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sneak peek at Cartouche Chronicles 3: maze of the Minotaur Artwork

Note: All artwork created by Eric Cutright with Clip Studio Paint EX and a Gaomon PD156 Pro graphics tablet (plus Microsoft Visio Pro 2019 for precise linework and Adobe Photoshop Elements 2020 for miscellaneous photo editing). 

​See the Illustration Narrative in Cartouche Chronicles 3: Maze of the Minotaur for a complete listing of all artwork materials and references.

All artwork Copyright 2022 by Eric Cutright, All Rights Reserved.
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​Front Cover
Working rough draft, still lots more crazy to add !  Eventually I want to work in the Minotaur either right between Anubis and Horus or at the end of the maze, but I haven't figured that out just yet.  I also want to add a golden string behind the Six as they begin to work their way through the maze (so they don't get lost), just like Ariadne's in the classic myth - or is it perhaps all true, hmmm ?
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Chapter 1: Doppelgangers
First draft - still need to add posters and other room bling!
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Characters (left to right): Tyler, Sophia, Akiiki, Marc, Aniya as Lucas, Tut as Asim, Priya as Mensah, Ankha as Sydney
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Bonus Chapter 1 Easter Egg poster!   I had so much fun creating this "Visit Oak Island" poster as an Easter egg for Marc's room in Pompeii (above) that I decided to post it here as bonus material!  This poster is a spoof on Asim's ridiculously romanticized version of his "first date" on Oak Island with Sydney from CC2: Practice (right before she conjured Big Spikey to clearly express  her disagreement).
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Characters (left to right): Past president One Eyed Willy Fan Club pirate zombie, Templar Knight zombie, past president CC Fan Club pirate zombie, Bastet (still need to fur her), Anubis (still need to fur him)
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Chapter 2: Snafu
First released draft - still a few final tweaks and more Easter eggs to add!

Characters (left to right):  Ummm, sorry - too many spoilers.  Let's just say time travel is involved, so maybe you can figure it out!
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Chapter 3: Leeloo
First rough draft, lots left to do, and my first-ever attempt at drawing a massive makhluq alwasi !  Leeloo is a crazy mix of fierce lion, gorgeous spots like a jaguar, dangerous build of a saber-toothed tiger, wicked teeth that remind me of the spiders from The Hobbit (old animated version), and a colossal spiked-back dinosaur with a deadly tail like a triceratops.
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Characters (left to right): Maud' Dib (tiny mouse), Leeloo (rough draft, still need to fur her), unlucky bird, Sydney, The King
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Chapter 4: Mystics
Working draft, still a bit to do!
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Characters (left to right): Anubis, Sydney, Asim, Leeloo
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Chapter 5: Truce
Just about finished (I think!)
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​Characters, front (left to right): Marc, Akiiki, Sydney, Asim
Characters, rear (left to right): Dad, Lucas, Emma, Mom, Chunk, Kate, Sloth, Marion, Ava, Mensah, Sallah
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Chapter 6: Reunions
Working draft - still need to add posters, Easter eggs, and other room bling!
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Characters (left to right): Marc, Akiiki, Sophia, Asim, Tyler, Leeloo, Sydney
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Chapter 7: Seabase
This is my first released chapter illustration for CC3, and is based on the real-life Scouts BSA Troop 1028/9 Seabase adventure in July 2021 to St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.  I really had a blast drawing all my favorite USVI sea creatures (plus a few crazy Easter eggs) for this one, but it is a little bittersweet as Marc and I were set to go a few weeks earlier but our trip was cancelled by nasty old Hurricane Elsa.  I’m looking forward to our rescheduled Seabase adventure in August 2022 with Marc and an amazing crew of Scouts (several of whom, like Marc, have characters in my book series based on them).
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Still have a few final tweaks to make!
​Characters clockwise from left: Akiiki, Marc, Sophia, Asim, Alec, Emily, adults on boat: Miss Jenifer (Alec’s mom), Captain Charlie, Mr. Eric, and then Sydney and Tyler on the far right
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Chapter 8: Skills
Almost done, but still a bit to do!  This was my first-ever attempt at feathering, and I absolutely love the way it turned out!  It's also just a bit easier than my crazy furring technique for all my furred creatures, and weirdly satisfying to draw!
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Human/god characters, left to right: Mensah (giant Aztec Roc form), Lucas (jumping to rescue the falling Chunk), Emma, Ava, Horus
Creature characters, left to right:  Whale sharks (bonus!), Chunk (falling), Maud' Dib, Sloth, Heart of Hathor, Third Eye of Horus, Swift Wing of Ra, manta rays (bonus!), plus dolphins (bonus!)
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Chapter 9: Lowkey
Finally, a relaxing day of lowkey fun (plus a Seabase reunion) for most of our heroes!  I still have a bit to do but am getting close to happy with this one!

Characters, clockwise from bottom center: Marc, Akiiki, Asim, Sophia, Emily, Alec, Third Eye of Horus (TEOH), Tyler, Sydney, Leeloo
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Chapter 10: Knossos
First rough draft!  I felt obligated to really try to do this wonderful site justice, so it took me forever to do the linework (over 13,400 lines) for this 3D birds-eye overview of the whole palace of Knossos (back in its hey-day).  It was a huge challenge but I love the way it is turning out!  I still have lots to do including a little more coloring (see my Chapter 12 artwork for the authentic color scheme), adding trees and landscaping throughout and a lush garden on the right, maybe a bull or two, and of course adding a bunch of ancient Minoans moving around the palace and grounds going about their normal routine (while Lucas is spying on them via his time window).  I took a few artistic liberties like adding a Pompeii-style oval theater in the top center instead of the more rectangular (and a bit boring) one from antiquity, and obviously I went a little crazy with the roof-top bull horn decorations and Minoan light-wells (basically open skylights to let sunlight in which are cool, but must have been a bit annoying when it rained).

Characters, left to right: Mensah, Ava, Sloth, Emma, Maud' Dib, Chunk, Lucas
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Chapter 11: Minos
First super rough draft - just my linework and base colors for the awesome throne room in the Palace of Knossos (back in its hey-day).  Characters King Minos, Theseus, Ariadne, and palace guards coming soon!  Still lots to do! 

Cool fact: The solid stone (and vividly painted) throne here is the oldest throne ever uncovered in Europe!
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Chapter 12: Palace
First super rough draft - just my background of the mighty Palace of Knossos (back in its hey-day) for now, but lots of crazy characters (including Minoan bull leaping) coming soon!
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Chapter 13: Oracle
First super rough draft - just the background for now, but lots of crazy characters coming soon!
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Chapter 14: Ariadne
First super rough draft - just the background and some accessories for now, but characters Ariadne and Theseus coming soon!
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Chapter 15: Schemes
Coming soon!

Chapter 16: Aberration
Coming soon!

Chapter 17: Storm
First rough draft, still lots to do!  

​Sneak peek dialog from CC3 (blatantly working in one of my favorite power quotes):
A few seconds before this scene - "Trust me, youngling, you cannot withstand this storm," A
nubis growled menacingly to Sydney.
This scene after Sydney's surprise teleport - "Trust ME, dog, I AM the storm," Sydney whispered fiercely, neatly slicing off his ear with her lightsaber while breaking his necklace to retrieve the three precious cartouche bracelets.
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Characters, left to right: Anubis, Sydney (post-teleport), Lucas, Ava, Sydney (pre-teleport), Asim
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Chapter 18: Despair
Almost done, but still a bit to do! 
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Characters (left to right, not counting beetles, skeletons, and lava monsters):  Tyler, Emma, Mensah, Sophia
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Chapter 19: Search
Second rough draft, still lots to do!  So far, so good!

​Characters, left to right: Ariadne, Ava, Lucas
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Chapter 20: Maze
First super rough draft - will be an extract from the final CC3 cover art.
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Chapter 21: Minotaur
Coming soon!

Chapter 22: Seeds
Working draft - I still have lots of furring, makhluq alwasi weaponizing, Easter egging, and resizing to do!
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Makhluq alwasi characters, back (left to right): Sloth (still need to fur him), Leeloo (rough draft model), Chunk (still need to fur him)
Human characters, front (left to right): Ava carrying Mensah, Asim carrying Sophia, Sydney carrying Tyler, Lucas carrying Emma
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​​All website contents copyright Eric Cutright, 2018-2022, All Rights Reserved.
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  • Home
  • Series Info
    • Books
    • About the Author
  • CC1 Artwork
  • CC2 Artwork
  • CC3 Artwork
  • Places
    • Grand Egyptian Museum
    • Giza and Valley of the Kings
    • King Tut's Tomb
    • Smithsonian Museums
    • Monticello
    • University of Virginia
    • Charlottesville
    • Pompeii (CC2)
    • Knossos, Crete (CC3)
  • Extras
    • Hieroglyphics
    • FAQs
    • CC News
    • References - Egyptology
    • References - Archaeology
    • References - Magazines
    • Charlottesville Thanks
  • CC Shop
  • Contact Eric
  • Archaeology Merit Badge