Blog « Antemortem Arts | Art & Writing by Amy Crook

Ghost Moon

Posted on March 4th, 2013

Ghost Moon by Amy Crook

Ghost Moon by Amy Crook

I can’t honestly remember now which came first, the Ghost Spirals Bookmark or the trees in this piece. I definitely painted them on the same day, but then I came back to this later and added in the moon, and then in a third pass I added iridescent blue stars with the purple meteor, a shine of subtle iridescent green to the treetops, and silver on the moon.

I’m sometimes torn about using so much iridescent and metallic paint. On the one hand, it feels a bit gimmicky (and can’t be made into prints effectively), but on the other hand I think the pieces are more beautiful with the shimmer and shine. And since the real point of my art is to put more beautiful things into the world, I’ve decided to go with what feels right.

Ghost Moon, 7″x5″ Japanese watercolor on Arches cover black paper.

Ghost Moon, detail, by Amy Crook

Ghost Moon, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see a bit of the green shimmer on the trees, the silver shine of the moon, and the blue and purple stars, shooting and otherwise. Below, I’ve got the piece in a frame, so you can see how it sizes up to my iPhone.

Ghost Moon, framed art by Amy Crook

Ghost Moon, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
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Bilbo and Smaug Bookmark 1

Posted on March 3rd, 2013

Bilbo & Smaug Bookmark 1 by Amy Crook

Bilbo & Smaug Bookmark 1 by Amy Crook

This is the other bookmark that someone already claimed, a wee tiny Hobbit looking quite distressed indeed to be confronted with a dragon. Smaug, on the other hand, looks highly amused by his discovery. I’m definitely going to do some more art for The Hobbit as well, I want to draw some dwarves.

Things will be back to normal tomorrow with another moon for Monday, so I hope you enjoyed this Bookmark Week and picked up one for yourself or a friend!

Bilbo & Smaug Bookmark 1, 7″x1.5″ pen & ink on cardstock, nfs (sold).

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
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Weeping Angel Bookmark

Posted on March 2nd, 2013

Weeping Angel Bookmark by Amy Crook

Weeping Angel
Bookmark
by Amy Crook

This Weeping Angel crept into someone’s heart when they got my newsletter last week, and so it’s already been snapped up. But never fear, I’m sure I’ll draw another of these creepy creatures again soon, and I’ve already got some more Doctor Who art in the pipeline.

Just remember, don’t look away. Don’t even blink.

Weeping Angel Bookmark, 1.5″x6.5″ pen & ink on cardstock, nfs (sold).

Weeping Angel Bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook

Weeping Angel Bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see its seemingly peaceful face up close. Below, it’s sitting on a book, just daring me to look away.

Weeping Angel Bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook

Weeping Angel Bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook

 

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
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Purple Pattern Bookmark

Posted on March 1st, 2013

Purple Pattern Bookmark by Amy Crook

Purple Pattern
Bookmark
by Amy Crook

This wee bookmark is the same size as yesterday’s, but with a very different subject. This time I started with Sharpie to doodle in skulls and curlicues, and then I took a purple ink pen and drew in the long lines. This one’s drawn on the shiny side of a scrap of comic backing board, so I took my finger and smeared the purple ink, giving a lovely mottled texture while the actual drawn lines still remained visible.

Purple Pattern Bookmark, 1″x4″ pen & ink and Sharpie marker on cardstock, nfs (sold).

Purple Pattern Bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook

Purple Pattern Bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the bookmark up close, including a little bit of sunshine off the shiny Sharpie and scored-in purple pen lines near the top. Below, you can see it hanging bravely with the big green book, evoking the ’80s.

Purple Pattern Bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook

Purple Pattern Bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook
(book not included, it clashes)

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Series and Books, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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Pink Roses Bookmark

Posted on February 28th, 2013

Pink Roses Bookmark by Amy Crook

Pink Roses Bookmark
by Amy Crook

I started this bookmark by doodling long, slightly uneven stripes of gold glitter pen, and then I took my pink and green and made fat spiral roses all through the gold, 13 in total. Perfect for keeping your spot in a romance novel.

Pink Roses Bookmark, 1″x4″ pen & ink and glitter gel pen on cardstock, nfs (sold).

Pink Roses Bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook

Pink Roses Bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the bright pink and shining gold up close and personal. Below, you can see the wee bookmark hanging out on the hardcover book. I think it prefers paperbacks, myself.

Pink Roses Bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook

Pink Roses Bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook
(book not included, so treat your new bookmark to something special)

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
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Ghost Spirals Bookmark

Posted on February 27th, 2013

Ghost Spirals Bookmark by Amy Crook

Ghost Spirals Bookmark by Amy Crook

It’s always interesting to me to see the way the Japanese watercolors sink and fade into the black paper as they dry, losing some of their opacity and leaving behind a complex texture of paint and paper. These spirals looked ghostly to me in the way some of them faded almost to translucency, which is where they got their name.

Ghost Spirals Bookmark, 4″x1.5″ Japanese watercolor on paper, nfs (sold).

Ghost Spirals Bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook

Ghost Spirals Bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the delicate traceries of dried paint within the thick, translucent spirals. Below, you can see this bookmark hanging out with my book, just waiting to find a new book and a new home.

Ghost Spirals Bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook

Ghost Spirals Bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook
(book not included, you wouldn’t want it anyway, it’s a boring book)

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Series and Books
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Spiral Bookmark 6

Posted on February 26th, 2013

Spiral Bookmark 6 by Amy Crook

Spiral Bookmark 6
by Amy Crook

Today’s bookmark reminds me of sun on the ocean, lightening up the top layer that then gets darker the deeper it goes. The sun is in a shimmery copper, while the ocean is three levels of three spirals each, from a pale aqua that my scanner loves to hate, through a brighter blue and then finally a soft greyish sapphire. All of the paints are iridescent, and catch the light beautifully.

Spiral Bookmark 6, 1.25″x4.5″ watercolor on paper.

Spiral Bookmark 6, detail, by Amy Crook

Spiral Bookmark 6, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see some of the sun-changed colors and get a different hint especially of the deep blue and pale aqua. Below, you can see it hanging out with my trusty hardcover book.

Spiral Bookmark 6, with book, by Amy Crook

Spiral Bookmark 6, with book, by Amy Crook
(book not included, as books often aren’t)

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Series and Books
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