Archive for the ‘Daily Art’ Category

Weeble Wednesday: Dracula

Wednesday, January 12th, 2011

Dracula + Heart by Amy Crook

Dracula + Heart by Amy Crook

Today I’ve got a weeble close to my own heart, the classic Bela Lugosi’s Dracula — and his heart, of course. I even tried to copy Bela’s classic hand gestures with the stubby weeble fingers, to what I think are pretty amusing results. He’s got a swishy cape and a charming grin to show you how much he adores you.

You can color him yourself my new Monster Heart Coloring Book, get him on a handmade greeting card at Etsy, or buy the originals, below. Take home an adorably classic movie monster today!

Dracula and Dracula’s Heart, both 5″x7″ pen and ink and Copic markers on watercolor paper. $129 for the pair in a double frame, with free shipping.

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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Squid Hearts You

Monday, January 10th, 2011

Squid Hearts You by Amy Crook

Squid Hearts You by Amy Crook

It seems hard to believe, but Valentine’s Day is little more than a month away already. As a sort of sequel to my wintery Squittens, I made a cheerful squid valentine to show his (or maybe her) love in this year’s cards.

I had to redraw the heart a couple of times before I liked the look of it, but I’m pleased with the tangled-up joy evident in his little squiddy features.

Squid Hearts You, 5″x7″ pen and ink and Copic markers on watercolor paper.

You can get him on a card here at Etsy.

Categories: Daily Art, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Tentacles, Whimsical and Strange
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Elements

Saturday, January 8th, 2011

Elements by Amy Crook, detail

Elements by Amy Crook, detail

After many months of working in the printmaking studio, I amassed quite a collection of little printing plates with abstract and symbolic images on them. I made a number of monoprints using them, including this one. It’s got elements of etching, monoprint, and chine collé in it, and always felt to me a bit myterious, as though it was trying to show me something I could never quite make out.

The grey panel at the top uses the oil-based printer’s ink on one of the blank monoprint plates to render a smoky, abstract image. The middle is a piece of paper from one of the Chinese New Year packets, imprinted with an etching plate that took most of the foil away with it. The final image is a tiny etching plate, a mere one inch square, echoing the smokiness of the top image, or perhaps originating it.

I think I still have a bunch of these plates, and I miss being able to pull them out and muck about late into the night, handling the thick, wet paper and exploring all the different ways the images I’d created could become something new.

Elements by Amy Crook

Elements by Amy Crook

This is the full page, including the inevitable inky fingerprints and smudges around the edge. I always was a messy printmaker.

Elements, 9″x12″, etching and monoprint on watercolor paper, $399 with free shipping.

The thick watercolor paper of this print is not really suitable for display as is, but I’m happy to mat or frame it for you for an additional fee.

Categories: Daily Art
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Monster Heart Coloring Book

Thursday, January 6th, 2011

Monster Heart Coloring Book, front + inside, by Amy Crook

Monster Heart Coloring Book, front + inside, by Amy Crook

The perfect gift for the horror-loving Valentine in your life — a Monster Heart Coloring Book. Each monster is presented with his heart on the opposite page, from Frankenstein’s Monster’s stitched-together heart to the Mummy’s bandage-wrapped one. And as a bonus, a few of the monsters have brides! Dracula, modeled after the very classic performance by Bela Lugosi, even has a trio of his brides.

My Cthulhu Coloring Books got great reviews last year, so I decided to put out something special for Valentine’s day. This one’s a little longer, with 4 extra illustrations, and there’s all-new art including a Zombie and a brand-new Cthulhu.

Check out the Monster Heart Coloring Book at my Etsy shop – it’s sure to make you smile.

Monster Heart Coloring Book, back + inside, by Amy Crook

Monster Heart Coloring Book, back + inside, by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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Weeble Wednesday: The Mummy

Wednesday, January 5th, 2011

The Mummy + Heart by Amy Crook

The Mummy + Heart by Amy Crook

I got laid up yesterday by illness and missed my 2nd art post of the new year! Not the best way to begin, but there wasn’t much else I could do. Still not feeling my best, but I got my new coloring books done!

Today I have the fully-colored Mummy illustration from my new Monster Heart Coloring Book. He was fun to color despite the simplicity, I got to use some techniques to age his bandages without making him totally yellowed. I even have a marker called “old linen” that I used.

You can get him for your mummy-loving Valentine at Etsy, or buy the original below.

The Mummy and The Mummy’s Heart, both 5″x7″ pen and ink and Copic markers on watercolor paper. $129 for the pair in a double frame, with free shipping.

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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Sherlock BBC Sketch

Monday, January 3rd, 2011

Sherlock BBC, sketch 1, by Amy Crook

Sherlock BBC, sketch 1, by Amy Crook

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! I took most of last week off here, just posting Frankenstein’s Monster on Weeble Wednesday, and otherwise relaxing and taking care of end-of-year things.

One of the things I did was watch one of my Christmas presents over and over, that being the new BBC series Sherlock. I really love the dialogue, and all the little references to the original Holmes, and the wonderful rapport between the two main actors. Also, I have a desperate, hopeless lust for the coat Sherlock wears — it’s everything I’ve longed for in a coat, except that it’s wool, so I couldn’t wear it even if I could afford one (it’s a very pricey designer brand from Britain, and last year’s line on top of that).

In honour of my newest fangirlish obsession, my first post of the new year is Sherlock Holmes, as re-imagined by the BBC in modern times. It’s not perfect, but it’s a good start — I’m sure I’ll do at least one or two more, and a couple of Dr. Watson as well. I have some Moleskines lying around that could be easily Holmes-ified.

Also coming up for the new year is another coloring book (with all-new art that’s very nearly done), weeble monster Valentines, the opportunity to be a Zombie, and a window full of art up in a local book shop for the month of February.

Happy New Year! What are you all up to for 2011?

Categories: Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
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Weeble Wednesday: Frankenstein’s Monster

Wednesday, December 29th, 2010

Frankenstein's Monster + Heart by Amy Crook

Frankenstein’s Monster + Heart by Amy Crook

I colored up one of the monsters for my upcoming Monster Heart Coloring Book for next year! This is Frankenstein’s Monster, and his heart. He’s an awfully charming monster, I sort of imagine he’d say, “How you doin’?” if he could talk.

These are actually two separate pieces that go together. The coloring book will have all-new art in it, and I’m having a ton of fun with the hearts and weebles. I mean, who knew Cthulhu could make puppy eyes? But you’ll have to wait a bit to see that. 😉

Frankenstein’s Monster and Frankenstein’s Monster’s Heart, both 5″x7″ pen and ink and Copic markers on watercolor paper.

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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