Ghoul - Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Kit: Process

Last year I had the super fun opportunity to paint a female Dwarf Ghoul for the Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Kit. While on the surface, this might seem like a piece that would be perfectly tailored for me, but it is a bit different than I usually do. I tend not to enter into the realm of core D&D races with my work, but since she was an undead monster, it all worked okay in the end. And as it turns out, I make for reasonably good female Dwarf Ghoul reference.

Today I have for you the process and steps that went into painting the Ghoul. It was a straightforward assignment, which is always appreciated. I had myself for the reference, and the rest was just getting it done. Starting things off, here is a look at the final painting of the Ghoul.

 

Ghoul

Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Kit

11 x 14 - Digital

Art Director - Kate Irwin

© 2019 Wizards of the Coast LLC

 

I started this assignment with a good ole photoshop of me acting out all my favorite Ghoul poses and actions. I will not be sharing those images with you because they are not fit to share. I worked out the physicality of the compositions and poses I wanted and established some lighting reference. Here are the three thumbnails that I submitted.

Ghoul - Thumbnails

© 2019 Wizards of the Coast LLC

 

 You sometimes get close, but not all the way there. They liked option 'B,' but felt it was not grounded enough and looked like it was floating or hopping and not lunging. This was easy enough to resolve with some more photo reference and working out what looked best. What looks best is sometimes in conflict with what is accurate to the reference. You need to know when and how to push and pull the reference to get it to be what it needs to be for the painting. Here is the updated thumbnail that I resubmitted after addressing all of the production notes.

Ghoul - Updated thumbnail

© 2019 Wizards of the Coast LLC

 

 The thumbnail was approved, and it was time to work up the final drawing. As I have mentioned most likely dozens of times before, the drawing step of my process is my favorite, and it is the step that takes the least amount of time. This is one of the reasons my work on the Grand  Bazaar is pencil work and drawing. Here is how the final drawing for the Ghoul turned out.

 

Ghoul

Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Kit

11 x 14 - Pencil on paper

Original available on my store!

Art Director - Kate Irwin

© 2019 Wizards of the Coast LLC

 

Now it was time to paint! As I said, this assignment was straightforward and came together very quickly and easily. No road bumps, no issues, merely painting a Ghoul. Having good reference images for anatomy, foreshortening, and lighting make things so much easier and saves so much time during the painting step. Here is the painting coming together for your viewing pleasure.

Ghoul - Painting process

© 2019 Wizards of the Coast LLC

 

And without much fanfare and no issues, the paint was approved and sent off to production. They can't all be this easy, but when they are, it is appreciated. Here again, is the final painting for the Ghoul in all its undead glory.

Ghoul

© 2019 Wizards of the Coast LLC

 

That's 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