Archive for the ‘Abstract and Just Plain Weird’ Category

Gold Spirals 1

Monday, February 4th, 2013

Gold Spirals 1, abstract watercolor by Amy Crook, $199

Gold Spirals 1, abstract watercolor by Amy Crook

You may have noticed the sad lack of posts last week, which was the result of my winter lull. November and December are such huge months of creativity for me that inevitably the fields needed to lie fallow and have a bit of a creative winter. Last Friday I finally pulled out some black paper and my set of 7 metallic paint powders (they turn to watercolor when water is added, but can also be mixed into oils or acrylics). Then I chose a range of 3 different golds — a warm rose gold, a rich yellow gold and a cool pale gold — and played around.

These are very self-indulgent spirals, loosely inspired by patterns I’ve seen around, the cuffs on the robe of the Theurgy Warden Mouse in my silly FB game addiction, the background pattern on a website I ran across, the colors of the paints themselves. I layered from dark to bright, warm to cool, and then came in at the end and added a very thin, subtle extra set of spirals in duochrome tropic sunrise, which is what’s giving off the green in the scan. It’s only really visible as different from the rest of the gold in the right light, but the scanner usually does a good job of picking that up.

Gold Spirals 1, 6″x4″ metallic and duochrome watercolor on Arches cover black paper.

Gold Spirals 1, detail, by Amy Crook

Gold Spirals 1, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see a shot of the spirals in sunlight, each layer of metals catching the light just a little differently. Below, I’ve put it with the other self-indulgent spirals from last Friday, which you’ll see posted this Friday. If you decide you want them both, you can always email me to hold them for you.

Gold Spirals 1 & 2, framed art by Amy Crook

Gold Spirals 1 & 2, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Series and Books
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Spiral Sunrise

Friday, January 18th, 2013

Spiral Sunrise by Amy Crook

Spiral Sunrise by Amy Crook

This is one of those hard-to-capture pieces, made of cool sky blues and warm sunny golds that mix and mingle in a way that, weirdly, doesn’t actually make much green. Despite the fact that I’m never awake to see them, I wanted to capture a little bit of that feeling of sunrise, when the golden-warm light seeps upward and honey-dips the cool, night-blue clouds. There’s swirls of orangey-gold Duochrome Adobe, shimmery-cold Iridescent Moonstone, and three different metallic blues, all sharing the space with a warm yellow and sky blue background.

Spiral Sunrise, 7″x5″ watercolor on paper.

Spiral Sunrise, detail, by Amy Crook

Spiral Sunrise, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the coppery Adobe, shimmery blue and night-tinted Moonstone catching the sunlight. Below, the pieces is tucked into a frame, hanging out with my iPhone.

Spiral Sunrise, framed art by Amy Crook

Spiral Sunrise, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes
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Bubble Queue Bookmark

Thursday, November 29th, 2012

Bubble Queue Bookmark by Amy Crook

Bubble Queue Bookmark
by Amy Crook

Spirals and bubbles and Qs, oh, my! It’s a queue of Qs rising up, large and small, with curly double tails and a whole lot of whimsy. This one’s small but nice and sturdy, drawn on a bit of comic backing board so it’s even acid-free.

Bubble Queue Bookmark, 0.875″x4.5″ pen and ink on paper.

Bubble Queue Bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook

Bubble Queue Bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook

Above you can see some of the squiggly little bubbles with their swirly tails up close. Below, you can see the wee bookmark resting on a nice big hardcover book.

Bubble Queue Bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook

Bubble Queue Bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook
(book not included. bookmark small but fierce.)

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Series and Books
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Bordello Red Bookmark

Sunday, October 28th, 2012

Bordello Red Bookmark by Amy Crook

Bordello Red Bookmark by Amy Crook

Despite being red and gold, this bookmark reminds me more of some aging, velvet-and-cheap-gilt bordello than Gryffindor House. There’s a plethora of subtle texture on this one, from the wash of red-on-red to the fine layer of crystallized salt, the copper metallic paint powder mixed into the salt and the brighter gold border.

Bordello Red Bookmark, 1.875″ x 4.875″ salt and watercolor on paper.

Bordello Red Bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook

Bordello Red Bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the sparkle in the rain, and the odd spot where I made a little fingerprint in the paint that then grew its own salt-crystal relief. Below, the bookmark is resting against my blue-violet book, waiting for a chance at a new life.

Bordello Red Bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook

Bordello Red Bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook
(book for size reference only)

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Series and Books
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Spiral Bookmark 5

Thursday, October 25th, 2012

Spiral Bookmark 5 by Amy Crook

Spiral
Bookmark 5
by Amy Crook

Spirals are a bit of a theme this bookmark week, but then, they’re a bit of a theme for this entire year for me, so I’m sure you’re not surprised. This one combines bright cheerful colors with a subtly iridescent background. There’s a bit of glitter in the purple center of the droplets or flamelets, however you choose to interpret the turquoise shapes.

Spiral Bookmark 5, 0.875″x5″ mixed media on paper.

Spiral Bookmark 5, detail, by Amy Crook

Spiral Bookmark 5, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can really see the reddish interference paint and sparkly purple glitter gel pen that add depth and surprising shine to this little bookmark. Below, it’s hanging out with the book for your size comparison pleasure.

Spiral Bookmark 5, with book, by Amy Crook

Spiral Bookmark 5, with book, by Amy Crook
(Book not by Amy Crook. Also not included.)

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Series and Books
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Spiral Bookmark 4

Wednesday, October 24th, 2012

Spiral Bookmark 4 by Amy Crook

Spiral Bookmark 4 by Amy Crook

This bookmark was born the last time I had Sharpie Week, and I had all my various Sharpies scattered out over my art table. Three different shades of marker form layers of squiggles and spirals, a bit like a rocky pool in the rain.

Spiral Bookmark 4, 6″x1″ Sharpie marker on cardstock.

Spiral Bookmark 4, detail, by Amy Crook

Spiral Bookmark 4, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the various shades of Sharpie, though I must say my digital camera really gives the blue a neon glow it doesn’t have in person. Below, the bookmark is hanging out with a hardcover book, ready to mark your place. The sunlight really washes out the marker here, brightening the blue to turquoise and paling out the periwinkle to almost nothing.

Spiral Bookmark 4, with book, by Amy Crook

Spiral Bookmark 4, with book, by Amy Crook
(book neither included nor by the artist)

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Series and Books
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Hibiscus Pools

Friday, October 19th, 2012

Hibiscus Pools by Amy Crook

Hibiscus Pools by Amy Crook, $199

This piece is very cheerful and feminine, the shimmery pools of turquoise and salt circled by bright hibiscus pink. The thick, textured watercolor gives a wonderful background for the shiny paint and salt. The small size makes this the perfect thing to brighten up a little corner, adding color and sparkle to your daily life.

Hibiscus Pools, 4″x3.5″ salt and watercolor on paper, $199 framed, with free shipping.

Hibiscus Pools, detail, by Amy Crook

Hibiscus Pools, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the shining pink-purple and shimmery turquoise together catching the sunlight, the two metallic duochrome watercolors changing subtly as the light hits at different angles. Below, I’ve got the piece tucked into a temporary frame, though it will get a more careful framing before it comes to live at your house permanently.

Hibiscus Pools, framed art by Amy Crook

Hibiscus Pools, framed art by Amy Crook

  • Title: Hibiscus Pools
  • 4 in. x 3.5 in. duochrome watercolor and salt on watercolor paper
  • $199 for the original (tax will be added if you live in CA)
  • Frame is included at no additional charge to protect the delicate art during shipping
  • 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
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