Spring Blossoms
Posted on May 7th, 2015
Spring Blossoms by Amy Crook
Despite the lack of rain, spring is most definitely here in California, and the pollen right along with it. The one consolation is the proliferation of beautiful flowering trees, including the famous cherry blossoms.
With this series, I often paint the skies and decide on what goes on the horizon later. This time the clouds came out so fluffy and friendly that I wanted to honour the beautiful spring sky, and so I mixed up a pale, petal pink to bring a sense of warmth and hope to the bare branches.
The colors are very hard to capture when it’s all pale blue and soft pink, and no matter what I do the sky ends up much greener than in real life, so do take the images with a grain of salt. As with anything online, what you see is probably neither what I see nor what reality looks like.
Spring Blossoms, 8″x4″ pen & ink and watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.
Spring Blossoms, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the beautiful raised droplets of paint that create the feeling of a cherry tree in full bloom, and a few of the little songbirds flitting in and out of the branches. Below, you can see the painting in a temporary frame — the odd size means it will need a mat of some kind before it goes up on the wall. This is also the photo of the three that best represents the ‘true’ colors, at least on my monitor.
Spring Blossoms, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
Tags: horizons, nfs, pen and ink, sold, spring, tree, watercolor
Growth 4
Posted on May 6th, 2015
Growth 4 by Amy Crook
Subtle dark colours bloom into blues and greys and deep, soft violets, and the intricate detail of pen and ink is nearly lost as the paint splash bursts outward from the central circle.
This is the 4th installment in my Growth series, with a color palette that hearkens back to the first and a design that evolves visually from the third.
Five by five is quite small, and you can find frames just this size at the big craft stores, so you could tuck it into a bookshelf, put it on a desk, or make it one of a cluster of artworks on a larger wall.
Doesn’t everyone need a little Growth in their life?
Growth 4, 5″x5″ pen & ink and Japanese watercolor on watercolor paper.
Growth 4, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the hints of pen-and-ink circles, blurred by paint but still visible. Below, the painting is in a frame, all of its beautiful texture on display.
Growth 4, detail, by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Series and Books
Tags: for sale, growth, pen and ink, watercolor
Unlock Me
Posted on May 5th, 2015
Unlock Me by Amy Crook
I’ve been working hard on a new novel, Unboxed, which should be out sometime this summer. There’s a theme of keys and locks in it, and this lovely painting is part of the cover art.
Lovely hand-painted filigree in a warm rosy gold frames a mysterious keyhole, just waiting for the right key to come unlock it. There’s 3 painted gemstones held in the spirals and curls of the metal. The background is a dark brown woodgrain, the opening of this mysterious box kept safe and sound by the lock that covers it.
This painting gives a fairytale sense of mystery, inviting speculation and storytelling of your own to explain the reason for the lock, who has the key, and what hides inside.
Unlock Me, 8″x10″ Japanese and metallic watercolor on Arches cover black paper.
Unlock Me, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the painting washed with sunlight, catching on the gold and copper paint that make up the filigree design. Below, the painting sits in a frame, a fairytale just waiting to be told.
Unlock Me, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Floating Gallery, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: black paper, i made this, japanese watercolor, metallic, nfs, sold, unboxed
Far-Flung
Posted on May 4th, 2015
Far-Flung by Amy Crook
May the Fourth be with you! I have scifi art for a scifi sort of day.
Another addition to my City series, this metropolis is definitely in some sort of other realm, whether it’s Lost Carcosa or a galaxy far, far away. The huge crescent moon hangs above a city full of wondrous buildings, a strange skyline of some alien race or mystical future.
The painted sky gives a sense of the city glow that hangs over all urban areas, while the stars hold a subtle iridescence that makes them glow in their own right. There’s even a little texture and shadow in the sliver of moon, crowned as it is by a circlet of bright stars.
Far-Flung, 8″x8″ Japanese watercolor and interference watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.
Far-Flung, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, the sunlight has washed the buildings bright green, and made the midnight blue sky look even more mysterious. Below, you can see it in a frame, giant moon hanging high above and mysterious celadon buildings below.
Far-Flung, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
Tags: city, iridescent, japanese watercolor, moon, nfs, sold, stars, watercolor
Cuppa Curiosity
Posted on May 2nd, 2015
Cuppa Curiosity by Amy Crook
Continuing the series, I have another cheerful, illustrative cup of tea.
Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought him back. This adorable little black cat cup has a tail for a handle, a pair of sugar mice for sweetness, and a friendly bee resting on his nose. His green eye and the golden bee both have a bit of metallic gold paint on them to add shine to this adorable illustration.
Cuppa Curiosity, 7″x5″ pen & ink, watercolor, and metallic watercolor on paper.
Cuppa Curiosity, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see both the metallic highlights and painted white tooth and eye-shine that give this adorable kitty and bee extra life. Below, you can see the cuppa in a frame, waiting patiently to be put in a carrier and sent to its new home.
Cuppa Curiosity, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Floating Gallery, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: bee, cat, cuppa, metallic watercolor, nfs, pen and ink, sold, tea, watercolor
Coming Soon
Posted on April 28th, 2015
Seriously, how is Friday the first of May? But true to form, I’m going to have half a dozen new paintings for you to covet and maybe even make your own. Trees and skies, locks and eyes, and a bird or two that flies.
If you’re on my Art Patron’s list, you’ll see a real preview later tonight, just as soon as I get my coding done (copy optional).
Categories: Floating Gallery, Words Words Words
Tags: preview
Sweetness
Posted on April 22nd, 2015
Sweetness, a Sherlock fan art sketch by Amy Crook
Square sketch #2 has my favorite couple to ship, John and Sherlock. Sherlock has snuggled up to John’s side to demand a bit of affection, rather like my cat does. Good thing John’s much more compliant than I am.
Sweetness, 4.25″x4.25″ pen & ink and pencil on parchment cardstock.
Categories: People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
Tags: john watson, nfs, pen and ink, pencil, sherlock, sherlock bbc, sherlock holmes, sketch, watson
« Or Head Back That Way
More Art This Way »
