Archive for the ‘Sea Creatures and Other Animals’ Category

Flying V

Friday, September 5th, 2014

Flying V by Amy Crook

Flying V by Amy Crook

You can tell I really miss fall, because this is the second painting this month with the lovely dead trees. This time it’s a V of geese flying in the distance, taking the last breath of summer south with them so winter can finally come.

Last month, two patrons were interested in Sleep Until the Sun Goes Down, and the one who didn’t buy it told me she’d have preferred geese. Fortunately, I have that power, and now she’s happily bought her own spooky trees.

Flying V, 8″x4″ pen & ink and watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.

Flying V, detail, by Amy Crook

Flying V, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the geese making their way across the sky in their even formation. Below, you can see them in a frame, hanging out with my iPhone so you can see how tiny they really are.

Flying V, framed art by Amy Crook

Flying V, framed art by Amy Crook

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

Tuesday, September 2nd, 2014

Stormriders by Amy Crook

Stormriders by Amy Crook

Three small crows brave the stormy skies, suspended between the upward-reaching branches of the tree and the downward-reaching fork of lightning. The clouds are limned in violet light all around the silver bolt, adding an extra touch of mystery.

Stormriders, 6″x4″ pen & ink, watercolor, and metallic and interference watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.

Stormriders, detail, by Amy Crook

Stormriders, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the way the light shines off the silver and interference violet paints in the lightning and clouds. Below, you can see the piece in a frame. It’s small, but it’s fierce!

Stormriders, framed art by Amy Crook

Stormriders, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books
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Sleep Until the Sun Goes Down

Monday, August 4th, 2014

Sleep Until the Sun Goes Down by Amy Crook

Sleep Until the Sun Goes Down by Amy Crook

I’ve painted lots of skies full of crows, but today I decided to go a different way with my dark Halloween heart and paint bats. Because bats!

There’s a tiny hint of nighttime violet in the upper left, but it’s being chased away by the sunrise glowing at bottom of the painting, where seven winter-barren trees peek up into the frame. There’s 13 flying bats (of course) and 3 already sleeping in the lightning-split tree they call their home.

Sleep Until the Sun Goes Down, 8″x4″ pen & ink and watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.

Sleep Until the Sun Goes Down, detail, by Amy Crook

Sleep Until the Sun Goes Down, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the bats coming in for a landing, and the three sleepers at the very top of the tree. Below, you can see the piece in a temporary frame, just waiting for the right wall to hold it.

Sleep Until the Sun Goes Down, framed art by Amy Crook

Sleep Until the Sun Goes Down, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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Crows in the Gloaming

Friday, June 27th, 2014

Crows in the Gloaming, watercolor by Amy Crook

Crows in the Gloaming, watercolor by Amy Crook

I’m deeply dissatisfied with Photoshop’s inability to show the soft, mysterious violets in this, instead turning it magenta and blue and every color but the ones you get in the real thing. The crows themselves are a dusky, matte black that really pops, the three phases of flight gliding past the clouds in the purple twilight.

I’m really happy with how these crows look, almost completely in silhouette with just a little bit of soft detail on the far wings of the outer two, with the one in the center a dark blot on the sky.

It probably says something about me that I like dark blots on the sky.

Crows in the Gloaming, 8″x4″ watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.

Crows in the Gloaming, detail, by Amy Crook

Crows in the Gloaming, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the upper left crow, with just a little granulated light shining off the feathers here and there. Below, you can see the piece in a temporary frame, with the closest color to the real thing. But still not right, dammit.

Crows in the Gloaming, framed art by Amy Crook

Crows in the Gloaming, framed art by Amy Crook

Crows in the Gloaming will be available for purchase in July’s Floating Gallery. You can get a chance to snag it early if you’re on my list.

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

Saturday, June 7th, 2014

Two Fish, watercolor by Amy Crook

Two Fish, watercolor by Amy Crook

Two fish, different, but still swimming together in the vibrant purple depths. The bottom fish flashes between purple and blue, and the top fish has gold-to-green duochrome paint on one half, and gold-to-orange on the other.

To me, this painting is about support. The bottom fish is always there, just on the edge of awareness, ready to rise up when he’s needed.

Two Fish, 4″x8″ Japanese watercolor and duochrome watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.

Two Fish, detail, by Amy Crook

Two Fish, detail, by Amy Crook

You can really see the blue, gold, and orange catching the sunlight above, turning the purple water to a muted, matte background for the fishes’ brilliance. Below, the fish are swimming in a temporary frame, bright in the middle of darkness.

Two Fish, framed art by Amy Crook

Two Fish, framed art by Amy Crook

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

Friday, June 6th, 2014

Distance, art by Amy Crook

Distance, art by Amy Crook

Two paintings of crows this month, what is this world coming to? Obviously, I’ve had my blinds open to watch the birds outside my window. Pod appreciates this very much, though he doesn’t seem to understand that he’d be very sad if he actually could try to leap and catch one.

This time the crow and branches are sketched in with pen and ink, while the sunlit mist and distant castle are watercolor. It reminds me of the opening scene of some fairytale, an establishing shot waiting for us to swoop over the dead, misty forests and up to one of the towers to see who’s hiding in the castle.

Distance, 6″x4″ pen & ink and watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.

Distance, detail, by Amy Crook

Distance, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the crow and the mist-shrouded, distant castle, bracketed by dark, dead branches. Below, you can see the painting, sun-washed and petite next to my phone.

Distance, framed art by Amy Crook

Distance, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Daily Art, Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books
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Three Crows

Monday, June 2nd, 2014

Three Crows, watercolor by Amy Crook

Three Crows, watercolor by Amy Crook

Good things come in threes. One crow flapping, one crow diving, and the middle one gliding away on an updraft to avoid the swirling cloud. The sky has bright blue arching down and sunny yellow shining upward, but it’s the spiralling clouds in metallic silver that really make it beautiful. The silver paint shows up grey at some angles, shining white at others, and sometimes it blends right into the background so well it nearly vanishes.

Three Crows, 7″x5″ watercolor and metallic watercolor on paper.

Three Crows, detail, by Amy Crook

Three Crows, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, a close-up of shimmering clouds and two of the three crows. I’m especially fond of the shape of the upper right cloud. Below, the piece in a frame, with my iPhone for scale.

Three Crows, framed art by Amy Crook

Three Crows, framed art by Amy Crook

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