In and In and In
Posted on January 17th, 2011
In and In and In by Amy Crook
I’m so pleased to finally be back painting again, after a long winter of no sunlight, no energy, and no time. This is a tiny painting, mostly in shades of blue, and it looks to me like some sort of well or tunnel with a light beckoning at the end, luring one to explore what’s beyond the buff frame.
I’m actually very happy with this painting, as well. I love doing abstracts like this, I always have, but I’ve been drowning in weebles lately trying to get my Valentine’s Day projects done for my Etsy shop. I love doing the weebles, but like anything, sometimes variety is better.
I have a sort of a show next month! The Book Shop in Hayward, CA, has artists in their shop window every month, and I’m to be Miss February. This piece is among the ones slated to go in the window, provided it dries in time. Like all the other tiny paintings, this one comes with a wooden easel for display, which can tuck into a bookcase, sit on top of a computer monitor or mantelpiece, and bring a bit of mystery into your space.
In and In and In, 2.75″x2.75″ oil paint on canvas with 5″ wooden easel.
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art
Tags: for sale, oil painting, tiny painting
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Bonus Weeble: Sherlock & John
Posted on January 14th, 2011
Weeble John and Sherlock by Amy Crook
Since I’ve been drawing Sherlock, I figured it was high time I also gave John a go, not to mention time to Weeble-ify the pair of them. These guys were complicated! That textured wooly weave on Sherlock’s coat took forever, and I spent a long time watching episode 2 trying to get a good look on the exact arrangement of pockets and patches on John’s jacket. Such torment, I know.
It being cartoons, I exaggerated the height difference (5.5″ in real life), and gave weeble Sherlock a thinner build than my usual weebles while drawing John Watson as dead average. It amused me to find out when I looked it up that the actor’s actually an inch shorter than me! John’s sweater was the perfect thing to use my “warm grey” markers on, where Sherlock’s done all in cool greys. Sherlock’s skin is the palest of the skin tones I have, where John got a much warmer, pinker hue, to reflect his home-from-Afghanistan tan.
Ironically, I think this is the most recognizably Sherlock of the 3 drawings I’ve done of him. Cartoons are always easier. (And you know, if you’d like to Be a Cartoon, they’re still available!)
Weeble John and Sherlock, 7.5″x6.5″ pen and ink and Copic markers on sketchbook paper, not for sale.
Categories: People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
Tags: copic marker, nfs, pen and ink, sherlock, watson, weeble
Sherlock sketch 2
Posted on January 13th, 2011
Sherlock sketch 2 by Amy Crook
After my first sketch of Sherlock from his new BBC Series, I decided to challenge myself to get the face right (or at least more right, heh) and do a potrait. I can still see that there’s something slightly off here even after erasing every single facial feature at least twice and redrawing it, but after 3 sessions of work on it I’m actually pretty happy with the result. It’s recognizably him, there’s just a few details that aren’t quite perfect.
I’ve been thinking that I need to spend time learning how to draw character faces with different expressions, not just the expressions but the faces themselves, as a lot of cartoon-style art involves drawing the same person over and over and making them look consistent, so expect to see more Sherlock and probably his incarnation of Dr John Watson as well.
And yes, I’m already working on the weebles. What, like you’re surprised?
Categories: Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
Tags: fan art, nfs, pencil, sherlock
Weeble Wednesday: Dracula
Posted on January 12th, 2011
Dracula + Heart by Amy Crook
Today I’ve got a weeble close to my own heart, the classic Bela Lugosi’s Dracula — and his heart, of course. I even tried to copy Bela’s classic hand gestures with the stubby weeble fingers, to what I think are pretty amusing results. He’s got a swishy cape and a charming grin to show you how much he adores you.
You can color him yourself my new Monster Heart Coloring Book, get him on a handmade greeting card at Etsy, or buy the originals, below. Take home an adorably classic movie monster today!
Dracula and Dracula’s Heart, both 5″x7″ pen and ink and Copic markers on watercolor paper. $129 for the pair in a double frame, with free shipping.
Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
Tags: coloring book, copic marker, Dracula, for sale, monster, pen and ink, weeble
Squid Hearts You
Posted on January 10th, 2011
Squid Hearts You by Amy Crook
It seems hard to believe, but Valentine’s Day is little more than a month away already. As a sort of sequel to my wintery Squittens, I made a cheerful squid valentine to show his (or maybe her) love in this year’s cards.
I had to redraw the heart a couple of times before I liked the look of it, but I’m pleased with the tangled-up joy evident in his little squiddy features.
Squid Hearts You, 5″x7″ pen and ink and Copic markers on watercolor paper.
You can get him on a card here at Etsy.
Categories: Daily Art, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Tentacles, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: copic marker, for sale, heart, pen and ink, squid, valentine
Elements
Posted on January 8th, 2011
Elements by Amy Crook, detail
After many months of working in the printmaking studio, I amassed quite a collection of little printing plates with abstract and symbolic images on them. I made a number of monoprints using them, including this one. It’s got elements of etching, monoprint, and chine collé in it, and always felt to me a bit myterious, as though it was trying to show me something I could never quite make out.
The grey panel at the top uses the oil-based printer’s ink on one of the blank monoprint plates to render a smoky, abstract image. The middle is a piece of paper from one of the Chinese New Year packets, imprinted with an etching plate that took most of the foil away with it. The final image is a tiny etching plate, a mere one inch square, echoing the smokiness of the top image, or perhaps originating it.
I think I still have a bunch of these plates, and I miss being able to pull them out and muck about late into the night, handling the thick, wet paper and exploring all the different ways the images I’d created could become something new.
Elements by Amy Crook
This is the full page, including the inevitable inky fingerprints and smudges around the edge. I always was a messy printmaker.
Elements, 9″x12″, etching and monoprint on watercolor paper, $399 with free shipping.
The thick watercolor paper of this print is not really suitable for display as is, but I’m happy to mat or frame it for you for an additional fee.
Categories: Daily Art
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