Gudul Lurker - Dragons of Tarkir - PROCESS

Today I have for you the process and steps that went into a Magic the Gathering piece of my that I first shared with you back in March, the Gudul Lurker. The Lurker is a happy little salamander that lives in a happy little pond and thinks happy little salamander thoughts all day long. ...OR it is a monster that wants to eat your face and say, "RAWR!". Your choice. To start things off, here is how the final art for Gudul Lurker turned out...

"Gudul Lurker"

Magic the Gathering: Dragons of Tarkir

12 x 8.7 - Digital

PRINTS available at OMA!

ARTIST PROOFS available over on my web store! 

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

I got things started off with some thumbnails, as always. The art order asked for a large salamander creature that "...is crawling about in the reedy muck along the riverside. The creature is partly obscured by the river plants but is ready to pounce on some unseen prey." I provided a bunch of options, but I secretly wanted to move forward with option "D". To tell you the truth I would have been happy with any of these. Any of these pieces could have been a successful piece, I think "D" would be (and was) a MORE successful piece. I feel "D" just was a more realistic portrayal of this type of creature and of a living breathing animal. I also wanted to paint a little damselfly on the Lurker's nose. Here are how the thumbnails turned out...

Gudul Lurker - Thumbnails

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

In addition to the thumbnails I also worked up some color / pattern concepts and provided an image of how I envisioned the Lurker over all. Again, I would be happy with any of these, looking back now, I am not sure which of the color I liked best at the time. I think the blue works best... which is a good thing that it was picked! Here are how the concepts turned out...

Gudul Lurker - Body / Color Concepts

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

Option "D" was the winning thumbnail and I knew I needed some reference to make sure I had something from the real work to look to to help guide the piece forward. I made a stop to the local pet store and went straight to the turtle tank. The turtles did their best impressions of a Gudul Lurker and I took lots of images. Here is the winner that best informed the final piece...

Gudul Lurker - Hnady dandy turtle stand in reference

As you know by now option "D" was the winner. As far as the color / pattern concepts go I was instructed to go with option "B". Now that I had a direction and plan of action it was time to gear up and move this piece forward. I got to work on the drawings...

"Gudul Lurker "

Magic the Gathering: Dragons of Tarkir

12 x 9 - Colored pencil on paper

Original - SOLD

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

Drawing the Lurker was a lot of fun to say the least. The initial drawing was approved and I was ready to move forward on the tonal study and the painting...

"Gudul Lurker "

Magic the Gathering: Dragons of Tarkir

12 x 9 - Colored pencil on paper

Original - SOLD

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

This painting was generally a straight forward process... except near the end when I need some outside encouragement to help push the piece to where it needed to go. I was playing it really safe for a lot of the piece and not really pushing it like it needed. These things happen. Chalk it up to where I was mentally and artistically early last year. Chalk it up to the perceived added stress of this being a Magic assignment. Whatever it was or whatever combination of things, I played it safe and then needed to be kicked over the finish line. Live and learn! You will see the major push and pull changes near the end of the piece to see what I am talking about.

In just 16 easy steps you too can have yourself a painting of a giant salamander monster! Or not.  Here is a look at the painting coming together...

Gudul Lurker - Process progression

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

Here is another look at the painting coming together in a handy dandy animated progression so that the progression may be clearer to see as I worked up and edited the image during painting...

  Gudul Lurker - Animated process progression

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

Moving the entire image down midway through the process was my own edit. I felt the piece needed some breathing room at the top and the damselfly was getting crowded. Pushing the environment above the water brighter and less saturated while pushing the water very much more blue... yeah, I needed that encouragement to make those edits. This is why it is good to have a second option, a fresh pair of eyes, and to talk to other artists about what you are working on to make sure you are doing the most you can with your work. We are all in this together, even if we sit alone in our studios. Thanks, Aaron!

And with that another painting is completed! Again, here is the finished Gudul Lurker painting and the corresponding card from Magic the Gathering...

"Gudul Lurker"

Magic the Gathering: Dragons of Tarkir

12 x 8.7 - Digital

PRINTS available at OMA!

ARTIST PROOFS available over on my web store! 

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

Gudul Lurker in handy dandy card form

That is all for another exciting Wednesday on the blog, see you back here on Friday! Until then...

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