Coming Soon
Posted on July 12th, 2016
brush calligraphy practice
The Printer is dead — long live the Printer!
I didn’t get word art done last week thanks to the printer doom, other than this notebook I’m filling with brush lettering and brush pen art for a secret project for my Etsy shop. I’ve got about half of the pieces done, and then there will be scanning, Photoshoppery, and — gasp! — printing!
That’s right, the third one was the charm, and I have a shiny new Canon taking up way too much space on my tiny desk now. So, more word art coming soon (tomorrow, for you Instagram followers!), but until then, enjoy these little sneak peeks.
Mmm, tea. Or coffee. Whichever.
Categories: Pretty Words, Works In Progress
Tags: brush and ink, brush pen, etsy, wip
Never to Be Told
Posted on July 8th, 2016
Never to Be Told, 6″x6″ pen & ink and watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper
The dull orange glow coming off this rusted, smoking ruin is a lovely, warm color that somehow still embodies the apocalyptic feel of it. It’s a color you only see in the sky when things have not gone according to plan.
The crows circling above the city are the final harbingers of doom, that sign that civilization has left and there’s nothing left but whatever the crows can pick over.
It sounds like the start of a fascinating story, doesn’t it?
Never to Be Told, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see a single bird circling above the ruins, blackened beams and smoke-smudged skies. Below, this mournful scene is framed for posterity, waiting to spark new tales and inspire post-apocalyptic ideas.
Never to Be Told, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books
Tags: city, for sale, horizons, pen and ink, primatek, ruins, watercolor
Dragonfly Airship
Posted on July 7th, 2016
Dragonfly Airship, 7″x5″ Japanese watercolor and pen & ink on paper
This is the first of the end-of-gallery Airship series that really gelled in a beautiful, detailed way. The gorgeously patterned dragonfly wings work with the body of the ship. The windows on the body imply a fascinating sense of scale. The ornamentation hovers somewhere between the whimsy of steampunk and the sleekness of retro-futurism, with the flower-petal propeller adding the final touch of whimsy.
This painting is perfect for sparking the imagination, sending your mind on short flights of fancy to keep your day floating along peacefully.
Dragonfly Airship, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see a detail of the painted pattern, evoking without copying a firefly’s delicate wings. Below, the art is sitting in a frame, just waiting to fly off to its new home.
Dragonfly Airship, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Floating Gallery, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: airship, japanese watercolor, nfs, pen and ink, sold, watercolor
Twisted Maple
Posted on July 6th, 2016
Twisted Maple, 8″x4″ pen & ink and Primatek watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper
Have a dose of the rain that California is still terribly in need of!
This tree has the twists and turns of a maze, the fat, short trunk splitting off into pathways and branches full of gnarls and bends.
The black seems dense at first but at second look there are subtle textures of bark adding dimension and shape, contrasting beautifully with the rainy sky behind it.
Twisted Maple, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the hints of bark texture hiding in the black ink silhouette. Below, the painting rests in a temporary frame, just waiting to bring a breath of crisp autumn into your hot summer days.
Twisted Maple, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
Tags: for sale, horizons, pen and ink, primatek, tree, watercolor
F*ck Tech Support
Posted on July 5th, 2016
F*ck Tech Support, 7″x5″ brush and ink on paper
My printer is dead! And the replacement printer had software issues that were unresolvable, so now we’re waiting for printer number three. After I wasted an entire afternoon of Epson & Adobe playing the “no it’s their fault” blame game.
I really, really hate tech support. But, hey, I got this done while I was on hold.
And as a bonus, here’s a pretty version with color!
F*ck Tech Support, colorized word art by Amy Crook
Categories: Pretty Words
Tags: brush and ink, word art, word art weds
Red Ghosts
Posted on July 4th, 2016
Red Ghosts, 6″x6″ Primatek and interference watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper
Happy 4th of July! Looking at this today, I wonder if I shouldn’t have named it after fireworks instead.
The mysterious red-violet depths of the background in this beautiful abstract make the perfect grounding for the ghostly shapes that float atop them.
The interference red switches from white to shining red depending on the angle of the light, throwing off little ghosts of color and letting the looming shapes behind show through.
This is one of those paintings that will catch your eye at odd moments and show you a new detail every time you look at it. Perfect for adding a touch of beauty to your space.
Red Ghosts, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the beautiful interference red catching the light, as well as the gentle sparkle of genuine amethyst and garnet paint in the complex background layers. Below, the ghosts have gone white with their faces turned away from the sun in this simple frame.
Red Ghosts, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Series and Books
Tags: for sale, interference, pathways, primatek, purple, red, watercolor
Tea Shelf
Posted on July 3rd, 2016
Tea Shelf, 8″x4″ pencil and watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper
Cup, cup, cat, cup, cup, tin.
Whimsy and tea, what more could you want? This delightful little watercolor shows a shelf of goodies, from a beautiful celadon teacup and saucer to a cheerfully antisocial mug. The gloved “hands” that hold up the shelf add to the delight, especially with a wee mouse sleeping happily in one of them. The sleeping-cat figurine might be my favorite part.
What’s yours?
Tea Shelf, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the mug that I really do need to get made, and the adorable sly grey kitty figurine next to it. Below, the piece is in its temporary frame, showing off before it gets whisked away to its new home.
Tea Shelf, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Floating Gallery, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: nfs, sold, tea, watercolor
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