Feast or Famine

When I worked in Los Angeles in the effect business we talked a lot about feast or famine. We either had so much work that it was nearly impossible to get it all done or we had absolutely nothing. Sometimes it would waver back and forth between the two on a weekly or even daily basis. I have had my share of this working as a freelance artist as well. So many job requests coming in all at the same time that I have to start turning them down or huge stretches of no emails. It is never easy and sometimes the famine times can really undermine your morale and take a wack at your self esteem.

Now that I am focusing more on my own project I expected a little more of an even road when it came to work. I would be wrong. The work I am doing now is larger and more complex than anything I have done in a while and I am really throwing myself into it. Also, the day job has really be ramping up and a lot is coming at me from that direction. Then there is life stuff, travel, events, things, etc. I have found myself in many ways in a time of feast of my own making and while I can control it, I can do less I seem to just add more on and double down on making art. It is as if I have learned nothing! Kidding aside, while I am busy, being busy because I am in control of it feels a WHOLE LOT better and different then when I am busy from over committing to others.

What I am also saying is that I am really super busy and somehow I keep posts going here on the blog. Even when that means I am making a blog about being busy and not having time to put up a blog post. Funny how that works. Just so there is a little more substance to this post, here are some sneak peek images of what I am currently working on. They are super close images and hopefully do not give too much away...

Process images © 2018 Christopher Burdett

That is all for another exciting week on the blog, see you back here next week. Until then...

For more samples of my work or to contact me regarding my availability head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com

Great Old One - Miniature Now Available! (FINALLY)

This is a long time in coming. Way back in 2010/2011 I created a painting of my take on a Great Old One... for a personal project that is recently getting some traction. That said, I was approached in 2013 to license the image for an upcoming RAFM Kickstarter. That Kickstarter came and went with it being funded and many stretch goals were also funded. One of the funded stretch goals was to have a miniature of my painting created! While there were teaser images and miniatures available for the Kickstarter backers the miniature based on my painting has yet to be available to the general population... until NOW!

Great Old One Miniature

Image courtesy the RAFM Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition Miniatures Kickstarter

Great Old One Miniature

Image courtesy the RAFM Website

Those interested in the Great Old One miniature can now head over the RAFM Website and get one for themselves. Mine showed up this week and I did not know what to expect. It sure is neat and I will need to put it together at some point and paint it up. There is something about it still all in it pieces that I find interesting too... the potential of being a monster. It is interesting to see where they strayed from my painting and where they stayed completely true. Here is a look at the miniature as it arrives...

Great Old One miniature by RAFM based on my painting

If you are interested in getting one of these for your very own just head over to the RAFM Website. I have had to wait 8 years to get my hands on one of these, you will only have to wait a week or less! Here again is the original painting that was the inspiration for the miniature. I have always really like this piece and I look forward to it eventually being put into context with what I am working on.

Great Old One

12.8 x 12.5 - Digital

© 2010 Christopher Burdett

That is all for another exciting Wednesday on the blog, see you back here on Friday! Until then...

For more samples of my work or to contact me regarding my availability head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com

Keeper of the Clocks - The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia

I have a new piece from The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia! With all the monsters complete, it is now time to begin exploring the Grand Bazaar itself. The first stop is in the clock tower that stands in front of the great tower of Ethra VanDalia. Ethra's connection and interaction with time have always been troublesome. It has taken a lot of work and some special modifications to get a chronometer to function this close to Ethra. The Construct Guild was up to the challenge, and through a fair bit of sacrifice, the clocks now function. If you are interested, the Construct Guild is always looking for volunteers to join the team to keep the clocks ticking.

Keeper of the Clocks
16 x 20 - Pencil, ink, and acrylic paint on paper
Original - Sold

Currently Available Grand Bazaar Originals
© 2018 Christopher Burdett

Keeper of the Clocks - Drawing
16 x 20 - Pencil on paper
© 2018 Christopher Burdett

Due to the complexity of these larger full environment piecesheadaches I am now working on, I have needed to do value studies to make sure I know where I am going and don't lose my way. Doing these value studies has been one of the best course of action on this project and have saved me a lot of headache. Here is the value study for the Keeper of the Clocks.

Keeper of the Clocks - Value study
Digital
© 2018 Christopher Burdett

Here are all of the monsters appearing in the first volume of The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia: Aberrant Stilter, Belled Kreep, Corrupted Knight, Dight-Kin, Eau-de-nil Elder, Ethra VanDalia, Footman, Gray Wanderer, Gullet, Humgruffin Mother, Irritated Girasol, Judicator, Kiplorbic Animal Dealer, Lammergeier Transport, Myopic Riflemen, Nimsbane Curse Victim, Ophiomornous Bureaucrat, Petrous Blacksmith, Quincaillerie, Rapacious Guttersnipe, Saint Marque, Smokestack, Thrice, Uncanny Scribe, Virulent Artificer, Woven Egg, Woven Shaper, Xandrell Tree, Yote Arms Dealer, and Zombic Spore.
 
As a bonus I have for you some images of the line work and rendering process of this piece so that you can get a better idea of it taking shape.

Keeper of the Clocks - Process © 2018 Christopher Burdett

That is all for another exciting Monday on the blog. See you back here on Wednesday! Until then...

For more samples of my work or to contact me regarding my availability, head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com

Unexpected Installations

Since Halloween of last year I have stumbled upon a series of unexpected installations in and around the park I walk at every morning. Not sure if they are all by the same person, but I am so happy that they are happening. All but one has either been removed or stolen, but that might be the intent. Whomever is out there doing these I just hope they continue. It makes me really happy to find these and to know that someone out there has the time, energy, and drive to bring a little unexpected joy into this world.

King Frog keeps an eye on the Florida State Capital

The first one that I found was on Halloween morning. A rather awesome jack-o-lantern totem appeared over night. It was next to a train trestle and could seen by passing cars. This one actually lasted untouched for a while before finally disappearing a piece at a time with the very bottom piece finally being removed in the last month or two.

Halloween Totem welcomes you to drive under the train trestle.

The next one I found was actually in the park and made use of an old ticket counter window in a wall surrounding the park. On one side the window is at waist level and on the other it is at or above head level. Two small busts were attached to the metal and there was even a small battery powered LED spot light stuck above them for added light. I had to look down to see them and could have missed them if I was not paying attention. This one was fun and weird and I really enjoyed it. It went up mid February and last a week or two at most. The LED spot light is all that remains and it has fallen off and is just laying were Elvis once sat.

The Kings behind bars.

The most recent one that was brought to my attention (Dear Wife saw this one first) is my favorite. Small sections of AstroTurf with two frog statues has been placed between the lanes of an overpass. The overpass is about 100 feet or so from the park. The frogs are lit most of the time with street lights or the sun and they have a great view of the state capital building. No idea how long this one has been there, but it is out of the way and a little hard to get to, so hopefully it will be there for some time.

The frogs watch the traffic go by all day and all night.

Like I said, no idea who is doing these and if it one person or not. Also no idea if there are any more, but I am constantly keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. If by chance the person responsible for these ever sees this, THANK YOU! You have made my walks that much more enjoyable and Tallahassee even more special. I hope these inspire others to do similar, we could all use a little more unexpected magic in out lives.

That is all for another exciting week on the blog, see you back here on Monday! Until then...

For more samples of my work or to contact me regarding my availability head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com

SagaBorn Creature Compendium Kickstarter

The most excellent Michael Bielaczyc has started up a new Kickstarter for the SagaBorn Creature Compendium which is an expansion to his SagaBorn Rollplaying Game. I have had the great opportunity to create many fun monsters for Micheal and many of them will be appearing in this book (and are featured heavily on the Kickstarter!). The Kickstarter went live on Monday and it is already funded! I have talked about Michael's work here on the blog many times and I can not say enough good things about him and his work. If you like fun RPGs and monsters then you should really check out this book. There are many tiers to support this Kickstarter at, so if you missed the core rule book or the miniatures you can get both as part of this campaign! Head on over to Kickstarter and make your pledge today!

SagaBorn Creature Compendium Kickstarter

Live now and funded!

That is all for another exciting Wednesday on the blog, see you back here on Friday! Until then...

For more samples of my work or to contact me regarding my availability head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com

Star Wars and the Power of Costume

We found ourselves briefly in St. Petersburg, FL over the weekend and had a little bit of time available to squeeze in a visit to the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Art and their current exhibit of Star Wars and the Power of Costume. The show runs through April 1st, so it was lucky we had a chance to get down to see it. I highly recommend a visit to the show if possible, or catching it when and if it tours nearer to you. Seeing the original costumes, props, and art was truly special. I was surprised with how less detailed the costumes of the original trilogy were and how complex they read to me watching the movies juxtaposed with how complex the new costumes are for the current movies and much detail is lost when viewing. Especially with the original trilogy, it was great to see just how much they were able to do with so little. This was really great opportunity to see just how rich and complex the actual costumes are for movies. I took many photos and tried to get some detail shots for use later. Here are but a few of the photos I took while at the exhibition, they should all more or less speak for themselves...

That is all for another exciting Monday on the blog, see you back here on Wednesday! Until then...

For more samples of my work or to contact me regarding my availability head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com