Archive for the ‘Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things’ Category

Brainton Soup

Tuesday, May 21st, 2013

Brainton Soup by Amy Crook

Brainton Soup by Amy Crook

I have a friend who always says that wonton soup looks like little brains floating in broth, so, this is totally her fault. The tentacles are taking place of the bok choi, cabbage, spinach or whatever random greens your chosen Chinese place uses in their soup. Also, tentacles. I even gave the bowl a nice design of my very own madness-inducing fake Mythos alphabet. Because I could.

What’s sad is that I’ve now done enough paintings with that text in it that I could generate this one without looking up a reference. Either that, or it really is all messages from beyond the stars.

I’m thinking this would make a great t-shirt, so if there’s interest it might go up on my meager little Redbubble account. What do you think?

Brainton Soup, 7″x5″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper.

Brainton Soup, detail, by Amy Crook

Brainton Soup, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see a detail of the brains and tentacles. I tried to color the brains somewhere between the warm yellow of wonton wrappers and the unhealthy pink of a real brain, and I think the result is pleasantly disturbing. Below, you can see the brains in a frame, with Cthulhu there to keep the tentacles in line.

Brainton Soup, framed art by Amy Crook

Brainton Soup, framed art by Amy Crook

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

Thursday, March 28th, 2013

Skull Paper by Amy Crook

Skull Paper by Amy Crook

Another foray into Victorian-style wallpapers with a limited palette, this piece combines loose brushwork with muted, complementary colors. The top copper shade is slightly iridescent, which adds a certain decaying glory to the erratic pattern. It makes me think of a design mouldering away in some abandoned Gothic manor house, the grinning skulls only adding to the haunted gloom of the place.

Skull Paper, 4″x6″ watercolor and iridescent watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.

Skull Paper, detail, by Amy Crook

Skull Paper, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the light reflecting off some of the warm copper paint, which is at its darkest and most iridescent in the halos around each skull. Below, you can see the piece in a frame, hanging out on my desk with some other examples of scribbly, imperfect wallpaper.

Skull Paper, framed art by Amy Crook

Skull Paper, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Daily Art, Series and Books, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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Fish Skeleton

Tuesday, March 19th, 2013

Fish Skeleton watercolor by Amy Crook

Fish Skeleton watercolor by Amy Crook

This is another of those pieces that started with an experiment with water and paint, and the result made me think of a stream in a rainstorm with drops hitting the surface and a soft play of light down in the water below. I wanted to do something more interesting that just a random fish, though, so of course I went for a fish skeleton. I took a few liberties with fish anatomy, so this isn’t really a specific fish so much as the Death of Fish, as it were.

It’s a definite contrast to the whimsy of my previous Fish Skellington, swimming along all silent and deadly, or at least dead.

Fish Skeleton, 6″x4″ watercolor on paper, $199 with free shipping.

Fish Skeleton, detail, by Amy Crook

Fish Skeleton, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the fine details of rib and fin and skull wending their way through the random-seeming raindrops. Below, the skeleton has swum into a frame so you can enjoy the wee size of it, perfect for a desk at work or an unused bit of wall at home.

Fish Skeleton, framed art by Amy Crook

Fish Skeleton, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Daily Art, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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7 Skulls

Monday, March 18th, 2013

7 Skulls by Amy Crook

7 Skulls by Amy Crook

Whimsical cartoon skulls are rolling around on a background full of spirals, with a lovely blue-black painted border that emphasizes the natural torn edges of the paper. Each cartoonish skull has its own character, just like the real ones we all have hiding under our skin.

7 Skulls, 9″x7″ watercolor on paper.

7 Skulls, detail, by Amy Crook

7 Skulls, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see a detail of the skulls and the thick, textured paper they’re painted on. Below, I’ve put them temporarily in an 8×10 frame, so you can get a feel for the actual size of the painting.

7 Skulls, framed art by Amy Crook

7 Skulls, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Daily Art, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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Purple Pattern Bookmark

Friday, March 1st, 2013

Purple Pattern Bookmark by Amy Crook

Purple Pattern
Bookmark
by Amy Crook

This wee bookmark is the same size as yesterday’s, but with a very different subject. This time I started with Sharpie to doodle in skulls and curlicues, and then I took a purple ink pen and drew in the long lines. This one’s drawn on the shiny side of a scrap of comic backing board, so I took my finger and smeared the purple ink, giving a lovely mottled texture while the actual drawn lines still remained visible.

Purple Pattern Bookmark, 1″x4″ pen & ink and Sharpie marker on cardstock, nfs (sold).

Purple Pattern Bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook

Purple Pattern Bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the bookmark up close, including a little bit of sunshine off the shiny Sharpie and scored-in purple pen lines near the top. Below, you can see it hanging bravely with the big green book, evoking the ’80s.

Purple Pattern Bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook

Purple Pattern Bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook
(book not included, it clashes)

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Series and Books, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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Only in a Potion

Thursday, January 3rd, 2013

Only in a Potion, parody Harry Potter art by Amy Crook

Only in a Potion, parody Harry Potter art by Amy Crook, $59

Snape is deeply unimpressed by your devotion. “The only way I’d want your heart is for apotion,” he declares on this whimsically morbid little unValentine card. If you’ve got someone you’d like to stop loving you quite so much, or just know someone who loves Snape and would get a giggle out of the sentiment, this is the card for you!

You can even get the original art to have Snape glaring down at you in all his cranky glory.

Only in a Potion, 5″x7″ pen & ink and Copic markers on paper, original $59 with free shipping.

Only in a Potion, Harry Potter parody Valentine by Amy Crook

Only in a Potion, Harry Potter parody Valentine by Amy Crook

Categories: Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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Skully sketch

Sunday, December 16th, 2012

Skully sketch by Amy Crook

Skully sketch by Amy Crook

This is about how I’ve been feeling all week, I think. Here’s hoping your holidays are as stress-free as physically possible, at least!

Categories: Daily Art, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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