Blog « Antemortem Arts | Art & Writing by Amy Crook

Tentacle Deeps 1

Posted on February 17th, 2011

Tentacle Deeps by Amy Crook

Tentacle Deeps 1 by Amy Crook

This piece started as an experiment with the soft blue wash, which I let sit around for weeks and weeks while I contemplated what to do with it. The other day I had a flash of what to do, and then it took me a few more days to take the time to sit down with my watercolors and add the sinuous tentacles rising up from the deeps.

I’m quite pleased with the results, the feeling of depth and the texture of the soft paper and how it interacted with the watercolors (which are really Japanese sumi-e inks, for the most part). I did mix some green in with the blacks to set it off from the teal wash, but I think that in the end the wash won out and the whole thing has a lovely monochromatic feel.

Tentacle Deeps, 5.5″x7.5″ watercolor on watercolor paper.

I also made a computer wallpaper and iPhone wallpaper for your downloading pleasure (right-click or ctrl-click to save). Well, okay, I made them for my own use, but I figured it’d be nice to share.

Tentacle Deeps 1, framed art by Amy Crook

Tentacle Deeps 1, framed, by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Free Wallpapers, Series and Books, Tentacles
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Weeble Wednesday: Revenge of Son of More Coloring Book Doodles

Posted on February 16th, 2011

Weeble Dracula sketch by Amy Crook

Weeble Dracula sketch by Amy Crook

Weeble Sherlock sketch by Amy Crook

Weeble Sherlock sketch by Amy Crook

Happy Wednesday!

I haven’t finished any new proper weebles in a bit, I’m running low on a couple of markers & haven’t had a chance to buy ink refills. These are a couple of doodles I sketched in people’s coloring books for Etsy.

Categories: Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces
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Moleskine Volant: Clusters

Posted on February 15th, 2011

Clusters Volant by Amy Crook

Clusters Volant by Amy Crook

This is the second of the pair of blue Volant notebooks, in a lighter blue. This one I drew with a more abstract design in just two colors of oil paint marker, blue and black. I wanted to explore the idea of clusters of objects, and interconnectedness, without getting too obsessive about the details. The first clusters I drew at the top were close-fitting and made me think of blackberries, so as I moved downward I tried to add a little more space and looseness to their structure.

Clusters, 5″x8.25″ Sharpie oil markers on a 96-page blank Moleskine Volant. $29 with free shipping.

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Moleskines
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Moleskine Volant: Dragonflies

Posted on February 14th, 2011

Dragonflies Volant by Amy Crook

Dragonflies Volant by Amy Crook

A while back I picked up a 5-pack of Sharpie oil-based paint markers, wanting to experiment with the medium a little bit, and then (like so many such purchases) I totally didn’t make the time. We were talking on Twitter last night about the issue of buying supplies for new media and it inspired me to pull out some blank Moleskine Volants (a blue 2-pack) and play around.

I have a few pieces of dishware from Japan with dragonflies on them, and I’ve always found them fascinating, maybe because we didn’t really have them where I grew up. I have a really limited palette here, so I just toyed around with the various possible color combinations on the three big guys, then added in the little guys for some extra interest. The notebook in this case is a really dark blue that’s nearly black, so it provided a dramatic backdrop for the bright primary dragonflies.

Dragonflies, 5″x8.25″ Sharpie oil markers on a 96-page blank Moleskine Volant, nfs (sold).

Categories: Daily Art, Moleskines, Whimsical and Strange
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Resplendent Ennui

Posted on February 11th, 2011

Resplendent Ennui, panel 1, by Amy Crook
Resplendent Ennui, panel 2, by Amy Crook

Resplendent Ennui, panel 3, by Amy Crook

Resplendent Ennui, panel 4, by Amy Crook

Resplendent Ennui, panel 5, by Amy Crook

Resplendent Ennui, panel 6, by Amy Crook

Resplendent Ennui, a Sherlock comic, by Amy Crook

More silly Sherlock cartoons. I spent some time with this exploring a new style, the idea of repeating panels, the textural shading I could do with my snazzy new Micron pen set, and sleep deprivation. Enjoy!

If you’d like a print of this comic (the originals are already gone, yay!), you can pick one up at my Etsy shop.

Categories: Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
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Work in Progress: Golden Light

Posted on February 10th, 2011

WIP: Golden Light by Amy Crook

Work in Progress by Amy Crook

One of the things I do when I’ve got my oil paints out is to prepare canvases to become future works. I have no idea what I’m going to do with this little canvas and its wash of golden light (the lighting in the image only intensifies the effect of the paint), but I’m sure I’ll think of something. A soft, sepia-and-white portrait, perhaps. Or giant evil bees. Who knows?

Categories: Daily Art, Works In Progress
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Weeble Wednesday: Wolfman Hearts You

Posted on February 9th, 2011

Wolfman + Heart by Amy Crook

Wolfman + Heart by Amy Crook

This guy’s a little fuzzy on some things, but his heart is warm and furry and all for you! Werewolf, wolfman, lycanthrope, whatever you want to call him, he’s not on anyone’s team.

This Wolfman is the last of the new illustrations for my Monster Heart Coloring Book, aside from the bonus brides. He’s such a classic movie monster I had to include him.

Wolfman and Wolfman’s Heart, both 5″x7″ pen and ink and Copic markers on watercolor paper.

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
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