Archive for the ‘Series and Books’ Category

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
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Dragonfly Airship

Thursday, July 7th, 2016

Dragonfly Airship by Amy Crook

Dragonfly Airship, 7″x5″ Japanese watercolor and pen & ink on paper

This is the first of the end-of-gallery Airship series that really gelled in a beautiful, detailed way. The gorgeously patterned dragonfly wings work with the body of the ship. The windows on the body imply a fascinating sense of scale. The ornamentation hovers somewhere between the whimsy of steampunk and the sleekness of retro-futurism, with the flower-petal propeller adding the final touch of whimsy.

This painting is perfect for sparking the imagination, sending your mind on short flights of fancy to keep your day floating along peacefully.

Dragonfly Airship, detail, by Amy Crook

Dragonfly Airship, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see a detail of the painted pattern, evoking without copying a firefly’s delicate wings. Below, the art is sitting in a frame, just waiting to fly off to its new home.

Dragonfly Airship, framed art by Amy Crook

Dragonfly Airship, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
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Twisted Maple

Wednesday, July 6th, 2016

Twisted Maple by Amy Crook

Twisted Maple, 8″x4″ pen & ink and Primatek watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper

Have a dose of the rain that California is still terribly in need of!

This tree has the twists and turns of a maze, the fat, short trunk splitting off into pathways and branches full of gnarls and bends.

The black seems dense at first but at second look there are subtle textures of bark adding dimension and shape, contrasting beautifully with the rainy sky behind it.

Twisted Maple, detail, by Amy Crook

Twisted Maple, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the hints of bark texture hiding in the black ink silhouette. Below, the painting rests in a temporary frame, just waiting to bring a breath of crisp autumn into your hot summer days.

Twisted Maple, framed art by Amy Crook

Twisted Maple, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
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Red Ghosts

Monday, July 4th, 2016

Red Ghosts, abstract art by Amy Crook

Red Ghosts, 6″x6″ Primatek and interference watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper

Happy 4th of July! Looking at this today, I wonder if I shouldn’t have named it after fireworks instead.

The mysterious red-violet depths of the background in this beautiful abstract make the perfect grounding for the ghostly shapes that float atop them.

The interference red switches from white to shining red depending on the angle of the light, throwing off little ghosts of color and letting the looming shapes behind show through.

This is one of those paintings that will catch your eye at odd moments and show you a new detail every time you look at it. Perfect for adding a touch of beauty to your space.

Red Ghosts, detail, by Amy Crook

Red Ghosts, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the beautiful interference red catching the light, as well as the gentle sparkle of genuine amethyst and garnet paint in the complex background layers. Below, the ghosts have gone white with their faces turned away from the sun in this simple frame.

Red Ghosts, framed art by Amy Crook

Red Ghosts, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Series and Books
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Birthday Books

Saturday, July 2nd, 2016

Birthday Books by Amy Crook

Birthday Books, 5″x7″ Primatek watercolor and brush & ink on paper

For a dose of whimsy and delight, this charming little brush and ink painting is colored with rich, earthy watercolors, giving the feel of old library books and really good gifts.

The best birthdays come with books.

Now that’s a sentiment I can get behind. Art is another excellent choice, of course.

What’s your favorite gift to give or get?

Birthday Books, detail, by Amy Crook

Birthday Books, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the loose whimsy of the brush-and-ink illustration and the earthy watercolors. Below, the whimsy is contained in a frame, ready to grace your favorite bookshelf.

Birthday Books, framed art by Amy Crook

Birthday Books, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Card Design, Floating Gallery, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
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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
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Many Happy Returns 2

Saturday, June 25th, 2016

Many Happy Returns, Doctor Who parody fan art by Amy Crook

Many Happy Returns 2, 5″x7″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper

Don’t you think wishing birthday people “many happy returns of the day,” seems like a very timey-wimey thing to do? This Eleventh Doctor birthday card even has a TARDIS-themed cupcake and a very cool party hat. Pick one up for your favorite Doctor Who fan today!

Doctor Who birthday card by Amy Crook on Etsy

Doctor Who birthday card by Amy Crook on Etsy

Categories: Card Design, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
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