Spiral Bookmark 7
Posted on June 7th, 2013
Spiral Bookmark 7
by Amy Crook
I couldn’t resist putting #7 on the 7th, so here are three lovely coppery spirals on a background of black paper with dark purple stripes. The paint is a metallic called “duochrome” that shows different colors from different angles, orangey bright from some angles and a more rose-tinted copper from others. I suppose one of these days I ought to do a, “why spirals?” post, but I’m not sure I could adequately answer the question.
Spiral Bookmark 7, 1.5″x4″ watercolor on Arches cover black paper.
Spiral Bookmark 7, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see that I took this over to the window so you’d get the full effect of sunlight, making the spirals shine and the purple deep shadows against the paper. This soft paper is actually made for printmaking, and they create the black color with a chemical reaction in the paper pulp so it’s lightfast and won’t ever fade beyond the rich, deep charcoal. Below, you can see it hanging out with my book, being mysterious.
Spiral Bookmark 7, with book, by Amy Crook
(book not included, book wishes to remain mysterious)
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Series and Books
Tags: bookmark, buy a bookmark, duochrome, for sale, spirals, watercolor
Pattern Bookmark 1
Posted on June 6th, 2013
Pattern Bookmark 1 by Amy Crook
I decided that, since I am clearly going to keep experimenting with the imperfect art of hand-drawn repeating patterns, I might as well just call it a series starting with this one. This was drawn with my favorite scribbly fountain pen on archival comic backing board, and then shaded with a waterbrush to carry the ink throughout the pattern. It reminds me of some of the patterns on the dwarves’ clothing in The Hobbit, geometric and individual but not too complex.
Pattern Bookmark 1, 4.5″x1″ pen & ink on paper, nfs (sold).
Pattern Bookmark 1, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see a close up of the middle section of the pattern, containing almost one whole repeat though it goes off the edges. Below, you can see this bookmark with a hardcover book, looking quite petite.
Pattern Bookmark 1, with book, by Amy Crook
(book not included, do not covet the book)
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Series and Books
Tags: bookmark, pattern, pen and ink
Daffodils Bookmark
Posted on June 5th, 2013
Daffodils Bookmark
by Amy Crook
Have a bit of sunshine for you Wednesday! This cheerful little bookmark is done entirely with Japanese colored fountain pens on a coated archival inkjet paper. I used a waterbrush to add just a tiny bit of blue shading to the sky, green to the leaves and gold to the flowers by blurring out the ink, but as you can see the coating keeps it from being anything but a very soft, subtle background glow. This cheerful little bookmark is quite small, perfect for a paperback.
Daffodils Bookmark, 1″x4″ pen & ink on paper, nfs (sold).
Daffodils bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the cute little ladybug adding a bit of delight to this bookmark. Below, you can see it atop a hardcover book, for scale.
Daffodils Bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook
(book not included, grow your own)
Categories: Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
Tags: bookmark, nfs, pen and ink, sold
Tentacle Bookmark 5
Posted on June 4th, 2013
Tentacle Bookmark 5 by Amy Crook
Scribbly purple tentacles come in from all sides of this bookmark, which has a soft, grainy wash of reddish violet for its background. It’s quite small, drawn on stiff archival comic backing board, and would make an excellent accompaniment to a book by HP Lovecraft.
Tentacle Bookmark 5, 4″x1″ pen & ink and watercolor on paper, nfs (sold).
Tentacle Bookmark 5, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the spiraling purple tentacles up close, the ink going from dense to loose around the curls. Below, you can see the bookmark nestled up to a big hardcover book, looking all dainty.
Tentacle Bookmark 5, with book, by Amy Crook
(book not included, tentacles are enough for anyone)
Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Series and Books, Tentacles
Tags: bookmark, iridescent, pen and ink, watercolor
Midnight Sprout Bookmark
Posted on June 3rd, 2013
Midnight Sprout bookmark
by Amy Crook
It’s Bookmark Week! This is the time when I take things I’ve doodled onto scraps left over from cutting or tearing paper down to size, and sell them as bookmarks so anyone can have their own wee original bit of Amy art. My newsletter people got to see the bookmarks last week, so there’s a few that are already sold, but I’m starting the week with one that you can still take home.
This little sprout is struggling up in the moonlight, trying to make the most of its cold light. The paint is matte and darkly colored, but you can pick out the little sprout at the right angle. It’s like a secret!
Midnight Sprout bookmark, 2″x5″ watercolor on paper.
Midnight Sprout bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the way the sunlight illuminates the dark colors, so you can see the deep green and midnight blue, and even the little bits of detail and shadow on the sprout. Below, you can see it hanging out with a nearly-matching hardcover book, so you can get an idea of the size.
Midnight Sprout bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook
(book not included, book happy in its current home)
Categories: Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: bookmark, buy a bookmark, for sale, japanese watercolor
Sunday Round-Up & Sherlock Brush Sketch
Posted on June 2nd, 2013
this week started sketchy and then went all meticulous
I hope you all are having a lovely Sunday, it’s warm and sunny here (well, all right, when this posts it’ll be 3am and totally dark, but you get the idea). This week we started out on Monday with a sketchy crow, and then Tuesday a differently sketchy goldfish swum onto the scene. Wednesday I totally failed to tell you how to paint a goldfish but did show some nice shots of my background making process. Thursday I reminded you of the age-old internet adage: the orange ones are poison. Friday’s art was morbidly meticulous, and Saturday cheered us up with a somewhat belated eleventh Doctor.
Finally, we go back around to a brush-and-ink sketch of my favorite consulting detective and his cheekbones.
Sherlock brush and ink sketch by Amy Crook
Categories: Daily Art, Sunday Round-Up
Tags: brush and ink, nfs, sherlock, sketch
Not That Late, Really
Posted on June 1st, 2013
Not That Late, Really, Doctor Who fan art by Amy Crook
Since I already had a few birthday cards for Doctor Who, I thought I’d go with Eleven’s seeming inability to do anything on time and do a belated one as well. I got the inks all done a couple of weeks ago, and then had to wait until my refill of TARDIS blue ink (I use a B18 Lazuli Copic marker for it) came in the mail. Those big blue boxes take a lot of coloring!
I find it rather fitting, anyway, that it took an extra week to get the art done, all things considered.
Not That Late, Really, 5″x7″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper, nfs (sold).
Not That Late, Really, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see a close-up of the Doctor’s little sheepish face, along with his spiffy new jacket. Below, you can see him in a frame, peeking out of his TARDIS and up at you.
Not That Late, Really, framed Doctor Who art by Amy Crook
Categories: Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
Tags: copic marker, doctor who, etsy, nfs, pen and ink, sold
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