Blog « Antemortem Arts | Art & Writing by Amy Crook

Sycamore Sunset

Posted on June 3rd, 2016

Sycamore Sunset by Amy Crook

Sycamore Sunset, 6″x4″ pen & ink and Primatek watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper

This Horizons painting has an intense sky full of fast-moving clouds backlit by the glow of the setting sun. The deciduous trees echo the maples and sycamores of my childhood, leaves bare for now but promising new green when spring arrives.

As with the first painting, this one feels a little out of season, but sometimes we long for the weather that makes our heart sing. In this case, you can dream of crisp autumn days with the crunch of leaves underfoot instead of the first hot breath of summer still bearing the pollen of spring.

Sycamore Sunset, detail, by Amy Crook

Sycamore Sunset, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the intense gold of sun shining through the earthy orange clouds, with just a touch of lace-like branches peeking into the frame. Below, the painting is in its own frame, a small beauty ready to fit on your desk, in a nook, or on a shelf.

Sycamore Sunset, framed art by Amy Crook

Sycamore Sunset, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
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Inlets

Posted on June 2nd, 2016

Inlets, abstract map by Amy Crook

Inlets, 9″x12″ watercolor, Primatek watercolor, and pen & ink on Strathmore watercolor paper

The newest Map is a lovely warm one, reminiscent of a pirate’s treasure map that’s been tossed onto and then rescued from a fire.

Delicate walnut linework traces each little inlet and fjord. The textured paper with its blackened edges speaks of lifetimes of use, parchment worn and damaged and fingers run over the roughened surface.

It makes you wonder what treasure might lie at the heart of this map.

Inlets, detail, by Amy Crook

Inlets, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see a close-up of the walnut ink tracing the ins and outs of these imaginary coastlines. Below, this larger piece is in a nice big frame, just waiting to add a dash of adventure to your life.

Inlets, framed art by Amy Crook

Inlets, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Series and Books
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May Patreon sketches & a bit of word art

Posted on May 31st, 2016

This past Wednesday was a bit of a madhouse, and this next one might be worse. My roommate of 9 years is moving out, and someone new is moving in! I’m very grateful to have found someone so fast (as is my old roomie, who got to squeak out with less than a month’s notice), but it’s going to be a lot of changes. The first of which is a small raise in my rent, sigh!

Do consider supporting my art on Patreon and optionally getting sketches of your own, assuming that my art is something enjoy and support!

Inception quote word art by Amy Crook

Don’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.

In lieu of doing my own word art live on Periscope, I did this little quote from Inception while watching someone else’s Periscope. Perisception, or something.

Knitting sketch for CC

Knitting sketch for CC

This is sort of a study for a larger piece of art. It’s interesting trying to google people knitting, because in half the photos you can tell it’s just a model holding the needles attractively instead of actually knitting.

there is no explanation for this

“Gollum with the good hair” for Jeff’s bizarre prompt

Gollum is saying, “Precious is back from the tasty orange munchie mans… And some new hair!” I have basically no excuse for this one, but it’s definitely Jeff’s fault.

sketchy spring cuppa for Kim

“A cup of tea for Spring” for Kim

So let’s conclude with a lovely little cup of wildflowers, a bright breath of spring after the foreverness of winter this year.

Have a lovely short holiday week, for those of you who got Monday off!

Categories: Completed Commissions, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, People, Figures and Faces, Pretty Words, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
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Ariadne and Yusuf

Posted on May 26th, 2016

Ariadne and Yusuf, Inception parody art by Amy Crook

Ariadne & Yusuf, 5″x7″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper

Someone asked me to make a bookmark set out of the Arthur and Eames art from Inception, and so I bring you two more of the fascinating secondary characters. Ariadne is the architect who builds worlds and mazes for their dreams, and Yusuf is the chemist who finds ways to put them under and still get their kick in the end.

Inception bookmarks by Amy Crook on Etsy

Inception bookmarks by Amy Crook on Etsy

Don’t be afraid dream a little bigger, darling.

Categories: Card Design, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
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Librocubicularist

Posted on May 24th, 2016

Librocubicularist, word art by Amy Crook

Librocubicularist: one who reads in bed,
5″x7″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper

I had a lot of choices for who to draw here, but in the end Hermione seemed like the perfect embodiment of this hard-to-pronounce* word.

Besides, it gave me a chance to draw an unflattering cat selfie of Crookshanks, which is a joy not to be underestimated.

Are you a librocubicularist? I am, every night without fail!

*Seriously, so hard to pronounce.

Categories: People, Figures and Faces, Pretty Words, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
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Ninja Pets

Posted on May 19th, 2016

Ninja Pets, a quick comic by Amy Crook

Ninja Pets, 7″x5″ pen & ink on paper

Does your cat do this? I will be working away (or goofing off mightily) and suddenly find that there is a cat in my lap and I’m petting it. Belladonna’s sneakier than Pod most of the time, but they both do it. My question is always, wait, when did this happen?

Categories: People, Figures and Faces, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Whimsical and Strange
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Motitation

Posted on May 17th, 2016

Motitation, word art by Amy Crook

Motitation: a quivering movement,
7″x5″ brush & ink on paper – $25

A busy week means an easy word! This one was fun to do, ink in a waterbrush and deliberate squiggles to give the feeling of quivering. You can even see the soft texture of the paper in the scan, and the soft lines where the brush shivered along with every tiny bump and dip.

If you’d like to request your own word art, become my patron on Patreon! For as little as $5 a month, you can get sketches of your own oddling ideas. Or at least my interpretation of those ideas.

Categories: Pretty Words, Series and Books
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