Blog « Antemortem Arts | Art & Writing by Amy Crook

Cartoon: Linda Esposito, version 1

Posted on August 23rd, 2010

Linda Esposito, version 1, by Amy Crook

Linda Esposito, version 1, by Amy Crook

When the wonderful Linda Esposito of Talk Therapy Biz took me up on getting herself turned into a cartoon, I’m pretty sure she didn’t expect to get two! The one she asked for was the one above, something in greens and browns with a professional feel to it to complement her site. When I was actually doing her sketch, I couldn’t find her email at first with the pose request, so I doodled up an entirely different cartoon of her (I’ll post that one tomorrow) before digging up the “right” pose.

I couldn’t resist showing her both ideas, though, and I was thrilled when she decided to get cartooned twice! She’s been wonderfully patient with this summer’s mad delays, and I’m really happy that she’s finally got her cartoons to show for it.

Categories: Completed Commissions, Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces
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Snuggly Feet

Posted on August 21st, 2010

Snuggy Feet sketch by Amy Crook

Snuggy Feet sketch by Amy Crook

Just a little pencil sketch for the weekend, it’s two people cuddling though the foreshortening on the leftmost foot rather suggests a third very small-footed party has snuck in. Alas, that’s what I get for working from photo references.

Also, feet are a pain to draw.

Categories: Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces
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Identify

Posted on August 20th, 2010

Identify, detail, by Amy Crook

Identify, detail, by Amy Crook

I thought I might end Friday with a monoprint in 2 panels, a 2-by-6 inch one allowing the figure to reach past the 4-by-6 inch frame she’s in, making the whole image 6 inches square. Although this print originally had a different title, I chose to change it to “Identify” because it works on several levels. Female nudity is becoming ubiquitous in our culture, but at the same time it’s still both highly fetishized and reviled. By masking the identity of the woman in the image, she’s both reduced to an object, and protected from the viewer’s scorn. In addition, it invites the viewer to identify with the subject, to find points of commonality despite her vulnerable-yet-anonymous position.

Identify, 6″x6″ monoprint on 11″x11″ watercolor paper, $399 with free shipping.

Categories: Daily Art, Nudes and Other Sexy Things, People, Figures and Faces
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Not Late for Anything

Posted on August 19th, 2010

Not Late for Anything by Amy Crook

Not Late for Anything by Amy Crook

This print uses several techniques, layering the two sheets of imported paper, black on a creamy natural white, and then adding silver ink in the form of 4 separate images — 3 rubber stamps around the borders, and the central monoprint. All of the images were printed in silver oil-based etching in, because the black paper wouldn’t allow the translucent water-based monoprint inks to show up. In addition, the paper didn’t allow the image to fully print, some of the fibers rejecting the ink entirely, leaving the figure with a shadowy, deaths-head appearance.

In the upper right, I re-used the same silver sun from Sea, and then we have the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland on the lower left, and a Winnie the Pooh stamp on the lower right. Pooh stands hand-in-hand with Christopher Robin, along with the quote, “The Forest will always be there… and anybody who is Friendly with Bears can find it.”

I wanted to give the image of someone basking in the sun, eyes closed, taking a moment before moving on to whatever the next thing is, whether it’s another day’s work, the Red Queen’s Court, the Forest, or whatever lies beyond the fields we know.

Not Late for Anything, 31″x23″ monoprint, rubber stamp & chine collé on imported paper, $499 with free shipping.

Categories: Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces, Things I'm a Fan Of, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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Sea

Posted on August 17th, 2010

Sea by Amy Crook

Sea by Amy Crook

I finally got a better photo of this print that showcases the muted, subtle colors. The paper is such a pale blue, and the other colors so muted, it can be quite difficult to photograph, and even worse to try to work with in Photoshop.

I love the teal-grey waves with their scribbled-in echo of the etching plate, and slow fade from dark to light. It’s nearly two feet tall and over two and a half wide, and would look gorgeous floated on a piece of matte board in a simple frame.

You can see where I also used one of my etching plates, the same one that shows up in very different contexts in Ogdred Weary and Elements. Instead of inking into the deep grooves of the plate, I used the same brayer (ink roller) that I used to make the larger patterns, to roll ink only onto the surface of the plate, leaving the actual etching free of ink. (Click any image to see it larger.)

Sea, detail 1, by Amy Crook

Sea, detail 1, by Amy Crook

You can see here how there’s echoing linework hiding in the main part of the image. First ink was laid down on the main plate using the brayer, and then the back of a paintbrush was used to scrape away the ink to add texture.

Sea, detail 2, by Amy Crook

Sea, detail 2, by Amy Crook

The whole pattern of waves and seaweed, or tentacles, or just more eddies and currents, is topped off with a shining sun rubber stamp in silver ink.

Sea, detail 3, by Amy Crook

Sea, detail 3, by Amy Crook

The print itself is quite large, the imported paper soft with beautiful natural edges. It really needs to be matted and framed for proper display, perhaps floated on a white or black background.

Sea, 31″x23″ monoprint, etching and rubber stamp on paper.

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Sea Creatures and Other Animals
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Chasing Amy

Posted on August 16th, 2010

Chasing Amy, detail, by Amy Crook

Chasing Amy, detail, by Amy Crook

Some days I can resist the pop culture reference in the titles, and some days I can’t. I’ve always really liked this monoprint for no reason that I can articulate, something about the colors and the way it all came out just works for me. I was especially pleased with the way the image expanded out of its borders to give a sense of movement, making the whole page more a part of the image.

Chasing Amy by Amy Crook

Chasing Amy by Amy Crook

Like my other prints, this one of a kind piece will need to be framed or matted before it’s ready to display. I’m happy to help you out with that if you like, for the cost of materials.

Chasing Amy, 3″x3″ monoprint on 11″x11″ watercolor paper, $499 with free shipping.

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art
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Vampire Pumpkin

Posted on August 15th, 2010

Vampire Pumpkin by Amy Crook

Vampire Pumpkin by Amy Crook

A continuation of last week’s Twitter suggestion from @etherjammer, I give you a cute little vampire pumpkin. I am tempted to refine this into some kind of motif or dingbat, he’s just so adorable.

Categories: Daily Art, Whimsical and Strange, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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