The DOODLES, DESIGNS, and aRT of CHRISTOPHER BURDETT: Ancient Carp - Dragons of Tarkir

Last week I shared with the good folks over on Original Magic Art some thoughts and process that went into producing the Ancient Carp card from Magic the Gathering, Dragons of Tarkir. I shared with them some aspects I do not usually address here on my own blog, so I recommend heading on over there to have a look. Today I have for you the process for the Ancient Carp as I usually share it on my blog. Between this post and the one over on Original Magic Art you should get a pretty good idea of the creation of this piece. To start things off, here is how the final art for Ancient Carp turned out...

"Ancient Carp"

Magic the Gathering: Dragons of Tarkir

12 x 8.7 - Digital

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I got things started off with some thumbnails, as always. The description indicated that the fish was swimming under the boat but I really wanted more of an interaction between the two. I provided a bunch of options, but I secretly wanted to move forward with option "C". To tell you the truth I would have been happy with any of these, I think they could have all been successful pieces, I think "C" would be (and was) a MORE successful piece. Here are how the thumbnails turned out...

Ancient Carp - Thumbnails

In addition to the thumbnails I also worked up some color / pattern concepts and provided an image of how I envisioned the carp over all. Again, I would be happy with any of these, but was hoping for something a bit more colorful and interesting and not just a solid gold carp (as was indicated in the original description). Here are how the concepts turned out...

Ancient Carp - Body / Color Concepts

As you know by now option "C" was the winner. As far as the color / pattern concepts go I was instructed to go with something between option "A" and "B". Now that I had a direction and plan of action it was time to gear up and move this piece forward. I go to work on the drawings...

"Ancient Carp"

Magic the Gathering: Dragons of Tarkir

12 x 9 - Colored pencil on paper

Original - SOLD

Drawing this carp was a lot of fun to saw the least. Could have done it all day actually. Carp have a lot of the things I like to draw... scales, fins, tendrils... you know, the fun stuff. The initial drawing was approved and I was ready to move forward on the tonal study and the painting.

"Ancient Carp"

Magic the Gathering: Dragons of Tarkir

14 x 11 - Colored pencil on paper

Original - SOLD

I am really happy with how the tonal study for this piece turned out and I think it is one of my more successful drawings of the last year. It was also nice and big and it went to a good home in the fullness of time. With all my ducks in a row it was time to paint.

While I had a game plan, paintings do not always go according to plan. This is just one of those paintings. It felt like it was always one step ahead of me trying to out race me to a disastrous conclusion. It was my own fault, I laid down those initial colors and battled them til the very end. At least I think I learned a thing or two... hopefully. In just 16 easy steps I steered this painting around and around until I finally ended up with something successful. Though I didn't know it at the time I completed it. Here is a look at the painting coming together...

Ancient Carp - Process progression

Here is another look at the painting coming together in a handy dandy animated progression so that the progression my be clearer to see as I worked up and edited the image during painting...

Ancient Carp - Animated process progression

And with that another painting is completed! I really didn't know when I was done with this piece if it was any good. I was too close and fought with it for too long to get it over the finish line. These things happen. The out pouring of interest in this piece once it was released showed me that I had made a successful piece... which was unexpected and super awesome. Glad to know I struck a nerve with this one. Again, here is the finished Ancient Carp painting and the corresponding card from Magic the Gathering...