Archive for the ‘Whimsical and Strange’ Category

Miasma of Monsters

Wednesday, May 15th, 2013

Miasma of Monsters by Amy Crook

Miasma of Monsters by Amy Crook, 7″x5″ pen & ink and watercolor on paper

I swear, whenever I get sicky or ouchie my mood goes down with my physical wellness and I just feel uncreative and awful. Like my immune system is somehow responsible for keeping these critters at bay as well as the microscopic sort. I called this a miasma because that’s what their little cloud of doubt and blah reminded me of, a miasma that fills the mental air and makes it hard to see anything else.

My favorite is the guy in back, who is staring and not saying anything. You know what you did, his magenta evil eye says it all for him, though I’m fond of them all for one reason or another. The guy on the right looks like he’s about to erupt into a temper tantrum worthy of a 3-year-old, where the one on the left is very sternly lecturing you. He uses big words, I bet.

Painting them, I must admit, did help lift the miasma a bit. They’re just so cute!

Miasma of Monsters, detail, by Amy Crook

Miasma of Monsters, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see my favorite monster staring at you. Always staring. Disapprovingly staring. Below, he’s still staring out of the frame, so you can see what these guys look like trapped behind glass.

Miasma of Monsters, framed art by Amy Crook

Miasma of Monsters, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
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Motherf-cking Bunny

Thursday, May 9th, 2013

This is a Motherfucking Bunny drawn by Amy Crook

This is a Motherfucking Bunny drawn by Amy Crook, $250

This bunny’s life is narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, he’s such a badass motherfucking bunny. He was drawn with my gorgeous but perpetually clogged fountain pen, which gives lovely scribbly broken lines. Then his ink was spread and smeared and turned from black to blue and brown and green and grey on the page, using a simple brush and water to affect the change.

Motherfucking Bunny, 5″x7″ pen, water & ink on paper, $250 with free shipping.

Motherfucking bunny, some goddamned details, by Amy Crook

Motherfucking bunny, some goddamned details, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the subtle shifts in color from blue to brown to grey, especially the nice navy blues in the shadows and soft warm greys around his face. Below, he has consented to occupy a frame for a short while so you can contemplate the magnitude of his attitude.

Motherfucking Bunny, framed art by Amy Crook, with Vorpal Bunny for good measure

Motherfucking Bunny, framed art by Amy Crook,
with Vorpal Bunny for good measure

  • Title: Motherfucking Bunny
  • 5 in. x 7 in. pen & ink and brush & ink on paper
  • $250 for the original (tax will be added if you live in CA)
  • Frame is not included, but can be added for $50 (shipping included)
  • Shipping is free anywhere in the world
  • Payment plans are available, just email me
  • If you’d like to make an offer, just let me know and we’ll make sure no one got the drop on you

Categories: Daily Art, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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Another Man’s Octopus

Tuesday, May 7th, 2013

Another Man's Octopus, a Sherlock Holmes comic by Amy Crook

Another Man’s Octopus, a Sherlock Holmes comic by Amy Crook

When I was contemplating ideas for today’s Tentacle Tuesday, this idea came to me (undoubtedly influenced by the steampunk novel I’m reading) to draw the original Holmes and Watson. I borrowed the fashions from one of the old Paget illustrations, so blame him for Holmes’ weird little jabot, and then added in our random steampunky science nerd and of course Biffy, the friendly octopus. He just really likes Watson’s moustache, I feel. It’s quite dashing.

I decided to shade it all in warm greys to give it the feel of an old Victorian daguerreotype or something, which always runs into the question of whether I should color the skin of the people or leave them white as the paper. I compromised by making Holmes very pale indeed, and giving Watson and the scientist a bit more robust warmth. This kind of coloring takes a bit less time than proper color, as the limited palette simplifies things.

Another Man’s Octopus, 7″x5″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper.

Another Man's Octopus, detail, by Amy Crook

Another Man’s Octopus, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the line that made me decide I absolutely had to draw the comic, along with an unimpressed Holmes uttering it. Below, they’ve made it into a frame with my bored 5-armed plushie and one of the original books.

Another Man's Octopus, framed comic by Amy Crook

Another Man’s Octopus, framed comic by Amy Crook

Categories: Daily Art, 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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Heron

Monday, May 6th, 2013

Heron watercolor by Amy Crook

Heron watercolor by Amy Crook

I painted the background for this heron a while back, and then decided to put the bird in by the request of a patron. And by patron I mean my mom, who has already bought and paid for it. Hi, Mom!

Heron, 8″x8″ watercolor on paper, nfs (sold).

Heron, detail, by Amy Crook

Heron, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can just see the tiny bit of iridescent paint hiding in the heron’s details, mainly along the crest feather and the darkest bits of the body feathers. Below, you can see it in a frame, proving once again that electronics hate to reproduce certain shades of blue.

Heron, framed art by Amy Crook

Heron, framed art by Amy Crook

 

Categories: Daily Art, Whimsical and Strange
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No Resemblance

Monday, April 29th, 2013

No Resemblance, a Spock & Sherlock comic by Amy Crook

No Resemblance, a Spock & Sherlock comic
by Amy Crook

This little comic was suggested to me on Twitter back in November, and it’s taken me this long to get around to drawing it. The two tall, slender, logical, dark-haired men don’t see any resemblance, but I’m guessing you do.

Random artist trivia: normally I’m very good at spelling, but I have some sort of mental block with the a in “resemblance,” and keep spelling it with all ‘e’s and having to fix it, including in the pencils for the comic. Good thing I decided to spell check myself!

No Resemblance, 5″x7″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper, nfs (sold).

No Resemblance, detail, by Amy Crook

No Resemblance, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see how I’ve given them very similar features, down to the hair color and eyebrow lift. Below, I’ve tucked them into a frame with Sherlock’s skull, which I’m sure Spock would find fascinating.

No Resemblance, framed art by Amy Crook

No Resemblance, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Daily Art, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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Curious Otter

Friday, April 26th, 2013

Curious Otter, expressionist watercolor by Amy Crook

Curious Otter, 7″x7″ watercolor and pen & ink on Arches cover white paper

This curious little otter is peering at you through a sunlit window into his little pool. He’s done with a limited palette of watercolors and a little bit of water-blurred pen & ink to add that feeling of a reinforced window. He’s a bit of an odd size, but mounting him on a piece of mat board lets you appreciate the hand-torn irregularity of the paper’s edges. The soft paper lends some really nice texture to the loose, expressionist brush strokes.

Curious Otter, detail, by Amy Crook

Curious Otter, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the otter up close, peering at you with his sharp black eyes while the rest of him grows ever fainter in the water’s slightly murky depths. Below, you can see him in a temporary frame, displayed in all his nosy glory with his little hedgehog buddy.

Curious Otter, framed art by Amy Crook

Curious Otter, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Daily Art, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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Angry Hedgehog

Monday, April 15th, 2013

Angry Hedgehog, watercolor by Amy Crook

Angry Hedgehog, watercolor by Amy Crook

This hedgehog is very annoyed to have been disturbed, with a serious sulk going on as he’s curled into his little ball. He was painted with a very limited palette and bold, expressionist strokes, so he’s a bit of an experiment for me, but one I’m very happy with! I offered a little preview of him to my list and one of my lovely patrons snapped him up, so he’ll be going to a good home, too.

Angry Hedgehog, 6″x6″ watercolor on paper, nfs (sold).

Angry Hedgehog, detail, by Amy Crook

Angry Hedgehog, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see his pouty lip and little pink toes peeking out of his quills. Below, he’s been tucked into a temporary frame, so you can see how the iridescent paint blends into the rest of him when it’s not catching the light.

Angry Hedgehog, framed art by Amy Crook

Angry Hedgehog, framed art by Amy Crook

 

Categories: Daily Art, Whimsical and Strange
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