Archive for the ‘Sea Creatures and Other Animals’ Category
Two for Joy
Friday, June 5th, 2015
Two for Joy by Amy Crook
If this painting feels familiar, that’s because it’s a relative of last month’s One for Sorrow 2. The figure this time is more androgynous, and their clothing seems to be blowing against the prevailing winds that bend the trees to their will.
Just like its predecessor, this piece has a lot of soft, pale fog that gets lost when it’s reproduced, but adds a lot of rich texture to the original. You can see it in the trees in the detail photo, a delicate sweep of wind moving across the paper grain.
Two crows sit low on a branch in the lee of the wind, harbingers of some unnamed joy. Whose joy and about what is left up to the imagination of the viewer, or perhaps it belongs to the apparition staring blankly back out of the page.
Two for Joy, 6″x6″ watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.
Two for Joy, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the staticky figure staring back at you, his clothing seemingly blown by an opposing wind. Below, I’ve displayed the painting in a temporary frame, where it awaits its new home.
Two for Joy, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, People, Figures and Faces, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
Tags: bloodstone, counting crows, crow, nfs, sold, tree, watercolor
One for Sorrow 2
Friday, May 8th, 2015
One for Sorrow 2 by Amy Crook
I’m not entirely happy with the title One for Sorrow 2, but this painting definitely needed that name, prior use notwithstanding. The single baleful crow sits high in the branches of the windswept tree, its image smeared out into the fog like an apparition, as though the bird is more of a ghost than the figure below.
There is a lot of very pale detail in the trees and sky which is hard to photograph, but shows up beautifully in person and adds another layer to the sense of windswept, foggy unreality. The detail photo shows a little of the sky, but it’s hard to spot on the sun-drenched page.
The lovely, textured greys are also not entirely black, but have a mix of reddish brown bloodstone in them to give the whole piece a more organic, grounded atmosphere.
One for Sorrow 2, 6″x6″ watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.
One for Sorrow 2, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can just barely see the texture in the fog, a hint of wind and motion and shapes looming large and distant. Below, you can see the piece in a temporary frame, just waiting to haunt your house.
One for Sorrow 2, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, People, Figures and Faces, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
Tags: bloodstone, counting crows, crow, nfs, sold, tree, watercolor
Glass Fish
Thursday, March 5th, 2015
Glass Fish by Amy Crook
This translucent fishy is swimming in a lovely blue-green bowl, fins fanned out like tattered silk. There’s just a hint of scales along his body, and his big black eyes and grumpy mouth make him adorable as well as elegant.
His body is a rich, bright orange with hints of red and gold, but you can see the water through the transparent paint.
He’s a bit like a painting of a glass sculpture of a fish. Very meta.
Glass Fish, 7″x5″ watercolor on paper.
Glass Fish, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the elegant sweep of his transparent tail. Below, he’s nestled in a frame, swimming happily in the tiny space. Unlike real fish, paintings don’t need big tanks.
Glass Fish, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Floating Gallery, Sea Creatures and Other Animals
Tags: goldfish, nfs, orange, sold, watercolor
Core Freedom
Monday, February 23rd, 2015
Core Freedom by Amy Crook for Jo Van Every
Another commission done, this one a new addition to my Horizons series. This one is entirely watercolour, even the raptor circling above in the clear blue sky. Jo had this to say about her newest acquisition:
Since moving out to a rural area and acquiring dogs, I walk through woods and fields daily. I’ve been paying attention to subtle differences in colour as the seasons change. I can identify several tree species by shape in winter. I am more aware of the subtle differences in bark colour and leaf colour, especially in spring. I also notice the change in the colour of the sky depending on season and humidity. Amy’s paintings of bare trees and crows resonate with this landscape that I observe daily. She painted another painting of autumn trees with a moodier, cloudy sky. While I liked that one, the orange leaves against a blue sky speaks to me much more clearly and Amy was happy to paint one just for me.
Core Freedom, 8″x4″ watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.
Categories: Completed Commissions, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books
Tags: all rights reserved, bird, commission, horizons, raptor, tree, watercolor
Navy Squid
Wednesday, February 18th, 2015
Navy Squid, commissioned art by Amy Crook, all rights reserved
This commission was a Christmas gift, it’s just taken me a while to get it into the schedule with all the other madness going on.
The giftee for this was formerly in the Navy, and is a fan of two of Boston’s sports teams, so we incorporated both those ideas into his cheerful blue tentacularness*. He’s either doffing or straightening his cover, which is at a bit of a jaunty angle for a proper naval serviceman. Or servicesquid.
Navy Squid, 7″x5″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper.
*tentacularness is totally a word
Categories: Completed Commissions, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Tentacles
Tags: all rights reserved, commission, copic marker, nfs, pen and ink, sold, squid, tentacle
Sea Turtle 2
Sunday, February 8th, 2015
Sea Turtle 2 by Amy Crook
A bonus post! This little turtle was the predecessor to yesterday’s art, and when I was looking on the blog to link to him, I realized I hadn’t ever given him his own post.
I really like the splooshy-bright turquoise sea he’s swimming through, which makes me think of the Caribbean, especially the way his simple 3-color palette stands out against it. He’s done in the same gold and green as the third turtle, but with white for highlights rather than the purple shadows.
Sea Turtle 2, 6″x4″ watercolor and Primatek watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.
Sea Turtle 2, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the details of his shell and determined little face. Below, the piece is in a tiny frame, all ready to add a splash of marine life to someone’s desk.
Sea Turtle 2, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Floating Gallery, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books
Tags: nfs, primatek, sea turtle, sold, watercolor
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Sea Turtle 3
Saturday, February 7th, 2015
Sea Turtle 3 by Amy Crook
This sea turtle is full of attitude. Whatchoo lookin’ at? I’m just swimmin’ here.
I love how his face came out, glaring defiantly straight out of the painting, full of confidence.
He’s entirely painted in three colors and with one brush, with a fourth color (and a different brush) for the background. His colors are mostly the earthy mineral tones of Primatek paints, offset by the vivid Quinacridone gold that’s in both the sunlight and the turtle.
He’s small, but he’s fierce.
Sea Turtle 3, 6″x4″ watercolor and Primatek watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.
Sea Turtle 3, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see his face and the expression of giving no fucks at all. Below, you can see him in his temporary frame, before he swam off to his new home.
Sea Turtle 3, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Floating Gallery, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books
Tags: nfs, primatek, sea turtle, sold, watercolor
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