A Second Look at Older Work - Zambit

This is one of the images I had originally prepped for my series of posts that focused on revisiting old, but favorite, monsters that I have done over the past twenty years of my career. While this one was meant to be posted before June, here we are in August, and he has finally made it to the blog again.

Today, I have another of several pieces I did for a game that was never completed. As mentioned previously, I originally painted these in 2010, the project never saw completion, and my work was shelved due to NDAs. In 2015, I received permission to share my work on the game as long as I didn't talk about the specifics of the project. That was the only time I shared this work. I always liked the work I did for the game, and they always had a soft spot in my art heart for them, well, most of them. The images created would have been used as hero art for various monsters encountered in the game. I loved the photo studio quality to them, and I played around with the lighting as well.

Wandering Eye

5.35 x 7 - Digital

© 2010 Christopher Burdett

As a side note, you can see more about this monster here on the blog. I do love a reptilian monster, and this one was a lot of fun. I was given a lot of room to have fun with its gear and weapons. Likely, I could draw and paint lizard dude all day. This still remains a favorite of mine for a lot of reasons.

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

A Second Look at Older Work - Back to the Very Beginning With the Blight Rat

On Monday, I shared with you that I have been working with Wizards of the Coast for twenty years as of this past Sunday. Today, I wanted to look back at the very first work that I did for them. As mentioned, I was first hired to design miniatures for WotC's new game, Dreamblade. It was the perfect job for me and one I still greatly miss. While I was initially hired to design three pieces for the game, by the time the game was cancelled, I had designed over seventy-five miniatures, with the majority seeing production. 

Of the three original pieces, one of them was approved before the rest. It was a little touch-and-go, at least for me, in those early days. I was fresh back from LA, and I had never worked in games, for WotC, or on miniatures. I had a lot of skills, and I knew what they needed and wanted, but to get all of the moving pieces to line up and for me to make an approved design took a bit of time, a ton of work, and even more stress. But when the first one was finally approved, the rest fell into place and were also approved, leading to more and more assignments.

But I want to be clear, I was in WAY over my head and doing my best to fake it until I made it. I can draw monsters all day long. But drawing them all day long for a client, giving me a lot of freedom while putting a lot of guardrails up, was an interesting situation to find myself in. I learned so much in an extremely short period when I started working on Dreamblade, and my artistic skill set, especially drawing, made vast leaps. I could talk at great length about the mistakes I made at this time, the things I learned, and the nature of the business, communication, etc., but I think I will now show off some art. It all began with the Blight Rat.  

Blight Rat - © 2006 Wizards of the Coast

You might look at this and think, yes, that is totally one of your monsters. It has many of my go-to elements: asymmetrical, deformed or mutated, spikes and points, and a natural sense of "RAWR". But I had to get here kicking and screaming and freaking out. What is so obvious now had to come from a massive amount of work and rejection. I was under the false assumption that I could be fired at any moment if I submitted a 'bad' drawing. So it wasn't until that first approval that I was actually able to breathe and start making monsters and having fun. 

Blight Rat turnaround - © 2006 Wizards of the Coast

There were multiple phases of approval on these. You were given the art order and had to design a front or 3/4 front view. Once that was approved, you then made the side and back view, or more if the design required it. So when I said this one was the first approved, it was the first front view approved, and then I had to get the front views for the other two I was working on approved before moving onto the rest of the views. Speaking of the other two, I shared the Pick-Pick and the Genteel Husk nine years ago. The Pick-Pick was a fun challenge, and I think the end result is very cool and unexpected, while the Genteel Husk was a pain from start to finish.

Blight Rat concepts - © 2006 Wizards of the Coast

Looking at these early concepts for the Blight Rat (or Pigsticker as it was originally named), you might be confused by its final form. These concepts faithfully follow what I was asked to create. There is some of me in there, but these are in line with what production wanted to see. I had some really good chats with my AD while working on these, and she really pushed me to go nuts and 'have fun and do something cool,' which have been the words I mostly worked by on all future WotC projects. So I went back to the drawing table and took up where I had stopped with the third concept and made the leap to the approved Blight Rat design. There were no middle steps and no other versions. I had three rejected concepts and then hit a home run. I learned so much in that leap.  

Blight Rat miniature - © 2006 Wizards of the Coast

And at the very end of the project, I would get a little figure of my monster to hold in my hand. It has never gotten better than this. I wish every assignment ended with a little toy of your work. That would be really amazing. If you want to see more of my Dreamblade work, you can see everything I have shared here on the blog.

That's all for another exciting Wednesday on the blog. See you back here Friday! Until then...

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

A Second Look at Older Work - Wandering Eye

This month marks twenty years for me in the gaming industry, and this is also my twenty-sixth year as a working artist. I have made a lot of work over these years, and as I focus on larger projects with multi-year timelines, it is hard to keep this blog updated regularly. I have kept this thing going since 2009, and I would like for it to continue. To that end, I thought I would look back at works I particularly liked, enjoyed making, or seemed to have fallen through the cracks and went unnoticed.

Today, I have another of several pieces I did for a game that was never completed. As mentioned previously, I originally painted these in 2010, the project never saw completion, and my work was shelved due to NDAs. In 2015, I received permission to share my work on the game as long as I didn't talk about the specifics of the project. That was the only time I shared this work. I always liked the work I did for the game, and they always had a soft spot in my art heart for them, well, most of them. The images created would have been used as hero art for various monsters encountered in the game. I loved the photo studio quality to them, and I played around with the lighting as well. 

Wandering Eye

5.35 x 7 - Digital

© 2010 Christopher Burdett

As a side note, you can see more about this monster here on the blog. I always enjoy the weird ones, and this checks all the boxes. While I was asked to stick to certain physical characteristics, I was free to have a little more fun with this one. And for your knowledge, the source material for this one some from long before an animated movie about monsters.

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

A Second Look at Older Work - Giant Scorpion

This month marks twenty years for me in the gaming industry, and this is also my twenty-sixth year as a working artist. I have made a lot of work over these years, and as I focus on larger projects with multi-year timelines, it is hard to keep this blog updated regularly. I have kept this thing going since 2009, and I would like for it to continue. To that end, I thought I would look back at works I particularly liked, enjoyed making, or seemed to have fallen through the cracks and went unnoticed.

Today, I have another of several pieces I did for a game that was never completed. As mentioned previously, I originally painted these in 2010, the project never saw completion, and my work was shelved due to NDAs. In 2015, I received permission to share the work I did on the game as long as I didn't talk about the specifics of the project. That was the only time I shared this work. I always liked the work I did for the game, and they always had a soft spot in my art heart for them, well, most of them. The images created would have been used as hero art for various monsters encountered in the game. I loved the photo studio quality to them, and I played around with the lighting as well.

Giant Scorpion

5.35 x 7 - Digital

© 2010 Christopher Burdett

As a side note, you can see more about this monster here on the blog. Another fun one where I could just make a fun monster and enjoy the painting process. I like insect monsters right behind reptile monsters, so I was right at home on this one. This is still very much a favorite of mine and not the only scorpion monster that I have created over the years.

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

A Second Look at Older Work - Female Werewolf

We are only over a week away from a date that will mark twenty years for me in the gaming industry, and this is also my twenty-sixth year as a working artist. I have made a lot of work over these years, and as I focus on larger projects with multi-year timelines, it is hard to keep this blog updated regularly. I have kept this thing going since 2009, and I would like for it to continue. To that end, I thought I would look back at works I particularly liked, enjoyed making, or seemed to fall through the cracks and went unnoticed. 

Today, I have another piece for Pathfinder released for Paizo fifteen years ago. This one received a lot of attention when I originally shared it from a particular demographic, that being those that enjoy the Furry fandom. They were really excited and wanted more, but this was only one assignment and I haven't been asked to do more. So soon those fans drifted away and this piece quietly vanished over the years as I shared more and more new art. It felt fitting to dust this one off and let it see the world again.

 

Female Werewolf

Digital

Pathfinder Chronicles: Classic Horrors Revisited 
© 2010 Paizo Publishing, LLC 

As a side note, if you want to look back at the other pieces that went along with this one, they can be found here on the blog. I believe I painted these sixteen years ago, so a long, long time, and I have learned and done so very much since then. But it is fun to look back on all the same.  

That's 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

A Second Look at Older Work - Fire Lizard

This coming June will mark twenty years for me in the gaming industry, and this is also my twenty-sixth year as a working artist. I have made a lot of work over these years, and as I focus on larger projects with multi-year timelines, it is hard to keep this blog updated regularly. I have kept this thing going since 2009, and I would like for it to continue. To that end, I thought I would look back at works I particularly liked, enjoyed making, or seemed to have fallen through the cracks and went unnoticed.

Today, I have another of several pieces I did for a game that was never completed. As mentioned previously, I originally painted these in 2010, the project never saw completion, and my work was shelved due to NDAs. In 2015, I received permission to share the work I did on the game as long as I didn't talk about the specifics of the project. That was the only time I shared this work. I always liked the work I did for the game, and they always had a soft spot in my art heart for them, well, most of them. The images created would have been used as hero art for various monsters encountered in the game. I loved the photo studio quality to them, and I played around with the lighting as well.

Fire Lizard

5.35 x 7 - Digital

© 2010 Christopher Burdett

As a side note, you can see more about this monster here on the blog. This was a fun one to make and I had a ton of enjoyment working on the textures and patterning. I love working on reptiles and anphibians abd this one offered that up and then some. This was one of the first pieces that I began putting the wobbly meet ribbon down the side of my creatures. It was in the reference I was using for this one and it just clicked with me and have been a go to element ever since.

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

A Second Look at Older Work - The Dreamblade Knight with Bell

This coming June will mark twenty years for me in the gaming industry, and this is also my twenty-sixth year as a working artist. I have made a lot of work over these years, and as I focus on larger projects with multi-year timelines, it is hard to keep this blog updated regularly. I have kept this thing going since 2009, and I would like for it to continue. To that end, I thought I would look back at works I particularly liked, enjoyed making, or seemed to fall through the cracks and went unnoticed.

Today, (I was really trying to have a new post about some more recent work, but things are kind of crazy, so here we are) I have another miniature design that I did for the now long-dead miniatures game, Dreamblade. Dreamblade will always be near and dear to me as it was the first game I ever worked on and one of the times I felt most free as an artist working in the gaming industry. This is the "Knight with Bell" design for an unproduced set of the game. I wonder to this day if they had started any of the sculpts for these and if somewhere there had been or still is a prototype of it out there.

Unreleased Knight with Bell - © 2006 Wizards of the Coast

Knight with Bell turnaround - © 2006 Wizards of the Coast

I always liked the dragon motiff I worked into the armor design. The armor has flaws and issues, but the mini would have been small and I am sure would have look just fine. Not sure why as it is sort of cartoony, but the dragon sword with the blade a jet of flame still pleases me And let us not acknoweldge the dragon loaf as the helmet's crest. I should have worked a dragon onto the bell.

That's all for another exciting Wednesday on the blog. See you back here Friday! Until then...

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

A Second Look at Older Work - Ettin

This coming June will mark twenty years for me in the gaming industry, and this is also my twenty-sixth year as a working artist. I have made a lot of work over these years, and as I focus on larger projects with multi-year timelines, it is hard to keep this blog updated regularly. I have kept this thing going since 2009, and I would like for it to continue. To that end, I thought I would look back at works I particularly liked, enjoyed making, or seemed to have fallen through the cracks and went unnoticed.

Today, I have another of several pieces I did for a game that was never completed. As mentioned last week, I originally painted in 2010, the project never saw completion, and the work I did was shelved due to NDAs. In 2015, I received permission to share the work I did on the game as long as I didn't talk about the specifics of the project. That was the only time I shared this work. I always liked the work I did for the game and they always had a soft spot in my art heart for them, well, most of them. The images I that I created would have been used as hero art for various monsters encounted in the game. I loved the photo studio quality to them and I played around with the lighting as well.

Ettin

5.35 x 7 - Digital

© 2010 Christopher Burdett

As a side note, you can see more about this monster here on the blog. This is likely one of, if not my favorite of the pieces done for the project. There is a look and feel that I still love, and I still get a kick out of their faces. There is a lot of my personal esthethic in this one as well.

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

A Second Look at Older Work - Air Devil

This coming June will mark twenty years for me in the gaming industry, and this is also my twenty-sixth year as a working artist. I have made a lot of work over these years, and as I focus on larger projects with multi-year timelines, it is hard to keep this blog updated regularly. I have kept this thing going since 2009, and I would like for it to continue. To that end, I thought I would look back at works I particularly liked, enjoyed making, or seemed to have fallen through the cracks and went unnoticed.

Today, I have one of several pieces I did for a game that was never completed. Originally painted in 2010, the project never saw completion, and the work I did was shelved due to NDAs. In 2015, I received permission to share the work I did on the game as long as I didn't talk about the specifics of the project. That was the only time I shared this work. I always liked the work I did for the game, and they always had a soft spot in my art heart for them, well, most of them. The images I created would have been used as hero art for various monsters encountered in the game. I loved the photo studio quality to them, and I played around with the lighting as well. I believe this was one of the first that I completed for the project, and it is still one of my favorites.

Air Devil

5.35 x 7 - Digital

© 2010 Christopher Burdett

As a side note, you can see more about this monster here on the blog. This was also one of those times I likely underbid myself in an attempt to get the project. I will never know what I could have likely been paid for this work, but I know I wasn't paid enough. But I learned from it!

That is all for another exciting Friday on the blog now that I have concluded my May blog break. 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

A Second Look at Older Work - Nexus Ops

This coming June will mark twenty years for me in the gaming industry, and this is also my twenty-sixth year as a working artist. I have made a lot of work over these years, and as I focus on larger projects with multi-year timelines, it is hard to keep this blog updated regularly. I have kept this thing going since 2009, and I would like for it to continue. To that end, I thought I would look back at works I particularly liked, enjoyed making, or seemed to have fallen through the cracks and went unnoticed.

Today, I have a big one from thirteen to fourteen years ago. It is not often that you are asked to redesign all the components of a board game, and when it does happen, you jump at it. I was already familiar with the game, Nexus Ops. I hadn't played it, and I still have never played it, but it looked like a fun game with a lot of cool monsters that get to be miniatures. I gave everything in this project 100% of my design sense and tastes and would like to think anyone familiar with my work would instantly see it in this game. In addition to designing all of the miniatures in the game, my hero illustrations of the pieces were used on printed game pieces, packaging, and advertising. For one shining minute, my art was everywhere. The turnaround was TIGHT and the payment was LOW, but I really wanted to work on this project and had a lot of fun working on it. Here is a look at all the pieces together and scaled accordingly, as well as a closeup of each.

The Nexus Ops Lineup of man and monsters

Digital

Nexus Ops
© 2012 Fantasy Flight Games

If you know me, I looked at a lot of real-world animals to base the color schemes for these monsters. One of the main inspirations was using the Eastern Box Turtle as the starting point of the Rockstrider. I wanted to give it a hint of 'angry turtle' in the face, and overall, the color palette and markings.

Crystalline

Digital

Nexus Ops
© 2012 Fantasy Flight Games

 

Fungoid

Digital

Nexus Ops
© 2012 Fantasy Flight Games

 

Human

Digital

Nexus Ops
© 2012 Fantasy Flight Games

 

Lava Leaper

Digital

Nexus Ops
© 2012 Fantasy Flight Games

 

Rockstrider

Digital

Nexus Ops
© 2012 Fantasy Flight Games

 

Rubium Dragon

Digital

Nexus Ops
© 2012 Fantasy Flight Games

As a side note, you can see and read a TON more about Nexus Ops here on the blog. I have previously shared drawings, miniatures, packaging, and more related to the game and my work on it.

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

A Second Look at Older Work - Shadow Opener

This coming June will mark twenty years for me in the gaming industry, and this is also my twenty-sixth year as a working artist. I have made a lot of work over these years, and as I focus on larger projects with multi-year timelines, it is hard to keep this blog updated regularly. I have kept this thing going since 2009, and I would like for it to continue. To that end, I thought I would look back at works I particularly liked, enjoyed making, or seemed to fall through the cracks and went unnoticed.

Today, I have ANOTHER piece for Pathfinder released for Paizo fourteen (but painted fifteen) years ago. This was a transformative piece for me. I brought in a lot of reference for this one to get the lighting and figure correct. It also has more of an environment compared to a lot of what I was doing around this time. It is by no means perfect, but it was a big leap for me. This was the piece where I learned that reference can be misleading and that you can not be beholden to it. If it doesn't look right in the reference, it will look even worse in the reference, and you need to be able to correct what you are making so that it is informed, but also correct in its appearance.

Shadow Opener

Digital

Undead Revisited
© 2011 Paizo Publishing, LLC

 

As a side note, if you want to look back at what I said about this piece when it was newly released and when I shared the process, they are all available here on the blog. Also, this is the only Iconic Pathfinder character I was asked to depict dead. Over the years, I depicted many of the Iconic characters in peril, but none after their hit points had reached zero.

That's all for another exciting Monday on the blog. See you back here Wednesday! Until then...

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

A Second Look at Older Work - The Dreamblade Gear Man

This coming June will mark twenty years for me in the gaming industry, and this is also my twenty-sixth year as a working artist. I have made a lot of work over these years, and as I focus on larger projects with multi-year timelines, it is hard to keep this blog updated regularly. I have kept this thing going since 2009, and I would like for it to continue. To that end, I thought I would look back at works I particularly liked, enjoyed making, or seemed to fall through the cracks and went unnoticed.

Today, I have another miniature design that I did for the now long-dead miniatures game, Dreamblade. Dreamblade will always be near and dear to me as it was the first game I ever worked on and one of the times I felt most free as an artist working in the gaming industry. This is the "Gear Man" design for an unproduced set of the game. I wonder to this day if they had started any of the sculpts for these and if somewhere there had been or still is a prototype of it out there.

Unreleased Gear Man - © 2006 Wizards of the Coast

Gear Man turnaround - © 2006 Wizards of the Coast

I always liked this design of the asymmetrical body form and offset head, as well as the big hands for smashing. I can imagine that the mini would have been one color with a nice wash or dry brush over it. The mini would end up being used in kit-bashed custom creations by gamers and would have lived on and on. Or not. We shall never know since this one never saw the production finish line.

That's all for another exciting Wednesday on the blog. See you back here Friday! Until then...

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

A Second Look at Older Work - Mimic and Reward

This coming June will mark twenty years for me in the gaming industry, and this is also my twenty-sixth year as a working artist. I have made a lot of work over these years, and as I focus on larger projects with multi-year timelines, it is hard to keep this blog updated regularly. I have kept this thing going since 2009, and I would like for it to continue. To that end, I thought I would look back at works I particularly liked, enjoyed making, or seemed to fall through the cracks and went unnoticed.

Today, I have ANOTHER piece for Pathfinder done for Paizo sixteen or so years ago. There are only a few, but there are some classic D&D monsters that I have never illustrated for Dungeons & Dragons. And of those few, there are even fewer that I HAVE illustrated for other companies. One in particular is the Mimic. For some reason, I have never had to illustrate a Mimic for a D&D product, but sixteen years ago, I painted a Mimic for the new (at the time) Pathfinder GameMastery Guide. It was on a section about risk and reward... or shall we say Mimic and Reward.

Mimic and Reward

Digital

 GameMastery Guide
© 2009 Paizo Publishing, LLC

 

As a side note, the ghosts are still in the machine, and after all these years, the Patherfinder blog post that spoiled this piece is still live. On top of that, there are actually a few posts still over there in the warner of links with more of my work from around that time. I will likely be sharing some of that other work at some point soon.

That's all for another exciting Monday on the blog. See you back here Wednesday! Until then...

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

A Second Look at Older Work - Civilized Naga

This coming June will mark twenty years for me in the gaming industry, and this is also my twenty-sixth year as a working artist. I have made a lot of work over these years, and as I focus on larger projects with multi-year timelines, it is hard to keep this blog updated regularly. I have kept this thing going since 2009, and I would like for it to continue. To that end, I thought I would look back at works I particularly liked, enjoyed making, or seemed to fall through the cracks and went unnoticed.

Today, I have ANOTHER piece for Pathfinder done for Paizo fifteen years ago. Things are SUPER busy, so we are looking back again. This was always a fun piece for me. As with the Troll Auger,  I was starting to figure out a lot about painting, using reference, and what it takes to get a good image. I make monsters, it should be obvious by now, and one of the things I really like about making monsters is presenting them in non traditional ways. Sure, big scary monster saying 'RAWR' is fun, but showing what they do when they have alone time is ever better. This Naga thinks they are very pretty, and I support that type of monster energy.

Civilized Naga

Digital

 Pathfinder Chronicles: City of Strangers
© 2010 Paizo Publishing, LLC

 

As a side note, when looking back at this piece, I realized I never shared a process post for it. Not sure that sharing it now would help anyone, but it's interesting that I never took the time to post more about this one.

That's all for another exciting Wednesday on the blog. See you back here Friday! Until then...

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

A Second Look at Older Work - Troll Auger

This coming June will mark twenty years for me in the gaming industry, and this is also my twenty-sixth year as a working artist. I have made a lot of work over these years, and as I focus on larger projects with multi-year timelines, it is hard to keep this blog updated regularly. I have kept this thing going since 2009, and I would like for it to continue. To that end, I thought I would look back at works I particularly liked, enjoyed making, or seemed to fall through the cracks and went unnoticed.

Today, I have for you a piece for Pathfinder done for Paizo fifteen years ago. This was always a favorite of mine. I was starting to figure out a lot about painting, using reference, and what it takes to get a good image. This was also a fun assignment to depict a troll carving out its own guts to read the future - because the troll can just shove them back in and naturally heal from this severe self-inflicted wound. I painted this in my old style of layer arrangement and structure - which might be only interesting to me. Not matter what, I am still happy with this little painting, and I think it deserves a second look.

Troll Auger

Digital

 Pathfinder Chronicles: City of Strangers
© 2010 Paizo Publishing, LLC

As a side note, when looking back at this piece, I realized I never shared a process post for it. Not sure that sharing it now would help anyone, but it's interesting that I never took the time to post more about this one.

That's all for another exciting Monday on the blog. See you back here Wednesday! Until then...

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

A Second Look at Older Work - Rocky Horror Derby Show Derby Poster

This coming June will mark twenty years for me in the gaming industry, and this is also my twenty-sixth year as a working artist. I have made a lot of work over these years, and as I focus on larger projects with multi-year timelines, it is hard to keep this blog updated regularly. I have kept this thing going since 2009, and I would like for it to continue. To that end, I thought I would look back at works I particularly liked, enjoyed making, or seemed to fall through the cracks and went unnoticed.

Today, I have for you one of the roller derby posters that I made fifteen years ago. This is my second favorite of the posters I made. Not as popular as the Rollbots, but it was well recieved. It is hard to imagine that fifteen years ago, I had enough time in my schedule to allow me the freedom to take on projects like this to help out the local team. The local team has changed a lot over the years, and they neither do posters like this nor play locally due to a lack of venues. That said, we love roller derby in our house, and it was great to support our friends and the team when we could. You can read all about the work that went into the poster, shirt, and the process of it here on the blog.

Rocky Horror Derby Show poster (11 x 17)

Art only
© 2010 Christopher Burdett

Rocky Horror Derby Show poster (11 x 17)

Final with text
© 2010 Christopher Burdett

Rocky Horror Derby Show handout (8.5 x 11)

Final with text
© 2010 Christopher Burdett

Rocky Horror Derby Show handout (8.5 x 11)

Final with text
© 2010 Christopher Burdett

It took a significant amount of reference, work, and more work to get this one across the finish line. Everything was in my wheelhouse save for Frankie and Rocky - which is the main focus of this piece. But thanks to some really good reference thanks to my wife, we have this image.  

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

A Second Look at Older Work - The Dragon Ambassador

This coming June will mark twenty years for me in the gaming industry, and this is also my twenty-sixth year as a working artist. I have made a lot of work over these years, and as I focus on larger projects with multi-year timelines, it is hard to keep this blog updated regularly. I have kept this thing going since 2009, and I would like for it to continue. To that end, I thought I would look back at works I particularly liked, enjoyed making, or seemed to fall through the cracks and went unnoticed.

Today, I have for you another miniature design that I did for the now long dead miniatures game, Dreamblade. Dreamblade will always be near and dear to me as it was the first game I ever worked on and one of the times I felt most free as an artist working in the gaming industry. This is the "Dragon Ambassador" design that was created for the fifth set of the game but was unfortunately moved to the never-produced sixth set. It would have been big and awesome. I wonder to this day if they had started any of the sculpts for these and if somewhere there had been or still is a prototype of it out there.

Unreleased Dragon Ambassador - © 2006 Wizards of the Coast

Dragon Ambassador turnaround - © 2006 Wizards of the Coast

This was slated to be one of the 'hero' pieces of the sixth set. It was selected to be on some of the packaging for that ill-fated set. The late William O'Connor even completed his painting of the packaging art. I am still incredibly proud of this design. I feel the pose still has a lot of movement and feels like it is just about to take flight. I am still amazed I went here with the wing design and that WotC approved it. I am not sure I would do something like this arrangement today. I really had hoped that this ended up getting made. I bet it would have been a fantastic miniature.

That's 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

A Second Look at Older Work - Usagi Yojimbo - San Diego Comic-Con Souvenir Brochure

This coming June will mark twenty years for me in the gaming industry, and this is also my twenty-sixth year as a working artist. I have made a lot of work over these years, and as I focus on larger projects with multi-year timelines, it is hard to keep this blog updated regularly. I have kept this thing going since 2009, and I would like for it to continue. To that end, I thought I would look back at works I particularly liked, enjoyed making, or seemed to fall through the cracks and went unnoticed.

Today, I have for you a piece completed in 2009 (the year I got serious) and was for the San Diego Comic-Con Souvenir Brochure. There was an open submission for art entries related to one of the various celebrations or anniversaries in the comic industry in 2009. Stan Sakai was being honored for twenty fives years of his Usagi Yojimbo series (I guess it is now 41 years!). I am a HUGE Sakai and Usagi Yojimbo fan, and sixteen years ago, I apparently had the time and interest to do a tribute piece for the brochure. There was no guarantee that your work would be accepted, but I did it anyway. Ultimately, my work was selected and included in the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con Souvenir Brochure. I had a very awkward moment meeting Stan to thank him and put my face to my art in the brochure.

Usagi Yojimbo

Digital

San Diego Comic Con Souvenir Brochure

It is fun to look back at older work to see things that became things you repeatedly do in your contemporary art. I still love these golem samurai that are full of hellfire. If you want to see and read more about this piece, you must know by now there are posts here on the blog to assist you!

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