Burchworks

2012-01-05T13:37:00.000-08:00

"Penalty Kick 2010" World Cup Commemorative

2011-12-14T13:38:00.000-08:00

This year was busy and provided a variety of work. One job brought me to Colorado Springs for two weeks where I did this commissioned painting. Match Services, based in Zurich, Switzerland, offers IT support and coordinates communication between the stadiums for World Cup. They set up shop in Colorado Springs and hired me to do some painting for their new offices. Here are some "behind the scenes" photos on top of the finished product.
-Ben

2011-12-14T13:02:00.000-08:00

Broad Strokes

2011-12-14T13:01:00.000-08:00

"Penalty Kick 2010" World Cup Commemorative / 3' x 7.5' triptych / Acrylic on Birch Ply Panel / Commissioned Painting

2011-12-14T11:09:00.000-08:00

Close Ups

Starry Nation

2011-07-25T18:04:00.000-07:00

Starry Nation from Benjamin W. Burch on Vimeo.

I hope your not getting tired of my ecards cause I sure am heck not tired of making them! So much fun!

Scootiki

2011-07-25T17:57:00.000-07:00

This years Tiki show put on by "Elroy Art" Agency was a group show hybrid of tiki and scooter culture. Below are my contributions to the show. They didn't get hung because they sold online before the opening day! The buyer was going to be in Portland before the show and wanted to pick them up. Oh, well! The one right below this post is inspired by the Evel Knievel colors.

2011-07-25T17:51:00.000-07:00

"Evel K'Tiki" Acrylic on Masonite 6 x 6

2011-07-25T17:48:00.000-07:00

"Poi Mouth" Acrylic on Masonite 6 x 6

Doggone Birthday

2011-07-25T17:36:00.000-07:00

Doggone Birthday from Benjamin W. Burch on Vimeo.

Sometimes when it comes to design, limitations imposed inspire freedom. That's what I did for this card when it came to the amount of colors used.

Warm Fuzzies

2011-07-25T17:26:00.000-07:00

Warm Fuzzies from Benjamin W. Burch on Vimeo.

When getting an assignment, I don't always know exactly what I'm going to do. One way I figure it out is to find the music I'm going to use first. The music helps me get the mood and timing for a animation the way I want it. This time, however, I was asked to work with a sound designer in London. I had to time out the animated piece in a animatic. A animatic is a rough outline as to where and when the animation is going to happen. This got sent to the sound designer in London who was able to time the music out to the animatic and then sent back to me to finish design and animation. Mark Stephenson was the sound designer and he did a fantastic job! Definitely a true talent! I hope you agree.

Flip The Bird V

2011-07-25T17:10:00.001-07:00

The fifth annual Flip the Bird show focused on Astoria's bicentennial. Ben Adams and I fought all odds to get this show together! On top of continuous work deadlines and demands (Ben with Laika's Paranorman and myself with my own studio work), Ben Adams broke his painting hand a couple weeks before the show! We still managed to pull it together. Above is the T-shirt design and below are my contributions.

2011-07-25T17:08:00.000-07:00

"Blue Heron" Acrylic on Ply 8 x 14

2011-07-25T17:07:00.000-07:00

"Surf Scoter" Acrylic on Masonite 8 x 12

2011-07-25T17:05:00.000-07:00

"Belted Kingfisher" Acrylic on Ply 8 x 8

2011-07-25T16:59:00.000-07:00

"Exploration" Acrylic on Ply 11 x 17

2011-07-25T16:57:00.000-07:00

"Sophisticated Taste" Acrylic on Masonite 11.75 x 20

2011-07-25T16:11:00.000-07:00

"No Vacancy" Acrylic on Masonite 11.75 x 20

Love Cats

2011-07-25T16:05:00.000-07:00

Love Cats from Benjamin W. Burch on Vimeo.

One of my newest clients this year is a ecard company. Birthday Alarm has been a absolute dream to work for as I am given just about as much freedom as a artist can ask for! Who would have thought it would have come in the form of ecards! Ha, ha! So much fun! Start an account! It's a easy way to remember friends and loved ones for birthdays and holidays!

2011-03-08T16:41:00.000-08:00

2011-03-08T16:29:00.000-08:00

2011-03-08T16:26:00.000-08:00

Merry Chimney Sweeps

2010-12-15T17:17:00.000-08:00

Merry Chimney Sweeps from Benjamin Burch on Vimeo.

Hope this holiday greeting finds you well at the end of 2010.
May warm wishes and good fortune find you for 2011.

Sincerely,
Benjamin Burch

Common Fig

2010-12-15T16:14:00.000-08:00

Common Fig from Benjamin Burch on Vimeo.

2010-12-15T16:09:00.001-08:00

This was a project I was hired to do this fall. The animated short promotes a new networking site for independent professionals. Check out the video. Above are also the character designs.

Atomic Tiki Show

2010-12-15T16:06:00.000-08:00

2010-12-15T15:57:00.001-08:00

Here are a couple of paintings I did for a tiki group show at Elroy Art space in Portland at the end of the summer.

Bandido Loco

2010-12-15T15:48:00.000-08:00

"Dia De Los Muertos" group show at Lunar Boy Gallery .

The Goonies Show

2010-06-21T10:43:00.000-07:00

With hardly a break between shows, I had pitched the idea of doing a Goonies themed group show to Deborah Starr. As the owner of Lunar Boy Gallery in Astoria Or., Deborah what more than thrilled to have a show that coincided with the 25th anniversary of "The Goonies". Not only did I co curate but I painted for it as well.

"Rich Stuff" 17x22 Acrylic on Birchply This is the digital version. I'll post the painting later. You can compare and contrast! For Sale

T-shirt design I did for the event.

Flip The Bird IV, A Change Of Seasons

2010-06-21T10:28:00.000-07:00

Ben Adams and I were at it again in April with the 4th annual Flip The Bird Show! This year it seemed fitting to paint around the theme of the four seasons. We were super, super fortunate this year to have the insanely talented Lou Romano and Nate Wragg join us! Here are a few of my paintings.

"A Delicious Snack Amongst the Springtime Bud" 12x12 Acrylic on Panel

"Summertime Recreation" 12x12 Acrylic on Panel

"Much To His Chagrin, Mr. Tibbits Missed The Last Train South" 12x12 Acrylic on Panel

Jazz Cats

2010-06-21T10:09:00.000-07:00

Since I'm on the whole cat craze, I'll post this digital illustration. Because of my style, I've managed to turn the heads of some mid century modern painters. El Gato Gomez is a fantastic and super talented artist based out of Pennsylvania (not to mention a big cat fan). I was totally flattered when she asked to do a art trade with me. Many of my paintings start out as digital illustrations so I can experiment and tweek value and color (command z is a very powerful tool). When I get it the way I want, I paint it!

DoJump's Tiger Lily and Sunny Lu

2010-06-21T10:05:00.001-07:00

Tiger Lily and Sunny Lu was a production put on by Portland's acrobatic theater directed and written by Robin Quivers. Set in Portland it illustrates the memoirs of Sunny Lu who narrates the trials, tribulations and times of he and his brother, Tiger Lily. I designed and animated segments within the play.

DoJump's Tiger Lily and Sunny Lu

2010-06-21T09:24:00.000-07:00

Animated and designed for Do Jump acrobatic theater. The house was projected on the back scrim of the stage. I animated the cats in the window as if they were looking at the goings on outside the window while buskers performed and a tap dancer danced on a wooden box. It cycled while people filed into the theater and before the performance started, I animated a rain storm which cued the street performers to run off stage. It was great to see the whole thing come together!

Print Show

2010-02-28T15:35:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone! Would love to see your smiling faces as my print show this Thursday!

Wild Space A Go Go

2010-02-15T15:23:00.000-08:00

A job I just finished for a Musical due to open in April.

Ciao Belle

2010-02-15T15:19:00.000-08:00

Title Illustration in a series based on my trip to Italy. Still in the works!

Madeye Mulligan

2010-02-15T15:05:00.001-08:00

Baguette

2010-02-15T15:04:00.001-08:00

Marooned Magoon

2010-02-15T15:03:00.001-08:00

"Maraca!!! Scourge of the Seas"

2009-10-30T11:54:00.000-07:00

First in a series that I started. Keep your eyes open for a set of four "clicks" magnets from Ipop publishing and prints from yours truly! Have a great Friday!

Storyboard Exerpt From "Smack Talking Goldfish"

2009-10-28T12:15:00.000-07:00

When I finished this job, the clients requested that I hold off on posting these so I sat on them for a while. These are some of the boards that I did for some online stop motion shorts to promote milk. You can see all the shorts by clicking on the link above. I boarded them all except for the "Charm" one. In this particular skit. A ominous eagle surveys his domain for a tasty morsel. Little does he suspect that he is about to happen upon a dirty mouthed goldfish, who has been drinking milk of coarse.

Autumn Plumage

2009-10-28T12:02:00.000-07:00

8x12 Acrylic on Masonite
I did this little guy recently for a dear old college buddy of mine. He got married a couple of weeks ago and I thought he and his fiance could use a painting.

Tiki Blues

2009-10-28T11:42:00.000-07:00

11.5x20 Acrylic on Masonite
Hey folks! I did this one a while ago but just recently had a friend photograph it. Thanks Janice! This one has been hanging in my apartment but I think eventually it could use a new home. It was a lot of fun to paint and I can't wait to do some more tiki pieces!

Smash The Hive

2009-09-24T15:02:00.001-07:00

This is actually a job I did back in the beginning of August. A local sound editing company asked me to do illustrated characters of them for their website.

A Daring Rescue

2009-09-23T12:32:00.000-07:00

I was asked to donate a piece of art work for "Purrcasso", a annual art auction to help raise money for the Berkeley, East Bay Humane Society.

Boules League T-shirt Design

2009-09-23T12:29:00.000-07:00

A Night On the Town

2009-09-23T12:27:00.000-07:00

This is one from my pirate series.

Pirate Festival 2009

2009-07-19T18:50:00.000-07:00

Here is the first illustration in a new series I will be doing for the Portland Pirate Festival coming up in September. I will be sharing a booth and selling prints, paintings and t-shirts. Thanks, Mark Axton!!!

A New Friend, Marianne

2009-07-19T18:35:00.001-07:00

I took my new friend, Marianne, out to dinner, but first we had Manhattans.

2009-07-19T18:05:00.000-07:00

06.28.09 It was a beautiful Sunday so I took Marianne to the Japanese Gardens and packed us a picnic.

Music Fest T-shirt Design

2009-07-19T17:54:00.000-07:00

Here is a t-shirt design I did recently for a music festival. I was really digging the illustration so I replaced the festival logo and info with water so that it can stand alone.

King Thing

2009-07-19T16:13:00.000-07:00

My friend, Pascal Campion, turned me on to this great blog dedicated to the work of Maurice Sendak. Set up by Cory Godbey, the blog features the work of many gifted artists all doing their take on "Where the Wild Things Are". It's a wonderful site and it's packed with beautiful, beautiful work! Above is my contribution.

Captain Bogg and Salty

2009-05-20T13:29:00.001-07:00

This is one of my most recent jobs. Captain Bogg and Salty are a pirate band here in Portland who play at schools, and children functions among many other things. Lucas Haley - CBS's bass player, web designer, and all around talented animator (I had the privilege of working with Lucas on the "Mr. Men Show) - asked me to do the character designs for their next animated music video, "Mutiny".

2009-05-20T13:21:00.000-07:00

Flip The Bird

2009-05-20T13:13:00.000-07:00

Below are a few paintings from the "Flip the Bird" Show. Ben Adams and myself have hosted three thus far. It is a annual show at Lunar Boy Gallery located in the historic coastal town of Astoria, Or. The first show, in 2007, went over so well that, gallery owner, Deborah Starr decided to have us back every year. Thanks so much Deborah! The illustration to the left was for the promotional postcard and then became the design for the t-shirt.

2009-05-20T12:58:00.000-07:00

2009-05-20T12:57:00.000-07:00

2009-05-20T12:46:00.000-07:00

2009-05-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

Dia De Los Muertos

2009-05-19T16:01:00.001-07:00

So, I'm not posting in any type of chronological order as you can see on the dates next to my signature. I just feel like posting some of my favorite paintings that I've done prior to starting this blog. The two below I did for a "Day of the Dead" group show. Well, "Meriachis Rojo" made the show but "Rosa De Los Desierto" was a commissioned piece after the event. "Day of the Dead" is a Mexican holiday that is a week long celebration starting on the 1st of November to pay respects to the deceased. It is best compared to Halloween here in the states.

2009-05-19T15:53:00.000-07:00

2009-05-19T15:34:00.000-07:00

The Process

2009-05-19T13:19:00.001-07:00

Some people like to see this kind of stuff so I thought I would break down my creative process. I tend to do a ton of drawing and rough sketches before I get to the completed composition. As you can see in this preliminary sketch for "Loana" I will sometimes patch together a bunch of different elements that I've drawn to find the best layout that works for the composition. All this happens, by the way, after I do a ton of research. "Loana" is the cave woman in "One Million Years B.C." played by the stunningly beautiful Roquel Welch. Running around dodging and battling dinos, the scantly clad Roquel continues to drop jaws till this day. It was a cinch to realize she was going to have to be depicted in "The Girl Show".
I will often times redraw rough sketches until I get a more refined drawing like this one of "Uhura" so that I can make sure all my lines are where I want them and the style is defined before I paint. I don't always plan things out to this extent but all this preliminary stuff helps the overall composition. Through drawing, I can solve problems with tangents and overall ballance.

I still won't lay down a brush until I do some color studies. Finally I will quickly block out the composition and run through a combination of colors and values to make sure the subject matter contrasts well and the colors work together. The computer is a friend and no matter how much you like traditional media, "control z" can make life a lot simpler. Often times I will do a finished digital version before I paint. That's not the case in this color study I did for my "Jane Darrow" painting where I was really just trying to suss out some colors in photoshop. You can see all the finished paintings below.

The Girl Show, Boobtube Babes and Bigscreen Bombshells

2009-05-19T11:54:00.000-07:00

September 13, 2008. Ben Adams (a mentor, inspiration, talent, and dear friend that I am so privileged to work with) and myself shake up the coastal town of Astoria, Or. yet again. The tenacious and fabulous owners (Deborah Starr and Jane Thanner) of Lunar Boy Gallery hang "The Girl Show, Boobtube Babes and Bigscreen Bombshells"! The show featured acrylic paintings depicting Iconic women throughout the history of film and television. The opening night was warmed by so many excellent people and smiling faces! Thanks to all who have shown so much interest in the Bens! The weekend also saw a radio interview with KMUN d.j. Carol Newmann and a beach house retreat with friends and family. Thanks Deborah and Jane for making the Bens a on going fixture at Lunar Boy Gallery! You can see some of my paintings from the show below. If you would like to see the whole show or are interested in sales, check out this link. http://www.lunarboygallery.com/Artists/The+Girl+Show+SALE.php

2009-05-15T19:04:00.000-07:00

2009-05-15T15:47:00.000-07:00

2009-05-15T15:40:00.000-07:00

2009-05-15T15:31:00.000-07:00

2009-05-15T15:03:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog. This will serve as an up - to - date news page corresponding with my website when it is finally up. You will be able to keep up with events like art shows and new illustrations that I will post here. I hope you enjoy the stuff I upload and feel free to shoot me a line with any comments.
Ben Burch