Archive for the ‘Abstract and Just Plain Weird’ Category
Convergence
Thursday, July 25th, 2013
Convergence, watercolor by Amy Crook
There is a distinct feeling of motion to this piece in person, the sparkling salt stars coming in from above and below, the inky black sweeping on on the sides, all converging in the center of the page. I kind of wanted to add a TARDIS to the picture, but I couldn’t figure out the right place to put it that wouldn’t ruin the sense of forces converging in the vastness of space. You can just imagine it’s floating there in the center with its shields up, the invisible force drawing everything inward.
The salt-crystal “stars” are a bit lost to my scanner, but you can see them much better below, along with a slightly better sense of the colors, though the rich, deep royal purple is just not coming through on my monitor, alas. This is definitely a piece that’s better in real life.
Convergence, 10″x8″ Japanese watercolor and salt on Arches cover white paper.
Convergence, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the texture of salt crystals studded over the paper, and the swirling nebulae of color they swim in. Below, the piece is in a frame, hanging out with my iPhone and looking awesome.
Convergence, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
Tags: for sale, japanese watercolor, salt, stars, watercolor
Black Iron Filigree
Friday, July 19th, 2013
Black Iron Filigree, watercolor by Amy Crook
Another of my mysterious dark backgrounds has been brought to light, though in this case I gave it even more darkness to contend with in the form of matte black filigree. There’s a bit of salt on this piece to add a tiny bit of unexpected sparkle, too, and when framed in black it gives the impression of peering through a carved screen into the mysteries beyond.
Black Iron Filigree, 5″x5″ watercolor and salt on watercolor paper.
Black Iron Filigree, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the tiny sparkle of slat crystals hiding among the matte curls, adding a little magic to the mystery of the swirling blues and purples of the background. Below, you can see the piece framed with my phone for scale.
Black Iron Filigree, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Series and Books
Tags: black, filigree, for sale, salt, spirals, watercolor
Silver Filigree
Friday, July 12th, 2013
Silver Filigree by Amy Crook
At this point, I have to conclude that not only do I love to draw it, I just adore the word filigree. This one’s a little different from its predecessors, though, with the filigree fading from silver into mist as it pours down into the dark, strange painting. Not a single speck of glitter was used!
Silver Filigree, 5″x5″ Japanese watercolor and salt on Arches cover black paper.
Silver Filigree, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see how the spirals grow fainter and more transparent as they travel away from their origin. Below, you can see the painting in a frame on my bookshelf, where it lived all through Sharpie week.
Silver Filigree, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Series and Books
Tags: black paper, filigree, for sale, japanese watercolor, salt, silver
Dark Matter
Thursday, June 13th, 2013
Dark Matter by Amy Crook, $199
I started working on this piece intending to experiment with it as a background for something else, and then on a whim I added a sprinkling of pink Himalayan salt to the damp page. The end result is a creepy, beautiful scene that made me think of a green world floating in dark space, with dark matter engulfing it. The salt sparkles subtly in the sun, and in fact I have a detail photo of all the subtle texture as my computer wallpaper right now.
Dark Matter, 5″x5″ watercolor and salt on paper, $199 with free shipping.
Dark Matter, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the textures of salt and paper and paint together, the dark colors and tiny glimmers of salt. Below, you can see the piece in a frame, matted on black to help emphasize the wabi-sabi textures of the hand-torn paper edge.
Dark Matter, framed art by Amy Crook
- Title: Dark Matter
- 5 in. x 5 in. Japanese watercolor and salt on Arches cover white paper
- $199 for the original (tax will be added if you live in CA)
- Frame is not included, but can be added for $50 (shipping included)
- Shipping is free anywhere in the world
- Payment plans are available, just email me
- The button below will take you to Paypal – if you’d like to pay another way, just let me know and we’ll work it out
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art
Tags: for sale, japanese watercolor, salt
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Spiral Bookmark 7
Friday, June 7th, 2013
Spiral Bookmark 7
by Amy Crook
I couldn’t resist putting #7 on the 7th, so here are three lovely coppery spirals on a background of black paper with dark purple stripes. The paint is a metallic called “duochrome” that shows different colors from different angles, orangey bright from some angles and a more rose-tinted copper from others. I suppose one of these days I ought to do a, “why spirals?” post, but I’m not sure I could adequately answer the question.
Spiral Bookmark 7, 1.5″x4″ watercolor on Arches cover black paper.
Spiral Bookmark 7, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see that I took this over to the window so you’d get the full effect of sunlight, making the spirals shine and the purple deep shadows against the paper. This soft paper is actually made for printmaking, and they create the black color with a chemical reaction in the paper pulp so it’s lightfast and won’t ever fade beyond the rich, deep charcoal. Below, you can see it hanging out with my book, being mysterious.
Spiral Bookmark 7, with book, by Amy Crook
(book not included, book wishes to remain mysterious)
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Series and Books
Tags: bookmark, buy a bookmark, duochrome, for sale, spirals, watercolor
Pattern Bookmark 1
Thursday, June 6th, 2013
Pattern Bookmark 1 by Amy Crook
I decided that, since I am clearly going to keep experimenting with the imperfect art of hand-drawn repeating patterns, I might as well just call it a series starting with this one. This was drawn with my favorite scribbly fountain pen on archival comic backing board, and then shaded with a waterbrush to carry the ink throughout the pattern. It reminds me of some of the patterns on the dwarves’ clothing in The Hobbit, geometric and individual but not too complex.
Pattern Bookmark 1, 4.5″x1″ pen & ink on paper, nfs (sold).
Pattern Bookmark 1, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see a close up of the middle section of the pattern, containing almost one whole repeat though it goes off the edges. Below, you can see this bookmark with a hardcover book, looking quite petite.
Pattern Bookmark 1, with book, by Amy Crook
(book not included, do not covet the book)
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Series and Books
Tags: bookmark, pattern, pen and ink
Red 3
Tuesday, March 12th, 2013
Red 3, 7″x5″ abstract watercolor by Amy Crook
This piece is all about courting chaos. I made some artistic choices at the start, and then once it got to a certain point, I stood back and let the process take over, making it a weird collaboration between artist and entropy. There’s an amazing wealth of detail and nuance in the way the paint, paper, and water interacted as they dried. I considered doing something more with it, like tentacles or tiny fandom, but I didn’t want to cover up all that lovely nuance.
Red 3, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the upper lefthand corner in detail, the way the different colors flowed and pooled and settled as the paint dried in one of the wettest parts of the painting. Below, the painting is hanging out with my iPhone, making it look cool.
Red 3, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Series and Books
Tags: black paper, for sale, japanese watercolor, red
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