NEW original paintings and drawing now on my store!

Over the weekend, I added over 35 new original paintings and drawings to my online store! There are pieces at many different price points to fit any budget. If you have wanted to get a piece of my work, NOW is the time!

Don't forget that until December 4th, you can use discount code RAWR! on my store to receive FREE US shipping on all orders. While you are looking at new art, don't forget that my NEW 2015 holiday cards are also available!

Here is all the new work that is now available with convenient links to their corresponding store page. As always, if you have any questions about any of these pieces, just contact me...

Chewbacca
Imperial Assault Winter Organized Play Kit

14 x 11 - Acrylic and pencil on board 

Original - SOLD

Chewbacca - Drawing
Imperial Assault Winter Organized Play Kit

17 x 14 - Acrylic and pencil on board 

Original - SOLD

Trandoshan Hunter
Imperial Assault Summer Organized Play Kit

14 x 11 - Acrylic and pencil on board 

Original - SOLD

Trandoshan Hunter - Drawing
Imperial Assault Summer Organized Play Kit

17 x 14 - Acrylic and pencil on board 
Original - SOLD

Viper Probe Droid
Force and Destiny Game Master's Kit

9 x 12 - Acrylic and pencil on board 

Original - SOLD

Krash
Star Wars - Edge of the Empire: Mask of the Pirate Queen

9 x 12 - Acrylic and pencil on board 

Original - SOLD

Admiral Ackbar
8 x 10 - Pencil on paper 

Original - SOLD

Bossk
8 x 10 - Pencil on paper 

Original - SOLD

 

Frenzied Ghoul
Call of Cthulhu: The Thousand Young

11 x 14 - Acrylic, pencil, and gouache on board 

Original - SOLD

Frenzied Ghoul - Drawing
Call of Cthulhu: The Thousand Young

11 x 14 - Acrylic, pencil, and gouache on board 

Original - SOLD

Emberhorn Minotaur
Dungeons & Dragons - Princes of the Apocalypse

12 x 9 - Acrylic, pencil, and gouache on board 

Original - SOLD

Emberhorn Minotaur
Dungeons & Dragons - Princes of the Apocalypse

12 x 9 - Acrylic, pencil, and gouache on board

Original - SOLD
 

Rythcallocer
Numenera: Into the Deep

12 x 9 - Acrylic and pencil on board 

Original - SOLD

Jybril
Numenera: Into the Deep

12 x 9 - Acrylic and pencil on board 

Original - SOLD

Spiny Scishan
Numenera: Into the Deep

12 x 9 - Acrylic and pencil on board 

Original - SOLD

Into the Deep Monster #4
Numenera: Into the Deep

12 x 9 - Acrylic and pencil on board 

Original - SOLD

 

Green Dragon
Game Mash Monster Token

8 x 8 - Acrylic and pencil on board 

Original - SOLD

Green Dragon - Drawing
Game Mash Monster Token

9 x 12 - Pencil on paper 

Original - SOLD
 

Gorgon
Game Mash Monster Token

8 x 8 - Acrylic and pencil on board 

Original - SOLD

Peryton
Game Mash Monster Token

8 x 8 - Acrylic and pencil on board 

Original - SOLD

 

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

2015 Holiday Cards NOW AVAILABLE! Plus FREE US SHIPPING on ALL STORE ORDERS!

My NEW 2015 holiday cards is now available over on my web store! This year features a BOUNTIFUL wish of holiday greetings. Send a very special holiday card to your friends, family, and enemies!  Each pack includes 12 cards and envelopes. If that is not enough, from now until December 4th you can use the discount code RAWR! to get FREE shipping in the US on ALL orders!

NEW! 2015 Bounty Hunters Holiday Cards

Get yours NOW and use the discount code: RAWR! to get free US shipping until December 4th! 

christopher-burdett.myshopify.com

While over on my store those with an eagle eye may notice the MANY new original drawings and paintings that I added yesterday. I will be posting a full list of all new art on Monday! One of the new pieces I can tell you about now is the drawing that I did for this year's holiday card. Just feast your eyes on all this bounty hunter holiday fun...

2015 Bounty Hunters Holiday Card

11 x 14 - Pencil on paper

  Original available on my web store!

© 2015 Christopher Burdett

Get yours NOW and use the discount code: RAWR! to get free US shipping until December 4th! 

christopher-burdett.myshopify.com

 

If you missed my holiday cards from previous year or want to send a mix of monsters and bounty hunters I still have packs of my 2013 and 2014 holiday cards available still! Get yours today!

 Krampus Holiday Cards

Get yours NOW and use the discount code: RAWR! to get free US shipping until December 4th! 

christopher-burdett.myshopify.com

Belled Kreep Holiday Cards

Get yours NOW and use the discount code: RAWR! to get free US shipping until December 4th! 

christopher-burdett.myshopify.com

Again, use the discount code: RAWR! on my web store to receive free shipping in the US until Friday December 4th. Loads of original art, prints, shirts, and books to choose from. Don't let this opportunity get away!
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

Fish Frog Scribbles & OVER 1100!

Times flies when you are having fun... or working a LOT. Tomorrow is a food and family holiday in America so I have a low key post today. Usually today would be a post focusing on the process of a past painting, but I have a full plate and like I said, tomorrow is a holiday.

First point of interest is that last Friday's post of the blog was my 1100th post of this blog. Some might think that is cool, others may not care. I think it is pretty neat. Slowly but surely the number ticks higher and higher as the blog continues on and on. RAWR!

Not to leave you without a monster on the blog today here is a little something that came to life between all the other things that have been going on. There was a VERY small slice of time between my RAWR! show at 621 Gallery going up and before an assignment came in that allowed me to have some fun with a pencil. With all my assignments and projects I have had to create specific work for lately, I have not been able to just have some 'me' time with my art. To that end here is a little Fish Frog that happened in the brief down time I had lately...

Fish Frog

9 x 12 - Pencil on paper

Contact me if interested in the original

© 2015 Christopher Burdett

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

Spectator - Beholder-kin miniature

Rage of Demons, the newest expansion on miniatures for Dungeons & Dragons is out and one of the miniatures is based on a redesign for 5th Edition. The miniature in questions is none other then the wily Spectator, or Gauth when I was redesigning it. Here is how the final miniature turned out...

Spectator miniature

Rage of Demons expansion

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

The Spectator was one of my favorites to redesign. I nailed the new concept on the first pass of sketches and it was a lot of fun to work on. I am thrilled to see that it has been turned into a miniature! For those interested, here is my original concept for the Spectator...

Spectator (Gauth) - Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual - Redesign

© 2014 Wizards of the Coast

The miniature also pulls from the GREAT illustration that Kieran Yanner did of it for the 5th Edition Monster Manual. He did a tremendous job breathing life into my design and I am glad to see that the miniature reflects what he brought to the Spectator. Here is a look at the rest of the Spectator miniature...

The rest of the Spectator miniature in all its glory.

 
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

621 Gallery Artist Talk and Happy Hour Recap

Last night was the 621 Gallery Artist Talk and Happy Hour for the three exhibiting artists. It was a dark and rainy Thursday night in Tallahassee and the opening reception was SUPER AMAZING so I am not necessarily surprised that there was a less then robust turnout. Of the three exhibiting artists, there were only two of us in attendance. Include my wife and the two actual people that showed up to look at the art and talk to the artists, there were five of us at the event. I am told that this was NOT the worse turnout on record, so that is something. Two other random folks passed through but did not stick around. It was still a fun evening and I actually did talk a lot about my work with those there. There were snacks and drinks so I can not complain! Here are a couple images from the 621 Gallery Artist Talk and Happy Hour...

Can not contain the crowds, call for back up!

Chrysota's Chapel miniature and design from Dreamblade.

Totem Lord miniature and design from Dreamblade.

Close up of my Bugbear redesign.

This was the second drawing created of my D&D redesign project but it was the first piece I shared on my blog for the project. RAWR!

My wife had to take break from the crowds in the middle of the room.

Thanks to everyone that came out last night in all their blurriness.

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

Artist Talk and Happy Hour at 621 Gallery - TOMORROW NIGHT!

If you like monster art AND you like to hear people talking about monster art then I know a great event for you! Tomorrow, Thursday November 19th, I will be part of this month's Artist Talk and Happy Hour event at 621 Gallery in Tallahassee. The event runs from 5-7pm with the artist talking about their work starting at 6pm. I will be joined by the other two exhibiting artists in the main gallery and it should be a lot of fun! Hope to see you out there!

Here are some new images of my RAWR! show... yes, they are similar to images already shared, but these are all new and different...

621 Gallery in Tallahassee, Fl. Hope to see you there!

The first 100 of my personal project to redesign and illustrate all the monsters in the original Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual.

Miniature madness with 27 monster miniature turnaround designs.

Loads of people trying to look interested while being near monsters.

All the details for the show again in one handy dandy image!

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

Lights, Camera, RAWR!

On Friday I had the great pleasure to be interviewed by Brian Stillman for his upcoming documentary about the art and artist of Dungeons & Dragons. It was a really long and really fun day in front of the camera talking about art, monsters, and D&D. We filmed in my studio, 621 Gallery where my work currently hangs, and the swamps of north Florida. A super fun time all around. To conclude the days filming I created a D&D related sketch on camera to be hopefully used in the finished film. I of course had to draw a Beholder...

Beholder

Sketch created on camera

9 x 12 - Pencil on paper

Original not available

Brain and his partners are just starting out on this new project so we will all have to be patient in waiting for the finished film, but I am sure the wait will be worth it. I am a huge of Brain's previous film, Plastic Galaxy, so I have the utmost confidence in the his new project. I will be sure to keep you all up to date on all the news and events of this film. Let's hope I said something useful and that I will not be edited out! RAWR!

The monster in front of the camera.

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

Plastic Galaxy, Star Wars figures, and BEYOND!

I have on more then one occasion mentioned my appreciation of Star Wars, working on Star Wars art, and Star Wars action figures. It should be no surprise that when a documentary about the story of Star Wars toys was being funded on Kickstarter I jumped at the chance to supported it. The documentary I speak of is Plastic Galaxy: The Story of Star Wars Toys (they also have a Facebook page too). In all seriousness, I can not speak highly enough about this film. Plastic Galaxy touched me personally and gets to the heart of why these toys and action figures changed everything about toys, merchandising, and captured the imaginations of multiple generations. It can be a satisfying moment to see others articulate thoughts and feelings that you have had for a lifetime with the same conviction and passion. The director of Plastic Galaxy is Brian Stillman and I will bring him up again shortly.

Plastic Galaxy: The Story of Star Wars Toys is available as a tangible object and streaming media, check it out today!

Image from the internet of a Star Wars display from 1981.

They don't make them like this anymore. My time machine usage would focus a lot around this image.

I have shared images before of some of my collection and of the Star Wars figures I use as reference in my art. It is hard to beat highly accurate possible figures that are the perfect reference for project after project. Granted, this collection in no way began as a source of reference, but it certainly did become just that. It all worked out in the end... or at least that is what I tell myself...

Just a few of the many...

Long before Pokemon, you had to catch all of these.

Without a doubt, my Star Wars figures have greatly added in the creation of my art. Reference of all kinds can do nothing but help your work. When that reference is film accurate and possible, it is GOLD! There has only been one or two of my Star Wars assignments that has not involved at least one action figure or toy as reference. Here are just a couple of the many ways I have used my Star Wars action figures to compose my art...

"Salacious B. Crumb" reference images

"The Droid's Task" reference images

After watching Plastic Galaxy I REALLY wanted to contact Brain Stillman and share with him how much his film meant to me and how I use my own love for the toys, and the toys themselves, to create my Star Wars art. Unfortunately it never happened. I never found the right words and I kept putting it off for fears of coming off as a creeper. *Insert all stereotypes of fans and fanatics here*

Needless to say, it was a rather crazy moment this past Gen Con when I found myself standing face to face with Brian Stillman as he was checking out my work. It was even weirder when I realized that he had purchased some of my 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons work from my online store earlier in the year and had not realized it. SMALL WORLD!

I am thrilled to say that I will be part of Brain's next documentary project, a documentary on the art of Dungeons & Dragons! Hopefully not everything I say will end up on the cutting room floor. I will be sure to share ALL the details about this new film as they come available. While it is not Star Wars related, it is certainly very much near and dear to my heart! 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

Gudul Lurker - Dragons of Tarkir - PROCESS

Today I have for you the process and steps that went into a Magic the Gathering piece of my that I first shared with you back in March, the Gudul Lurker. The Lurker is a happy little salamander that lives in a happy little pond and thinks happy little salamander thoughts all day long. ...OR it is a monster that wants to eat your face and say, "RAWR!". Your choice. To start things off, here is how the final art for Gudul Lurker turned out...

"Gudul Lurker"

Magic the Gathering: Dragons of Tarkir

12 x 8.7 - Digital

PRINTS available at OMA!

ARTIST PROOFS available over on my web store! 

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

I got things started off with some thumbnails, as always. The art order asked for a large salamander creature that "...is crawling about in the reedy muck along the riverside. The creature is partly obscured by the river plants but is ready to pounce on some unseen prey." I provided a bunch of options, but I secretly wanted to move forward with option "D". To tell you the truth I would have been happy with any of these. Any of these pieces could have been a successful piece, I think "D" would be (and was) a MORE successful piece. I feel "D" just was a more realistic portrayal of this type of creature and of a living breathing animal. I also wanted to paint a little damselfly on the Lurker's nose. Here are how the thumbnails turned out...

Gudul Lurker - Thumbnails

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

In addition to the thumbnails I also worked up some color / pattern concepts and provided an image of how I envisioned the Lurker over all. Again, I would be happy with any of these, looking back now, I am not sure which of the color I liked best at the time. I think the blue works best... which is a good thing that it was picked! Here are how the concepts turned out...

Gudul Lurker - Body / Color Concepts

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

Option "D" was the winning thumbnail and I knew I needed some reference to make sure I had something from the real work to look to to help guide the piece forward. I made a stop to the local pet store and went straight to the turtle tank. The turtles did their best impressions of a Gudul Lurker and I took lots of images. Here is the winner that best informed the final piece...

Gudul Lurker - Hnady dandy turtle stand in reference

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

"Gudul Lurker "

Magic the Gathering: Dragons of Tarkir

12 x 9 - Colored pencil on paper

Original - SOLD

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

Drawing the Lurker was a lot of fun to say the least. The initial drawing was approved and I was ready to move forward on the tonal study and the painting...

"Gudul Lurker "

Magic the Gathering: Dragons of Tarkir

12 x 9 - Colored pencil on paper

Original - SOLD

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

This painting was generally a straight forward process... except near the end when I need some outside encouragement to help push the piece to where it needed to go. I was playing it really safe for a lot of the piece and not really pushing it like it needed. These things happen. Chalk it up to where I was mentally and artistically early last year. Chalk it up to the perceived added stress of this being a Magic assignment. Whatever it was or whatever combination of things, I played it safe and then needed to be kicked over the finish line. Live and learn! You will see the major push and pull changes near the end of the piece to see what I am talking about.

In just 16 easy steps you too can have yourself a painting of a giant salamander monster! Or not.  Here is a look at the painting coming together...

Gudul Lurker - Process progression

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

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

  Gudul Lurker - Animated process progression

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

Moving the entire image down midway through the process was my own edit. I felt the piece needed some breathing room at the top and the damselfly was getting crowded. Pushing the environment above the water brighter and less saturated while pushing the water very much more blue... yeah, I needed that encouragement to make those edits. This is why it is good to have a second option, a fresh pair of eyes, and to talk to other artists about what you are working on to make sure you are doing the most you can with your work. We are all in this together, even if we sit alone in our studios. Thanks, Aaron!

And with that another painting is completed! Again, here is the finished Gudul Lurker painting and the corresponding card from Magic the Gathering...

"Gudul Lurker"

Magic the Gathering: Dragons of Tarkir

12 x 8.7 - Digital

PRINTS available at OMA!

ARTIST PROOFS available over on my web store! 

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

Gudul Lurker 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