Archive for the ‘Things I’m a Fan Of’ Category

Still Life With Fandom 1: Who?

Thursday, December 5th, 2013

Still Life With Fandom 1: Who? by Amy Crook

Still Life With Fandom 1: Who? by Amy Crook

It’s Thursday of this December Floating Gallery week, and today I have an actual still life for you. I have a lot of nifty things, knickknacks and props and oddities, and I thought it would be fun to use some of them to explore the idea of a still life.

A lot of things we’re fans of evolve over time, reboot themselves, or just make changes, so it’s interesting to me to also see this as a reflection of the way our own love for things evolves with them. I have the 10th Doctor’s sonic screwdriver prop because that’s when I was interested enough to get one, but then the show’s moved on and the prop itself is only still current because of the 50th anniversary special.

This painting started with the deliberately loose, wobbly pen-and-ink outlines, and then it sat for a long time until finally I was inspired by The Day of the Doctor to finish it. I even added a little homage to the white paper in the foreground to help fill the big empty space.

Still Life With Fandom 1: Who?, 8″x8″ pen & ink and watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.

Still Life With Fandom 1: Who?, detail, by Amy Crook

Still Life With Fandom 1: Who?, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see a close-up of the sonic screwdriver and its soft blue glow. Below, you can see the piece in a frame, ready to bring a little grown-up fandom to your walls.

Still Life With Fandom 1: Who?, framed art by Amy Crook

Still Life With Fandom 1: Who?, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
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He Knows if You’ve Been Bad or Good

Friday, November 15th, 2013

He Knows if You've Been Bad or Good, a Sherlock parody comic by Amy Crook

He Knows if You’ve Been Bad or Good,
a Sherlock parody comic by Amy Crook

I’m still hard at writing with NaNoWriMo, but yesterday’s card demanded a companion.

Mycroft Holmes is Santa Claus. It makes perfect sense, in a creepy sort of way, he’s already got Minions to do the work and everything. I’m especially partial to the candy cane striped tie, an everyday acknowledgement of his very special secret role. Even more powerful than being the British Government, sort of!

He Knows if You’ve Been Bad or Good, 5″x7″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper. Buy this as a holiday card at my Etsy shop!

two Sherlock holiday cards and a spooky pen made of bone

two Sherlock holiday cards and a spooky pen made of bone

Categories: Card Design, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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Secret Santa

Thursday, November 14th, 2013

Secret Santa, a Sherlock parody comic by Amy Crook

Secret Santa, a Sherlock parody comic by Amy Crook

Despite NaNoWriMo taking over my brain, the holiday cards continue to trickle out of my pens! This one ended up inspiring tomorrow’s comic, in the way that these things do.

It’s Christmas morning at 221B Baker Street, and John’s a bit mystified by the extra gifts that have appeared under the tree overnight from “Santa.” Sherlock is merely disgusted that Mycroft can’t seem to keep his fingers out of Sherlock’s life for one single holiday.

Secret Santa, 5″x7″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper. Buy this as a holiday card at my Etsy shop!

two Sherlock holiday cards and a spooky pen made of bone

two Sherlock holiday cards and a spooky pen made of bone

Categories: Card Design, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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Red, Gold, and Green

Wednesday, November 6th, 2013

Red, Gold, and Green, watercolor still life by Amy Crook

Red, Gold, and Green, watercolor still life by Amy Crook

That’s right, I painted a still life. On purpose.

I wanted something for my personal holiday cards this year that was in the colors of the season but without too much of the seasonal hype, so I pulled out a few of my Pilot Petit fountain pens and then painted a quick still life. The original was for sale in November’s Floating Gallery, but I won’t be putting the cards for sale. You have to be on my holiday card list to get one.

Red, Gold, and Green, 6″x4″ watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.

Red, Gold, and Green, detail, by Amy Crook

Red, Gold, and Green, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see a little close-up of the green and orange (only the pen body is really gold) pens. They have a plastic support behind each nib that’s colored to match the ink, and you can see the green one here, and a little sliver of the orange one in the background. Below, I’ve put it in a frame, with my phone and the not-gold pen in question (the color is called “apricot”).

Red, Gold, and Green, framed art by Amy Crook

Red, Gold, and Green, framed art by Amy Crook

If you don’t know what song this piece puts in my head, I can’t really help you.

And yes, I used Oxford commas in the title just for you.

Categories: Card Design, Floating Gallery, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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Beacon

Sunday, November 3rd, 2013

Beacon, abstract watercolor by Amy Crook

Beacon, abstract watercolor by Amy Crook

Swirls of purples, blues and greens both opaque and iridescent move above a vague, abstract shape that might be a tower or a web or something stranger. The night is void beyond, with no stars to be seen, just deeper violet and hints of shimmering blue.

Beacon, 5″x7″ watercolor and iridescent watercolor on paper.

Beacon, detail, by Amy Crook

Beacon, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the shimmer of blue and violet against the more matte green background. Below, you can see the piece in its frame, sitting in the sun.

Beacon, framed art by Amy Crook

Beacon, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Things I'm a Fan Of
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Mistletoe Experiment

Saturday, November 2nd, 2013

Mistletoe Experiment, a parody Sherlock comic by Amy Crook

Mistletoe Experiment,
a parody Sherlock comic by Amy Crook

In some ways, this comic was really just an excuse to put John in yet another horrifying holiday sweater. Sherlock’s found some mistletoe to hang up for an experiment, but we’re not sure if he’s after smooches or poison dosages. Either way, John will be on the lookout.

This piece is in this month’s Floating Gallery, but was bought by a lovely patron so the original’s no longer available. But you can get it on a holiday card in my Etsy shop.

Mistletoe Experiment, 5″x7″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper.

Mistletoe Experiment Sherlock holiday card by Amy Crook on Etsy

Mistletoe Experiment Sherlock holiday card by Amy Crook on Etsy

Categories: Card Design, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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Trick or Treat & a new Cthulhu Book

Wednesday, October 30th, 2013

Trick or Treat, Cthulhu parody art by Amy Crook

Trick or Treat, Cthulhu parody art by Amy Crook

I’ve finally finished my Cthulhu Holiday Fun Book, a handmade coloring and activity book themed around holidays from Halloween to Father’s Day (zombie style). The above art is lovingly dedicated to Goomi’s Unspeakable Vault, my favorite Cthulhu webcomic of all, since he had the idea of dressing Cthulhu up for Halloween and did it much more cleverly than I.

This image and 11 more are waiting in the book for you to color, along with 5 original maddening puzzles and activities. I don’t promise some of them won’t drive you insane, but hopefully you’ll enjoy the journey.

Get a copy at my Etsy shop today!

Cthulhu Holiday Fun Book, a Lovecraftian activity and coloring book by Amy Crook

Cthulhu Holiday Fun Book, a Lovecraftian activity and coloring book by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Card Design, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Tentacles, Things I'm a Fan Of, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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