Posts Tagged ‘ink wash’

Harvest Moon 3

Saturday, November 5th, 2016

Harvest Moon 3, art by Amy Crook

Harvest Moon 3, 6″x6″ ink wash and gel pen on Fluid watercolor paper

Remember, remember, the fifth of November — happy Guy Fawkes Day, Brits! Don’t forget to check your bonfire for hedgehogs and Watsons (same thing, really).

This ink painting uses a gorgeous wash of honey-gold to create a lush harvest moon, and then a deep, opaque black for the sky and silhouetted crow flying across the moon. There are slightly shimmery copper stars in the vast blackness of the sky adding a touch of life to the dramatic image.

There is a beautiful sense of movement as the crow glides across the moon, not quite centered but wonderfully detailed despite being a single color of deep black.

This golden harvest moon will add a bit of mystery to its new home.

Harvest Moon 3, detail, by Amy Crook

Harvest Moon 3, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see all the lovely pinfeathers in silhouette against the orange moon. Below, the piece is stunning in its frame.

Harvest Moon, framed art by Amy Crook

Harvest Moon, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books
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Shadow City

Friday, November 4th, 2016

Shadow City, art by Amy Crook

Shadow City, 8″x8″ ink wash on Fluid watercolor paper

An alien city made of shadow rises up through a sky so thick with glittering golden stars it’s almost its own kind of light. A violet moon rises up behind it, huge and full, showing the buildings to be insubstantial, or perhaps existing on an entirely different plane than the light that goes right through them.

Last year’s Inktober brought the beautiful, bold Blood Moon 6. This year’s sequel features a much softer moon dripping with violet mystery, and a taller shadowy city glowing with its stolen light.

Which of these oddling structures is your favorite?

Shadow City, detail, by Amy Crook

Shadow City, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the exquisite detail on the shadowy, insubstantial buildings, and the beautiful texture of the violet moon. Below, the art looks gorgeous in a frame, just waiting for a permanent place to shine.

Shadow City, framed art by Amy Crook

Shadow City, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
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Red Pumpkin

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2016

Red Pumpkin by Amy Crook

Red Pumpkin, 6″x4″ ink wash on Fluid watercolor paper

To start we have an ode to the season — this bright red pumpkin is softened by the splotches of green-gold-brown that echo the decorations nature puts on certain kinds of squash.

The color is festive enough to stay out from Halloween through Christmas and beyond, a bit of fall foliage that will warm you throughout the year.

There is even a tiny hint of shimmer and shine in the depths of the golden areas, which is offset beautifully by the deep black of the background.

Red Pumpkin, detail, by Amy Crook

Red Pumpkin, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the shimmer hiding in the blemish and the beautiful texture of ink on paper. Below, this little pumpkin looks great in its frame, just waiting to find the perfect niche in your home to occupy.

Red Pumpkin, framed art by Amy Crook

Red Pumpkin, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Whimsical and Strange
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Inktober 2016, Week 4

Monday, October 31st, 2016

Inktober is complete! I caught a mild cold or allergy attack or something, but I managed to power through thanks to some huge mugs of strong tea and a couple of hot toddies. Some of these will be available as cards, some of them will be in a bookmark sale for my email list next month, some of them will show up in the Floating Gallery tomorrow, and some of them are already spoken for.

Inktober day 24: Growth 7

Inktober day 24: Growth 7

Inktober day 25: A Murder of Crows 3 (sold)

Inktober day 25: A Murder of Crows 3 (sold)

Inktober day 26: ridiculous haunted Haunter

Inktober day 26: ridiculous haunted Haunter

Inktober day 27: Harvest Moon 3 (sold)

Inktober day 27: Harvest Moon 3 (sold)

Inktober day 28: Twelfth Doctor holiday card design

Inktober day 28: Twelfth Doctor holiday card design

Inktober day 29: Rimmer and Lister from Red Dwarf arguing about Pokemon, for Jeff

Inktober day 29: Rimmer and Lister from Red Dwarf arguing about Pokemon, for Jeff

Inktober day 30: bookmark of autumnal goodness

Inktober day 30: bookmark of autumnal goodness

Inktober day 31: Twelfth Doctor "Time Ends" for Ian

Inktober day 31: Twelfth Doctor “Time Ends” for Ian

(almost) ALL the things! Missing days 18 & 21, which are elsewhere.

(almost) ALL the things! Missing days 18 & 21, which are elsewhere. Surprisingly few lame sketchy days overall!

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Card Design, Completed Commissions, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, People, Figures and Faces, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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Inktober 2016, Week 1

Monday, October 10th, 2016

The Floating Gallery has closed, but Inktober is very much still going! Here’s  a recap of the first week-and-a-bit of 2016’s art. Some of these will be available as cards, some of them will be in a bookmark sale for my email list next month, and some of them are already spoken for. Quite a variety!

Inktober day 1: 00Q holiday card (colors tba)

Inktober day 1: 00Q holiday card (colors tba)

Inktober day 2: red pumpkin

Inktober day 2: red pumpkin

Inktober day 3: 5th Doctor Who (colors tba)

Inktober day 3: 5th Doctor Who (colors tba)

Inktober day 4: October airship

Inktober day 4: October airship

Inktober day 5: Zen circle Jack Skellington

Inktober day 5: Zen circle Jack Skellington

Inktober day 6: (not un)lucky black cat

Inktober day 6: (not un)lucky black cat

Inktober day 7: cute candy and cute fruit bookmarks

Inktober day 7: cute candy and cute fruit bookmarks

Inktober day 8: holiday Lestrade bookmark

Inktober day 8: holiday Lestrade bookmark

Inktober day 9: violets bookmark

Inktober day 9: violets bookmark

Categories: Card Design, Completed Commissions, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, People, Figures and Faces, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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Calcifer

Saturday, May 7th, 2016

Calcifer, Howl's Moving Castle art by Amy Crook

Calcifer, 6″x4″ ink wash and various watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper

Studio Ghibli has made some of the most amazing films, and one of my favorites is the adaptation of Howl’s Moving Castle. If you’ve seen it, the title will make perfect sense!

A glow-haloed, shadowy figure dances over the water through a rain of color and light, like a shining star in a fall of them, experiencing a few bright moments of joy before snuffing out.

This painting has several kinds of sparkle to it against a soft grey ink rain, and its real beauty shines through in person.

Calcifer, detail, by Amy Crook

Calcifer, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the iridescent, duochrome, and interference watercolors sparkle through the inky haze of rain. Below, you can see the piece in a frame, just waiting for its chance to shine for you.

Calcifer, framed art by Amy Crook

Calcifer, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Floating Gallery, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books, Things I'm a Fan Of
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Boundaries

Friday, March 4th, 2016

Boundaries, abstract ink art by Amy Crook

Boundaries, 6″x6″ brush & ink and ink wash on Fluid watercolor paper

Rich inks mix and layer, creating boundaries of color between them, washing away the old ones, limned with lines painted anew. Gold and green shimmer in the depths, adding extra depth and brilliance to this beautiful abstract.

Edges meander like rivers and coastlines, sometimes delineating and sometimes failing to encompass the shifting pools of color.

Boundaries, detail, by Amy Crook

Boundaries, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the beautiful shimmer of gold particles in the ink, the black boundaries where two colors meet and mix, and white both over and under the teal Emerald of Chivor. Below, the piece is elegantly framed in simple back, which lets the rich colors really pop.

Boundaries, framed art by Amy Crook

Boundaries, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery
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