Posts Tagged ‘for sale’
B is for Blackletter
Thursday, July 19th, 2012
B is for Blackletter, calligraphic illumination by Amy Crook
I went Gryffindor with my second letter, bold red and rich yellow, though I chose the red glitter pen rather than gold for my second illumination. My B uses a classic blackletter face, heavy and Germanic, with a bit of whimsy thrown into the illumination for it.
Just as with the A, I let the ink bleed into the paint so the shapes of the letter have a lovely orange fade, and though I used a very bright, pure red on the background, I used a dark red-orange inside the B itself to better offset the glitter illumination.
B is for Blackletter, 5″x5″ pen & ink, Japanese watercolor, and glitter gel pen on paper.
B is for Blackletter, detail, by Amy Crook
The shine on the red glitter is much more subtle and harder to photograph, especially since it goes a bit pink when the light hits it, so the colors in the above detail photo are a bit off in general. Alas. Below, you can see it happily tucked into a frame with my phone to show you the relative size. The central box on these is 3 inches square, but the border and signature rest outside.
B is for Blackletter & E is for Emboss, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Daily Art, Illuminated Alphabet, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: alphabet, calligraphy, for sale, glitter gel pen, gold, illumination, pen and ink, red, watercolor
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Lone Tentacle
Tuesday, July 17th, 2012
Lone Tentacle by Amy Crook
This dark, intense bluish-violet wash was just asking for tentacles, but after I’d scribbled in the first one it seemed like that was really enough. I just really like something about the way the single, lone tentacle reaches upward toward the light, silhouetted against the violet depths.
Lone Tentacle, 6″x6″ pen & ink and Japanese watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.
Lone Tentacle, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the shading detail on the tentacle, the textures of paper and paint that give the piece a murky, atmospheric feel. I liked this shot so much, I’m using it as a wallpaper, in fact. Below, you can see it temporarily tucked into a 8″x10″ frame, hanging out with my iPhone for scale.
Lone Tentacle, framed, by Amy Crook
Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Free Wallpapers, Tentacles
Tags: for sale, pen and ink, tentacles, violet, watercolor
Make Good Art
Monday, July 16th, 2012
Make Good Art calligraphic painting by Amy Crook
Although I think many people have said this before (including several of my prior art teachers), it’s come most recently from Neil Gaiman. I also find the advice later on about freelancing to be very good and very true — to paraphrase, you must do good work, be on time, and be pleasant, and people will continue to hire you; actually, two out of three will do, most days. And thank goodness for that, because some days all three is more than anyone can manage.
I made this very pink wash when I was mucking about with my red palette of Japanese watercolors, going from the color that is almost exactly the same as the Orchid crayon in my childhood set, through a bright fuchsia pink and on to a lovely deep burgundy. I used my poor abused fountain pen to scribble in the lettering, then took my water brush and blurred it out, which gives an interesting effect, especially in the capitals. Next came the gold glitter paint in the letters, and I left it overnight to figure out what more it needed.
It needed tentacles, of course!
I finally found the fourth palette from the same set, which is six different shades of almost-black, so I took the rich plum-purple one and made a row of tentacles reaching up to tease at the lettering. Then, to balance it, I added the gold filigree at the top, and it finally felt done.
My mental narrative for it is a bit like, “Glimpse of the golden vines of Olympus? Make good art! Chased by tentacles from the Depths? Make good art!”
So, that’s my message for you this Monday – whatever form it takes, whatever inspires you, today, make good art.
Make Good Art, 8″x4″ Japanese watercolor, pen & ink, and glitter gel pen on Fluid watercolor paper on paper.
Make Good Art, detail 1, by Amy Crook
This is one of those pieces that’s very different depending on the lighting; the gold almost vanishes when it’s in low light, but it stands out beautifully when the sun hits it, and the thicker paint on the tentacles also has a bit of a gloss here and there. Below, you can see the effect just on the word “Art.”
And for those of you that’ve read this far, have a wallpaper of the above image, with my gloved fingers sneakily Photoshopped out.
Make Good Art, detail 2, by Amy Crook
I put it in a temporary frame so you can see the scale. Given the odd size, you may want to have it custom framed, or put it on a piece of mat board in a larger frame the way I’ve got it shown below.
Make Good Art, framed, by Amy Crook
Categories: Daily Art, Free Wallpapers, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange, Words Words Words
Tags: calligraphy, for sale, glitter gel pen, gold, neil gaiman, pen and ink, pink, red, watercolor
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Binary Green
Friday, July 13th, 2012
Binary Green by Amy Crook
Two green planets orbit each other in a mysterious, swirly blue-black sky. This binary system has continents dotted with sparkling salt crystals, perhaps the cities of some alien race.
I have three flower-shaped ceramic palettes of Japanese watercolors. One is earth tones, reds and oranges. One is blues, purples and a nice solid black. The last one is greens and yellows and a matte blue-black that you can see making the swirly night above. I had my water brushes out the other night with the green palette, and this piece was one of the results, along with the tentacles from Tuesday. (There’s also a pair of bookmarks no one will see until I get to 7 and declare another Bookmark Week.)
I really like the effect I’m getting with judicious use of the saturated salt solution, dripping it onto damp watercolor and making mysterious geographies as the two interact. I think I’ll take my planets to Endgame this month and give the skies a rest, so look out for that post as well.
Binary Green, 7″x5″ Japanese watercolor and salt on paper.
Binary Green, detail 1, by Amy Crook
Above you can see the sparkling salt on the upper left planet’s surface, where below we have the darker shapes glittering from the surface of the lower right planet.
Binary Green, detail 2, by Amy Crook
And finally, I’ve put it in a frame (sans glass), so you can imagine it sitting on your desk at work, giving you dreams of distant worlds during your coffee breaks.
Binary Green, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Series and Books
Tags: balls, for sale, green, planet, salt, watercolor
A is for Arabesque
Thursday, July 12th, 2012
A is for Arabesque, calligraphic illumination by Amy Crook
I’ve begun a new series, though this one I can guarantee has a specifically limited lifespan. I’ve decided to do an illuminated alphabet, using pen and ink for the lines, watercolor for the fills, and glitter gel pen in lieu of gold leaf.
The first in my series is, of course, A, the awesomest letter in the alphabet. A is for Amy who fell down the stairs, after all, at least according to Gorey. A is also for arabesque, in this case referring to the graceful design motif, usually of acanthus leaves, used to decorate all sorts of things from calligraphy to mosques. My blue glittery acanthus are spiraling in the background of this grand periwinkle A. I’ve decided to do each letter with some sort of design or typographical motif represented, so let’s hope I can find something for that other end of the alphabet where things get tricksy.
B and C are already chosen, anyway.
I’m planning to post these once a week, so it will take six months for the series to be done, give or take a few weeks off for bookmarks or Sharpie art.
A is for Arabesque, 5″x5″ watercolor, pen and ink and glitter gel pen on paper.
A is for Arabesque, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the sun catching the glitter and making it shine much brighter than the paper (which really is white, I swear). Below, I’ve got it tucked into a frame and hanging out with the J on the shelf with some of my many, many books.
A is for Arabesque & J is for Juxtapose, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Daily Art, Illuminated Alphabet, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: alphabet, blue, calligraphy, for sale, glitter gel pen, illumination, pen and ink, periwinkle, purple, watercolor
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Tentacle Deeps 38
Tuesday, July 10th, 2012
Tentacle Deeps 38 by Amy Crook
This is another of those paintings that started as an idle wash with my water brush and grew tentacles. I’m so in love with those, though I haven’t given up the normal brushes entirely. Like any new technique, I’ll use it a while and then go back to using a wider variety of stuff — or go on to the next shiny new thing.
This painting has a graceful hand of tentacles, five long tendrils like the fingers of some under-bed monster reaching up to get you tonight.
Sleep well.
Tentacle Deeps 38, 5″x7″ Japanese watercolor on Strathmore paper.
Tentacle Deeps 38, detail, by Amy Crook
There’s a certain range of blue-green colors that give my monitor a hissyfit trying to reproduce, and this painting is right in the middle of it. The scan is probably the most color accurate, though I enjoy the blue cast the tentacles get in the above detail photo. Below you can see it framed and ready to find its way into your house. Though possibly not the bedroom, just to be safe.
Tentacle Deeps 38, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Series and Books, Tentacles
Tags: aqua, for sale, tentacle deeps, tentacles, watercolor
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Filigree Moon 2
Monday, July 9th, 2012
Filigree Moon 2 by Amy Crook
This painting is the shining golden harvest moon version of the cool Filigree Moon from two weeks ago. The moon is rising up in one corner, covered in gold spirals, adding its light to a sky full of stars. There’s faint white salt pools, deep golden yellow ones, and some glittery gold spirals as well decorating the black paper the same way the stars dot the sky.
I’d been using my cooler glitter pens for my planets, the blue and purple, and I wanted to use the gold for a bit. So, I got out some black paper and first made the golden moon background, then scattered in some stars with salt, water and paint, then a few more of just salt water. Finally once it was all dry, I came in and added spirals, first to the moon and then to give the sky even more sparkle.
Filigree Moon 2, 7″x5″ Japanese watercolor and glitter gel pen on Arches cover black paper.
Filigree Moon 2, detail 1, by Amy Crook
Above you can see a very close photo of two of the tiny salt pools, including the one big crystal that formed. Below is a shot of the moon itself, in all its glittery glory, with the same two pools in the distance on the upper left.
Filigree Moon 2, detail 2, by Amy Crook
And finally, you can see it in a frame (with the glass left out), hanging out with my iPhone so they can talk about whether size matters.
Filigree Moon 2, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
Tags: black paper, filigree, for sale, glitter gel pen, gold, moon, salt, spirals, watercolor
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