Dark Scottish Loch
Posted on November 6th, 2014
Dark Scottish Loch by Amy Crook
Many miles away
Something crawls from the slime
At the bottom of a dark Scottish loch
There is a very subtle shimmer of amethysts in the water at the center of this painting, another in my series of maps to nowhere. The rich mineral-based paints give very understated, muted colors, with only that tiny bit of shimmer to add lightness. I outlined the ‘loch’ with Sharpie marker, and named it after the above lyrics from The Police’s Synchronicity II.
There’s even a hint of monsters in the gorgeous texture of the lake, a suggestion of something lurking in the forest surrounding it as well. A shadow on the door of your mind.
Dark Scottish Loch, 10″x8″ Sharpie marker and Primatek watercolorn on archival paper.
Dark Scottish Loch, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the amethyst paint shimmers ever so subtly in the dark waters of the loch. Below, you can see the painting in a frame, suggesting at secrets to be found at the bottom of things.
Dark Scottish Loch, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Series and Books
Tags: for sale, map, primatek, watercolor
Winter Lane
Posted on November 5th, 2014
Winter Lane by Amy Crook
I turned my trees on their side (pun intended) and did a vertical one this time, with those upward-sweeping branches tangling up in your vision as they reach for the sky above. You can practically feel the winter crispness of the day, and just spot a pair of crows (two for joy, two for luck) hiding in the branches.
Winter Lane, 4″x8″ pen & ink and watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.
Winter Lane, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the purple in the shadows, the golden glow along the horizon, and the texture hiding in the silhouetted trees. Below, you can see the piece in a temporary frame, waiting for its new forever home.
Winter Lane, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Sea Creatures and Other Animals
Tags: crows, nfs, pen and ink, sold, tree, watercolor
Atmosphere
Posted on November 4th, 2014
Atmosphere by Amy Crook
This makes me think of a strange, swirling planet flinging its atmosphere off into the void, or perhaps stealing the blue-violet outer ring of gases from somewhere else. The thin middle ring of blue is hard to spot in the scan, but you can see it in the detail photo quite well, and it’s very obvious in person. The color reminded me very distinctly of photos of the earth’s atmosphere, that thin layer that keeps us all alive, which is where the piece gets its title. The spiralling planet itself is a color-changing paint that goes from reddish copper to a warm golden bronze, while the outside runs through blues and purples depending on the angle of the light.
Atmosphere, 5″x5″ duochrome watercolor on Arches cover black paper.
Atmosphere, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the thin blue shining out from between lavender and copper. Below, it’s in a frame, hanging out with my old glasses for scale.
Atmosphere, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery
Tags: black paper, duochrome, for sale, iridescent watercolor, watercolor
Dreamlands
Posted on November 3rd, 2014
Dreamlands by Amy Crook
Pink jellyfish float serenely over a translucent city in shadowy greens, everything looking half-real against the sky of blue with hints of periwinkle and lavender. Deadly tendrils caress the tops of the buildings, or perhaps pass right through them, and the buildings tilt along with the horizon, like something in a dream.
I’m sure it surprises nobody that the Dreamlands are a Lovecraftian sort of thing, the alien worlds one travels to in the perilous hours of dreaming.
Dreamlands, 6″x6″ watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.
Dreamlands, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the way the jellyfish float past the city, unaffected by its strange towers and spires. Below, you can see the painting in a temporary frame, like a window into a dream.
Dreamlands, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Floating Gallery, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books, Tentacles, Things I'm a Fan Of
Tags: city, dreamlands, for sale, japanese watercolor, primatek, watercolor
No Hugs
Posted on November 2nd, 2014
No Hugs, Doctor Who parody art by Amy Crook
Even though this is technically a holiday card design, I decided to leave the word bubbles off this original so it’s more of a lovely, grumpy portrait of Peter Capaldi’s twelfth Doctor. You can see the cute comic complete with words below. I copied his pose from the first publicity still they gave us of his costume, but used the universal gesture for “no touching” instead.
He is really not into hugging.
You can get these adorable cards on Etsy.
No Hugs, 5″x7″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper.
No Hugs, greeting cards by Amy Crook on Etsy
Categories: Card Design, Floating Gallery, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
Tags: copic marker, doctor who, etsy, for sale, parody, pen and ink, twelfth doctor
Busy Artist is Busy
Posted on October 21st, 2014
5 Works in Progress by Amy Crook
I’ve got jury duty today, argh! A part of me wants to do my civic duty and all that, but the rest of me is already behind and has a lot to get done before November. I have to be awake well before my usual batlike hours, so I will be a Very Grumpy Hedgehog.
I hope you are having a much better day, Dear Readers.
PS – if you want a chance to get free swag, join my list!
Categories: Works In Progress
Tags: wip, words
Their Eyes Met
Posted on October 15th, 2014
Their Eyes Met, a Sherlock parody comic by Amy Crook
Kim has been a wonderful customer on Etsy for a while, and she decided to take the leap and get me to draw her Sherlock ship for her, Lestrade and Molly. She wanted something funny with the two of them making eyes at each other over a corpse in the morgue, and we gave them each something to be pretending to look at before their eyes meet.
This is what she had to say about her commission:
I found the whole experience really positive and fun. Amy’s been really helpful and enthusiastic about the commission and kept in touch regularly to let me know how it was going. And seeing pics of it in progress has been great – watching it come to life on the paper!
Once my package arrived, I was so thrilled – I love the picture. I think she’s created and captured Molly and Lestrade just right for me. And the little extras in the envelople were wonderful, especially the unexpected and lovely line drawing of Greg tucked in with my art. I think he’s worth framing as well.
All in all, a brilliant and positive experience. And a lovely haul of goodies!
-Kim
Kim has also been kind enough to let me share the art with you, by putting this adorable card up in my shop. She’s pretty awesome, right?
Their Eyes Met, 7″x5″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper.
Their Eyes Met, greeting card on Etsy by Amy Crook
Categories: Card Design, Completed Commissions, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
Tags: all rights reserved, commission, copic marker, kim, lestrade, molly hooper, nfs, pen and ink, sherlock, sold
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