Posts Tagged ‘octopus’

Dance of the Octopi – Fabric!

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011

Dance of the Octopi fabric by Amy Crook

Dance of the Octopi fabric by Amy Crook

You may remember a while back I posted a design called Dance of the Octopi and contemplated how it would make good wallpaper or fabric pattern? Well, I’ve finally gotten around to putting it up on Spoonflower for sale! You can see my little sample above, which is a fat quarter of unironed quilting weight (I don’t own an iron, haha) gathered into a pretty swath for the photo.

I love the dreamy, blue and purple creatures and vibrant green seaweed against the soft blue background, and am still contemplating whether I want to get a few yards and try to sew myself a tentaclicious pair of pajama pants. I suppose I’d have to buy an iron, though…

Categories: Daily Art, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Tentacles, Whimsical and Strange
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Dance of the Octopi

Friday, April 1st, 2011

Dance of the Octopi by Amy Crook

Dance of the Octopi by Amy Crook

I can almost imagine sleeping in a room with one wall papered with dancing octopi, squid and jellyfish, all swimming in their Victorian frame of swaying seaweed. Though, actually, once I get the colors adjusted to my satisfaction, I may upload the design to Spoonflower and see about making some pyjama pants out of it, so I can sleep cool in my underwater dreams.

I drew the individual pieces up with pen and ink, and then scanned them in simple black, adding color as I worked with the design. There’s no original per se for this one, just a bunch of sketches in a couple of sketchbooks. At some point I’ll need to crop just one panel out for repeating properly, but I want to adjust the blue background and purple squid first.

Now you can better imagine the Octopi as wallpaper/curtains: Click here!

Categories: Daily Art, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Whimsical and Strange
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Commission: Winter Octopus

Friday, January 21st, 2011

Winter Octopus Commission for Gretchen by Amy Crook

Winter Octopus Commission for Gretchen by Amy Crook

Aside from my own, I did get to do one other winter card this year as a commission. Gretchen (proud owner of Nugget) saw my Squittens card design and asked me to draw her up a cheerful cephalopod all her own. We decided on cool wintry colors, and having him making snowflakes as a proper activity for a cute little octopus celebrating the season. The hat was a last-minute addition that gave him a bit of extra interest, and really pulled together the whole theme of the piece.

She’s gotten her cards sent and received by now, so I thought I’d give a last bit of holiday cheer by sharing the art with you.

Winter Octopus, 5″x7″ pen and ink and copic markers on watercolor paper, nfs.

Categories: Completed Commissions, Daily Art, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Tentacles, Whimsical and Strange
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Translucent Pelagic Octopus

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

Translucent Pelagic Octopus tiny painting by Amy Crook

Translucent Pelagic Octopus tiny painting by Amy Crook

Today’s tiny painting is a Translucent Pelagic Octopus, a deep-sea creature that floats ghostlike in the dark ocean. They have some phosphorescence in blues and reds and even a bit of gold to go with the white, and seem to be sculptures of living glass. Iridescent paint gives the image a big of shimmer, adding to the effect.

He’s giving you a cheerful hello wave from his tiny canvas, which is about the size of a postcard. He comes with a small wooden easel to easily display him on a flat surface such as a bookshelf, mantelpiece, desk, cubicle, or very patient cat.

Pelagic Octopus, 4″x5″ oil painting on canvas board.

Categories: Daily Art, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Tentacles
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Pink Octopus

Saturday, July 24th, 2010

Pink Octopus by Amy Crook

Pink Octopus by Amy Crook

A few years back (2006 says the signature!), we visited the Baltimore Aquarium when they had their octopus. He was just so adorable, pink and friendly, and he had this little puzzle-box full of shrimp that we declared was his purse. I spent a long time watching him, studying the way his limbs met his body and the decidedly un-graceful curls and squiggles of his long tentacles, especially the way they attenuated at the very ends.

So, when I got home, I had to draw him! I gave him a purse full of shrimp, and used my “Prawn” copic marker to color him. I ran across him while I was looking for some other files, and I thought I’d share him with you as a lazy Saturday post.

Categories: Daily Art, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Tentacles
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Octopus

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

Octopus by Amy Crook

Octopus by Amy Crook

Busy day, I nearly forgot to post — here, have an old doodle! I do have a fondness for sea life…

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