Archive for the ‘Flowers, Trees and Landscapes’ Category
Lost Arcadia
Monday, November 5th, 2012
Lost Arcadia, watercolor by Amy Crook
I’ve been reading a lot of HP Lovecraft lately, and aside from being occasionally stunned by the epic racism, I’ve noticed that a lot of his descriptions of paradise have a certain common form. There’s tall spires, glowing domes, beautiful temples and perfumed gardens awaiting the lucky person who can find the various lost cities. Of course, doom (or DOOM in the case of Sarnath) often comes to destroy those idyllic cities or sink them to the bottom of the ocean, but it wouldn’t be Lovecraft if it didn’t.
This is painted using three shades of near-black, the soft green, midnight blue and deep purple, and a tiny bit of actual black thinned out to almost nothing to give texture to the glowing moon, plus a wee bit of white for the few stars that peek out above the clouds. I like the loose way I can just paint with no sketch or reference using the blacks, getting a whole range of values that aren’t just plain grey due to the subtle tinting.
Lost Arcadia, 8″x8″ watercolor on paper, nfs (sold).
Lost Arcadia, detail 1, by Amy Crook
I have a hard time convincing Photoshop to clear away the blue tinge of sunlight from the image without over-saturating the subtle colors on the image, so I left the one above without much adjustment so you can see the detail on the buildings. Below, you can see the swirling blue-black clouds and violet-tinted night sky as it lightens up in the glow of the city below.
Lost Arcadia, detail 2, by Amy Crook
And finally I have it in a frame! My 8×8 frames don’t have stands, just wall hanging hardware, and my iPhone couldn’t jump that high, so I’m afraid you’ll have to imagine how they look together.
Lost Arcadia, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
Tags: city, lovecraft, moon, nfs, sold, spirals, watercolor
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Fairytale Sky 4
Monday, October 29th, 2012
Fairytale Sky 4 by Amy Crook
I have to admit, this particular version of the moon and clouds is done to my very own color preferences, so it’s one of my favorites. There’s a hint of periwinkle in the curve of the huge horned moon, and the clouds are a soft, wispy mix of iridescent blue, interference purple and soft white. The silver stars are smudgy and twinkling on the black paper background, and the whole piece has the feeling of a magic in the air.
Fairytale Sky 4, 5″x5″ Japanese watercolor and duochrome watercolor on Arches cover black paper.
Fairytale Sky 4, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the interplay of blue and purple in the shimmery clouds. Below, the piece is tucked into a frame (with no glass to reduce glare for the photo), and sitting with my iPhone 4s so you get an idea of the size.
Fairytale Sky 4, framed art by Amy Crook
(iPhone not included)
Categories: Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: black paper, fairytale sky, for sale, iridescent, moon, periwinkle, watercolor
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Spiral Vines Bookmark
Friday, October 26th, 2012
Spiral Vines Bookmark by Amy Crook
More spirals! This time we have whimsical vines and lovely little flowers with their evil, evil pollen dotting the black page. This paper is thick and soft, and the black is actually not a dye but a chemical reaction they set off during the papermaking process, so it’s also quite lightfast and won’t rub off on your books.
Spiral Vines Bookmark, 5″x1″ Japanese watercolor on paper, nfs (sold).
Spiral Vines Bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook
Above you can see the swirling vines and happy little flowers up close and personal. Below, the bookmark sits happily on a book, waiting to serve its purpose.
Spiral Vines Bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook
(book is not included. book is not by the artist. do not taunt happy fun book.)
Categories: Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
Tags: black paper, bookmark, japanese watercolors, nfs, sold, spirals
Fairytale Sky Bookmark
Monday, October 22nd, 2012
Fairytale Sky Bookmark by Amy Crook
It’s Bookmark Week once again! We’re starting out with a lovely new moon for Monday, which happens to already have found a home. If you were on my email list, you, too, would have had a chance to snag the bookmark of your choice ahead of everyone else.
I’ll have one more Bookmark Week in November so there’s still time to pick up a stocking stuffer for the holidays, though they will of course be more Amy-themed than holiday-themed. I already have two of the new set done, in fact!
Fairytale Sky Bookmark, 5″x1″ watercolor on paper, nfs (sold).
Fairytale Sky Bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook
Above you can see a close-up of the texture on the moon and the curling periwinkle clouds. Below, the bookmark is sitting on a hardcover book so you can see the size.
Fairytale Sky Bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook
Categories: Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
Tags: black paper, bookmark, fairytale sky, moon, nfs, sold, watercolor
Silver Lining
Monday, October 15th, 2012
Silver Lining by Amy Crook
This piece combines elements from several of my series: whimsical clouds from the Fairytale Sky paintings, a blue filigree moon, and salt-pool stars. The shining blue of the clouds is matched by the swirls of blue in the filigree on the moon, where the silver of the filigree is echoed in the clouds.
Silver Lining, 10″x8″ iridescent and Japanese watercolor, salt, and glitter gel pen on Arches cover black paper.
Silver Lining, detail 1, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the various elements all catching the sunlight, shining against the black paper background. Below is the moon itself, a soft periwinkle blue with shimmering silver and blue filigree giving it an otherworldly feel.
Silver Lining, detail 2, by Amy Crook
Finally, the piece is hanging out on my desk with my iPhone, though I think it would look gorgeous on a wall as well.
Silver Lining, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes
Tags: black paper, blue, fairytale sky, filigree, for sale, glitter gel pen, iridescent, moon, periwinkle, salt, silver, spirals, watercolor
The Stars Are Right 6
Friday, October 12th, 2012
The Stars Are Right 6 by Amy Crook
The brain-pink planet has deep red fissures in its surface, and radiates a subtle evil message of Cthulhu’s advent. The stars are most definitely right for anyone unfortunate enough to get too close.
The Stars Are Right 6, 7″x5″ Japanese watercolor and glitter gel pen on Arches cover black paper.
The Stars Are Right 6, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see a close up of the sliver stars shining out amongst the glittering purple runes, with the planet hovering malevolently in the background. Below, the piece is sitting with deceptive restfulness in a frame, just waiting to invade your home and your mind.
The Stars Are Right 6, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
Tags: black paper, cthulhu, for sale, glitter gel pen, japanese watercolor, planet, stars, stars are right
The Stars Are Right 5
Monday, October 8th, 2012
The Stars Are Right 5 by Amy Crook
It’s another installment in my series of Cthulhu-themed portents, this time with a brooding blue-green planet radiating the message of the Elder Gods. I’m enjoying the spin on mindlessly repeating patterns by having to use the symbols of my made-up alphabet in something like an orderly fashion.
The Stars are Right 5, 7″x5″ Japanese watercolor and glitter gel pen on Arches cover black paper.
The Stars Are Right 5, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the shining green glitter and silver stars against the velvety black texture of the paper. Below, a more mundane view of the art in a frame (sans glass to reduce reflections), hanging out in my desk with my iPhone.
The Stars Are Right 5, framed art by Amy Crook
(iPhone not included)
Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
Tags: black paper, cthulhu, for sale, glitter gel pen, japanese watercolor, planet, stars, stars are right
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