Gen Con 2015 - Day 4

All good things come to an end and that includes my coverage of Gen Con 2015. After a crazy and hectic three days we find ourselves at Day 4 of Gen Con 2015. I took it easy the night before and was feeling much better and more rested so that I could tackle Day 4 head on. For me Day 4 was the busiest and there was not a spare second during the day. A group of us walked around the exhibition hall before it was open to the public so that we could finally get a look at everything that was happening while we were at our booths. So many neat things out in the hall to look at and drool over. During set up you can't believe that you have four long days ahead of you and at the end of Day 4 you can't figure out where the past four days went. More and more people are saying that Gen Con is becoming a week long convention with folks arriving the weekend before. I myself begin traveling on a Tuesday only to arrive back home on the following Tuesday, so for me, Gen Con is a week long event too. A super fun week long gaming art party. Here are some images from Day 4 of Gen Con 2015...

Balloon squid from above so you can get a good view of all the balloon tentacle goodness.

Hey, it is that big green monster guy that everyone loves!

I was asked to include some hashtags and stuff to promote this guy, but I forgot.

OH WAIT! I remember! #CthulhuIsComing

I actually have this guy in action figure form... RAWR!

One of the booths had some seriously awesome miniatures on display that we were all drooling over. We could not find any information about these bad boys but they were sure pretty and fun to look at. A sign near these guys would have been nice so that I could pass that along...

I was asked to do a sketch with with a penguin and a turtle. So I did a sketch with a penguin and a turtle. That turtle is so happy...

Sunday was seriously busy. All the people were there doing all the things.

We picked up a super cool Dungeons & Dragons piece by Jeff Miracola at Gen Con... RAWR!

We also got a super cool monster piece by Amy Ashbaugh... RAWR!

AND I picked up one of Tom Babbey's sketch book with an appropriate sketch! All the RAWRs!

A Gudul Lurker on a playmat because that is the Gudul Lurker's natural environment.

There were also a Rancor on a playmat. The Rancor and the Gudul Lurker were both fighting or at least attacking the Tardis on two different playmats. The Doctor was having an interesting day.

My contribution to a playmat that had two teams fighting each other. My bird monster had his sights on a eyeball tentacle monster. Gonna NOM all the eyeballs and tentacles.

Ralph Horsley had a super cool tip jar at Gen Con and he gave it to me after the con ended! Darth Pig for the win! SOOOOO COOL! Thanks Ralph!

All good things come to an end and that includes Gen Con 2015.

In a flurry of activity and chaos the art show begins to come down.

All the hopes and dream go into handy dandy boxes. Until next year Propanel, until next year...

It is like some weird Transformer where everything transforms into boxes.

My booth is more or less packed up... now to lug it all back to my car in the third subbasement of the hotel that is not too far away in the scheme of things. It only took two trips. Not too bad.

It never fails, this poor sign is vandalized every year. Somewhere a maintenance person has a huge box of space "S"s and after Gen Con a new one is put back up.

That is all for Gen Con 2015 coverage, see you back here tomorrow for more blog fun! Until then...

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

Gen Con 2015 - Day 3

Day 3 of Gen Con 2015 was a blur. It didn't help that I was not feeling by best due to a continued lack of sleep. Day 3 was also SUPER packed with people. I have not seen the hall so jammed packed with people. I think some records were broken. I had an early night on Day 3 due to my waning mood. If I was going to make it though Day 4 I was going to need to get some rest and get to feeling better. Day 4 has a way of taking everything that you have and then some more due to having to pack up your booth and getting everything out of the exhibition hall. This required me to take Day 3 kinda slow and not have too much fun. Here are some images from Day 3 of Gen Con 2015...

I for one welcome our new balloon squid overlord.

Beholder sketch on a really big piece of sheet plastic stuff.

Here is is the really big piece of sheet plastic stuff with lots of sketches on them... all for charity! RAWR!

While the rest of us are sitting around, Tom Babbey is making dragons. RAWR!

MORE Star Wars cards getting signed for all your signed Star Wars cards needs.

There was a birthday celebration on the other side of the wall. With party cake and singing!

Some armor stopped by and while others were taking pictures of the front I grabbed a shot of the back of the armor.

A look around the convention during a pause in the craziness of Day 3.

So many people! Day 3 was off the chain.

Looking over the banner to see Ralph and the line that is stretching from the registers.

Day 3 was super busy and the line for the registers was huge for most of the day. People want to get themselves some art.

For some reason I forgot to take a lot of photos of my sketches and drawing on Day 3 of Gen Con 2015. Here is a happy little monster whale that I remembered to take a photo of. RAWR!

Here is an image that my dear wife took. Those mean little bears stole that man's bike.

That is all for Day 3 of Gen Con 2015, Day 4 will be along tomorrow! Until then...

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

Gen Con 2015 - Day 2

Day 2 of Gen Con 2015! Yes, Day 2 of Gen Con 2015 was a week ago... but Gen Con was exhausting this year and sleep was super hard to get and things like this blog had to take a back seat. Not sure what else to say about Day 2 except I was really tired and there was a lot going on! It was a VERY full day and there was not a moment to spare. ...okay, that reminds me of a funny story of Day 2. On Day 1 exhibitors can get into the hall at 8:00 am with VIGs (Very Important Gamers) getting in at 9:00 am and the hall officially opening at 10:00 am. For some reason this year I had it in my head exhibitors could get into the hall EVERYDAY at 8:00 am... turns out the rest of Gen Con exhibitors get in at 9:00 am. Thinking I was in the right I just walked in past a volunteer watching the door, flashed my badge, and went to my booth. Oops! The hall was strangely darker then normal and there was NO ONE in there. I needed to work on a commission, so it all worked out... but to realize after the fact I could have gotten more sleep... oh well. Here are some images from Day 2 of Gen Con 2015...

The early morning invasion of gamers on the streets of Indianapolis. Or it is a bunch of commuters fleeing for their lives.

A WIP of said convention commission....

...and the finished commission of Godzilla vs. my Gudul Lurker from Magic the Gathering. RAWR!

All ready for Day 2 of Gen Con 2015! Booth survived the first day, more or less.

Day 2 of Gen Con is when I noticed a sudden shift in the cards I was signing. I began to sign a LOT of Star Wars cards and this shift continued the rest of Gen Con. I was really neat to see that my cards are getting so much use and that I am beginning to be know for my work in the Star Wars LCG.

Another sketch on the back of a Magic artist proof. RAWR!

An unexpected surprise! I got to see my Rancor in card for finally! The newest box set for the Star Wars card game, Imperial Entanglements, was released at the Gen Con and I got to see my card when people brought them to me to sign. I am SO happy with how it printed! Really happy with everything about this piece.

Lots of Star Wars cards to sign!

Really like this comparison... side by side is one of my favorite pieces of Star Wars cards, painted digitally and then my very first traditionally painted Star Wars cards. I am really happy about how well they both hold up next to yeah other. Makes me think I am doing the right thing!

Another sketch on the back of a Magic artist proof. This time around a foil Ancient Carp is eating a guy with an afro and a tennis racket... as per the request of the person buying it. RAWR!

A momentary look up from my booth.

Another glance around at the art show.

The playmat drawings began on Day 2. First off was a happy little beholder... RAWR!

I worked on a playmat that was gridded off into six even sections. My contribution was a minotaur. RAWR!

Loraine Flegal made AWESOMELY AMAZING bingo cards for the artists to use during the con. I got bingo twice with my final square. This was a lot of fun and based on 100% truth if you have ever had a table in an artist alley. If I could combine previous years I could have immediately filled out the card.

Here are a pair of modified Star Wars cards I was asked to do... a pair of Snobby White Spiders! A dashing couple if I may say so myself...

I think the male is my favorite, but how can you go wrong with a hat with a veil on the female Snobby White Spider... RAWR!

Ending Day 2 of Gen Con 2015 was the award ceremony and it was thrilling to see Tom Babbey take home Best in Show! Well deserved and a a great moment to share with all the other artist there. A truly great end of the day and a wonderful half way point of Gen Con 2015.

That is all for Day 12 of Gen Con 2015, Day 3 will be along 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

Gen Con 2015 - Day 1

The post Gen Con coverage of Gen Con 2015 continues today with the official start of Gen Con 2015... DAY 1! Release the horde! There is something kinda creepy to hear the crowd outside the main hall cheering and stomping to get in as the opening ceremonies conclude. A wave of humanity washes over the exhibition hall when the doors open. Since the art show is on high ground far from the doors we are safe and only receive a splash of humanity at first. All in all a good start to Gen Con! I was ready to go when the doors opened and never looked back. Here are some images from Day 1 of Gen Con 2015...

All set for the best four days in gaming! I got everything priced and I am ready to go. Only thing left to do is survive the next 96 hours...

If I look over my back wall... OH LOOK! It is Tom Babbey! He is doing something much more interesting then me, he is actually painting and making art. I am standing on my chair taking pictures.

Looking out from my booth I can see Tyler Walpole and Chris Seaman. Not bad company for the next four days. Ralph Horsley is to my right as well.

Oh yeah, and Aaron Miller is across from me as well :P

If you look past Aaron you can see the exhibition hall leading off to the rest of the art show and then exhibitors and game stuff. So much to do and we are all at our booths.

It is Gen Con and that means there are cards to sign...

...lots and lots of cards!

Uh oh... Tom is on to me!

You can see behind Tom the line and the registers you use when you buy something from the artists in the art show.

Looking out to my left from my booth you can see more of the art show and then into the main hall. At the far end from me is the Fantasy Flight Games booth. In the foreground in a wild Steve Prescott in his native habitat.

Sketching at Gen Con! First up this year was a wily Owl Bear! HOOT! RAWR!

Never enough Beholders... this one is more of a Gauth. A ball with a mouth and lots of eyes, some of stalks, you can not go wrong!

OH! Signing cards that are not actually Magic cards.

Aaron Miller is so cool he can sit around and play games on this phone and just wait for the shoppers to come to him! :P

Ran into a monster on the way to and from the hotel at the end of the first day of Gen Con 2015. RAWR!

That is all for Day 1 of Gen Con 2015, Day 2 will be along tomorrow! Until then...

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