Hur'shaas© 2009 Hero Games
Post Apocalyptic© 2009 Hero Games
Horror© 2009 Hero Games
Cyberpunk© 2009 Hero Games
You should never talk ill of your own work, especially in a portfolio presentation and an artist is always their own worst critic... needless to say these two items find themselves in conflict. I was really happy with how these turned out at the time and then I went to San Diego Comic Con and talked with folks like Todd Lockwood. We discussed how I could have made some of these better and things I need to make sure I am aware of when working on a piece. After that I wanted to crawl under a rock and burn my computer. I am not the first artist to be frustrated that by the time your work comes out that you have (at least in your mind) advanced in your abilities or how you approach your work. Please understand, I am not speaking ill of Hero Games, their products or the work I did for them, it is just that looking at them now I realize I could have done better for them. Oh well, live and learn, get better, repeat. I still like that giant mutant cockroach a lot. Until next time...
For more samples of my work or to contact me regarding my availability head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com
I think we all have projects we look back on as "not our best work". I mean, we always (I assume we do at least) give it 100%. Even so, sometimes it doesn't turn out as well as we wanted.
ReplyDeleteThink of it in terms of baseball. Not every time at bat will be a grand slam home run. Some times you bloop it in to center field...some times you even strike out. It doesn't mean you're half-assing it.
We also get better over time (as long as we keep doing it). I have a stack of stuff that I want to revisit and revamp. My skills are better now than when I originally worked it, so I want to spruce it up (rarely happens due to being busy as hell...but a couple pics I've been able to re-do with a current skill-set to good results.
Your work is really good. Perfect? Shit, no such thing. Look at Todd Lockwood's gallery. Look at the early work versus current stuff. I can guran-fuckin-tee you he has some pics he looks back at and cringes over. I look at his early B&W stuff and know I can do the same if not better. I look at his current color stuff and cry a little inside as I couldn't touch it with a studded stick.
Your pieces for Hero 6th remain among my favorites, man. Great stuff.
ReplyDelete@ Jeff, that baseball analogy is great. Couldn't have said it better. THere was a lot of talk at Illuxcon about being on the escalator of art and everyone is on it together but we are on a different part of it, some higher and some lower, but all moving together.
ReplyDelete@Fred, Thanks! They were great to work on :) Can't wait to see how they turned out in the book. Thanks for stopping by my blog.