Archive for the ‘Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths’ Category

A Series of Uncanny Fears: The Dark

Friday, October 4th, 2013

A Series of Uncanny Fears: The Dark, pen and ink art by Amy Crook

A Series of Uncanny Fears: The Dark
pen and ink art by Amy Crook

Those shapes you see in the dark, those are just shadows. Just reflections and illusions made up of your imagination and your eyes straining to make sense with very little light.

I’m sure there are no monsters lurking at the foot of your bed, no ghosts floating up near the ceiling, no faces peering in from the dark outside.

That scratching at the glass is getting louder, but it’s not necessarily from the dark. It could be the mirror. It could be inside your head.

You never really know, do you?

A Series of Uncanny Fears: The Dark, 5″x7″ pen & ink on paper.

A Series of Uncanny Fears: The Dark, detail, by Amy Crook

A Series of Uncanny Fears: The Dark, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see some of the details hiding in the darkness. I especially like this pair of eyes, because they seem as distressed to be looking in at you as you are to be looking out at them. Below, you can see the piece in a frame, yet another pane of glass between you and the darkness.

A Series of Uncanny Fears: The Dark, framed art by Amy Crook

A Series of Uncanny Fears: The Dark, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Floating Gallery, Series and Books, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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A Series of Uncanny Fears: Your Shadow

Thursday, October 3rd, 2013

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Your Shadow, pen and ink art by Amy Crook

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Your Shadow
pen and ink art by Amy Crook

I’m not certain what my favorite thing about this piece is, but it’s risen to the top of A Series of Uncanny Fears for me. I love the Gorey-esque fur coat on the figure just passing out of the frame. I adore the wallpaper pattern you can see showing through the shadowy figure. And I think the overlong, many-jointed fingers of the shadow are delightfully creepy.

I’m sure your shadow doesn’t hunger to steal the life you live, to step into the light, to slip into your skin and live looking out of your eyes. There’s nothing to worry about at all.

You could make sure you always know where it is, just in case, though.

Just in case.

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Your Shadow, 5″x7″ pen & ink on paper.

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Your Shadow, detail, by Amy Crook

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Your Shadow, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see a close-up shot of the wallpaper pattern both bare and hiding under the shadow. Below, you can see the piece happily ensconced in a frame, safe behind the glass. That sound you hear isn’t claws against the inside of the glass, I’m sure of it. After all, there’s so much glass in your home, you can’t really pinpoint where the sound is coming from.

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Your Shadow, framed art by Amy Crook

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Your Shadow, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Floating Gallery, Series and Books, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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A Series of Uncanny Fears: Behind You

Wednesday, September 4th, 2013

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Behind You, pen and ink art by Amy Crook

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Behind You
pen and ink art by Amy Crook

Tentacles have crept their way into A Series of Uncanny Fears! It only took me 3 pieces to do it, predictably. This is the first one with an explicit person in it; there’s a lump in the bedclothes and a handprint on the mirror, but we finally see someone’s actual hair here. I was torn at first about putting someone in it, but I think the little bit of humanity peeking up over the edge of the spiral-patterned chair adds to the neck-ruffling feeling of creepiness.

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Behind You, 5″x7″ pen & ink on paper.

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Behind You, detail, by Amy Crook

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Behind You, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see an update of the creeping tentacles and the backlit head of unruly hair that is their goal. Below, you can see the piece in a frame with its brethren. I hope to add two more pieces to this series next month, too.

A Series of Uncanny Fears, 3 pieces of framed art by Amy Crook

A Series of Uncanny Fears, 3 pieces of framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Floating Gallery, Series and Books, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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Old Friends Who’ve Just Met

Tuesday, August 6th, 2013

Old Friends Who've Just Met, Muppets fan art by Amy Crook

Old Friends Who’ve Just Met, Muppets fan art by Amy Crook

I was watching The Muppet Movie the other day, and if there was every a Muppet to get himself in a friendly situation with a tentacle monster, it’s Gonzo. The title comes from Gonzo’s big song, where he sings, “There’s not a word yet, for old friends who’ve just met.” Given his penchant for putting starfish in his pants in Muppet Treasure Island, I think Gonzo and the tentacle monster are going to get along just fine.

Old Friends Who’ve Just Met, 5″x7″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper.

Old Friends Who've Just Met, detail, by Amy Crook

Old Friends Who’ve Just Met, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see Gonzo up close, along with the spot where my inks smeared, ironically while I was specifically trying not to smear them with my hand and so I put a pencil board over them. I’m just having a bad week with inks, man. Below, you can see it in a frame, just waiting to go back there someday. I feel I should point out that I had my choice of tentacle monsters and Muppet action figures, Pez dispensers and plushies to choose from for this photo. Gonzo in his cannon won because he was closest.

Old Friends Who've Just Met, framed art by Amy Crook

Old Friends Who’ve Just Met, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Tentacles, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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A Series of Uncanny Fears: Under the Bed

Thursday, August 1st, 2013

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Under the Bed, by Amy Crook

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Under the Bed
by Amy Crook

My Series of Uncanny Fears is actually a series now, yay! I found it extra challenging to draw the pattern on the duvet with the monster glaring at me from under the bed all the while. Not that there is a monster, mind you, I’m sure it’s just shadows, and reflections. Nothing to fear. Nothing at all.

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Under the Bed, 5″x7″ pen & ink on paper.

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Under the Bed, detail, by Amy Crook

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Under the Bed, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can get a closer look at that space under the bed and the inexplicable shadows that are totally not reaching toward you now. Not at all. Below, it’s safely behind glass in a frame, just waiting to find the perfect owner.

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Under the Bed, framed art by Amy Crook

A Series of Uncanny Fears: Under the Bed, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Series and Books, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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Have You Hugged Your Tentacle Monster Today?

Saturday, July 20th, 2013

Have You Hugged Your Tentacle Monster Today? Cthulhu art by Amy Crook

Have You Hugged Your Tentacle Monster Today?
Cthulhu art by Amy Crook

Cthulhu just wants hugs. And to devour your soul, but you know. Hugs first!

Have You Hugged Your Tentacle Monster Today?, 5″x7″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper.

Have You Hugged Your Tentacle Monster Today? detail, by Amy Crook

Have You Hugged Your Tentacle Monster Today?
detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see a close-up of Cthulhu’s huggable tentacles. Below, he’s in a frame, so you can get the full effect of being hugged by a tentacle monster.

Have You Hugged Your Tentacle Monster Today? framed art by Amy Crook

Have You Hugged Your Tentacle Monster Today?
framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Card Design, Daily Art, Series and Books, Tentacles, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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Tentacle Spiral 6

Tuesday, July 16th, 2013

Tentacle Spiral 6 by Amy Crook

Tentacle Spiral 6 by Amy Crook

This painting reminds me of looking into a pool of water that reflects the silvery moon. Not that I’ve ever been able to see writhing tentacles reaching in from all sides, slithering under the water and trying to capture the moon in their curls. The silver seems to float on top of everything else, even the details that were added after, though there’s little pen-and-ink details that scratch their way through the surface to add an extra bit of visual interest.

Tentacle Spiral 6, 6″x4″ Japanese watercolor, metallic watercolor, pen & ink and Sharpie marker on watercolor paper.

Tentacle Spiral 6, detail, by Amy Crook

Tentacle Spiral 6, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the secret coppery pen-scratches adding little halos of movement around some of the tentacles, and the deeper blacks etched into the silvery Sharpie curls as well. Below, you can see the piece in a frame, giving the tentacles a more otherworldly feel as they sneak in from all sides, grasping at moonlight.

Tentacle Spiral 6, framed art by Amy Crook

Tentacle Spiral 6, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Series and Books
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