Posts Tagged ‘watercolor’
Rainforest
Tuesday, August 4th, 2015
Rainforest, abstract art by Amy Crook
As an antidote to Monday, I give you another contribution to my Pathways series. This one is a vibrant turquoise softened by cool blue and granular black, with the tiniest hint of shimmer hiding in the highlights.
It makes me think of the Amazon jungle rising up to the sky, taking over wherever it can.
There’s a glow of life at the core of each growth, especially along the bottom where they stretch up out of a mound of colour, reaching upward and spreading outward like plants seeking the sun.
Rainforest, 8″x8″ watercolor and iridescent watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.
Rainforest, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the intricate, organic shapes of the runnels and fronds. Below, the piece is nestled in a frame, already growing upward out of sight.
Rainforest, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Series and Books
Tags: green, iridescent, nfs, pathways, watercolor
Cuppa Rage
Monday, August 3rd, 2015
Cuppa Rage by Amy Crook
Almost half of my July was taken up dealing with a tech snafu, which was covered by my extended warranty but still enough to drive me around the bend.
This sharp-edged, boiling cuppa was inspired by the uniquely enraging experience of dealing with terrible tech support that operates off a script with no room for the actual variation of customer experience. The cup itself is a dull, smoldering burgundy with bright orange in the handle and cut-off plane of the top, and a vibrant red inside with the bubbling tea. I gilded the sharp edges at the top and bottom of the cup and along the saucer, the bright spot of not actually murdering anyone.
My tech woes have been solved, but it’s good I had a cuppa to contain my rage.
Cuppa Rage, 7″x5″ pen & ink, watercolor, and metallic watercolor on paper.
Cuppa Rage, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the shine of gold offset by the virulent orange on the sharp-cut edge of the cup, and the roil of tea inside. Below, the rage has been contained in a frame, ready to receive all the frustration of your Mondays to come.
Cuppa Rage, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Floating Gallery, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: cuppa, for sale, metallic watercolor, pen and ink, tea, watercolor
Sky Scraped
Wednesday, July 8th, 2015
Sky Scraped by Amy Crook
The subtle blue-green-grey of the sky in this painting was remarkably hard to capture in any of the photos. I love the stormy roil of it, almost pre-tornado as even the clouds look like they’re pouring down to become part of the skyscraper.
There’s a sense of decay in the central image, whether it’s a building half-built and abandoned, or a burnt-out husk just waiting to fall down.
I love the mysterious figure hanging out on a lone girder, rain pounding down all around it.
Who are they, and why are they up there? What do you think?
Sky Scraped, 4″x8″ pen & ink and watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.
Sky Scraped, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the figure up close, mysterious cloak trailing below like the raggedy tail of some giant crow. Below, the painting rests in a temporary frame, waiting to find its place in the world.
Sky Scraped, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
Tags: city, nfs, pen and ink, ruins, sold, watercolor
Winter 2
Tuesday, July 7th, 2015
Winter 2 by Amy Crook
The original Winter has some very soft greenish undertones that play beautifully off the cream of the page. This sequel has violet undertones instead from genuine Amethyst pigment, making it seem icier than its counterpart.
There’s a real, physical sparkle to this painting with the inclusion of salt crystals, but it’s very subtle and mostly evident in the way it interacts with the paint.
The winter also has another feature, a burst of color where it deliberately breaks the invisible border and reaches up toward the sky in its exuberance. Even in the coldness of winter you can find nature’s enthusiasm.
Winter 2, 9″x12″ salt and watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.
Winter 2, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can just see the subtle sparkle of the salt and the beautiful way it interacts with the watercolor mix. Below, you can see the painting with my old glasses for scale.
Winter 2, abstract art by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Series and Books
Tags: for sale, pathways, salt, watercolor
Cuppa Sadness
Monday, July 6th, 2015
Cuppa Sadness by Amy Crook
More blue! Yes, it’s been a very blue month, which I didn’t do on purpose — several of these are holdovers from previous months that I started previously and finished recently. It just sort of worked out that way.
This newest cuppa is a soft, greyish blue on a heavy, watery sort of shape, with drops of water falling from above like tears.
Silver paint adds some shimmer to the sadness, in the tag and around the rim, including the droplet-like ends of each little blorp.
Really, the saddest part about this cuppa would be trying to drink your tea out of the weird shape. Oops.
Cuppa Sadness, 7″x5″ pen & ink and watercolor on paper.
Cuppa Sadness, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the shine of silver watercolor delicately gilding the edges of the cup and tag. Below, you can see the cup in a frame, ready to hold your sadness for you in its new home.
Cuppa Sadness, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Floating Gallery, Series and Books, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: cuppa, metallic watercolor, nfs, pen and ink, sold, tea, watercolor
Orange Lily
Saturday, July 4th, 2015
Orange Lily by Amy Crook
It’s been a very blue month, so let’s celebrate today with some gorgeous orange!
I’ve been wanting to experiment with some more splash-y flowers, and I decided to brighten up this month’s palette with some orange, red, and gold.
The scanner flattened out a lot of the beautiful layering that you can see in the framed and detail photos (which means there won’t be any reprints, so if you want it, get it now!). There’s a cool pinkish red mixed in with the deep and bright oranges and the warm gold, which really gives the impression of peering into an opening flower.
The splash of green brings the image into focus, and the gold in the very middle makes beautiful stamen for this lovely lily.
Orange Lily, 6″x4″ watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper.
Orange Lily, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the beautifully layered oranges, reds, and golds that make this lovely lily so exquisite. Below, it’s been planted in a frame, ready to brighten your home or office.
Orange Lily, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes
Tags: flower, for sale, orange, watercolor
Fairytale Sky 10
Friday, July 3rd, 2015
Fairytale Sky 10 by Amy Crook
I haven’t added to this series in a while, but sometimes you just want to paint swirly clouds and a big, bright moon.
I was watching Mulan the other day, and I was inspired by the beautiful way the artists rendered smoke in that movie. I’m still wembling about what to do with the sky in another work in progress, so this little painting let me explore both ideas.
I think the result is lovely, don’t you?
Fairytale Sky 10, 6″x4″ Japanese watercolor on Arches cover black paper.
Fairytale Sky 10, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the moon up close, its softly glowing face full of beautiful texture from the paper. Below, the piece has been put in a tiny frame, perfect to secret in a bookshelf, display on a desk, or add to an array of other art.
Fairytale Sky 10, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
Tags: black paper, fairytale sky, for sale, japanese watercolor, moon, watercolor
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