Posts Tagged ‘green’
T is for Tentacles
Thursday, December 27th, 2012
T is for Tentacles, calligraphic illumination by Amy Crook
The Alphabet series is back with a new week, and this time we have sparkly tentacles creeping in on the T, which looks like it wants to creep away before it gets totally engulfed. The background is a rich golden yellow, which shows up best in the last picture. It would go wonderfully for the Thomas, Thea or, of course, Mr. T in your life.
T is for Tentacles, 5″x5″ Japanese watercolor, pen & ink, and glitter gel pen on paper.
T is for Tentacles, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the bright shine of glitter making the golden yellow look almost orange-dark. Below, a picture that’s no doubt familiar from the R & S posts, of four of these illuminated paintings hanging out in their frames.
S, T, A & R, calligraphic illuminations by Amy Crook
Categories: Daily Art, Illuminated Alphabet, Series and Books, Tentacles, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: alphabet, calligraphy, for sale, glitter gel pen, green, illumination, pen and ink, tentacles, watercolor, yellow
Tentacle Deeps 44
Tuesday, December 4th, 2012
Tentacle Deeps 44 by Amy Crook
More tentacles! More shiny paint! It must be Tuesday. I used three different paints here with very subtle effects to the camera, but that are quite obvious to the naked eye. The first was the background in a green that blends into the green paper until the light shifts and it becomes a bright gold. Then the tentacles are in two different shades that turn from green to bronze, different shades and different angles, but almost match.
The overall effect is mysterious and ancient, hinting at tarnished bronzes or possibly green tentacles covered in iridescent slime as they rise up through the golden sunlight, seeking who knows what.
Tentacle Deeps 44, 4″x6″ duochrome watercolor on green Crane & Co. paper.
Tentacle Deeps 44, detail, by Amy Crook
At most angles, I got the tentacles as all green or all bronze, but here you can see how the front layer is green and the back set bronze, and the background turns a warm, bright gold. Below, you can see it in its frame, ready to grace your bookshelf, desk, or wall.
Tentacle Deeps 44, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Series and Books, Tentacles
Tags: bronze, crane and co, for sale, gold, green, iridescent, tentacle deeps, tentacles, watercolor
Q is for Quilling
Thursday, November 22nd, 2012
Q is for Quilling, calligraphic illumination by Amy Crook
A break from the Holmes Brothers to give thanks for getting my Q on! I finally finished this one yesterday, right under the wire, and I’ve got 4 letters left to do before I’m done. If you’re interested in one of the later letters for a holiday gift, just email me and I’ll give you a preview!
Quilling is an interesting craft for which the supplies are a bit hard to find! I ended up getting Twirled Paper by Klutz Press, which comes with a bunch of lovely colors, and a book of very useful instructions, as well as the “quill” for actually making the coils of paper. After a bit of practice and trial & error, I ended up with a lovely purple Q with a long, curly triple tail.
Q is for Quilling, 5″x5″ quilling paper, glue, Japanese watercolor, and glitter gel pen on paper.
Q is for Quilling, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see a detail of the twirly coils of paper and the sparkly green border. Below, you can see it in a frame — I’ve taken out the glass of a normal frame here, but you might consider a shadow box to protect the coils from dust, kitties and curious fingers.
Q is for Quilling, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Daily Art, Illuminated Alphabet, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: alphabet, calligraphy, for sale, glitter gel pen, glue, green, illumination, purple, quilling paper, watercolor
Delicate Jellyfish
Friday, November 2nd, 2012
Delicate Jellyfish, watercolor by Amy Crook
This is one of those pieces it’s really impossible to get a feel for without seeing it in person, alas. All the paint on it is “duochrome,” which means the green background changes to gold, the pink turns purple and the green in the tentacles goes a totally different shade of purple when it’s tilted into the light just right, giving the piece almost an inverse feel as things that were darker become lighter and vice versa.
Delicate Jellyfish, 4″x6″ duochrome watercolor on green Crane & Co. paper.
Delicate Jellyfish, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see a little of the color-changing effect, though it’s very hard to capture on film. Below, I’m including the frame with this painting because I found the perfect complement. The frame’s made of mother-of-pearl that shimmers just like the painting without detracting from it.
Delicate Jellyfish, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Daily Art, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Tentacles, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: crane and co, duochrome, for sale, green, iridescent, jellyfish, purple, watercolor
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Tentacle Deeps 43
Tuesday, October 30th, 2012
Tentacle Deeps 43 by Amy Crook
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water(color)! I never quite know when I’m going to be done with this series, but apparently it’s not just yet. This is definitely another step in the girly direction for the tentacles, with shimmery purple, duochrome pink and green. Even the paper is a lovely soft green cardstock from Crane & Co.
The spirals in the background are very subtle, the green-gold hard to see except in the right light, but I like the way they float up off the page like bubbles.
Tentacle Deeps 43, 4″x6″ iridescent and duochorome watercolor on green Crane & Co. paper.
Tentacle Deeps 43, detail, by Amy Crook
Above you can see the shimmer of purple in the pink, and gold in the green spirals, not to mention the sheen on the purple tentacles. Below, it’s in its frame, waiting to bring a strange beauty to someone’s life.
Tentacle Deeps 43, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Daily Art, Series and Books, Tentacles
Tags: crane and co, duochrome, for sale, green, purple, tentacle deeps, tentacles, watercolor
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K is for Greek Key
Thursday, October 4th, 2012
K is for Greek Key, calligraphic illumination by Amy Crook
It’s a bit cheating to use the Greek Key pattern for K, but it was the option that appealed to me the most. It’s hard to do kerning with only one letter, after all!
I ended up designing my own Greek Key in Illustrator, printing it, and using my lightbox to copy it in blue glitter gel pen onto the K. All the tools of the modern age are getting put to use as I explore the historic art of calligraphic illumination.
K is for Greek Key, 5″x5″ pen & ink, Japanese watercolor, and glitter gel pen on paper.
K is for Greek Key, detail, by Amy Crook
Between the color and the glitter, I had a really hard time photographing this piece. The Key pattern blends into the soft blue background to the camera, but of course your eye immediately catches the light. Below, you can see it in a frame, spelling out the word I said when I realized I didn’t have a framed photo for it.
K is for Greek Key, framed art by Amy Crook
(with A is for Arabesque and C is for Counter)
Categories: Daily Art, Illuminated Alphabet, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: alphabet, blue, calligraphy, for sale, glitter gel pen, green, illumination, pen and ink, watercolor
I is for Impressionism
Thursday, September 13th, 2012
I is for Impressionism, calligraphic illumination by Amy Crook
This one was an interesting challenge, because it’s definitely outside of my usual painting style. The first go was determined to stay firmly at the ass point, but this one came together once I gave it a little more love. I think the bright shine of silver on it is what really makes the piece.
I is for Impressionism, 5″x5″ Japanese watercolor and glitter gel pen on paper.
I is for Impressionism, detail, by Amy Crook
Above you can see the silver highlights shining on the page. Below, you can see it in a frame on a bookshelf saying, “HI!” with last week’s H.
H is for Heraldry & I is for Impressionism, 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, green, illumination, pen and ink, silver, watercolor, yellow
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