Ambassador Grexander Quann

Quann was a regular visitor to Gateway, and a welcome friend to many, but his visits required a good deal of preparation, planned routes, and a constant escort, to ensure his safety, and the safety of others.

Spectrum Live Preparation!

Hey everyone! So, I'm working hard to make sure I am prepared for Spectrum Fantastic Art Live next week!

I've got my banners, business cards, Gateway poster and postcards, the sketchbook, and a majority of the prints printed and ready to go. The only things left are to sign all the prints, put them in bags with backing board, and ship the boxes of the sketchbooks out to KC... but I still feel like I am going to forget something. 

I am so excited for SFAL... what a once-in-a-lifetime chance to rub elbows with some of my heroes of illustration! I am totally geeking out.... check out this list of exhibitors!  

Saturday Night is the Awards Ceremony where the Gold and Silver Spectrum winners will be announced, of which I am ONE! Whoa! My piece, "He's Gone Full Bird" was nominated for a Gold or Silver Award in the editorial category! Also, the piece "The Gravemaster" was chosen for inclusion in Spectrum 20 in the Unpublished category.

 

My booth is #314, behind Charles Vess (!!!!!!), so please come out and see me! It's going to be a hoot!

From Fishwizard Press - Sketchbook Collection Volume 01 available for purchase now!

Hello! At long last, the first book published as a result of my Kickstarter campaign from last May is printed and available for purchase on my Etsy Shop!

If you would like a copy, just follow THIS LINK, or click on the Etsy shop widget on the right! You will also find art prints available there as well.

Thanks for all your support!

-Sean

Also, be sure to sign up for updates from Fishwizard Press on the Fishwizard Press blog.... the "publisher" of all of my art books (it's basically just me.... haha).

A School of Fishwizards

I have heard the cries of the public: "MORE FISHWIZARDS!!!", and I have answered their clarion call. Behold:

Illiandar The Mage Tree

Illiandar is famous for being the final resting place of more wizards than any other in recorded history. Trees are a favorite spot for Wizards in their final hours since the trees absorb and often manifest their powers. Illiandar, named for the first wizard who died beneath its boughs, is very powerful and sought out for its power and wisdom.

Mr. Grimly and His Race Crew

Gonna keep the details minimal on this one, but let's just say: Wizards + Steam Engines + Racing

Hope you like it!

Details:

Updates: Sketchbook off to print and Spectrum Nomination!

OK, got a couple of things to update you guys on.

First: the SKETCHBOOK IS OFF TO PRINT!

In case you haven't been following my Kickstarter, one of the stretch goals was to print a collection of my sketchbook sketches in book form. Said book is now in the process of being printed and should be available in about a month, and will also be available at the Spectrum Fantastic Art Live 2 convention (May 17 - 19 in Kansas City).

I will also find a way to make the book available for purchase by anyone who missed the Kickstarter and wants to have their own copy. Here is a peek at the cover of the book:

The other news is: I was nominated for a Gold or Silver Award for the editorial category in Spectrum 20! It is an amazing honor and is the first time I have been nominated (Though Spectrum only started publicly announcing nominations last year with the kick-off of the first Spectrum Live). I'm up against some very tough competition in my category, all the pieces are amazing. It's also an honor to be included amongst this list of artists I admire greatly. Thanks goes to all the judges (Tim Bruckner, Irene Gallo, Tim Kirk, Mark A. Nelson, and Michael Whelan) for their hard work this year!

Here is the video of the nominations, and below is the full list, and below that is the piece that was nominated, which was used in an article about Kickstarter projects in ImagineFX Magazine..

Here's the list of Nominations from Spectrum's website:

ADVERTISING 

• Craig Elliott: Forest Awakening
• Michael C. Hayes: Procession
• Android Jones: Ganeshatron
• Greg Ruth: Three Outlaw Samurai
• Dan Dos Santos: Dragon Empress

BOOK

• Brom: Wipi
• William O'Connor: Wargriffin
• David Palumbo: Fed
• Shaun Tan: Never Leave a Red Sock on the Clothesline
• Charles Vess: Tanglewood: I Didn't Know She Was a Bottle Witch

COMICS

• Jennifer L. Meyer: Aesop's Ark, Ch. 2, P2
• David Petersen: Mouse Guard Black Axe #4, Page 19
• Paolo Rivera: Daredevil #10
• Paolo Rivera: Captain America #1
• João Ruas: Fables #121

CONCEPT ART

• Daniel Dociu: Guild Wars 2, Norn Lodge
• Theo Prins: Southsun Cove
• Paul Sullivan: Franken-animal
• Justin Sweet: Marauders 2
• Allen Willams: Tree of Tales

DIMENSIONAL

• Dan Chudzinski: Turbulence
• David Meng: Sashimi
• Virginie Ropars: Mothra
• Virginie Ropars: Acanthopis III
• Katya Tal: Blanket Fairy

EDITORIAL

• Sam Bosma: Stability
• Chris Buzelli: Book Monster
• Sean Andrew Murray: He's Gone Full-Bird  (That's me!!)
  
• Victo Ngai: Best of the Best
• Sam Weber: Cancer Monster

INSTITUTIONAL

• Ed Binkley: A Cob of Chiseldon-Brimble
• Lucas Graciano: Dragon Swarm
• Tyler Jacobson: Ruric Thar, The Unbowed
• Kekai Kotaki: Stampede
• David Palumbo: Taken

UNPUBLISHED

• Cory Godbey: The Fish Master
• Lucas Graciano: Guardianship
• Kekai Kotaki: Ride
• Andrew Mar: Tell-Tale Heart
• Tohru Patrick Awa: Sudden Shower

Ramus of the Red Templars

New piece for the Book of Wizards depicting Ramus, the leader of the wizard gang called the "Red Templars". Hope you like it!

Also, I have set up a blog that will be the place to go for information about the books I am publishing. There isn't much there now, but you can sign up for e-mail updates so that you can find out when the various books are out and ready for purchase. Find that here: http://fishwizardpress.blogspot.com/

On that front, the Sketchbook (Sean Andrew Murray Sketchbook Collection Volume 01) is designed and ready for print, I am just waiting on the printer to let me know they have the files and everything is a go. I will send another update when that happens.

Thanks all!

Book of Wizards: Mistress Ocheka the Ash Summoner

Check out the latest Book of Wizards piece, Mistress Ocheka. Be sure to get the book when it comes out to find out what the heck is going on here!!!! :)

New Wizard: Oona - the Witchmasker

Here's a new piece I just finished for the Book of Wizards. I will tell you one tidbit about this guy: what you think is just a mask, is his ACTUAL HEAD!!!!! WHAT?!? His original head, which was removed ritualistically in order to become a more powerful Witchmasker, is hanging from his belt. Deal with it. :)

New Wizard! Crane - The Toymaker

Here is a new piece for the Book of Wizards! This one is of Victor Crane, a toymaker-turned-golem-master. hope you like it! Many more to come!

New piece: The Orbkeeper.

New one for the Book of Wizards.

I will probably not post anymore until after the Holidays as I have to get some stuff done for the sketchbook, and I have some writing to do as well. 'Til then!

-Sean

The Streets of Gateway - Dead Bannerbird

Just finished this piece for the book. You may recognize this from earlier this year, it's a piece I had started, then lost steam on because I couldn't resolve some stuff about it that was bothering me, now I have resolved those issues and finished it, and I think it works better. Also a big thanks to Tony Astone for the great narrative idea of the bird-banners. The story behind this will be revealed in the book when that's finished.

Hope you like it!

Creepy Carriage Wizard and Spectrum Live!

Hey all, here is my latest wizard for the book, calling him "Creepy Carriage Wizard" for now. One thing I can tell you is that the wizard is not actually pictured in this image because he is part of a very secretive order of wizards, so nobody has actually seen his face.

Also, I have officially bought a table at next year's Spectrum Live! which will be in Kansas City on May 17 - 19! Come see me if you can! I will likely not have the Book of Wizards completed by then, but I do plan on having the Sketchbook printed and available for purchase, as well as multiple prints.

Cheers!

Thanksgiving Wizard!

Another wizard before Turkey Day. Have a great Holiday everyone!

New Wizard - Grand Shapeshifter

New one, hot of the press.

3DTotal PRIME

Hey everyone, I have 3 pieces in the upcoming book "Prime" by 3DTotal.

From their site:
"Prime showcases the pinnacle of digital artistic achievement from around the globe in a definitive collection of 21st century CG artwork"

It is a 5-book collection with slipcase and a card game featuring much of the artwork. This looks like it's going to be a pretty awesome collection, so head on over and order your copy now! 

The Barn

Here is a new piece for the book! Not going to say much about this one, I'll let your imaginations do the walking until the book comes out. ;)

MOAR WIZARDS!

Hey everyone, here are a few more Wizards for the book. Things are coming along at a good pace now. I am starting to put together the sketch pages for the printed Sketchbook. That will be the first thing I print and I am considering unveiling it at next year's Spectrum Live. More on that later.

Also, check out this interview I did with Lloyd Harvey's site: "Inside the Artist's Studio". Lloyd told me to actually picture him as if he was James Lipton asking me these questions off of a blue notecard.

Harvard Natural History Museum Sketches and More!

Sorry it's been a while. Hard at work on the book.... Here are some recent sketches from the sketchbook, including things I drew from the Harvard Museum of Natural History this past weekend.... such an awesome museum!

New "Book of Wizards" Pieces!

Newly finished pieces that will be featured in "The Book of Wizards". Enjoy!

Sir Crex the Clawknight

Clawknight Detail 01



Clawknight Detail 02

Clawknight Detail 03

Birdmonks: "He's Gone Full Bird!"

The Elusive Birdfish

Bone-Daddy!

Work on the Book of Wizards is really ramping up now, and i have several new pieces underway, but I wanted to post this piece, which I recently finished. Enjoy!

Miscellaneous.....

Here are some sketches from my sketchbook from the past month or so, plus a "work-in-progress" of one of the pieces for "The Book of Wizards"! I'll let you guess which one that is!

Thank you!!! Here's a Birdfish!

So, my Kickstarter campaign ended on a really high note, a 25k note! That's right, in the last minutes of my campaign, I reached 25k, which means that I will be producing a Gateway fiction anthology, with the help of several writers who will be writing short stories ofor the book. More details on this later.

Thanks to everyone that pledged, tweeted, posted, and/or told their friends about my campaign. I couldn't have asked for better results, and more updates will be forthcoming.

On a related note, I was recently interviewed by Dave Rapoza and Dan Warren on Dave Rapoza's livestream: Crimson Daggers. You can check out the entire interview HERE!

Finally, here is a pencil sketch of a piece that will be going into the Book of Wizards, I present, the Birdfish:

The Gravemaster! Finished!

Never has the saying "Art is never finished, it is simply abandoned" been so true... ha! But, I think this one came out pretty good. This is a piece for the "Book of Wizards" which still has ten days left in the Kickstarter campaign as of posting this, you can check it out here!

Hope you like "The Gravemaster!"