Posts Tagged ‘jellyfish’

Jellyfish Bloom 2

Saturday, March 2nd, 2019

Jellyfish Bloom 2 by Amy Crook, a strange watercolor painting of transparent jellyfish against a turquoise ocean

Jellyfish Bloom 2, 6″x4″ white ink and watercolor on paper

The jellyfish are blooming again!

Near-transparent against the turquoise sea, they float below and only catch the light when it suits them. Their bodies are made of a shimmering interference blue that nearly vanishes, while the opaque white ink of the ribs and details keeps them visible even when the sunshine is fleeting.

This painting is beautiful in person, a tiny box of jewels to adorn your life in pale blues and enameled whites.

Jellyfish Bloom 2, detail, by Amy Crook

Jellyfish Bloom 2, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the sun glinting off the near-invisible shine of the jellyfish, turning the matte white ink into shadow. Below, you can see these tiny jellies in their own frame, like a tank of lovely pets that never need to be fed.

Jellyfish Bloom 2, framed art by Amy Crook

Jellyfish Bloom 2, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
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Deep Ultraviolet

Friday, April 6th, 2018

watercolor painting of tentacles, baby octopuses, and jellyfish on a deep violet backgroudn by Amy Crook

Deep Ultraviolet, 12″x6″ watercolor and white ink on Fluid watercolor paper

In the violet depths of some mysterious sea, light filters down to find shining octopuses, waving tentacle fronds, and frolicking jellyfish.

Ultraviolet is the Pantone color of the year, and somehow the word seemed to fit this mix of vivid purples and shining metallics. There’s a sense of more going on than the eye can see, life just around the corner of vision.

What lies deep in these oceans?

Deep Ultraviolet, detail, by Amy Crook

Deep Ultraviolet, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the iridescent blue and duochrome mauve highlights on the floating jellies. Below, this art is in a temporary frame, waiting to bring its gorgeous mystery into your beautiful home.

Deep Ultraviolet, framed art by Amy Crook

Deep Ultraviolet, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Tentacles, Whimsical and Strange
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30 Day Marker Challenge, part 3

Tuesday, April 25th, 2017

The amazing Sadynax gave herself a 30-day Marker Challenge last month, and I decided to do it for April to help get back in the swing of art after my surgery. Three weeks and counting I’ve managed some daily art, hooray!

I’m giving my wonderful Patreon supporters some bonuses at the $5+ sketch levels this month, so it’s a good time to become a patron!

Celadon Teapot by Amy Crook for Kim

Day 18: Use colored paper.

Amethyst Spear by Amy Crook

Day 19: Draw stone or crystal.

Podovich by Amy Crook

Day 20: Draw fur.

Jellyfish by Amy Crook for Molly

Day 21: Draw water.

Charmeleon by Amy Crook for Eric

Day 22: Draw fire.

Coffee Warms the Soul by Amy Crook for Jefferson

Day 23: Draw cold atmosphere.

Desert by Amy Crook

Day 24: Draw warm atmosphere.

Categories: Card Design, Completed Commissions, Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, People, Figures and Faces, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Tentacles, Things I'm a Fan Of, Whimsical and Strange
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Jellyfish Bloom

Monday, October 6th, 2014

Jellyfish Bloom by Amy Crook

Jellyfish Bloom by Amy Crook

I went to Monterey Bay Aquarium recently, where they have two different exhibits full of jellyfish. I love the way the jellies just float serenely along, totally oblivious to the tug of gravity, going up or down or whichever way suits them at the moment. Their tentacles trail along behind like the tails of comets, following with the same slow, careless air.

The splash of sunlight at the top of this painting made me want to give them a bit of a gold sheen, so I used the palest gold paint I have (doesn’t everyone have 7 shades of gold paint?). There’s a tiny bit of salt hiding in this painting, and the background is shining and iridescent, giving everything an ethereal, underwater glow.

Jellyfish Bloom, 7″x5″ salt, metallic watercolor, and iridescent watercolor on paper.

Jellyfish Bloom, detail, by Amy Crook

Jellyfish Bloom, detail, by Amy Crook

It’s annoyingly difficult to photograph shiny things, because the white of the paper ends up looking grey by comparison, but you can get a little hint of the iridescent sheen that hides in the turquoise waters with the shiny gold jellies in the photo above. Below, the piece in a frame, looking rather more green from the bright sunlight.

Jellyfish Boom, framed art by Amy Crook

Jellyfish Boom, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books, Tentacles
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Sharpie Jellyfishies

Saturday, July 6th, 2013

Sharpie Jellyfishies by Amy Crook

Sharpie Jellyfishies by Amy Crook

See, what happens when I prompt myself is that you end up with more tentacles! I used some of my more pastel Sharpie markers to doodle these guys, pairing up complementary colors of fine-point and regular Sharpies.

Categories: Daily Art, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Tentacles
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Happy Jelly

Tuesday, June 11th, 2013

Happy Jelly by Amy Crook

Happy Jelly by Amy Crook

I know I’ve painted jellyfish before, but I decided my Wall of Squid needed some variety in its betentacled cuteness. This guy is actually a bit more pale in real life than he looks here, soft subtle pale blue-greens that make him look delightfully translucent. He’s not any specific species of jelly, just a cute one, but I did steal the idea of his heart-shaped markings on top from the lovely moon jellyfish.

Happy Jelly, 5″x7″ pen & ink and Copic marker on paper.

Happy Jelly, detail, by Amy Crook

Happy Jelly, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see a slightly better version of the pale coloring, and of course his cute little heart markings and big shiny head. Below, the happy jelly is dancing in his frame with my iPhone and favorite jellyfish plushie.

Happy Jelly, framed art by Amy Crook

Happy Jelly, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Daily Art, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books, Tentacles, Whimsical and Strange
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Jellyfish Bookmark 3

Tuesday, November 27th, 2012

Jellyfish Bookmark 3 by Amy Crook

Jellyfish Bookmark 3 by Amy Crook

Tentacle Tuesday has returned! This whimsical little jellyfish is done in three shades of shimmering watercolor, purple and pink floating in a lovely aqua-gold ocean. This bookmark is on nice thick watercolor paper with one edge tapering off to the natural deckle from the papermaking process. Not my process, of course, but the manufacturer’s.

Jellyfish Bookmark 3, 1.25″x6.875″ watercolor on paper.

Jellyfish Bookmark 3, detail, by Amy Crook

Jellyfish Bookmark 3, detail, by Amy Crook

Above you can just see the aqua paint turning to gold in the sun like a shimmer of pale powder. Below, the bookmark is sitting happily atop a normal-sized hardcover book so you can see the size.

Jellyfish Bookmark 3, with book, by Amy Crook

Jellyfish Bookmark 3, with book, by Amy Crook
(tentacles included. book not included.)

Categories: Daily Art, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books, Tentacles
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