Ambitious Farmhand - The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia

I am happy to share another new piece from The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia. While other new pieces I have shared with you last month (Articulate Polyglot and Vexed Beanmonger) are destined for use in Book Three: In the Black, this illustration is the first completed work for Book Two: The Completed Circle. I needed to shake off the funk I battled this year by completing the Articulate Polyglot before I could gear up on The Completed Circle. Now that the first one is done, I can not focus on knocking out the book's art. I still have some pieces for In the Black I will be working on soon, but I will be focusing on book two for now. This new piece is the first character piece in the book, and it is also the hero of the folktale that book two centers around. This young Thrakese farmhand is about to set off on a grand adventure... we think, from what is left of the original text, it can get a little confusing. I present to you the Ambitious Farmhand.

 

Ambitious Farmhand

The Grand Bazaar of Ethra Dalia - The Completed Circle
13 x 17 - Pencil, ink, and acrylic paint on paper
Original - Available
© 2020 Christopher Burdett

 

Ambitious Farmhand - Drawing 

13 x 17 - Pencil on paper
© 2020 Christopher Burdett

 

Typically, I share the final art and the line drawing that will eventually become the line art in a coloring book. I rarely have, or never, shared the original sketch that I create for these pieces. As with all of my work, I start with reference and a digital sketch that I use to work out the reality of what's in my head for these images. You should be able to draw a straight line from the digital sketch to the finished art. More detail is added, and elements get fleshed out along the way, but the overall piece is locked in during the sketch. Here is the sketch for the Ambitious Farmhand.

 

Ambitious Farmhand - Sketch

13 x 17 - Digital
© 2020 Christopher Burdett

For millennia jarroot has been grown and harvested in Thraaka. After several days in the drying houses, the root is used to produce an alcoholic beverage called jarre. It is potent and a staple at any Thrakese meal. When you dream of adventure and excitement, your days in the fields can feel very long.

As an added bonus, I have some images of the rendering process of this piece so that you can get a better idea of it taking shape. 

 

Ambitious Farmhand - Process

© 2020 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