Friday, January 28, 2022

Dungeons & Dragons - Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse - Part 4

The newest Dungeons & Dragons supplement, Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse, was released this week, and I was lucky enough to have contributed four pieces to the book. I got to design/redesign three of the four pieces, which is always fun. The fourth is a classic monster that didn't need to be revisited and only needed a new illustration. That, of course, was the Kobold I shared on Wednesday.

We have reached the end of my contributions with the Molydeus. This wolf-headed snake-backed demon has been around for a long time, and it was an honor to give it a fresh design and illustration. Here is a look at the final painting for the Molydeus.

Molydeus
Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse
11 x 14 - Digital
Art Director - Emi Tanji
© 2022 Wizards of the Coast LLC
 
As with all my D&D pieces, even though the final is digital, there is an original drawing available. This one is no exception, and I was pleased with how the drawing, actually all the drawing from this book, turned out. Here is the drawing for Molydeus.
 
Molydeus
Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse
11 x 14 - Pencil on paper
Original - SOLD
 Art Director - Emi Tanji
© 2022 Wizards of the Coast LLC

That is all of another exciting Friday on the blog. See you back here 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

Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Dungeons & Dragons - Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse - Part 3

The newest Dungeons & Dragons supplement, Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse, was released yesterday, and I was lucky enough to have contributed four pieces to the book. I got to design/redesign three of the four pieces, which is always fun. The fourth is a classic monster that didn't need to be revisited and only needed a new illustration - and that is what I have for you today!

Next up, I have for you a Kobold. I love working on Kobolds, and this one was a real treat. I love giving monsters a bit of personality and purpose. This little fellow is a fire sorcerer and is good at his job. He has lots of components and knows how to use them! Here is a look at the final painting for the Kobold.

Kobold
Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse
11 x 14 - Digital
Art Director - Emi Tanji
© 2022 Wizards of the Coast LLC
 
As with all my D&D pieces, even though the final is digital, there is an original drawing available. This one is no exception, and I was pleased with how the drawing, actually all the drawing from this book, turned out. Here is the drawing for Kobold.

Kobold
Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse
11 x 14 - Pencil on paper
Original - SOLD
Art Director - Emi Tanji
© 2022 Wizards of the Coast LLC
 
Lastly, a look at a social media image that featured the Kobold. It is fun to see my art being used for promotional uses again. It has been a while. As always, never read the comments!

 
D&D monsters in social media form!

That is all of 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

Monday, January 24, 2022

Dungeons & Dragons - Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse - Part 2

The newest Dungeons & Dragons supplement, Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse, will be released tomorrow, and I was lucky enough to have contributed four pieces to the book. Usually, I would have to wait till the book was out to share my work, but the good folks on the Dungeons & Dragons social media team have been sharing some of my monsters early. While they have not all been spoiled, I have plenty that I can share with you leading up to the book's official release. I got to design/redesign three of the four pieces, which is always fun. The fourth is a classic monster that didn't need to be revisited and only needed a new illustration. 

Next up, I have for you the Star Spawn Mangler. While the Star Spawn have been around for a while, I am unfamiliar with this version. I am not sure if it is a new monster or heavily redesigned. As with the Star Spawn Seer, I used myself as the model for this monster. Here is a look at the final painting for the Star Spawn Mangler.

Star Spawn Mangler
Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse
11 x 14 - Digital
Art Director - Emi Tanji
© 2022 Wizards of the Coast LLC

As with all my D&D pieces, even though the final is digital, there is an original drawing available. This one is no exception, and I was pleased with how the drawing, actually all the drawing from this book, turned out. Here is the drawing for Star Spawn Mangler.

Star Spawn Mangler
Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse
11 x 14 - Pencil on paper
Original - SOLD
Art Director - Emi Tanji
© 2022 Wizards of the Coast LLC
 
Lastly, a look at a social media image that featured the Star Spawn Mangler. It is fun to see my art being used for promotional uses again. It has been a while. As always, never read the comments!

 
D&D monsters in social media form!

That is all of 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

Friday, January 21, 2022

Dungeons & Dragons - Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse - Part 1

The newest Dungeons & Dragons supplement, Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse, will be released next week, and I was lucky enough to have contributed four pieces to the book. Usually, I would have to wait till the book was out to share my work, but the good folks on the Dungeons & Dragons social media team have been sharing some of my monsters early. While they have not all been spoiled, I have plenty that I can share with you leading up to the book's official release. I got to design/redesign three of the four pieces, which is always fun. The fourth is a classic monster that didn't need to be revisited and only needed a new illustration. 

Starting things off, I have for you the Star Spawn Seer. While the Star Spawn have been around for a while, I was asked to flesh this incarnation out. I had to look no further than myself to find all the inspiration needed. I have loads of embarrassing photos of me in a robe that I will never share that led to this piece taking shape. Here is a look at the final painting for the Star Spawn Seer.

Star Spawn Seer
Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse
11 x 14 - Digital
Art Director - Emi Tanji
© 2022 Wizards of the Coast LLC

As with all my D&D pieces, even though the final is digital, there is an original drawing available. This one is no exception, and I was pleased with how the drawing, actually all the drawing from this book, turned out. Here is the drawing for Star Spawn Seer.

Star Spawn Seer
Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse
11 x 14 - Pencil on paper
Original - SOLD
Art Director - Emi Tanji
© 2022 Wizards of the Coast LLC

Lastly, here is a look at the social media images that featured the Star Spawn Seer. It is fun to see my art being used for promotional uses again. It has been a while. As always, never read the comments!

D&D monsters in social media form!

That is all of another exciting Friday on the blog. See you back here 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

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

2021 - The Search For Normalcy

This post is more or less a continuation of the post I made one year ago. The events and trials that we found ourselves in for the past two years are very much still with us, but at least there are now vaccines that will help defend us from the current strains of COVID-19. As I write this, the impacts of Omicron are felt around the world, and I am once again working from home as my day job thought it better we are safe rather than sitting in a particular chair as we do our work. And throughout all of this, here I sit, like so many others, trying to make art and find our way.

Cryptic Knight
The Grand Bazaar of Ethra Dalia - The Completed Circle
13 x 17 - Pencil, ink, and acrylic paint on paper
Original - SOLD© 2021 Christopher Burdett

While I am not counting words or comparing lengths, my recap of 2021 feels shorter than in past years. I think this results from living during an ongoing pandemic and that there is less going on in many ways. In the fullness of time, I am sure we will look back and lump a chunk of time together and refer to it as the COVID years.

Two Years Behind

Prolific Whittler
The Grand Bazaar of Ethra Dalia - The Completed Circle
11 x 14 - Pencil, ink, and acrylic paint on paper
Original - Available
© 2021 Christopher Burdett

At the end of 2019, I had a stack of prepped illustrations, and I couldn't wait to get started. These pieces were a mix of ideas that couldn't fit in book one of The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia, destined for book three, and new ideas for book two. As I have mentioned before, I was on fire at the end of 2019. I had finished my first book. It was about to launch on Kickstarter in early 2020, and all I could see were the following books that I could not start on soon enough. Not to beat a dead horse, but things did not go as any of us planned, and I was incapable of making art of a large part of 2020. I did everything to rectify the state of things, and eventually, I was making art. Though I was making art, I was nowhere near where I envisioned myself, nor where my old self would have gotten me.

At the end of 2021, I had finally completed all of the work I prepared myself at the end of 2019. Nothing on the surface was wrong with this, except the workload I had before me should have taken about six months. While it is not exactly two years, I am a solid year and a half behind schedule.
 

Ill-Prepared Summoner
The Grand Bazaar of Ethra Dalia - In the Black
13 x 17 - Pencil, ink, and acrylic paint on paper
Original - Available
© 2021 Christopher Burdett

YES, there is an active global pandemic affecting everyone in negative ways. I know that it is unrealistic to hold myself up to pre-COVID expectations. The fact that I have finished anything should be a reason for celebration. I understand all these things and much, much more. But at the end of the day, while I know I need to give myself a break and focus on what is before me, I can't help but feel the massive weight of time lost. I can stay as positive as I can, I can look ahead to all that I want to do - all that I know I can do, and I can take care of myself mentally and physically in these trying times, but still, the lost time looms in my mind.

Another aspect of the past two years that has affected me is that I was not generating anything new. Yes, I was finishing work, but it was planned out for 2019. I was not making new images; I was only completing them. This meant that the second to last image I completed in 2021 had its final sketch created in 2019, but the original idea came from 2011. I was working on a ten-year-old idea that very much needed to be made, and it was bad timing, to be sure. I was in an artistic malaise for much of 2021 as I slogged through work that has sat around for years. It's not ideal when you are trying to get your motivation and mojo back. Yes, I made a fair amount of new freelance work over the past two years to help generate artistic momentum. I have made many new pieces for Magic the Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons since 2019, and it was crucial for me to get back on my feet. And while freelance work is excellent and does scratch some artistic itch, it is NOT like completing personal work and work like I am putting into the Grand Bazaar.

 2022 and Beyond

The Completed Circle Seal
The Grand Bazaar of Ethra Dalia - The Completed Circle
9 x 12 - Pencil, ink, and acrylic paint on paper
Original - Currently NFS
© 2021 Christopher Burdett

The future is still a nebulous void of uncertainty as it pertains to COVID and the opportunities we will have. But after two years of this, it seems that most of us are pushing ahead in any way we can to find some normalcy or at least something better. This past October saw the return of in-person events like Illuxcon, which I attended and felt perfectly safe doing so. February will find us back at Pensacon, which we are excited about. They had a safe post-COVID show last year that we were not ready to attend for personal reasons. In June, I should be at a local event, Infinity Con. August, we see our return to Gen Con and finally the realization of bringing the Grand Bazaar to the event as a Featured Artist. Finally, in October, there will be another Illuxcon. These conventions are something to celebrate and be excited about, but they bring risks that were not a reality two years ago. I am trying to stay focused on these events being a reality for us, but I know in these uncertain times that plans may change. 

Fortune Teller
The Grand Bazaar of Ethra Dalia - In the Black
13 x 17 - Pencil, ink, and acrylic paint on paper
Original - Available
© 2021 Christopher Burdett

I continue to scribble on paper as much as I can. The first piece of art that I planned for myself in 2022 ended up being the unexpected final piece of 2021. This was the first personal piece that I completed created since 2019. Again, something to celebrate. As I find my new normal, I spent a significant amount of time over the holidays looking at my notes for books two and three. I needed to get my head back in my world and get a fresh look at what I had previously set out for myself. I moved things around, added, deleted, and fleshed a lot out. One of the main things I did was to begin making a list of the smaller pieces of art that I will need for the next book. After talking with Dear Wife at length about all of this, we decided that focusing on smaller works for the short term will be a good start to things. These pieces should be quicker to complete, which will give me a more immediate feeling of accomplishment and will result in finished art at a lower price point for Gen Con and Illuxcon. We are working on ways to focus long-term and still be productive.

One of the unexpected aspects of the world I find myself in is making art is hard again. It has never been easy, but it has gotten harder than it used to be. After over twenty years of doing this, I could let myself work on autopilot and let the muscle memory and learned skills get the chunky, time-consuming work done. I would focus on the sketch and linework, and then the final comes together. Now, getting the sketch worked on is a significant event. As I gear up on new smaller pieces, I find the thumbnail/sketch phase taking two to three times as long. It is likely due to being out of practice, though some self-doubt is likely mixed in. Given time and the opportunity to dust the cobwebs off, I am sure this will improve.

Final Thoughts

Ambitious Farmhand
The Grand Bazaar of Ethra Dalia - The Completed Circle
13 x 17 - Pencil, ink, and acrylic paint on paper
Original - Available
© 2020 Christopher Burdett

Stay safe, get vaccinated, and wear a mask. If we all do these things, maybe, just maybe, we can start to feel and be safe again. I have seen too much death and pain over the past two years to tolerate anything less from the human population. I will keep scribbling, and eventually, I hope to share with you another book.

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

Friday, January 14, 2022

Chucklehead Miniature

I am thrilled to share with you today another miniature inspired by my illustrations for Dungeons & Dragons. This time around, it is a pre-painted miniature of Chucklehead from The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. To start things off, here is my painting for Chucklehead.

Chucklehead
The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
11 x 14 - Digital
Art Director - Kate Irwin
© 2021 Wizards of the Coast LLC

I had a feeling that this particular monster would end up a miniature. He seemed to stand out in the adventure, and who doesn't want a miniature of a goblin with a caramel apple head? The miniature is interesting in that its pose is neither represented in my illustration nor the concept art for Chucklehead. It was usually a direct pull from the art or a more neutral pose in past miniatures. It is interesting to see him have a little more action going on. Here is the miniature for Chucklehead. 

Chucklehead Miniature

 That's all for another exciting week on the blog. See you back here 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

Wednesday, January 12, 2022

IX 2022 Main Show Announcement

With the holidays and the end of the year, I never had a chance to post that I would be returning to the IX 2022 Main Show. It is a true honor to bring the Grand Bazaar back to IX and be surrounded by many amazing artists. There are many artists appearing for the first time at IX this year, and it will be wonderful to see their work. I must do a better job getting out of my booth and seeing the show in October. This past year I never gave myself time since I was there for the first time with my book. Anyway, enough of that. Here is a full list of the Main Show artists for IX 2022.

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

Monday, January 10, 2022

The Completed Circle Seal - The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia

I am thrilled to share another new piece from The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia. This illustration is for Book Two: The Completed Circle. This will be the first piece of art in the book. As with the first book, there is a key piece of art that starts the book that is an emblem, crest, or seal that is the theme for the book. The first book had the Crest of Ethra VanDalia, and this second book has the seal of The Completed Circle. This piece is not currently available, but when the time comes, it will be available as part of the Kickstarter to fund the publishing of the book. Hopefully, it will also become an enamel pin in the fullness of time. I present to you The Completed Circle.

The Completed Circle Seal
The Grand Bazaar of Ethra Dalia - The Completed Circle
9 x 12 - Pencil, ink, and acrylic paint on paper
Original - Currently NFS
© 2021 Christopher Burdett
 
The Completed Circle Seal - Drawing 
9 x 12 - Pencil on paper
© 2021 Christopher Burdett

This piece was meant to be my first piece of 2022, but for once, I am ahead of schedule, and it ended up being my final piece completed in 2021. From this point forward, I am focusing on Book Two and will be doing everything I can to make it a reality sooner rather than later. I hope to keep this speed and energy going as I work on the rest of the illustration for the book. Here is a look at the sketch for The Completed Circle Seal to show where it began.

The Completed Circle Seal - Sketch 
Digital
© 2021 Christopher Burdett

As a bonus, I have some images of the rendering process of this piece so that you can get a better idea of it taking shape.   

 
The Completed Circle Seal - Process
© 2021 Christopher Burdett

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