlock, sherlock bbc, sherlock holmes, sold
My book is on sale!
Posted on February 11th, 2014
Horace with The Courtship of Julian St. Albans, both by Amy Crook
I finished my first draft of the sequel, The Apprenticeship of Julian St. Albans, and to celebrate I’m putting The Courtship of Julian St. Albans on sale for a week! Assuming all the Amazon Kindle magic has worked properly, the ebook version should be $1.99 for a week — and it’ll show a countdown so you know how long it’s on sale.
I’ve also set it up so that if you buy the physical book, you can get the ebook for only a dollar more through more Amazon magic. Right now that’s the only place the book is available, I think, though I tickied some boxes the other day that might make physical copies available to your local bookstore, which is a little bit awesome.
Categories: Words Words Words
Tags: consulting magic, courtship, i made this, julian st albans
Valentine Retrospective
Posted on February 8th, 2014
February retrospective of art by Amy Crook
Since I didn’t have any comics for this month’s Floating Gallery, I decided to go find a few pieces of art that I thought would make lovely gifts for the Valentine in your life. There’s hearts, a romantic moon, and a sweet puppy, plus tentacles, spirals, salt, and all the things that make my art, well, mine.
Categories: Floating Gallery
Tags: floating gallery
Traverse
Posted on February 7th, 2014
Traverse, watercolor by Amy Crook
For such a small painting there is a sense of vast space and infinite possibility in this little slice of time. The moment it captures feels like a cusp, a step into some unknown future. It’s a visual reminder to take risks, step out, to choose a direction and see what lies over the next bit of horizon.
Traverse, 6″x4″ watercolor on Arches cover white paper.
Traverse, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see a close-up of the figure, her details washed away by the brightness she’s facing into. Below, you can see the painting in a frame, with the figure reflected in the shiny surface of my phone.
Traverse, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, People, Figures and Faces
Tags: nfs, sold, watercolor
Island
Posted on February 6th, 2014
Island, abstract watercolor by Amy Crook
I think paintings are hardest to talk about when I really adore them. This one is such an exquisite combination of tiny details and subtle colors created both by deliberate artistic choice and by random chance that I’m ridiculously in love with it.
The paper is soft, both in texture and its creamy color, and the paints are all matte shades of real minerals, except for the places where there’s unexpected bursts of red or even sun-catching bits of green iridescence. The shape suggests an island without being any specific one, with its noodling coastlines and the surf creeping up all around it. The green is rich and deep and mysterious, inviting the viewer to look for hidden detail.
Island, 10″x8″ watercolor and duochrome watercolor on Arches cover white paper.
Island, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see a very close look at some of the detail, in an area with a subtle wash of red hiding under the green, and a tiny patch of shimmering brightness that only shows itself in sunlight, like a lake hidden in deep jungles. Below, the painting’s in a frame, looking even more like some forgotten map.
Island, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes
Tags: blue, duochrome, for sale, green, map, watercolor
Backbone
Posted on February 5th, 2014
Backbone, abstract watercolor by Amy Crook
Back in November, the same painting session that gave me the beginnings of both Exit Strategy and The Colour Out of Space produced the background for this. I did some more with the background before letting it sit for two months, and finally a few weeks ago I figured out what I wanted to do with it.
I actually used thinned-out titanium white paint in a fountain pen to draw these little shapes rather than painting them, a technique I practiced first on a couple of this month’s bookmarks.
The sinuous lines of vertebrae don’t quite follow the soft shapes they wind through, but they are informed by them. It’s hard to tell if this is one very long creature or several; if they’re suspended in water or mist or even fossilized; if they’re from something natural, unnatural, or even supernatural.
Backbone, 6″x4″ watercolor and Japanese watercolor on Arches cover white paper.
Backbone, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see an extremely close look at a dozen of the many vertebrae twining through the painting. Below, the painting is tucked in a frame, its mysteries safely contained.
Backbone, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
Tags: bones, for sale, japanese watercolor, pen and paint, skeleton, watercolor
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