Archive for the ‘Series and Books’ Category

Custom Sherlock Bookmarks

Wednesday, October 16th, 2013

5 Sherlock bookmarks, commission art by Amy Crook

5 Sherlock bookmarks, commission art by Amy Crook

Yay, more Sherlock bookmarks! I did these as tests for the elaborately colored 6-panel comic (and print!) I’m posting next week, as part of a commission for one of my darling patrons. Some of them reflect the comics and some not so much, but they were all a test for our rainbow color scheme.

What, you say, you didn’t know I did commission bookmarks? Well, I do now! You might be asking yourself how these are different than regular fan art commissions, and so I’ll tell you, because I’m nice that way.

  • They’re $15 each, flat, no matter what’s on them.
  • You tell me what you want, I draw and send. No sketches, no previews.
  • Color vs black and white is up to my discretion.
  • It’ll be on whatever bookmark-like scrap of paper I have to hand.
  • This applies to fan art comics only, no portraits or watercolors or any of that fancy jazz.
  • They tend to be a lot faster than a regular commission.
  • Email me if you want one! (Okay, that’s the same.)

The ones above are all on drawing paper scraps rather than thicker watercolor paper or cardstock, but I know the recipient (hi!) won’t be using them to mark books. If you’re a framer vs a book marker, that’s something to let me know during the email.

5 Sherlock Bookmarks, 2″x5″ pen & ink and Copic markers on paper, nfs (commission).

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Completed Commissions, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
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Osculate! Osculate!

Monday, October 14th, 2013

Osculate! Doctor Who fan art by Amy Crook

Osculate! Doctor Who fan art by Amy Crook

I meant to finish and post this last week after the Floating Gallery closed, by my body had other ideas. I’ve had a horrible head cold, and slept through most of the week. I’m only just recovering, so please do forgive the lateness of this Dalek.

He’s giving up his usual cry of “exterminate” in favor of some holiday spirit! Osculate means “kiss,” so he’s just demanding you give him his due and kiss a Dalek under the mistletoe. I’m sure it won’t kill you.

Well, mostly sure.

Osculate! 5″x7″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper. Get him on a holiday card at my Etsy shop!

Osculate! Dalek holiday card by Amy Crook at Etsy

Osculate! Dalek holiday card by Amy Crook at Etsy

Categories: Card Design, Floating Gallery, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
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Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey

Tuesday, October 8th, 2013

Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey, Doctor Who art by Amy Crook

Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey
Doctor Who art by Amy Crook

Everyone needs a tiny TARDIS in their lives, don’t they? This one is rocketing through the wibbly wobbly timey wimey spaces between possibilities. It looks pretty turbulent, with streaks of blue and green and strange stars of sparkling salt all around.

Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey, 4″x6″ pen & ink, salt and watercolor on Arches cover white paper.

Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey, detail, by Amy Crook

Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey, detail, by Amy Crook

One problem with painting in gorgeous bright, clear blues is that they get a bit muddled by my scanner, but you can see the contrast in the piece much more clearly above. The TARDIS floats alongside sparkling salt and strange shapes, with the Doctor and perhaps even a Companion or two tucked safely inside.

Below, the painting hangs out in a frame, safe from the forces of time and space. For now.

Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey, framed art by Amy Crook

Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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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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Diddy Wah Diddy Illustrations

Monday, September 30th, 2013

Diddy Wah Diddy by Corey Mesler, with interior illustrations by Amy Crook

Diddy Wah Diddy by Corey Mesler, with interior illustrations by Amy Crook

This spring & summer I had the privilege to illustrate a literary novel! It’s been a really wonderful experience working with the editor, Jason, to add interior illustrations* to Corey’s richly-textured novel of Beale Street, Memphis, and the mythology of the blues.

Corey’s prose is full of rich character, and it was really easy to find images to go with it. Jason chose a scribbled black-and-white style of mine for the illustrations, and I did 9 images total, sprinkled throughout the book. He’d pick a story and have me read through it, then either ask for something specific, or something that went well with the story. I tried to keep everything as loose as a good blues jam, and capture the feel of each story.

The whole novel fits together to tell how a community went from its height of mythic glory, dipped down, and started building itself back up again. Everything is steeped in the language of the era and the feel of the blues, and I hope you’ll head on over to Ampersand Books and give it a shot!

illustration from Diddy Wah Diddy

illustration from Diddy Wah Diddy

Above, you can see a woman chilling at the bar, enjoying a legendary cocktail, helping to set the scene for the book. Below, I chose the author’s favorite of the group. I’ll let you read the book to find out how the werewolf ended up in the jar.

another illustration from Diddy Wah Diddy

another illustration from Diddy Wah Diddy

If you’ve got a project that you think needs my illustrator’s touch, I’ve got info here about how you can hire me.

*Their designer did the cover, which is rich and red and beautifully sets the mood for the prose within.

Categories: Completed Commissions, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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A Hobbity Birthday

Thursday, September 19th, 2013

Hobbit Birthday Traditions, parody art by Amy Crook

Hobbit Birthday Traditions, parody art by Amy Crook

Happy my-upcoming-Birthday to you! On Sunday I’ll be properly 40, and in grand hobbit tradition I have some little gifts for you.

  • If you get a set of Sherlock or Doctor Who bookmarks in September, you’ll get an extra bonus bookmark. Just don’t blink.
  • You can use this coupon code all through September to get 20% off anything in my Etsy shop: WHATDAYISIT
  • My novel will be free on Kindle from Sept. 20-22, approximately midnight to midnight Pacific, though their servers are sometimes a bit slow to update.
  • I’ll be offering something special to my Art Patron’s list as well, so keep an eye on your inbox!

Bilbo is of course available on a card, being his grumpy old self. I really enjoy antisocial old Bilbo Baggins and his dismissal of everyone else’s gossip about him. Though he still knows how to throw a party!

Bilbo Baggins Birthday card by Amy Crook on Etsy

Bilbo Baggins Birthday card by Amy Crook on Etsy

Categories: Card Design, Sale Post, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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