Boneblade Serpent - Dreamblade

It has been some time since I shared a piece here on the blog that I did for the miniatures game, Dreamblade. Today I have one from the very beginning of it all, the Boneblade Serpent. This piece is near and dear to me for several reasons. The Boneblade Serpent was the first piece I did for myself and then submitted as a possible miniature design, the first piece I got to see and touch as a completed miniature and it was the first promotional piece that Wizards of the Coast used for the game. Still to this day this is one of my favorite sculptures and paint jobs of all my pieces I did for Dreamblade. The detail is great and I think the sculptor created a piece that exceeds the designs. Speaking of designs, here is my turnaround for the Boneblade Serpent from all the way back from 2005...

Boneblade Serpent
© 2005 Wizards of the Coast LLC

Before the game was launched there were articles all about the production and design of the miniatures and the Boneblade Serpent got the royal treatment. Needless to say it was incredibly flattering to see one of my pieces getting so much attention and also incredibly embarrassing to have my drawings under the spot light. At the time I was still really self conscious about my abilities and didn't feel like my work was good enough... thankfully those feelings seem to have waned. With many of my early designs I struggled with the feeling that I could have done more or better with them. After all I was still learning a lot with each design and was still in the process of discovering who I was as an artist. To this day I still look at some of these old designs and think, "If only I could have done that now." I finally broke down with the Boneblade Serpent and while I had some down time I made this...

Boneblade Serpent Redux
© 2011 Christopher Burdett

This drawing was much harder to create then I ever thought it would be. I wanted it to stay true to the original but have the sensibilities that I have today. There was moment or two when I was about half way through that I contemplated abandoning the drawing. I stuck with it and learned a thing or two! I am not sure if it is a better design, but maybe it is a better drawing... in some parts... here and there.

That is all for another exciting week on the blog! See you next week! Until then...

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