Posts Tagged ‘red’

R is for Retro

Thursday, December 6th, 2012

R is for Retro, calligraphic illumination by Amy Crook

R is for Retro, calligraphic illumination by Amy Crook

Do you know a Renee or Robert who loves retro design? This R has a bit of sparkle, a bit of old-school charm, and a lot of pink and teal. The grey R is outlined in black and silver, and the red border and designs are also done in shiny glitter. I’m almost done with my alphabet, too, so if you’ve been waiting on T or V, they’ll be up soon!

R is for Retro, 5″x5″ Japanese watercolor and glitter gel pen on paper.

R is for Retro, detail, by Amy Crook

R is for Retro, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the shine of glitter on both borders, highlighting the rich, opaque pink and teal. Below, the R is hanging out with a few sneak peeks to spell STAR.

S, T, A & R, calligraphic illuminations by Amy Crook

S, T, A & R, calligraphic illuminations by Amy Crook

Categories: Daily Art, Illuminated Alphabet, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,


P is for Pattern and Primary

Thursday, November 15th, 2012

P is for Pattern & Primary, calligraphic illumination by Amy Crook

P is for Pattern & Primary, calligraphic illumination by Amy Crook

And now for something completely different! Comic to resume tomorrow, never fear. And remember, you can always see the whole series so far (in order from A) at the alphabet tag.

This came out a bit patriotic as well, though mostly I wanted the red-and-white harlequin background to contrast well with the bright, primary blue of the letter. Gold glitter gel pen adds the yellow for all three primary colors, and since the red is glitter pen as well, the whole thing has a lovely sparkle. Perfect for a Patricia or Peter.

P is for Pattern & Primary, 5″x5″ Japanese watercolor, pen & pink and glitter gel pen on paper.

P is for Pattern & Primary, detail, by Amy Crook

P is for Pattern & Primary, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the sun shining off the red diamond and gold vine patterns. Below, the P is hanging out all by itself in its frame.

P is for Pattern & Primary, framed art by Amy Crook

P is for Pattern & Primary, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Daily Art, Illuminated Alphabet, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,


N is for Negative Space

Thursday, November 1st, 2012

N is for Negative Space, calligraphic illumination by Amy Crook

N is for Negative Space, calligraphic illumination by Amy Crook

The texture on this one is really subtle; with the red watercolor a very dense and intense tone, the red glitter gel pen nearly vanishes unless it’s at the right angle. I really enjoy the big red shark-fin shape at the bottom, and the deceptive simplicity of this particular letter. Perfect for a Nelson or Natalie or Norbert!

N is for Negative Space, 5″x5″ watercolor stick and glitter gel pen on paper.

N is for Negative Space, detail, by Amy Crook

N is for Negative Space, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the shining glitter catching the sunlight, giving the whole image a bit of a bluish tint to it. Below, the N is hanging out with next week’s O to spell out every toddler’s favorite word – NO.

N is for Negative Space & O is for Origami, framed art by Amy Crook

N is for Negative Space & O is for Origami, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Daily Art, Illuminated Alphabet, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: , , , , , , ,


Bordello Red Bookmark

Sunday, October 28th, 2012

Bordello Red Bookmark by Amy Crook

Bordello Red Bookmark by Amy Crook

Despite being red and gold, this bookmark reminds me more of some aging, velvet-and-cheap-gilt bordello than Gryffindor House. There’s a plethora of subtle texture on this one, from the wash of red-on-red to the fine layer of crystallized salt, the copper metallic paint powder mixed into the salt and the brighter gold border.

Bordello Red Bookmark, 1.875″ x 4.875″ salt and watercolor on paper.

Bordello Red Bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook

Bordello Red Bookmark, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the sparkle in the rain, and the odd spot where I made a little fingerprint in the paint that then grew its own salt-crystal relief. Below, the bookmark is resting against my blue-violet book, waiting for a chance at a new life.

Bordello Red Bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook

Bordello Red Bookmark, with book, by Amy Crook
(book for size reference only)

Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Series and Books
Tags: , , , , , , ,


G is for Gothic

Thursday, August 30th, 2012

G is for Gothic, calligraphic illumination by Amy Crook

G is for Gothic, calligraphic illumination by Amy Crook

I have to admit, I went for the pun a bit here, combining the Gothic capital with my own Goth sensibilities. The silver spiderwebs are half-seen until they catch the light, and the burgundy G floats in murky gloom, hanging out with the stripey little spider responsible for its extra decoration.

G is for Gothic, 5″x5″ pen & ink, Japanese watercolor, and glitter gel pen on paper.

G is for Gothic, detail, by Amy Crook

G is for Gothic, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the silver details shining in the bright summer sunlight. Goths in hot weather, anyone? Below, it’s hanging out on a little shelf with the C and my collection of Endless pewter figurines.

G is for Gothic & C is for Counter, framed art by Amy Crook

G is for Gothic & C is for Counter, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Daily Art, Illuminated Alphabet, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
4 Comments »


D is for Dada

Thursday, August 2nd, 2012

D is for Dada, calligraphic illumination by Amy Crook

D is for Dada, calligraphic illumination by Amy Crook

I was thinking of cheating and using Art Deco for my D but some googling around reminded me of the Dada art movement and all its wacky semi-political cut-and-paste collage. I got some 5-cent BART tickets from my roommate, who is a great source for all sorts of useful things, and dug through my own art supply hoard for a sheet of Chinese New Year paper. The letter itself echoes my original intent, using an Art Deco-esque font, but in a very Dada manner.

I’m thinking of trimming all of these down to 5″x5″, doing an ampersand, and then displaying them in a 3×9 grid of square black frames. What do you guys think?

Just remember, insert this side up.

D is for Dada, 5″x5″ collage, Sharpie marker and Japanese watercolor on paper.

D is for Dada, detail, by Amy Crook

D is for Dada, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can really see the soft torn edges of the Chinese paper contrasted with the sharp, thick, plastic-like material of the BART ticket, which really stands out against the backdrop of mismatched stamping and gilding. Below, you can see this piece tucked into a frame and hanging out with the F, just waiting for a new home. Derek, Dave, Danielle, who will take it home and keep it for their very own?

D is for Dada & F is for Flourish, framed art by Amy Crook

D is for Dada & F is for Flourish, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Daily Art, Illuminated Alphabet, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
3 Comments »


Filigree Planet 3

Friday, July 20th, 2012

Filigree Planet 3 by Amy Crook

Filigree Planet 3 by Amy Crook

I used the same rich fuchsia on the stars here as I did on the central part of Monday’s painting, and they make the glittery filigree on the planet look very orange by comparison. The underlying planet is a mix of reds, pinks and oranges, with texture added by salt. Strangely, the crystals on the planet itself grew very flat and dark this time, with almost no shine to them, so I decided to add in the filigree to keep the planet from being outshone by its surrounding field of stars.

Filigree Planet 3, 7″x5″ salt, Japanese watercolor and glitter gel pen on Arches cover black paper.

Filigree Planet 3, detail 1, by Amy Crook

Filigree Planet 3, detail 1, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the shine of the red glitter, and some of the underlying texture on the planet as well. Below, you can see a close-up of three of the tiny pink salt pools in all their fucshia glory. Pink (the color, not the rock star) and I have a strange relationship, since I usually loathe it, but I’m finding it’s got its uses in moderation.

Filigree Planet 3, detail 2, by Amy Crook

Filigree Planet 3, detail 2, by Amy Crook

Finally, you can see the piece tucked neatly into a frame. There’s no glass here, but it will ship to you fully protected and ready to hang. I just really hate trying to get the glare out of my photos.

Filigree Planet, framed art by Amy Crook

Filigree Planet, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
Tags: , , , , , , , ,


« Or Head Back That Way Drip divider More Art This Way »