Revisiting some Pocket Monster Redesigns

It feels that Pokémon is bigger than ever, especially with the release of Pokémon Go. Even I am talking about Pokémon Go here on the BLOG. All these Pokémon got me thinking, some about Pokémon at Gen Con, and some about Pokémon in my past.

Today I thought I would revisit a pair of redesigned Pokémon that I did four years ago. It actually blows me away that is was four years ago, feels like just yesterday. Anyway, I was having some fun and playing around with some personal redesign work and then these happened...

Charmander Redesign

9 x 12 - Pencil on paper

Original available on my web store!
© 2012 Christopher Burdett

Charmeleon Redesign

9 x 12 - Pencil on paper

Original available on my web store!
© 2012 Christopher Burdett

The Charmander Redesign is still one of my favorite drawings. REALLY happy with how it turned out. Just look at that face! RAWR! Sadly, I only did these two at the time and never finished off the set with a Charizard. 

Be sure to stop by the blog on Monday when I will share with you some of my plans for
Pokémon at Gen Con 2016!

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

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

Rock Bite - Kaijudo - Process

Today I have for you the process and steps that went into the last of my paintings that I created for the now cancelled game, Kaijudo. The painting I will be talking about today was to be a new version of an already existing card depicting what happens when the ground has had enough of your crap... it was also never released before the game was cancelled. Here is the final painting for Rock Bite...

"Rock Bite"

Kaijudo - Unreleased

11.3 x 9 - Digital

© 2014 Wizards of the Coast

This piece was extremely straight forward. It was a redesign of an existing card, so a look and feel was established and production was very clear on how they wanted to update and change it. They provided lots of reference and the art order spelled it out perfectly. I got to work on some thumbnails and hoped that I hit all the point as well as adding some of my own voice to the mix. Here are how the thumbnails for Rock Bite turned out...

Rock Bite - Thumbnails

© 2014 Wizards of the Coast

Thumbnail "B" was the winner. I could have sworn that the art order specified no Beast-Kin falling into the rock mouth, nevertheless I was asked to do so moving forward into the final drawing. Part of the art order requested that there not be a face in the ground, just a mouth, but I found myself slowly working one in anyway. Not sure if it obvious to anyone but me, but there is one in there, albeit subtle. Here is how the final drawing for Rock Bite turned out...

Rock Bite

12 x 9 - Pencil on paper

Original for sale over on my web store!
© 2014 Wizards of the Coast

The drawing was approved without comment and I was ready to move onto the final painting. This may have been my second painting for Kaijudo, but it was by far the easiest. This one, more then 99% of my other piece, felt like it painted itself. Not sure if it was the subject matter, the fact that piece was mostly rocks and lava, or something else entirely. It was just a really quick and easy paint. Which is nice to have happen! Here is a look at Rock Bite taking shape, I know that a lot of the last steps look alike, but there is stuff happening in there...

Rock Bite - Process Progression

© 2014 Wizards of the Coast

The only comment after the piece was turned in was that the Beast-Kin's uniforms needed to be another color. I forget the reasoning now, but it had something to do with team colors in the game I think. It was a little awkward since the color they needed to go to was a color similar to the overall palette of the piece. But you gotta make that change! While we are talking Beast-Kin, that one in the bottom corner with both arms up was a favorite of the art director and definitely made him laugh. Too bad it would be almost unreadable at final card size. Here is an animated process progression to better show you the steps and the more subtle changes at the end...

Rock Bite - Animated Process

© 2014 Wizards of the Coast

And that is that... I have now shared with you all the process and steps for my work on Kaijudo. Like many games it was cancelled far too soon. But that is the way of things. It was sure fun while it lasted! If you would like to see all my posts about Kaijudo, you can see them all HERE!

Once again here is the final painting for Rock Bite, my unreleased painting for Kaijudo...

"Rock Bite"

Kaijudo - Unreleased

11.3 x 9 - Digital

© 2014 Wizards of the Coast

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

What's in the box?! 2016 Edition...

Looks like John Doe is up to his old tricks again and sent me a strange box that no doubt contains the head of a loved one... OR it might be something totally different and not creepy like in years past...  as in 2015, 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2010. With Gen Con happening next week I have a good guess at what this box could contain...

The unsuspecting cardboard box... what mysteries do you contain to tantalize or haunt us?

OH! It is the tubes of air I have been waiting for...

It is not tubes of air at all... but mighty stacks of books!

HOLY CRAP! creatura libri 6, AND there is a MONSTER on the cover...

I am a marketing GENIUS!

A mighty helping of both client and personal monsters!

Including the line drawings from Dungeons & Dragons and more!

32 new pages that are just crammed full of 50+ monsters! RAWR!

All the monster you need for your monster needs!

creatura libri 6 available NOW!

For the first time ever, this new sketchbook is available NOW for everyone, you need not wait till (or after) Gen Con or Illuxcon to get one! Head over to my STORE to get your copy of creatura libri 6! Supplies ARE limited. If you missed any of my previous sketchbooks I still have copies of creatura libri 3, creatura libri 4, and creatura libri 5 over on my STORE. As before, creatura libri 6 has space in the front so that I can personalize it with an original drawing if you so choose.

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

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

AR and VR Adventures

Today on the blog I am going to be comparing apples and oranges. While this is not always advisable, I am still doing it anyway. Recently, I shared with you the products of my work in Tilt Brush, the VR (Virtual Reality) painting program from Google. For the last couple of weeks I have been playing around (a lot) with an AR (Augmented Reality) app for smart phones, Pokémon Go. While very different, they are examples of where the VR and AR technologies are heading. Here is a look at some of my experiences with Pokémon Go and a reminder of what I am doing with Tilt Brush...

Pokémon Go gives me a world full of monster.

Which is very much like the world I try to make for myself.

Tilt Brush allows me to make virtual 3D marks to paint a monstrous form in space.

Now for the apples and oranges. These are two very different experiences and these technologies are really in their infancies. Both offer up a lot of potential and they are going to change and evolve in ways we can not yet imagine. All that said, give me more AR! I know VR will be powerful and will provide experiences vastly different then AR, I really am happier and more inclined to use AR. The VR I am using is limited by the physical space we have in the room where all the expensive equipment is set up and the user is tethered to said equipment by a cord. I know this will change in time, that is a given, but for now, I really don't enjoy the isolation of the headset and the disconnected feeling from the environment around me.

The current, and limited, AR experience that Pokémon Go is VERY inviting to me. I already walk a lot so the fact that I can walk around and see, capture, and collect various monsters is a win/win for me. AR can and will provide so much more in the future, but this little taste leaves me wanting more. There are exciting things on the horizon for both VR and AR, but the glimpses of AR's future is really exciting. It has already been done with Pokémon Go, but using this app makes me want to make my own experience where you can go around and interact with my monsters in the real world. Not necessarily getting that same spark of creativity when I use the current VR system. Tilt Brush is a tool and I can create with it, but I don't feel like it is a gateway to world building. AR feels like it can lend itself to building fantasy worlds that will mesh with our own in a new and unique way.

Of course, right now my interaction with VR is as a creator and my interaction with AR is as a user. These provide very different experiences, one is work and one is play. This can greatly effect opinions, and I am aware of it. But I still really enjoy the idea of AR.

VR and AR are both going to be useful tools and will allow different and equally useful experiences, but I think people will lean toward one or the other. I see it happening already. I am very much in the AR camp while some of my coworkers have built homes in VR town. I look forward to seeing what the futures holds for both technologies, but as long as I can run around and catch monsters in the real world I will be AR's biggest fan.

Say what you will, the gamification of activity goes a long way and for me moving around in the real world is by far the preferred place to be.

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

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

Gen Con: August 4 - 7! Artist Alley Table 40!

Gen Con is right around the corner! Once again I will be returning to the Gen Con Art Show in Indianapolis for the best four days in gaming (and gaming art). I will be stocked up with paintings, drawings, prints, sketchbooks, artist proofs, playmats, and a surprise of two! I will be at Table 40 in the Artist Alley and here is a map so you don't get lost...

Remember... RUN! Don't walk to the Gen Con Art Show!

Be sure to come by Table 40 to see me!

If you are attending Gen Con be sure to come by the Art Show (I will be at Table 40) to see all the amazing artists that will be attending this year... because there will be a ton of them! This year things are a little different, you will be able to purchase your art directly from the artists! No long lines, no multiple step process to get you art in your hands. Cash or charge the art will be in your hands super fast this year!

My booth at Gen Con 2015... RAWR!

I hope to see you at Gen Con this year! It is always a ton of fun and is usually full of surprises. If you missed it, I will be at Table 40! ...taaaaaable 40.... RAWR!

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

2016 Gen Con Charity Playmat

Today I have for you my contribution to the 2016 Gen Con Charity Auction. This year the auction will  benefit The Pourhouse, a local Indianapolis organization that assists individuals experiencing homelessness in the area. As an attending Magic the Gathering artist I was approached to create a custom playmat that will then be auctioned off at Gen Con. Since my Ancient Carp card was a fan favorite last year it seemed like a easy choice to create a custom Ancient Carp playmat. Here is how it turned out...

Ancient Carp Playmat
2016 Gen Con Charity Auction 
Marker on playmat 

© 2016 Christopher Burdett

A big thanks to Josh Krause for reaching out to me for this. In the past years the playmats have done well and I hope they do even better this year. I am not sure if the auction is open to people not attending Gen Con, but if you are interested let me know and I can look into it. Here are some images of the playmat coming together...

All images © 2016 Christopher Burdett

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

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

It's on Paper so it's OFFICIAL... RAWR!

Back in April I shared with you some of the details of filing for a trademark on my RAWR! logo. While the trademark was approved and registered at that time I was still waiting on the final paperwork. Over the weekend that paperwork finally arrived and now it is OFFICIALLY all done and my RAWR! logo is now OFFICIALLY a registered trademark! It may be just a piece of paper with a gold seal sticker on it, but it is the piece of paper with a gold seal sticker on it that says my branding is protected, registered, and mine. I was not really sure when or if this piece of paper would ever arrive, but you would hope to get something tangible for $450. Enjoy these images of a $450 piece of paper...

Officially, RAWR! is official!

Just look at those letters, they just exude RAWR!

Gold seals make everything better.

Not sure what the end game of this really is, but it is important to take the steps to protect and establish my branding if I am going to use it everywhere. While I am not sure if people are lined up to try to steal my logo, this does give me legal protection to something I have been building upon for years. RAWR!

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

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

Space Coast Comic Con 2016

I am happy to announce that I will be returning as a guest artist to the Space Coast Comic Con September 9-11, 2016. I had an absolutely amazing time last year and am thrilled to be returning. This will be the second year for the Space Coast Comic Con and they are expanding to a larger venue and can't wait to see what else they have in store. If you are in the area I hope to see you there in September!

Hope to see you at Space Coast Comic Con 2016!

Space Coast Convention Center • 301 Tucker Ln, Cocoa, FL 32926 • September 9-11, 2016

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

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

Take Two... Bossk - X-Wing Nationals Tournament Alternate Art

Trying this again... You might remember last week when I posted about my alternate art used on the Bossk card for the X-Wing Nationals Tournament. This post got a lot of attention from a lot of people all over the internet. Due to the attention it received I was asked to remove my original version of my painting. I was asked, so I did it. That is how these things work. What I can share is the final version of the piece that was used for the card...

Bossk - Final Version
X-Wing Nationals Tournament Alternate Art
Traditional with digital edits and finish

Art Director - John Taillon
© 2016 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games

I previously talked about the level of changes this piece went through, and of course it was easy to see those changes when juxtaposed with the original. That is no longer an option, so here is the part of the original that made it through to the end piece...

Bossk - Original Version (What I can share of it)
X-Wing Nationals Tournament Alternate Art
16 x 12 - Acrylic and pencil on board
Art Director - John Taillon
© 2016 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games

Clients have every right to expect edits and changes to work they are hiring an artist to create. I have made every change to every piece I was ever asked to make. I am a professional and that is just what you do. I started my career as an artist in 1999 when I started working in the movie industry and I have worked in the gaming industry since 2005. I don't mess around and I perform my job with the utmost seriousness and professionalism. This piece meant a lot to me when I accepted it and I put a lot of myself into it. I am committed to creating the best work I can for my clients and at the same time giving my own artist voice and vision to everything that I do. Was I happy about the changes to this piece? No, but I did them anyway, all of them, to the best of my abilities. I don't have to like things for me to still do them.

This blog has always been a place for me to talk about the ups and downs of working as an artist. This is my little corner where I make the rules. I have stated time after time that if you are a professional artist you make the changes. You suck it up and you do the work. It is not always easy, but that is part of the agreement when taking on assignments. I continue to stand by all of this. BUT, in my corner, I speak freely and if I don't like something I say it and it is in NO way a disparagement to the client, the product, or anyone else involved. It is my opinion to events that happened, in most cases, a year or more ago. Changes happen for any number of reasons, for good and bad. I have had changes that have made pieces better (IMHO)... and I have had changes that detract from the piece (IMHO). I explain and talk about this all the time here on this blog.

Everything culminated with complete strangers on the internet criticizing me and my blog and their actions most likely resulted in the original of this piece being removed. Always nice to have people wander in after you have been doing something for 7+ years and tell you are doing it all wrong. Always great to get advice from people who are not artists, have never made art, and have never worked in a creative freelance job. Again, this is my corner of the internet and I get to make the rules here.

Sometimes pieces are super easy and sometimes they are not. For whatever reason, AND TO NO FAULT TO ANYONE, this Bossk piece sure has had a rough time of it. Last week's blog post situation was the cherry on top. I have been SUPER lucky over the years and 95% of my assignments having been smooth and straight forward events. You can't win them all and that is just the way things are.

I was planning on sharing all the ins and outs for the process of this piece getting made, but I guess I can't do that now. I did a LOT of work on the back end to get this piece made. Oh well... I will leave you with the final production version of my Bossk card...

Final Bossk production card

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