Monday, August 30, 2021

The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia Update and Sneak Peek

A lot is going on with the Grand Bazaar these days. I am more or less back on a regular production schedule working on the images for the next books. On top of that, a lot is happening behind the scenes to be ready for IX in October and conventions, in general, moving forward. This includes finishing new work, getting prints ready, and even making better publicity images of the books. My entire convention setup and appearance is changing, and that is requiring a lot of new construction, organization, and planning. At least by IX, I will be able to share that with you. 

Until then, I can leave you with a pair of sneak peeks at the piece I am currently working on. This is an illustration I planned out over ten years ago but never moved forward with it beyond shooting reference and creating the digital sketch. I have carried it around trying to find a home for it for a decade and finally realized it was always meant to be in the Grand Bazaar. I made some updates to the sketch and prepped it got production. I completed the linework for it over the weekend. I will begin rendering it this week. For now, here is a glimpse at a bad day in the Grand Bazaar.

 
There will be a few beings having very, very bad days in book three, In the Black.

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

Friday, August 27, 2021

The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia - A Year Later

A year ago this week, my shipment of The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia arrived. Two massive stacks of books were on a truck and finally at the end of their long journey from China. It was the end of one chapter and the start of the next. It was a shining moment in an otherwise dark time last year as the global pandemic raged. It has been a year, and some things are different, and others are very much the same. The pandemic still rages because of human failings, but the book has slowly gotten out into the world. Not in the way that I imagined it would at the beginning of 2020 when the Kickstarter launched. I still haven't participated in any in-person conventions or events since February 2020, but with IX only a month and a half away, maybe I can be in the same place with my books and showing them to people finally. To celebrate the first anniversary, I did a new photoshoot with the book.

 
The available selection for the first book in The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia series. 
 While there is the main hardcover, there is also a 5th Edition D&D compatible stats guide for all the monsters in the book, a coloring book, and finally, a deluxe edition that contains all of the books, an exclusive clamshell case that holds all of the books, and a signed and numbered bookplate that features an original drawing. These deluxe editions are limited to only 100 copies.

Here are some of the images from last year of the books arriving. It was touch and go for a moment as they were unloaded, but the driver knew his palette jack and truck and got them on the ground in one piece.

 
Two massive piles of books that we ended up unstacking and restacking by hand to do a count and inventory check. 

Here are more images from the new photoshoot for the book. The previous images were fine, but I knew they could be better. I had been kicking this job down the road for a while due to deadlines and life, but it finally all came together. Will these be the last time I take pictures of these books? No. There will always be more.

(Collected Guide of Reference Statistics and Cataloged Research Calculations pertaining to the Beings and Beasts of the Grand Bazaar of Ethra)


Lastly, I have a new video featuring a look at the inside of the book. A little sneak peek of what the first book has in store for you. To see more, head to my store for details, images, and buying options.

 
A look at The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia - A book 20 years in the making

That's 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

Wednesday, August 25, 2021

Selected Recent Artist Proof Drawings

Today I have for you a selection of recent artist proofs that I added drawings to. If you are interested in getting any of these for yourself, just follow the links to my store. I recently completed a ton of artist proof, and this is the first batch from those completed drawings. 

The Shimmerwing Chimer continues to be a popular card.

As is the Stinging Lionfish.

I never excepted the Festering Mummy to be as popular as it has been, but then again, is it a zombie-looking mummy.

Always trying to find new and enjoyable drawing options for a metal cobra.

The same can be said for the little lizard that thought highly of itself.

The Shifting Shadow is a popular card, and it is not uncommon for an individual to purchase multiples.

That's 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

Monday, August 23, 2021

Fortune Teller - The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia

I am happy to share another new piece from The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia. This illustration is slated for Book Three: In the Black. This piece focuses on a hapless Kiplorb coming to terms with their life choices and how trapping a being not meant for this level of existence may not have been the best idea. The captured being, only known as Uncle, bides its time for now as it shares possible futures for any that place a coin in the bowl. I present to you the Fortune Teller.

Fortune Teller
The Grand Bazaar of Ethra Dalia - In the Black
13 x 17 - Pencil, ink, and acrylic paint on paper
Original - Available
© 2021 Christopher Burdett
 
Fortune Teller - Drawing 
13 x 17 - Pencil on paper
© 2021 Christopher Burdett
 
Typically, I share the final art and the line drawing that will eventually become the line art in a coloring book. As with all of my work, I start with reference images and a digital sketch to work out the idea in my head for these pieces. You should be able to draw a straight line from the digital sketch to the finished art. More detail is added, and elements are fleshed out along the way, but the overall piece is locked in during the sketch. Here is the sketch for the Fortune Teller.
 
Fortune Teller - Sketch 
13 x 17 - Digital
© 2019 Christopher Burdett

Some Kiplorb still possess a dwindling spark of the power their ancestors use to freely wield. Some are aware of the spark and use it to its fullest, and some cause significant troubles as they blindly flex power no longer reigned in my knowledge and experience. When you find yourself in the control of a vastly old and dangerously powerful being, you will so come to the realization that you are now in a cage of your own making, for if the being was to ever escape, your remaining days of life would be spent in great pain.

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

Fortune Teller - Process
© 2021 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

Friday, August 20, 2021

TOMORROW! CosmicCon: Monsters and Magic: Card Illustration

TOMORROW, Saturday, August 21st, starting at 11 AM, I will be part of a free virtual presentation about my career and, specifically, Magic the Gathering with the Leon County Publix Libraries. Come hang out virtually while I talk about making monsters, sharing work, and taking questions from attendees. 

Head to the Facebook event for all the details and links to the event. More information and links can be found on the Leon County Libraries site and the Tallahassee Art guide. I hope to see you there!

Join me for a FREE virtual presentation about making monsters for Magic the Gathering and MORE! Saturday, August 21st, starting at 11 AM

That's 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

Wednesday, August 18, 2021

The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia Fine Art Prints - PRESALE

I am thrilled to announce a PRESALE for my new line of fine art prints from the art of The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia. With conventions beginning again and my first in-person event in October with IX, it was time to unveil what I am planning for all events to come.

These 12" x 18" fine art prints are printed on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag 308. Every print comes stamped, signed, and numbered as an edition of 100. If the samples are any indication, these are the best quality prints I have ever carried, and they look as good as the original artwork. In all seriousness, I am shocked by how good the prints look. The paper quality is outstanding, and it allows the art to look as good as it can. 

The prints are available individually and as a set of seven. This presale will be the only way to have a chance to get the low numbers in the edition. They will be first come, first serve, so if you want to get the number ones of the edition,  you better be quick. Follow the links below to preorder your prints!

Please be aware that the prints are at a reduced price for this presale. They will be going up once they are in stock on the website and at events. Get them now at a discount!

As this is a presale, the prints will not be in stock until Sept 2021.

All of my Grand Bazaar prints are now available on my store.
 
 
 


 
 

That's 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

Monday, August 16, 2021

CosmicCon: Monsters and Magic: Card Illustration

This coming Saturday, August 21st, starting at 11 AM, I will be part of a free virtual presentation about my career and specifically Magic the Gathering with the Leon County Publix Libraries. Come hang out virtually while I talk about making monsters, sharing work, and taking questions from attendees. More information and links can be found on the Leon County Libraries site and the Tallahassee Art guide. I hope to see you there!

Join me for a FREE virtual presentation about making monsters for Magic the Gathering and MORE! Saturday, August 21st, starting at 11 AM

That's 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

Friday, August 13, 2021

Grand Bazaar Coloring Book Pages by Veronica and Jeff Ritchie

One of the fun things about getting a book printed is getting two or even three books published. This is one of the reasons that when it came time to produce The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia that we looked into having a 5E D&D stats book and a coloring book made at the same time. I very much wanted the stats book, and my wife was entirely behind the coloring book. Today, I have for you some coloring book pages recently shared with me. 

These pages are by Veronica and Jeff Ritchie. I have known Jeff since my time in LA, working on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Jeff was part of a group that raised money for charitable organizations that would have a big celebration every year in LA where people involved with the Angle and Buffy would come and meet with fans. I would suit up as monsters and demons from the show to take part in the events. Jeff has been a huge supporter of my work for many years, and he has been incredibly supportive of my efforts to make the Grand Bazaar a reality. While it is exciting to see what people do with the pages in the coloring book, it is super special to see Veronica and Jeff's creations. I love these so much! Thank you both for the support and friendship!

Gullet coloring page by Veronica Ritchie
 
Zombic Spore coloring page by Jeff Ritchie

That's 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

Wednesday, August 11, 2021

When Your Best Isn't Enough - Part 2

Last week I shared with you the first of two posts about a project that didn't go the way I would have ever expected. Today, I bring the second and final installment in the tale. If you missed the first post, this work is from 2012, when I was accepting any and all work to see if I could leave my day job and work full time in the gaming industry. These designs were for a video game that has since come and gone, and none of the work I produced made it into the game - as far as I can tell. In the first post, I shared the many downs and a couple ups that came with designing and finishing the first monster I was assigned. I bring you the second monster today.

As mentioned in my first post, I quickly felt out of my element on this project, and my years of experience felt useless to me. I felt lost on a project making monsters. Not the best place to find myself. As I got started, I did feel some confidence returning. I successfully completed the first monster, or at least I thought I had successfully completed it. I didn't learn that it was reworked by another artist until later. With this second monster, I was switching which roll it played in the game and the environment it represented. I got to work on some thumbnail silhouettes.

Phase 1 thumbnail silhouettes

The thumbnail phase for this monster went a lot smoother and quicker, which gave me a false sense of accomplishment and confidence. One of the thumbnails was picked as my starting point, I was given some notes, and it was decided that the animation skeleton for another similar monster would be used on the one I was beginning to design. This did limit me to some extent. I had to keep legs and other anatomy in set locations for the established animation skeleton to work. Even so, having a set framework to work around did allow me to not worry about some of the design. Legs had to be where the legs were, etc. Here are the first explorations into this monster.

Concept pass 1 and 2

From the beginning, I thought this one was proceeding very well, and as with the first monster, I truly felt that at any point, I was almost to the point of being approved. As before, at every stage, I was shown to be wrong as the design would give way to more and more iterations and changes. One of my first versions was selected, and I was asked to rework the head and only the head. I felt that things were proceeding much better this time around. Here is the head update.

Concept pass 3

The head was still not working, but apparently, everything else was. I was asked to do some head variations to explore what other options I could generate. This kind of stuff is fun to me. Drilling down to make one aspect as good as it can be. I used what I thought to be the approved body to influence and dictate the shape and kind of head this creature would have. There are several of these that I like, but sadly, this monster only has one head.

Head variations set 1 and 2

As I recall, and from what I can tell from these drawings is that the very last head option that I created was selected. When I thought we were getting somewhere with the design, I was asked to go back in and simplify and rework the spikes and spines on the monster's back.

Spike simplification

As soon as the spikes were addressed, I was asked more head variations. This is at the point where I was beginning to worry. I thought I had a locked-in body and was working on the head. Then the head was selected only for me to start work again on the body. Once the body was chosen again, now more work on the head. I will be honest, the final head selected was one of my least liked. I know you should never submit anything you are not happy with or would want to work on, but in the process of exploring iterations and versions, not all of them are going to be as successful. At the end of the day, for me, one of the less successful options won the day.

Head variations set 3

As soon as the head was established again, I was asked to rework the body again. It was decided that the organ or whatever those round things are that hold water shouldn't be on the outside of the shell, and I needed to work up a design with them under the shell. I got to work on doing that with the newly selected head.

Body rework pass 1

I remember these new versions not being well received. The last request broke the look and feel of the creature that was established early on. You usually can't make a massive change like that without doing some significant modification. And that was what I was then asked to do. I needed to go back in and rework the entire body/shell aspect of this creature. Keep in mind I was also still having to design around the established animation skeleton from another monster. I tried my best to make something work.

Body rework pass2

None of these hit the mark. I was having the worst feeling of deja vu at this point. What at first felt like a better, more successful start to the design has now begun to spiral out of control. And yes, again, I do know that I am designing and not illustrating. I am exploring all options in a design, and I will likely have way more misses than hits and will probably find myself at deadends. My issue is that I was getting the impression that things were working and that I was moving in the right direction, only to be told to start over. Again. I was asked to drop the water pods and give the entire piece a new start.

Body rework pass3

Working with the head they liked, the animation skeleton that I couldn't deviate from, and the three or four spikes on the shell, I produced a bunch more concepts. I think some of these are really working and would make for a cool monster. 

This is at the point I was asked to leave the project. I will never know why this particular time was when it happened, but there was a part of me that knew it was inevitable. I would be lying if I told you I was not relieved that I was no longer working on the project. It was not fun and only caused me stress and anxiety. This project made me feel like a bad artist. I did get paid for my time, but that time resulted in nothing useful to the game. 

Needless to say, I never quit my day job. Good thing, too, with all that has been happening these past two years. Global pandemics aside, if I had left my day job, the likelihood of The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia getting published would have been next to zero. It all works out one way or another. I wish that this project didn't leave me feeling like a failure, but not ever endevor can be sucessful. I had to spend the next nine years learning from this experience and putting that knoweldge to good use elsewhere. One day I hope to see my work in a video game, but for now, that day is a long way off.

That's 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