Blog « Antemortem Arts | Art & Writing by Amy Crook

Queen of Swords

Posted on May 7th, 2017

Queen of Swords, chibi tarot art by Amy Crook

Queen of Swords, 5″x7″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper

This bodaciously majestic Queen of Swords is a delightful take on the tarot card, with one hand raised up to greet her subjects and her sword held ready in the other.

She’s got little blue swords on her sleeves, and the green brocade of her underskirt is covered in arrows letting you know just where to kneel. At her feet. Where you belong. Everything about her expression tells you she’s completely confident in her ability to make you do what she says.

Truly royal.

Queen of Swords, detail, by Amy Crook

Queen of Swords, detail, by Amy Crook

Above – look at that quirky, regal smile! Bow to that quirky, regal smile. Below, she’s majestically framed, just as she should be.

Queen of Swords, framed art by Amy Crook

Queen of Swords, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Floating Gallery, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books
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Podovich

Posted on May 6th, 2017

Podovich, catnap art by Amy Crook

Podovich, 7″x5″ Copic marker on paper

It’s Caturday – a wild Pod appears! Only this time he’s been evolved into a Russian Blue instead of his usual sleek black, hence the name.

Podovich is curled up in a fuzzy ball with just one pink ear to break up the soft, inviting grays. The white pillowy surface he’s sleeping on carries just a hint of shadow, as of course he’s found himself someplace flooded with light for his nap.

That must be why he’s got his paw over his eyes.

Where in your life do you need a kitty to remind you of the value of catnaps?

Podovich, detail, by Amy Crook

Podovich, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the little details of fur and ear and one closed eye not quite hidden completely. Below, Podovich is napping in a frame, safe and content.

Podovich, framed art by Amy Crook

Podovich, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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Prague Rock

Posted on May 5th, 2017

Prague Rock by Amy Crook

Prague Rock, 7″x5″ watercolor on Arches cover black paper

Another city gilded in metallic shine, only this one has silver starlight instead of golden sunlight glinting off the roofs and towers. The night has washed the city in shades of blue-violet, stealing away whatever color it has in the daytime.

The architecture here riffs on Prague without really being accurate in any way to any part of it. Much like the Painted Ladies, it’s more the idea of a city than a portrait of it, the feeling of somewhere magical you could live, if only you could turn just the right corner.

Prague Rock, detail, by Amy Crook

Prague Rock, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the light glinting off the silver highlights on the stars and spires. Below, this smaller city is nestled in a frame, like a window to somewhere you wish you could go.

Prague Rock, framed art by Amy Crook

Prague Rock, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
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Halloween Pathways

Posted on May 4th, 2017

Halloween Pathways, abstract art by Amy Crook

Halloween Pathways, 7″x5″ watercolor on Arches Cover black paper

Deep charcoal supports and subdues the bright Halloween orange in this latest Pathways painting.

The image suggests bold autumn trees, lit by the last orange rays of sunlight slanting towards them. Or is it a bright potion bubbling over the sides of an iron cauldron? Perhaps you see the stripes on some deadly orange monster instead.

The simple-seeming monochrome hides a depth of color and detail that will give you hours of peaceful contemplation while you sit and sip cider and think of Halloweens to come.

Halloween Pathways, detail, by Amy Crook

Halloween Pathways, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the the way the charcoal blackness of the paper draws the orange into itself, lending a base of deep gloom to the holiday brightness of it. Below, the painting is tucked into a frame, just waiting to haunt your home.

Halloween Pathways, framed art by Amy Crook

Halloween Pathways, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Series and Books
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Dream Well

Posted on May 3rd, 2017

Dream Well, abstract art by Amy Crook

Dream Well, 5″x5″ watercolor and brush pen on Arches Cover buff paper

May is here! I hope you had a good April, the cats and I missed seeing you terribly while I was convalescing.

Dusky lavender swirls like liquid, bounded by broken lines like a dream of an object, soft and subtle and strange.

Dip into the dream well and see what you pull up from its depths. The shallowness is only an illusion; the well of dreams goes down forever, full of endless possibilities and impossible futures.

This lovely mixed media piece is quite small at only five inches square, the soft buff of the paper making it perfect to warm up a space that needs a little imagination.

Dream Well, detail, by Amy Crook

Dream Well, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the stuttering strokes of pen filling in the borders where the brush stuttered first, making waves in the soft, warm violet well. Below, this tiny artwork is resting peacefully in a frame, perfect for a small meditation nook, or even just your desk at work.

Dream Well, framed art by Amy Crook

Dream Well, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery
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30 Day Marker Challenge, part 4

Posted on May 2nd, 2017

The amazing Sadynax gave herself a 30-day Marker Challenge last month, and I decided to do it for April to help get back in the swing of art after my surgery.

I managed to make art nearly every day this month (once I doubled up and skipped a day), and I can definitely see how I got back into using my materials as the month went on. I also got more energy to put into the finished pieces as my stamina returned, so hooray for healing!

Spilled Tea by Amy Crook

Day 25: Draw liquid.

Polar Stars bookmark by Amy Crook

Day 26: Use your favorite colors.

Jigglypuff by Amy Crook

Day 27: Choose 3 colors blindly, again!

Queen of Swords by Amy Crook

Day 28: Use only markers that end in the number 7.

Spring Moleskine by Amy Crook

Day 29: Use cheap markers.

Aquamarine (left) and Amethyst Spear (right) by Amy Crook

Day 30: Redo a challenge you were dissatisfied with and compare the two pieces.

Categories: Completed Commissions, Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Moleskines, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
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30 Day Marker Challenge, part 3

Posted on April 25th, 2017

The amazing Sadynax gave herself a 30-day Marker Challenge last month, and I decided to do it for April to help get back in the swing of art after my surgery. Three weeks and counting I’ve managed some daily art, hooray!

I’m giving my wonderful Patreon supporters some bonuses at the $5+ sketch levels this month, so it’s a good time to become a patron!

Celadon Teapot by Amy Crook for Kim

Day 18: Use colored paper.

Amethyst Spear by Amy Crook

Day 19: Draw stone or crystal.

Podovich by Amy Crook

Day 20: Draw fur.

Jellyfish by Amy Crook for Molly

Day 21: Draw water.

Charmeleon by Amy Crook for Eric

Day 22: Draw fire.

Coffee Warms the Soul by Amy Crook for Jefferson

Day 23: Draw cold atmosphere.

Desert by Amy Crook

Day 24: Draw warm atmosphere.

Categories: Card Design, Completed Commissions, Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, People, Figures and Faces, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Tentacles, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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