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

Tentacle Deeps 25

Tuesday, February 7th, 2012

Tentacle Deeps 25, watercolor painting by Amy Crook

Tentacle Deeps 25, watercolor painting by Amy Crook

Tentacle Tuesday is upon us once again! I decided to go old school with this next set and paint the wash in the middle of the paper, which gives a very interesting edge to work with. This wash started golden yellow at the bottom and faded up to lemony yellow, but I wanted to give it a bit more oomph, so I went in with a deep goldenrod fine-point Sharpie marker and drew tiny crosshatching in all the background areas. The marker nearly fades into the watercolor down near the base of the tentacles, but you can see the texture clearly in the upper areas.

There’s something soothing about doing these really tedious patterns sometimes, especially since I can do a tiny area for just a minute or two and then do something else (mmmminternets), and then go back to it, which cuts up the process into manageable bites. Otherwise, my wrists might never forgive me!

Tentacle Deeps 25, 5.25″x5″ watercolor and Sharpie marker on paper.

Since this one’s slightly larger than a standard frame I didn’t get a photo of it in its new home yet, but you can see the texture of paper, paint and marker in the cool depth-of-field photo that I can’t resist taking every single time.

Tentacle Deeps 25, detail, by Amy Crook

Tentacle Deeps 25, detail, by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Series and Books, Tentacles, Things I'm a Fan Of
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Snape and Harry Shrinky Dinks

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

Snape and Harry Shrinky Dinks by Amy Crook

Snape and Harry Shrinky Dinks by Amy Crook

Yes, that is a dime off in the distance there. Yes, they are just that wee. Somehow, I forget every time just how small they’re going to get! I have no idea what I’ll do with these, possibly a random giveaway. I have jump rings for them (which are ginormous compared to the actual charms) but it’s much easier to photograph them flat without.

Here you can see them before shrinking, next to a pair of scissors for relative scale. Their colors are also less intense, since they get much more pigment-dense when the material they’re on shrinks.

Snape and Harry Shrinky Dinks, before, by Amy Crook

Snape and Harry Shrinky Dinks, before, by Amy Crook

And then a clearer shot of the after, with the same pair of scissors and the additional dime for reference. SO WEE.

Snape and Harry Shrinky Dinks, after, by Amy Crook

Snape and Harry Shrinky Dinks, after, by Amy Crook

Snape and Harry Shrinky Dinks, incredibly wee, Sharpie marker on Shrinky Dink plastic, nfs.

Categories: Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
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Harry Potter Valentines

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

Harry Potter Valentine cartoon by Amy Crook

Harry Potter Valentine cartoon by Amy Crook

I wanted to make a silly Harry Potter Valentine card this year for my friends who love these characters, since not all of my friends got all fannish about Sherlock the way I did. One of them suggested Snape teaching Harry to brew those candy message hearts, and after googling for some bad Latin, this is the card front.

Of course, I couldn’t stop there, we had to see the results!

Harry & Snape's Candy Hearts

Harry & Snape's Candy Hearts

As you can see, someone’s got a bit of a crush on his teacher, but Snape’s still in denial. I’m sure it’ll have a happy ending, though.

Apericordis, 7″x5″ pen and ink and Copic markers on paper. You can get your own copy of this silly little card here on Etsy.

Categories: Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
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Like Sherlock Loves Crime Scenes

Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

Like Sherlock Loves Crime Scenes cartoon by Amy Crook

Like Sherlock Loves Crime Scenes by Amy Crook

I couldn’t resist doing a Sherlock & John cartoon to match the Like Mycroft Loves His Umbrella art from November. Both of these guys are now available as Valentines in my Etsy shop, and I’ll be adding a series of prints soon as well. I have to admit, I really enjoyed wrapping these two up in crime scene tape, it just seemed a natural fit.

Like Sherlock Loves Crime Scenes, 5″x7″ pen and ink and Copic markers on paper.

Categories: Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
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L is for Lestrade

Friday, January 13th, 2012

L is for Lestrade, drawing by Amy Crook

L is for Lestrade by Amy Crook

Happy Friday the 13th! I bring you a fourth adorably morbid installment in my Baker Street Tinies Edward Gorey/Sherlock pastiche commissions. Lestrade is taken directly from H is for Hector in the original book, though Hector wasn’t texting at the time of his untimely demise.

I highly recommend clicking to see the image larger, if only so you can appreciate my absurdly painstaking work. The original is sold, but there are cards (and soon prints) available in my Etsy shop.

L is for Lestrade, 8.5″x5.5″ pen and ink on paper, sold.

Categories: Completed Commissions, Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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Cthulhu Dreams of Love

Tuesday, January 10th, 2012

Cthulhu Dreams of Love by Amy Crook

Cthulhu Dreams of Love by Amy Crook

Cthulhu gets a Valentine! Of course his love-dreams could be for a birthday, anniversary or just because, but it’s that season and I drew him with that in mind.

That said, my favorite part is the button-eyed Hound of Tindalos plush toy. He’s holding its paw! Aww, Cthulhu, we never knew you were such a softie.

Cthulhu Dreams of Love, 5″x7″ pen and ink and Copic markers on paper. Visit my Etsy Shop to pick him up on a card!

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Series and Books, Tentacles, Things I'm a Fan Of
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By Starlight

Thursday, January 5th, 2012

By Starlight, abstract art by Amy Crook

By Starlight by Amy Crook

Another piece inspired by the iconic blue-gold-white of Van Gogh’s Starry Night, there’s a different textural feel to this one on every level, despite being similar in many ways to Midnight Blue. The paper is thicker and of a much softer texture, the salt pools are saturated with bright yellow paint but the spirals are still visible, and the ‘starlight’ is sharp-edged and fragmented instead of a soft glowing circle.

I really just like the feel of it, the swoop of bright stars across the deep blue sky, each one surrounded by its own halo of color.

By Starlight, 5.25″x5″ watercolor and salt on paper.

By Starlight, detail 1, by Amy Crook

By Starlight, detail 1, by Amy Crook

There hasn’t been a proper sunny day for photographing these salt pieces in a while, at least not one that’s warm enough to open the back door for the extra light that always makes them shine. Still, you can see the far pool catching a bit of light, as well as the rich texture the paint makes on the paper.

By Starlight, detail 2, by Amy Crook

By Starlight, detail 2, by Amy Crook

Here you can see the tiny bit of spreading the salt did on the paper this time, not full snowflakes like some of the pieces I’ve done with this paper, but softened, creeping edges trying to expand beyond the water droplets’ original boundaries.

If you’re interested in this piece and would like to talk, you can comment here or email me, my inbox is always open.

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Things I'm a Fan Of
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