Archive for the ‘Sea Creatures and Other Animals’ Category

Two Modes of Cat

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2016

Two Modes of Cat: Rambunctious Fuckery and Rest, cat sketches by Amy Crook

Two Modes of Cat: Rambunctious Fuckery (bottom) and Rest (top),
brush pen sketches on bookmarks with brush and ink embellishment

I actually have four Patreon patron sketches to do this month, but the first two went together so well I did them as a set. I feel like this is part of an endless cycle, play, sleep, play, sleep, with food taking up some space in there as well.

The top one is drawn with my trusty ink-filled water brush, and the bottom uses another brush pen, plus some diluted amber ink for the embellishments, and a few red dots to amuse myself (and the cats).

Categories: Completed Commissions, Pretty Words, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: , , , , , ,


Garnet Fox

Monday, August 8th, 2016

 

Garnet Fox, original art by Amy Crook

Garnet Fox, 8″x8″ watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper

The final piece in this month’s gallery is last little bit of shine brilliance, with interference red providing the delicate details on this fox’s garnet fur.

A whimsical, graphical style is paired with intricate pattern work for a gorgeous piece of art that would brighten any home or office.

Like any trickster fox, this one only shows its best side when it wants to, and in this case the lovely red shines against the rich garnet paint of its fur only when turned into the light.

Garnet Fox, detail, by Amy Crook

Garnet Fox, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the way the paint on the designs catches the light and shines in metallic red on the fox’s garnet coat. Below, she’s waiting in a frame, just waiting for the right foxhole to adorn.

Garnet Fox, framed art by Amy Crook

Garnet Fox, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: , , , , , ,


Smaug’s Hoard

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016

Smaug's Hoard, fan art by Amy Crook

Smaug’s Hoard, 8.27″×11.69″ (A4) pen & ink and Copic marker on bleed-proof Copic paper

The tiny hobbit burglar is trying to keep himself quiet, but he’s been found by the big red dragon protecting his hoard. Smaug’s surrounded himself with gold and gems on every side, piles upon piles until there’s nowhere to go that Bilbo doesn’t set of a cascade of sound.

Smaug is a glory of reds and oranges among his shining treasures, and he looks a bit like a cat with a mouse as he huffs warm breath over the wee hobbit.

This piece is an unusual size for American, but perfect for those with sensible paper sizes — A4 is not quite letter size, and you can find frames for it at Ikea.

Smaug's Hoard, detail, by Amy Crook

Smaug’s Hoard, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see tiny Bilbo getting huffed at by a big red dragon. Below, the piece snuck like a burglar into a 9×12 frame so you can imagine how it would look in your own hoard.

Smaug's Hoard, framed art by Amy Crook

Smaug’s Hoard, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Card Design, Floating Gallery, People, Figures and Faces, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
Tags: , , , , , , , ,


Never to Be Told

Friday, July 8th, 2016

Never to Be Told by Amy Crook

Never to Be Told, 6″x6″ pen & ink and watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper

The dull orange glow coming off this rusted, smoking ruin is a lovely, warm color that somehow still embodies the apocalyptic feel of it. It’s a color you only see in the sky when things have not gone according to plan.

The crows circling above the city are the final harbingers of doom, that sign that civilization has left and there’s nothing left but whatever the crows can pick over.

It sounds like the start of a fascinating story, doesn’t it?

Never to Be Told, detail, by Amy Crook

Never to Be Told, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see a single bird circling above the ruins, blackened beams and smoke-smudged skies. Below, this mournful scene is framed for posterity, waiting to spark new tales and inspire post-apocalyptic ideas.

Never to Be Told, framed art by Amy Crook

Never to Be Told, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books
Tags: , , , , , ,


Tea Shelf

Sunday, July 3rd, 2016

Tea Shelf by Amy Crook

Tea Shelf, 8″x4″ pencil and watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper

Cup, cup, cat, cup, cup, tin.

Whimsy and tea, what more could you want? This delightful little watercolor shows a shelf of goodies, from a beautiful celadon teacup and saucer to a cheerfully antisocial mug. The gloved “hands” that hold up the shelf add to the delight, especially with a wee mouse sleeping happily in one of them. The sleeping-cat figurine might be my favorite part.

What’s yours?

Tea Shelf, detail, by Amy Crook

Tea Shelf, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the mug that I really do need to get made, and the adorable sly grey kitty figurine next to it. Below, the piece is in its temporary frame, showing off before it gets whisked away to its new home.

Tea Shelf, framed art by Amy Crook

Tea Shelf, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: , , ,


Slyboots

Tuesday, June 28th, 2016

Slyboots, word art by Amy Crook

Slyboots: an engagingly sly or mischievous person,
7″x5″ brush pen & ink on paper

Slyboots is one of those words that just needed a cat. I also have several fandom ideas for it, so we might see it again at another point in the year — maybe November can be a Greatest Hits month where I do different versions of words I’ve already done while the rest of my brain is busy with NaNoWriMo.

Do you have a slyboots in your life?

Categories: Pretty Words, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books
Tags: , , , , ,


Kea

Thursday, June 16th, 2016

Kea, watercolor by Amy Crook

Kea, 5″x5″ Japanese watercolor on Arches cover white paper

Kea are a type of parrot native to New Zealand, and they’re mischievous little jerkfaces. There’s a great video of them online basically destroying a police car, digging all the sealant out of the crevices around the windows and doors and causing all kinds of trouble. So, of course, I had to paint one! This was a (belated) birthday gift for my NZ friend, Caroline, who assures me that their reputation as jerks is well-deserved.

They have mossy grey-green plumage on the outside that makes excellent camouflage, but under their wings and tails there’s this gorgeous gold and orange with the darker green barring that’s just amazing.

Categories: Sea Creatures and Other Animals
Tags: , , ,


« Or Head Back That Way Drip divider More Art This Way »