Posts Tagged ‘expressionism’

Birdwatching

Saturday, May 18th, 2013

Birdwatching by Amy Crook

Birdwatching by Amy Crook

I’ve been working on this in amongst the Monster paintings, starting with a rather banal watercolor layer and adding in bold scribbles, shimmery iridescent highlights and even some pencil shading. I’ve grown fond of the odd perspective, of peering at the herons through the grasses, and catching a glimpse of both halves of this couple.

Birdwatching, 6″x4″ watercolor, iridescent Japanese watercolor, pen & ink, and pencil on Fluid watercolor paper.

Birdwatching, detail, by Amy Crook

Birdwatching, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see a bit of the golden wash at the very edge of the sky, and a sheen off several bits of iridescent paint in several colors, from the soft gold along the beak to the blue in the feathers and silvery clouds. Below, you can see the piece in a frame, making it seem more than ever like a peek into some hidden natural wonder.

Birdwatching, framed art by Amy Crook

Birdwatching, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes
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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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