Seahorse Heart
Posted on August 28th, 2012
Seahorse Heart watercolor by Amy Crook
There’s no tentacles, but these cute little seahorses will have to fulfill your quota of sea creatures for today. They’re sort of making an awkward heart, and sort of having an epic staring contest while they hang out on their bit of coral together. I think the green one’s gonna blink first, though.
Seahorse Heart, 6″x6″ watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.
Seahorse Heart, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see them up close and personal and get a better sense of their body colors, though the eyes really are a nice vivid yellow as seen in the temporary frame below.
Seahorse Heart, framed watercolor by Amy Crook
Categories: Daily Art, Sea Creatures and Other Animals
Tags: green, heart, nfs, pink, seahorses, sold, watercolor
Cassiopeia
Posted on August 27th, 2012
Cassiopeia by Amy Crook
I have been thinking I might want to do some more ordered skies, rather than just the random dots I usually paint, but to be honest when I look up at the stars I mostly see… random dots. Thanks to the power of Google, however, I’ve brought you Cassiopeia done up like a prog rock album cover from the ’70s complete with groovy, glittery calligraphy. Fortunately, I know someone who loves the colors, the constellation and prog rock, so they know what they’re getting for Christmas.
The perks of hanging out with an artist, right?
Cassiopeia, 5″x5″ mixed media on paper, nfs.
Cassiopeia, detail, by Amy Crook
There’s actually a fine layer of sparkly salt crystals mixed in with the iridescent red paint and the whiter glow of the moon on this, which you can only see in the sun from certain angles. This whole piece blends minimalism with bling in a way that amuses me greatly, so I’m glad it’s going to someone that’s already making grabbyhands at it.
Categories: Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes
Tags: black paper, calligraphy, constellation, glitter gel pen, iridescent, japanese watercolor, moon, nfs, salt
Nautilus Sketch
Posted on August 26th, 2012
Nautilus sketch by Amy Crook
This little guy is hanging out in my sketchbook, just swimming free on his own page. I think he’s actually about twice as big on the screen as in real life, in fact.
Hope your weekend’s going swimmingly!
Categories: Daily Art, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Tentacles
Tags: nfs, sketch, watercolor
Sherlock Snuggle
Posted on August 25th, 2012
Sherlock Snuggle
by Amy Crook
I started this cute little pair as a sketch for Sunday, but it just begged to be inked and colored. I use art like this on freebie bookmarks to go with my Etsy orders, so I figured the chin-noogies would serve a good purpose. I figured stick-figure Sherlock could basically hide behind his solid John, except of course for being so very much taller. Well, and the coat, but he’s not wearing the coat.
Sherlock Snuggle, 5.5″x8.5″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper, nfs (sold).
Categories: Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
Tags: copic marker, john watson, nfs, pen and ink, sherlock, sherlock bbc, sherlock holmes, sold
Blue Moon 4
Posted on August 24th, 2012
Blue Moon 4 by Amy Crook
This piece took forever! Twelve weeks of little spirals in the interstices of my day, fifteen minutes here and an hour there, until finally, finally it’s done.
I really liked the texture pattern on the couch in B is for Baker Street, interior, and so I thought, wouldn’t that make a cool pattern for the night sky around this mysterious blue moon? I really need to learn to think before I start spiraling sometimes, though, because the difference between that wee couch and this big piece of paper was a lot of hours. So many hours. @_@
I actually really love the result, though, and I’ve got the piece on display in my studio until someone takes it home to decorate their own life.
Blue Moon 4, 8″x8″ pen & ink and watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.
Blue Moon 4, framed art by Amy Crook
I’ve framed this beautiful piece and hung it on the wall above my writing desk.
Why yes, that is a Jack in the Box holiday-themed antenna ball, why do you ask?
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
Tags: all the spirals, blue moon, crosshatching, for sale, moon, pen and ink, spirals, watercolor
F is for Flourish
Posted on August 23rd, 2012
F is for Flourish, calligraphic illumination by Amy Crook
While my embossed E was all warm green and gold, and this week’s F is cool greens and lemon yellow instead. I knew F was going to be flourish from the start, and boy, did I get flourishy! This illuminated letter would look great on the wall of a Fiona, the desk of a Frank or the bookshelf of a Ferdinand.
F is for Flourish, 5″x5″ pen & ink, watercolor, and glitter gel pen on paper.
F is for Flourish, detail, by Amy Crook
Above you can see the sun really shining off the green glitter flourishes. Below, F is hanging out with D is for Dada in one of my bookshelves.
F is for Flourish and D is for Dada, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Daily Art, Illuminated Alphabet, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: alphabet, calligraphy, for sale, glitter gel pen, green, illumination, pen and ink, watercolor, yellow
Random Recipe: Earl Grey Tea Shortbread Cookies
Posted on August 22nd, 2012
These are so fragrant and rich and delicious with a cup of tea, I wish I could waft the scent at you through the internet. The measurements below are technically for a half recipe, which makes about 2 dozen, or one big cookie sheet full, which is perfect for little old me. If you’re baking for a crowd, you’ll want to double it and make two logs of dough to chill, and then when you turn the cookie sheets you’ll also want to swap racks.
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon finely ground Earl Grey tea leaves (from about 2 bags)*
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
- Whisk flour, tea, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.
- Put butter, sugar, and orange zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture until just combined.
- Transfer dough to a piece of parchment paper; shape into a log. Roll in parchment to 1 1/4 inches in diameter. The original recipe suggests pressing a ruler along edge of parchment at each turn to narrow the log and force out air, but I am lazy. Freeze 1 hour until firm, or chill overnight in fridge.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut log into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment.
- Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 5 days.
These are omnomtastic with any compatible sort of tea flavor, not just Earl Grey. If you want to make them with matcha, leave out the orange zest, but all other measurements remain the same. Go on, you know you want some. Tell me how they came out!
If you want to see what excitement my darling vegan friend Tara Swiger came up with using this recipe, she’s got her version over here. With pictures!
Categories: Daily Art, Words Words Words
Tags: omnomnom, recipe, sharpie marker
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