BLOG-a-versary!

Yesterday was the actual day, but today works just as well. This time way back in 2009 I thought I might start up a blog... Well, today marks the beginning of year five and I have 660 posts now in the archives. It seems so surreal every time I hit one of these milestones because I am still not sure how I got to this point. How have a filled this blog up with so much content? How have I been able to get three posts up a week for all but a few occasions? Why do you all keep coming back to read my ramblings and look at my silly monsters?

Whatever the reasons of how, when, and why it does not change the fact that the blog is still going and it does not seem like it is running out of steam just yet. A hearty THANKS to EVERYONE who comes to the blog, comments on the posts, and in general lurks around this thing that I am creating. I couldn't keep doing it without you all.

I think I will wrap things up with images of the local mastodon skeleton that is apparently hiding in plane sight just a few miles from my house. You never know what you are going to find lurking outside your front door...

Mastodon skeleton and Giant Armadillo replica

Photos © 2013 Christopher Burdett

Again, many many thanks to everyone that frequents the blog and I hope the tales of my successes and failures help you all in your own journeys as artists or at least off some amusing entertainment!

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

And the winner is...

A week ago I had a little contest in celebration of my four year anniversary of blogging and for my 500th post. The contest was to guess how many pencils were in a jar that I have been filling for the last seven years. I was really impressed with how many of you took the time to post a guess and for all the kind words, it is really appreciated! While no one was able to guess the actual amount, one person did guess within 6 of the actual number... and if you were wondering, the actual number of pencils in the jar was...

306 pencils!

And the winner is, Guðmundur Harðar! The prize pack will be heading off to him very soon, congrats! Again, thanks to everyone who took part in the contest, hopefully in another four years and 500 posts you will have another chance!

I had no idea just how many pencils were in there until I counted them, and once they were all out they almost didn't fit back in. 306 seemed like a lot, but the amount didn't blow my mind until I started doing a little math. It took me about seven years to go through that many pencils, so that is about 43 pencils each year, or on average I go through a pencil every 8-9 days. I knew I drew a lot, I just didn't realize that I drew that much. This related back to my post about "What does it take?" where I first showed off the jar. I have been asked so many times about getting into the industry and being an artist and how I did it... well, I used up a pencil every 8-9 days... and this was AFTER I was already working in the industry, this was me working and trying to improve my abilities. There are no shortcuts to hard work and time.

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

4 years, 500 posts, and a CONTEST!

Two milestones for the blog this week! Not only is today my 500th post, but this up coming Friday (the 17th) will be my 4th anniversary of beginning this blog (how time flies)! I thought I would mark this special double occasion with a contest and prizes!!!

First, I just want to thank each and every person that has been to my blog in these last four years. The blog would be nothing without the people who visit it, leave comments, share links, and in general find my ramblings here to be helpful in their own artistic pursuits. It has kept me going these past four years and hopefully this is just the beginning! It is a little staggering that I have been able to reach 500 posts, to quote C3P0, "I never knew I had it in me". Again, deepest thanks to everyone that comes to the blog, could not have made it this far without your interest!

Now, what was that about a CONTEST?!?!?! It is real simple... Guess how many pencils are in this jar...

Used pencil jar. This jar contains nearly all the pencils I have used up since mid 2005 when I started working for Wizards of the Coast. Even I don't know how many are in here (yet, I will be counting them for this contest).

RULES:

1) ONE PERSON ONE GUESS.

2) Leave your guess in the comments section of this post.

3) The first person to correctly guess the number of pencils wins, if no one guesses the correct amount the first person to get closest wins.

4) I will need to be able to contact the winner, so if you do not have a blogger account make sure you leave an email address so that I can contact you.

5) DEADLINE, you have until MIDNIGHT, FEBRUARY 20th (that's the following Monday of this posting date) to submit a guess.

6) The winner will be contacted via email on or before Wednesday, February 22nd. The winner will also be announced on the blog on this date as well.

7) If something goes wrong, not my fault!

8) Don't follow the rules, don't win the prize.


PRIZES!

A selection of prints, a sketchbook, and a selection of miniature that I designed!

A closer look at the loot!

Just my way of saying thanks to you all for these exciting years on the blog. Make sure you add your guess in the comment section below for you chance to win!

See you back here on Wednesday for post 501! Until then...

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