Blog « Antemortem Arts | Art & Writing by Amy Crook

Jade City

Posted on September 2nd, 2015

Jade City, watercolor by Amy Crook

Jade City, watercolor by Amy Crook

Every time I paint a new City, I think, this one is my favorite. It’s the inevitable consequence of hours spent filling in the tiny, monochrome details and fleshing out my imaginary worlds.

This gorgeous jade city is besieged by a magnificent purple rainstorm, the violet clouds hanging above in dark spirals while the rain streaks down the page. The patterns of the rain helped determine the shape of the city it fell upon; gaps in the runnels became the buildings in this layered, mysterious skyline.

Jade City, 8″x8″ watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.

Jade City, detail, by Amy Crook

Jade City, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the tops of a few of the buildings besieged by the beautifully textured rainfall. Below, the city waits in its frame like a window onto another, stranger world.

Jade City, framed art by Amy Crook

Jade City, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: , , , , ,


Calligraphy Sketches

Posted on August 26th, 2015

I’ve been doing some calligraphy sketches on Instagram lately, and I thought I’d share them here for those of you that aren’t there. Some are little modern-day blessings, some are practice for larger future pieces, and one is a contemplation of purpose. Enjoy!

is your cuppa going cold?

Make what you have Do what you need.

May the thing that you're dreading turn out not to be so bad after all

to Create Beauty where none existed before

If you were a character in a story, you'd love you for all your quirks and flaws.

Categories: Pretty Words, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: , , , , , ,


Enterprise

Posted on August 24th, 2015

Enterprise, a Star Trek drawing by Amy Crook

Enterprise, a Star Trek drawing by Amy Crook

After drawing Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, I decided the next logical (heh) piece would be the Enterprise herself. I kept to the warm colors of the models from Star Trek: The Original Series instead of the colder versions you sometimes see in cgi versions, and I love how it looks floating in a sea of stars, phasers shooting off at some unknown enemy.

You can get the Enterprise and her three main men as a bookmark set in my Etsy shop.

Enterprise, 7″x5″ pen & ink, Copic white,  and Copic marker on paper.

Star Trek bookmarks by Amy Crook at Etsy

Star Trek bookmarks by Amy Crook at Etsy

Categories: Card Design, Floating Gallery, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
Tags: , , , , , , ,


Prepositioning

Posted on August 19th, 2015

Prepositioning, an Inception comic by Amy Crook

Prepositioning, an Inception comic by Amy Crook

Sometimes I get dragged into a fandom and it’s instant love, but sometimes a friend will poke and prod and gently tug me toward a fandom for a long, long time before something sticks.

I finally watched Inception for the first time this year, and had to watch it a second time focusing on everything but the main plot to really enjoy it. The setting and secondary characters, however, are an utter delight, which is how we come to this — a typo turned into a terrible pick-up line.

Prepositioning, 5″x7″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper. Send someone a punny proposition today!

Prepositioning, an Inception parody card by Amy Crook at Etsy

Prepositioning, an Inception parody card by Amy Crook at Etsy

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


How to Support Your Artist

Posted on August 17th, 2015

You like my art and you want to support me, but you’re not sure how, especially if you don’t have a lot of cash to spread around. Here’s a bunch of ways to lend a hand, and help me keep making the art that you love (and feeding my cats, whom you presumably also love):

Stars bookmark by Amy Crook

  • Share: Tweet! Facebook! Email! Share my art, my posts, my shop links and all the ways to find me with the people who think you’re the cat’s meow. Cost: Free!
  • Join my List: If you want to know when there’s special things for sale, like original art bookmarks and printed umbrellas, this is the place to be. Cost: Free!
  • Fiction: I write stories! If sweet gay romances and magic are your thing, then you can get my books on Amazon. Even if you’ve got Kindle Unlimited, I still get paid a little bit when you read! Cost: $1+
  • Redbubble: Buy cards, bookmarks, stickers, shirts, and even socks! Redbubble’s sticker sheets are my favorite thing, but the make a lot of really neat stuff, now with Amy art. Cost: $2+
  • Patreon: You can support me like an old-fashioned patron of the arts with a monthly donation of whatever size your budget can support. You’ll get something in return, whether it’s sneak peeks, sketches, or my undying gratitude. Plus cat pics! Cost: $3+
  • Ko-fi: Drop me a tip! Ko-fi doesn’t charge me fees, so I just pay the Paypal cut and get to use your pocket change to buy cat toys and tea. This is a wonderful option for those who don’t want to commit to Patreon. Cost: $3+
  • Spoonflower: Fabric! If you’re a quilter, sewing maven, or just want swatches of fabric to fondle, you can buy stuff from my shop here and I get a wee percentage. Cost: $5+
  • Buy Original Art: This is the top tier of awesomeness. You can set up a payment plan or just drop it all at once and get instant gratification. The Floating Gallery runs once a month, so stop in and see what calls to you. Cost: $200+

City bookmark by Amy Crook

Categories: Words Words Words
Tags: ,


August Patreon Sketches

Posted on August 12th, 2015

007 + Q = 00Q sketches by Amy Crook

007 + Q = 00Q sketches by Amy Crook

My wonderful $5+ Patreon patrons get to ask for a sketch from me every month, and this time 3 of them left prompts!

Kim asked for Q in a sweater, and so we decided of course on the warm jumper from the Spectre trailer. Then Blaine asked for Bond to go with Q, and I decided on the tactical turtleneck from the promo shots, and their eyes meeting across the boundaries of the sketches. And, of course, posing 007 like a Bond Girl. It’s only fair, really.

Jeff, being of a less shippy mindset, asked for something meta: a drawing of a Minion drawing a Minion.

Drawing of a Minion Drawing a Minion by Amy Crook

Drawing of a Minion Drawing a Minion by Amy Crook

Want to see your silly idea next month? Support me on Patreon!

Categories: Completed Commissions, People, Figures and Faces, Things I'm a Fan Of
Tags: , , , , , , , ,


…And Prosper

Posted on August 7th, 2015

...And Prosper, Star Trek parody art by Amy Crook

…And Prosper, Star Trek parody art by Amy Crook

I’m not certain what would cause Spock to want to give his Captain bunny ears with his Live Long and Prosper hand sign, but I’m pretty sure Kirk deserved it. Bones is not impressed, but Bones never is.

…And Prosper, 5″x7″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper.

...And Prosper, framed art by Amy Crook

…And Prosper, framed art by Amy Crook

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


« Or Head Back That Way Drip divider More Art This Way »