Archive for the ‘Tentacles’ Category

The Things in the Mirror

Tuesday, November 5th, 2019

an ink and watercolor painting of purple tentacles slithering inside a gold-framed mirror

The Things in the Mirror, 5″x7″ ink and watercolor on paper

Every year, we reread A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny, and I’m always inspired by the story and its amazing illustrations.

This year we have the Things in the Mirror, the slitherers whose main property is, apparently, to be sticky. The grey-on-grey ink wash background suggests an otherworldly space, while the mirror itself is bright with color and shining with gold.

It begs the question, what exactly is the most real space, in or outside of the mirror, and who is actually occupying it?

The Things in the Mirror, detail, by Amy Crook

The Things in the Mirror, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the metallic sheen of gold watercolor and the loose curl of a couple of tentacles up close and personal. Below, the slitherers have been further contained by a picture frame.

The Things in the Mirror, framed art by Amy Crook

The Things in the Mirror, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Floating Gallery, Series and Books, Tentacles, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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Inktober 2019, week 1 plus

Friday, October 11th, 2019

Normally I do these on Mondays, but I was out of town and then there was some kind of power shutoff madness (mine was supposed to go but did not? whatever, PG&E, you run your public utility like the Muppet Show.) So, anyway, here you go, week one-and-then-some of Inktober!

an ink drawing of mushrooms in a fairy ring by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 1: Ring, 7″x5″ pen and ink on paper

an ink wash drawing of tentacles in a mirror by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 2: Mindless, 5″x7″ pen & ink and ink wash on paper

an ink wash drawing of a monster under ice using a hockey puck as bait by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 3: Bait, 3.5″x2.5″ pen & ink, glitter gel pen, and ink wash on ACEO bristol, nfs

an ink drawing of Tony Stark with brain freeze by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 4: Freeze, 3″x3″ pen and ink on paper, wip

an ink painting of a building in 4 stages being built by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 5: Build, ink wash on paper bookmark, sold

an ink drawing of Cthulhu by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 6: Husky, 7″x5″ pen and ink on paper, wip

an ink wash of a tree with a distressed face next to a basket by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 7: Enchanted, 5″x7″ ink wash on paper

an ink drawing of a sapling with a single apple and three leaves by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 8: Frail, pen and ink on a bookmark, wip

an ink drawing of a pendant swinging by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 9: Swing, 7″x5″ pen and ink on paper, wip

a series of repeated patterns in ink on an ACEO by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 10: Pattern, 3.5″x2.5″ brush and ink on ACEO card, nfs

an abstract painting in ink on black paper of snow falling by Amy Crook

Inktober 2019 day 11: Snow, 6″x4″ white ink on black paper

Abbreviation decoder ring!

  • wip = work in progress, ie, I’m probably going to color some or all of the drawing before it’s really done
  • nfs = not for sale, ie, it’s a Patreon sketch and already belongs to someone else
  • ACEO = Artist Card, Edition Original, also known as ATC or Artist Trading Card when traded rather than sold, which is a standard size I use for all my Patreon sketches these days

Want to get your own sketches, dibs on art, or just feel the warm glow of being part of my community of supporters? Head over to Patreon and pick a tier to get started! There’s also bonus cat photos sometimes, if that helps.

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Completed Commissions, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, People, Figures and Faces, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books, Tentacles, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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Baby Cthulhu

Thursday, February 21st, 2019

Cthulhu in a pink bonnet and diaper, with yellow teddy bear slippers, holding a teddy bear's head and sucking on a pacifier, by Amy Crook

Baby Cthulhu, 8″x10″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper

My friend Amber had a baby and I’ve been given the duty of being the lad’s fairy gothmother. So far that’s mostly consisted of helping keep mom sane, but she also commissioned me to draw something for the baby’s room.

Cthulhu here is a bit crabby about his getup, from the pink bonnet and binky to the happy yellow slippers. He’s expressing his displeasure with some rather graphic threats enacted on the poor teddy bear. Watch out, this Elder God’s not too into his naptime after all.

Want a Cthulhu shirt of your own? I put this baby on Redbubble so you, too, can sport a cranky Cthulhu.

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Card Design, Completed Commissions, Series and Books, Tentacles, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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Inktober 2018: Week 1

Tuesday, October 16th, 2018

Autumn winds are blowing and fire season is almost over, which means not only October, Halloween, and Pumpkin Spice, but Inktober! I’m doing one ink drawing per day all month, pulling from a number of prompt lists. This year I’m doing everything in the Artist’s Trading Card size of 3.5″x2.5″ and sticking to black and white with the occasional cheat of grey.

pen and ink drawing of a blindfolded, dancing Naga spattered with blood

Inktober 1: Poisonous

pen and ink drawing of a coffee cup

Inktober 2: Too Early for Jeff

pen and ink drawing of 3 flying crows

Inktober 3: Crows

ink word art: do it for SPITE

Inktober 4: Spite for Corinne

pen and ink drawing of a grim reaper with a crow skull and claw

Inktober 5: Death

pen and ink drawing of a squid with the word sepoiod

Inktober 6: Sepioid for Blaine
yes, we know it’s spelled wrong

pen and ink drawing of a sleeping black cat

Inktober 7: Exhausted

Want to see them as they’re posted? Follow me on Instagram or Patreon!

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Completed Commissions, Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces, Pretty Words, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Tentacles, Whimsical and Strange, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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June Patreon Sketches

Wednesday, July 18th, 2018

 

Sketches for Patreon supporters by Amy Crook, including Bitty from OMCP, Matt from Swan Song, and others

Sketches for Patreon supporters by Amy Crook, June 2018

My patient Patreon supporters have sketches! They’re all pretty bad about asking for them, lol, but I love every person anyway since that makes it easier for me to go above and beyond when the mood strikes.

From left to right, we have:

  • “storage units DOOM” for Jeff
  • Bitty from OMGCP for Grace
  • Matt from Swan Song for Corinne
  • and on the bottom, dark and gloomy and fiery for Springbok

Want one of your own? Become a patron!

Categories: Completed Commissions, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Tentacles, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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April Patreon Sketches

Tuesday, May 22nd, 2018

April 2018 Patreon request sketches by Amy Crook

April 2018 Patreon request sketches by Amy Crook

I finished these a while back but have just gotten around to sharing with you, my lovely readers. You’ve all been so patient with me while I got through my No Good Very Bad Year, thank you.

  1. Winnie the Pooh and Piglet, “Happiness” for Jeff
  2. Penguin for Corinne
  3. Books & Tea for Kim
  4. Cat Making a Mistake, “Spring” for Grace
  5. “Squid Friends” for Oscar

Want your own weird little sketch? Support me on Patreon!

Categories: Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books, Tentacles, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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Deep Ultraviolet

Friday, April 6th, 2018

watercolor painting of tentacles, baby octopuses, and jellyfish on a deep violet backgroudn by Amy Crook

Deep Ultraviolet, 12″x6″ watercolor and white ink on Fluid watercolor paper

In the violet depths of some mysterious sea, light filters down to find shining octopuses, waving tentacle fronds, and frolicking jellyfish.

Ultraviolet is the Pantone color of the year, and somehow the word seemed to fit this mix of vivid purples and shining metallics. There’s a sense of more going on than the eye can see, life just around the corner of vision.

What lies deep in these oceans?

Deep Ultraviolet, detail, by Amy Crook

Deep Ultraviolet, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the iridescent blue and duochrome mauve highlights on the floating jellies. Below, this art is in a temporary frame, waiting to bring its gorgeous mystery into your beautiful home.

Deep Ultraviolet, framed art by Amy Crook

Deep Ultraviolet, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Tentacles, Whimsical and Strange
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