The DOODLES, DESIGNS, and aRT of CHRISTOPHER BURDETT: September 2015

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

DXR-6 - Process - Star Wars: Imperial Assault

Today I have for you another overdue process post, this time around it is for my DXR-6 Disruptor Rifle card from the Imperial Assault Core Set. I first shared this with you back in August of 2014 when it was spoiled at Gen Con last year. This card has had an interesting life and gotten around a bit. Here is how the final DXR-6 Disruptor Rifle turned out...

DXR-6 Disruptor Rifle

Imperial Assault Core Set

10.127 x 9 - Digital

A Trandoshan with a gun. I wonder who should get this assignment... that is a tough one... Turns out I got that assignment because of my mad obsession with Transoshans. Granted I am not sure why everyone just doesn't love space lizards. Anyway...

The Assignment called for, "A Trandoshan mercenary holds a DXR-6 Disrupter rifle; put this image in a battle context, but focus on the rifle itself." Pretty straightforward really. Space lizard with a fancy laser gun. I got to work on some thumbnails and turned them in...

DXR-6 Disruptor Rifle - Thumbnails

Not sure at the time if I had a personal favorite among these thumbnails. I think I was get getting more and more extreme with the thumbnails as I went. How far can I push and pull the Trandoshan's features as it disintegrates some hapless target. There is something about the extreme exaggeration of option "C", but there was no way it was going to happen. You never know though, and that is why you take a chance. As with all my work I started with some reference photos to get my head, and body, around this piece. As an added treat this here are the reference images I used for this piece...

DXR-6 Disruptor Rifle - Reference
Photos by Achsa Nute

If you are wondering, that IS Darth Vader's lightsaber taped to a Nerf gun for lighting and special effects reference. With a little additional effort and some thoughtful actions you can make your reference be a lot more useful. In the end, thumbnail "A" was the winner and it was time to move onto the final drawing. Here is how that drawing turned out...

DXR-6 Disruptor Rifle

12 x 9 - Pencil on paper

Original - SOLD

The drawing was approved without issue and it was time to start painting. In just 16 easy steps you can get a finished Trandoshan painting... or not. This should have been a rather straight forward painting of a space lizard with a gun, but there were some issues along the way. Here is the piece coming together...

DXR-6 Disruptor Rifle - Progression progression

About half way through this piece I determined that the head on this Trandoshan was a little too big. If I was painting this piece traditionally this would have been a bit of an issue but since this piece was digital it was more or less a straight forward edit. I wonder now if I had been painting this traditionally if I would have made the change, or attempted to change, of shrinking the head. At the point I made this change it would have involved some serious reworking. Not that I am adverse to making this level of change in paint (okay maybe a little) but it would have been rough. You might also notice that I removed the knife hilt as the painting went along. I am on a crusade to put a knife into the hands of a Trandoshan in one of my paintings this was not going to be that piece. It was a little awkward down there and was unneeded visual clutter that was not adding anything to the piece. Lastly, and this was feedback from FFG after I turned the piece in, I addressed the beam of energy leaving the gun. Production felt it was a little too white. As you can see from the reference, I was basing the look on something in the real world and there are plenty of other similar depictions out there. Production wanted me to address it, so I addressed it. After my first edit on the new toned down blast the piece was approved. Here is an animated progression of the piece so that you can better see the edits as the piece came together...

DXR-6 Disruptor Rifle - Animated progression thingy

Once again here is the final piece as well as how it appeared in Imperial Assault after being heavily cropped. I am also including the Adepticon Trandoshan Hunter variant card where this art was better used a second time around. As mentioned elsewhere, this marks the third time my art has appeared on the Trandoshan Hunter card for Imperial Assault.

DXR-6 Disruptor Rifle

10.127 x 9 - Digital

The handy dandy DXR-6 Disruptor Rifle card... with CROPPING action!

Trandoshan Hunter - Adepticon exclusive giveaway

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

Monday, September 28, 2015

Come see me at Pensacon 2016!

I am happy to announce that I will be a guest at Pensacon 2016 in February! Come out to Pensacon in Pensacola, Fl next year to rub elbows with Chewbacca, Darth Vader, the Doctor, and me! This will be my first time at Pensacon and I am looking forward to being a part of it next year! I have heard a lot of good things about Pensacon.

Hope to see you at Pensacon February 19th - 21st!

I will be taking part in a panel(s) at Pensacon while there, and I will be sure to share all the details once they are solidified. Of course, I will be bringing all my monsters with me to Pensacon so if you need to get your hands on my paintings, drawings, prints, sketchbooks, playmats, mouse pads, and much much more... be sure to get on out to Pensacon for three fun filled days!

As my event schedule fills up for 2016 I will be sure to share it here on the blog!

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

Friday, September 25, 2015

Fresh from the drawing table... Boar (Wild)!

I have for you another drawing that is fresh from the drawing table. This time around it is a Boar (Wild). The mundane monster of the letter "B" continue with another boar! There are three boars in the original Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual and today I have the second one, the Wild Boar. I present to you my version of a Boar (Wild)…

Boar (Wild)

9 x 12

Pencil on paper

Original - Currently not available

The wild and formidable bacon monster. As eager to eat you as you are to eat it. Given the chance a bacon monster will eat you whole. I sometimes think that the mundane monsters of the original Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual are in there to allow the Dungeon Master to be master world builders or complete jerks. Did your party run out of food or wants to work on a particular skill like tracking? Throw in some Wild Boar to make things interesting and interactive. The DM and party tired of that level one wizards that seems way over powered and is wrecking the campaign? Death by boars while isolated from the rest of the party in the woods. ...of course, if you go by 1st Edition game mechanics, a domestic cat from the Monster Manual can kill a level one Wizard. RAWR!

My first 100 original Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual redesigns (A - Z): Aerial Servant, Ankheg, Ant (Giant), Ape (Carnivorous), Ape (Gorilla), Axe Beak, Axe Beak (version 2), Baboon, Badger, Barracuda, Basilisk, Baluchitherium, Bear (Black), Bear (Brown), Bear (Cave), Beaver (Giant), Beetle (Giant) - Bombardier, Beetle (Giant) - Boring, Beetle (Giant) - Fire, Beetle (Giant) - Rhinoceros, Beetle (Giant) - Stag, Beetle (Giant) - Water, Beholder, Black Pudding, Blink Dog, Boar (Giant), Boar (Warthog), Boar (Wild), Brain Mole, Brownie, Bugbear, Buffalo, Bulette, Carrion Crawler, Catoblepas, Cerebral Parasite, Chimera, Cockatrice, Coutal, Crab (Giant), Demon Type III (Glabrezu), Demon (Juiblex), Demon (Manes), Devil (Ice), Dragon (Red), Elemental (Earth), Ettin, Eye of the Deep, Flightless Bird, Frog (Giant), Fungi (Violet), Giant (Hill), Goblin, Golem (Flesh), Hobgoblin, Homunculus, Hydra, Imp, Intellect Devourer, Ixitxachitl, Jackal, Jacklewere, Jaguar, Ki-Rin, Kobold, Lich, Lizard (Giant), Lizardman, Manticore, Mind Flayer, Minotaur, Naga, Neo-Otygugh, Nixie, Ochre Jelly, Ogre, Owlbear, Peryton, Pixie, Purple Worm, Quasit, Ram (Giant), Roper, Rust Monster, Sahuagin, Salamander, Shambling Mound, Treant, Troglodyte, Troll, Umber Hulk, Unicorn, Vampire, Wasp (Giant), Wight, Wyvern, Xorn, Yeti, and Zombie.

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

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Knobby White Spider - Process - Star Wars: Between the Shadows

Today I have for you another process post for a "recent" Star Wars piece. This time around is the piece, Knobby White Spider, from Star Wars: Between the Shadows! I first shared these pieces in February, so here is how the final Knobby White Spider turned out...

Knobby White Spider

Star Wars: Between the Shadows

10 x 8.4 - Digital

The Knobby White Spider appears in the concept work and expanded stories relating to The Empire Strikes Back. While it looks like a massive spider creature it is in fact a plant. The Knobby White Spider is the juvenile state of the gnarltree and wanders around Dagobah eating things before it plants itself to grow into a tree. FUN! Since this piece takes place on Dagobah my thumbnails were really loose and messy, it is a swamp after all. Here are how the thumbnails turned out...

Knobby White Spider - Thumbnails

I really wanted to link this piece to Yoda or the events that took place in The Empire Strikes Back. As you can see my thumbnails included Luke's crashed X-Wing, Yoda's Hut, and even Yoda himself. I was informed that any card with Yoda, no matter how unrelated or minimized becomes by default a Yoda card. I REALLY wanted to have something Yoda in this card... but it just was not going to be happening. That left option 'A' with Luke's crashed X-Wing. One the plus side this is the first X-Wing I have been asked to depict, albeit in a rather minimized state. Now that I have an approved thumbnail it was time to work up the finalized drawing...

Knobby White Spider

12 x 9 - Pencil on paper

Original for sale over on my web store!

Now that I was working on the final drawing it was time to flesh out my portrayal of the swamps of Dagobah and draw all the details. Scribble scribble scribble... Really wanted to capture a moment in the typical say of a Knobby White Spider that just so happens to be walking past a crashed star ship. The drawing was approved and it was time to work on the painting. In the typical easy twelve steps that all my paintings take the piece came together... or not... Here is a look at the process of the painting...

Knobby White Spider - Progress progression

A big issue of this piece was to get a good separation of the background and the monster. There was a lot of push and pull on this to make sure the background, while complicated, fell away and the spider stood out. I also edited the the configuration of the back legs near the end of the painting. I felt the anatomy was off and didn't look right. While it may have be totally okay, I wanted to tweak it to make it better. I also narrowed the body mass a bit a the painting went along. To better show all of these changes in the painting, here is an animated progression of the painting...

Knobby White Spider - Animated Progress thingy

Once again here is the final painting for Knobby White Spider as well as the final production card that appears in the game. I am also including the card mod I did at Gen Con this year. I was asked to make the Knobby White Spider a little more snooty and pompous. It was really fun to do...

Knobby White Spider

10 x 8.4 - Digital

Knobby White Spider in handy dandy card form

Customized Knobby White Spider at Gen Con becomes the Snobby White Spider... RAWR!

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

Monday, September 21, 2015

Numenera: Into the Deep - And then there was one last Kickstarter Monster Preview

A couple of weeks ago, I had one last piece spoiled over on the Numenera: Into the Ninth World Kickstarter! As before ...or before ...or before, this piece is hot off the work station and was completed a short time before Gen Con. This time around, it is a jellyfish with a HUMAN brain... oooo, creepy! It is so new it does not even have a name, so without further ado, here is ANOTHER Preview Monster...

Into the Deep Kickstarter Monster Preview

Numenera: Into the Deep

12 x 9 - Acrylic and pencil on board

Original - SOLD

Here is where it showed up as a preview image for the Kickstarter.

There looks to be a monster deck planned, and some of my monsters where used in the mock-up for the deck for the Kickstarter.

There will be more about this critter and its companions in the fullness of time. What I can say is that this was a really excellent project. There were no art orders, I was just asked to come up with several new monsters, and I was given the room to come up with a bunch of my own creations. Can't go wrong with that!

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

Friday, September 18, 2015

Fresh from the drawing table... Bear (Brown)!

I have for you another drawing that is fresh from the drawing table. This time around it is a Bear (Brown). The mundane monster of the letter "B" continue with another bear! There are three bears in the original Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual and today I have the second one, the Brown Bear. I present to you my version of a Bear (Brown)…

Bear (Brown)

9 x 12

Pencil on paper

Original - Currently not available

Derpy bear is derpy. So far this Brown Bear is fairing better then its Black Bear cousin. Unfortunately, roaming the country side living its life now makes this Brown Bear a candidate to be a random encounter. Some wandering band of player characters in search of treasure and XP will undoubtedly cross paths with this Brown Bear and a pitched battle will ensue leaving this woefully unprepared bear to end up dead and the players gaining a small amount of XP ...and some bear claws and hide. Live life to its fullest, Brown Bear, for your doom resides on a roll of the dice.

My first 100 original Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual redesigns (A - Z): Aerial Servant, Ankheg, Ant (Giant), Ape (Carnivorous), Ape (Gorilla), Axe Beak, Axe Beak (version 2), Baboon, Badger, Barracuda, Basilisk, Baluchitherium, Bear (Black), Bear (Brown), Bear (Cave), Beaver (Giant), Beetle (Giant) - Bombardier, Beetle (Giant) - Boring, Beetle (Giant) - Fire, Beetle (Giant) - Rhinoceros, Beetle (Giant) - Stag, Beetle (Giant) - Water, Beholder, Black Pudding, Blink Dog, Boar (Giant), Boar (Warthog), Boar (Wild), Brain Mole, Brownie, Bugbear, Buffalo, Bulette, Carrion Crawler, Catoblepas, Cerebral Parasite, Chimera, Cockatrice, Coutal, Crab (Giant), Demon Type III (Glabrezu), Demon (Juiblex), Demon (Manes), Devil (Ice), Dragon (Red), Elemental (Earth), Ettin, Eye of the Deep, Flightless Bird, Frog (Giant), Fungi (Violet), Giant (Hill), Goblin, Golem (Flesh), Hobgoblin, Homunculus, Hydra, Imp, Intellect Devourer, Ixitxachitl, Jackal, Jacklewere, Jaguar, Ki-Rin, Kobold, Lich, Lizard (Giant), Lizardman, Manticore, Mind Flayer, Minotaur, Naga, Neo-Otygugh, Nixie, Ochre Jelly, Ogre, Owlbear, Peryton, Pixie, Purple Worm, Quasit, Ram (Giant), Roper, Rust Monster, Sahuagin, Salamander, Shambling Mound, Treant, Troglodyte, Troll, Umber Hulk, Unicorn, Vampire, Wasp (Giant), Wight, Wyvern, Xorn, Yeti, and Zombie.

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

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Numenera: Into the Deep - AND another Kickstarter Monster Preview

A couple of weeks ago, I had yet another piece spoiled over on the Numenera: Into the Ninth World Kickstarter! As before ...or before, this piece is hot off the work station and was completed a short time before Gen Con. This time around, it is a toothsome gulper and might be my favorite of the bunch. It is so new it does not even have a name, so without further ado, here is ANOTHER Preview Monster...

Spiny Scishan

Numenera: Into the Deep

12 x 9 - Acrylic and pencil on board

Original - SOLD

Here is where it showed up as a preview image for the Kickstarter.

There will be more about this critter and its companions in the fullness of time. What I can say is that this was a really excellent project. There were no art orders, I was just asked to come up with several new monsters, and I was given the room to come up with a bunch of my own creations. Can't go wrong with that!

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

Monday, September 14, 2015

Space Coast Comic Con - There are back again

I am back from an amazing weekend at Space Coast Comic Con! This post is going out a little late today, but it was a late drive back after the convention came to an end.

First, I want to thank David Grace for inviting me out as a guest of SCCC 2015... many many thanks! We had a great time! Second, thank you to everyone who came by the booth over the weekend, shared their stories, took home monsters, and in general, made for a very special weekend. This was SCCC's first year and in my opinion, it is off to a great start. I generally attend very large events (Gen Con) and it was really fun to be at a more intimate venue where you got to meet a majority of the attendees and vendors. At other conventions I am usually surrounded by my peers and fellow working game artists where the those attending have a general understanding of what we do. At SCCC I was the only artist who worked on games, and that was a new experience for me. I got a chance to tell people about my work and answer a lot of questions about what my life as a working artist is like.

I had my panel about working in the entertainment industry on Sunday afternoon and that was a lot of fun! Thanks to all that came out and asked questions. I hope it was interesting and fun ...and that I did not ramble on too much. Here are some images from the weekend of Space Coast Comic Con 2015...

This looks like the right place!

We arrived on Friday afternoon for set up.

I think I was a little early, but I was ready to get it all set up and together.

Here is the view from my corner of the main hall.

Here is the full view of the main hall from my corner.

Really liked my spot, there was no one to my right so I could spread my elbows a bit and create a slightly larger footprint for my booth.

Speaking of my booth, here it is! I recently acquired my own Pro Panels and this is the first event I have used them at. They worked great and made for a really nice display (IMHO).

Here is the main stage in the second hall.

Oh, and Batman left his Tumbler here for the weekend.

All set up! Other folks are beginning to arrive and things are taking shape.

Tomorrow... the con begins!

Space Coast Comic Con 2015 has begun! Really nice turn out in my opinion. More and more people showed up as the day went on and the hall got nice and crowded.

My one sketch commission of the weekend. They had a drawing pad full of stick figure drawings from artists and various other celebrities. Really impressive collection. I added a tentacled fellow.