A funny thing happen on the way to the ...SMASH!!!

You may have noticed that I have not posted on the blog since last Wednesday and that I have not been active online anywhere else... or maybe my absence has gone unnoticed...

Either way, it is a funny story. When I say "funny" I mean the students of Tallahassee have finally successfully murdered my car. They have been trying for years and nearly succeeded about 6 years back. Unfortunately, after countless attempts one of their best assassins managed to get past my defenses. Got past so easily that I never saw them coming until their car was in my passenger seat...

This is one time that the pictures do not do it justice, it looks MUCH worse in person. Where was I when all this happened? In a parking lot! He built up his RAMMING SPEED in a parking lot and caved in the right side of my car... from wheel to wheel... there is damaged.

IN. A. PARKING. LOT. 

Trying to stay positive...

1) At least I did not have a passenger with me at the time...
2) I seem to have managed to remain unharmed...
3) He was found at fault...
4) I found a lovely mugshot of the guy online when he was busted for Marijuana possession last year. 

Not so positive... my car is dead, totaled, and gone... and now I have no car. The student has stolen from me and I was only marginally compensated. Did I mention he was driving a rental car? A rental car that he took ownership of after claiming his insurance covers rentals. ...when in fact it may not cover rentals... yeah...

I can see the insides on my car from the outside.

With all that has happened and the fact that the Thanksgiving holiday is tomorrow I am going to take a break from the blog for the rest of the week and try to pick back up on my normal posting schedule on Monday, December 2nd. In the meantime... here is a happy frog in our pond, he does not care about cars and stupid distracted speeding students...

That is all for another not so exciting Wednesday on the blog... See you back here on Monday, Dec 2nd when I try to get things back to normal. Until then...

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

Yozo's Inspiration - L5R Promo Card

Over a year ago while I was working on the Coils of Madness expansion for the Legend of the Five Rings was was not only working on the great mad dragon P'an Ku. I was actually working on two dragons for the Coils of Madness set... but along the way one of those dragons lost its way and never made it to the set. I am happy to say that the long lost dragon, Yozo, has surfaced as a promo card...

Yozo's Inspiration

© 2013 Alderac Entertainment Group

WHOOOOSH! Dragon comet on a collision course. With how much I REALLY liked my P'an Ku piece I am glad that there was some time in between the release of Yozo. He may have been a little over shadowed by P'an Ku... of course he still may be... I am still really happy with how P'an Ku turned out. Not sure how and when this card can be acquired, but I am going to keep an ear to the ground in am attempt to get myself one (or 10). An image of the card has also surfaced...

Yozo 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

Krampus - Children of Yuletide

The Children of Yuletide show is now open! And from what I hear it is off to a great start after the opening reception this past Friday night. As promised I have my piece from the show on the blog today! I have only been wanting to do this piece for about 4 years, so it is a good thing that this show came along and got me off my butt to finally do this piece. I present you with my Krampus...

Krampus

18 x 24

colored pencil on toned paper
Original is available for sale on my web store!

© 2013 Christopher Burdett

This is the biggest drawing I have done in a long long time. I actually had to work on it at my drawing table exclusively instead of dragging it around with me and working on it little by little here and there. Making a ever more conscience effort to document my drawings I have for you some images of the process...

Process shots are all © 2013 Christopher Burdett

As mentioned above, the Children of Yuletide show opened this past Friday night. While I could not attend I was able to steal some images of the opening off the internet (THANKS, MIKE!) It sure looks like a fun time! Look at all that art! You can see my piece in the center of both photos...

Image of the opening courtesy Mike Bukowski

(which means totally stolen from him off the interwebs)

Image of the opening courtesy Mike Bukowski

(which means totally stolen from him off the interwebs)

Children of Yuletide will be up for two months so if you are in the Philadelphia area in the coming months be sure to stop by and check out the show! It is full of RAWR!

CHILDREN OF YULETIDE

Showing till mid January

Grindcore House

1515 S 4th St Philadelphia, PA 19148

That is all for another exciting Monday on the blog, see you bake 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

Children of Yuletide - OPENING TONIGHT!

Tonight is the night! Those in the Philadelphia area should really make it out the to the opening of the most epic of epic group shows, Children of Yuletide. The show features the works of 22 very talented artist: Alan Brown, Christopher Burdett, Mike Bukowski, Jeanne D'Angelo, Keely Dolan, Heather Gargon, Eden Grace, Justin Gray, Kat Gun, Gunsho, Sam Heimer, Trevor Henderson, Jeremy Hush, Alina Josan, Erin McCown, Brynn Metheney, Alicia Neal, Paul Romano, Kristin Sholz, Dylan Garrett Smith, Ketch Wehr, Jenn Woodall

All the details and loads of sneak peeks at the show and art can be seen over on it's Facebook event page. There is also the most excellent and very gorgeous poster the very talented Mike Bukowski...

CHILDREN OF YULETIDE

Opening reception November 15th 7pm - 9pm

Grindcore House

1515 S 4th St Philadelphia, PA 19148

While I will not be able to attend the opening of the show, but my art and a limited run of signed and numbered prints will be there. I will be sharing my piece with you on Monday after the show opens... gotta let the folks attending get first looks! I hopefully will have some photos from the opening to share as well. RAWR!

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

The Star-Touched Grove - Dungeon Magazine Issue 219

I missed my regularly scheduled post yesterday... sorry about that... To make up for it here is a brand new piece I did for Dungeons & Dragons... it is a BEAR with TENTACLES!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Star-Touched Grove - Dungeon Magazine Issue 219

© 2013 Wizards of the Coast

I was asked to design and illustrate a druid, in bear form, that has been corrupted by the Far Realms and his little porcupine grub buddy. Well, let me say that they needed a bear with tentacles and the rest of the details and requirements were unnecessary! This piece appeared last month in the October issue of Dungeon Magazine - issue 219. I look forward to sharing with you the process and steps that went into making this piece. Be sure to look for that on the blog in the coming months!

As always, I would like to extend a  huge thanks to Kate Irwin for involving me on this project and for her art direction on this piece!

That is all for another exciting THURSDAY(?!) 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

Natsumi - Aftermath preview

Aftermath, the newest expansion for Legend of the Five Rings, will soon be upon us. In the lead up to the release I am happy to say one of my cards in the set has been previewed! The wild and wet Natsumi appears! I was tasked with creating this dragon like water elemental as it flowed in and out of the river taking form and liquifying. Here is how Natsumi turned out...

Natsumi

© 2013 Alderac Entertainment Group

Not only was the art spoiled, but the final card with shown off too! It looks like I am giving some monster love to the Phoenix Clan now. I hope it will add to the success of the clan! Here is how the art looks on the card...

Natsumi in handy dandy card form!

I hope to be able to share some more from Aftermath in the near future as the release of the set nears. For now I will leave you just Natsumi... 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

Elves of Uteria - Tentacle Crawler

At the beginning of last month I mentioned my involvement with The Elves of Uteria RPG and now that all my work for this project is wrapped up I thought I would share it with you this week! On Monday I shared the wily and evil Drekava and on Wednesday I shared the wicked Devouring Ooze. Today I wrap up the monsters with a terrifying tentacled insect! I present to you the Tentacle Crawler...

Tentacle Crawler - Elves of Uteria

9 x 12

colored pencil on toned paper

© 2013 Christopher Burdett

As an added bonus I have for you several photos of this drawing in process. The Tentacle Crawler is a great mash up of giant centipede and some good old tentacles. This one was a lot of fun to work on. Without further fanfare, here is the Tentacle Crawler taking shape...

All images © 2013 Christopher Burdett

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

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

Elves of Uteria - Devouring Ooze

At the beginning of last month I mentioned my involvement with The Elves of Uteria RPG and now that all my work for this project is wrapped up I thought I would share it with you this week! On Monday I shared with you the wily and evil Drekava. Today I have for you a rather wicked pool of slime and tentacles! I present to you the Devouring Ooze...

Devouring Ooze - Elves of Uteria

9 x 12

colored pencil on toned paper

© 2013 Christopher Burdett

As an added bonus I have for you several photos of this drawing in process. The Devouring Ooze came together REALLY fast. I believe this piece was completed in one sitting for the most part. This was also the piece that attracted some unexpected attention from a stranger... but that is another story altogether... Without further fanfare, here is the Devouring Ooze taking shape...

All images © 2013 Christopher Burdett

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

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

Elves of Uteria - Drekava

At the beginning of last month I mentioned my involvement with The Elves of Uteria RPG and now that all my work for this project is wrapped up I thought I would share it with you this week! The benefits of an open project that does not require a nondisclosure agreement. Starting things off this week I have for you the wily and very evil looking Drekava...

Drekava - Elves of Uteria

9 x 12

colored pencil on toned paper

© 2013 Christopher Burdett

As an added bonus I have for you several photos of this drawing in process. I rarely have time... or even remember to take photos of my drawings that I do for clients, but since there was no NDA this time around I made sure to document these drawings coming together. Without further fanfare, here is the Drekava taking shape...

 All images © 2013 Christopher Burdett

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

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

Jasmine (Devourer) - Angel: Season 4

10 year ago (very strange typing that) when I was working on Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer I got to design the true form of the Devourer, or rather Jasmine, for Season 4 of Angel. At the time the character/monster was simply called "The Woman". Jasmine was played by the very talented and Joss Whedon favorite, Gina Torres. The idea was simple, MAGGOT ROT FACE... and I tried to do my best to make that happen. Here is how the final monster version of Jasmine looked on set as the puppet head I got to puppeteer on the show...

Devourer/Jasmine on set during filming Angel season 4

© 2003 - Somebody, but at this point I have no idea who...

The design was built off of photos we took when Gina Torres came for her life cast of her head. The design was very photoshopy but for what it was and the time I did it I do not find it now too cringe worthy. I did create a maggot brush while working on it to make the maggot layer a little easier. Here is how the final turned out...

Devourer/Jasmine final design

© 2003 Almost Human

There was another "less maggot" version of the design too. I am not sure anyone outside of production has ever here this second design...

Devourer/Jasmine "less maggot" design

© 2003 Almost Human

As an added bonus I have for you some shop photos of the head in progress. I was not responsible for  the sculpting and the majority of the painting on this particular piece.  I handled the design end and the care, maintenance, and puppeteering on set at the very end. Here is what the puppet head looked like before heading to set...

Devourer/Jasmine clay sculpture

© 2003 Almost Human

Devourer/Jasmine clay sculpture

© 2003 Almost Human

Devourer/Jasmine cast silicone puppet mid paint process

© 2003 Almost Human

Devourer/Jasmine cast silicone puppet mid paint process

© 2003 Almost Human

 

Devourer/Jasmine cast silicone puppet mid paint process now with hair work in place

© 2003 Almost Human

We used real maggots on set to add to the look and feel of the puppet head. For filming I was under the head in front of a green screen trying to mimic what Gina Torres previously filmed so they could comp the puppet features into the scene. Here are some more images from on set while filming and an idiot...

Devourer/Jasmine on set during filming Angel season 4

© 2003 - Somebody, but at this point I have no idea who...

Hey there 10 years ago me... you need to draw more. You have 10 years of hard work ahead of you so you been stop goofing around with a maggoty puppet and get to work...

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