The Yuan-Ti Broodguard was a weird one. It is a skinny weird reptile with really big paws and claws. While I am all about the reptile monsters, this one just had a weird shape that took me some time to get my head around. Most of my monsters tend to lean towards the beefier end of body shapes, this one needed to be rather lithe. Here is how the final Yuan-Ti Broodguard turned out...
Yuan-Ti Broodguard
11 x 14 - Digital
Art Director - Kate Irwin
© 2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC
The shape of the back/neck area is important to this monster for quick identification, and because it was prominent in the reference art, I was given. In fact, I was given a side view of this monster and then needed to figure out how it looked from the front. In the end, I think it all worked out after a reference photo shoot and some experimentation in thumbnails. Here are how the Yuan-Ti Broodguard thumbnails turned out...
Yuan-Ti Broodguard - Thumbnails
© 2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC
Option A was the winner, and looking back now it is still the clear winner. The exaggerated anatomy reads well, and there is a bit of character in there. I was given the go-ahead to move forward with the final drawing...
Yuan-Ti Broodguard
11 x 14 - Pencil on paper
Art Director - Kate Irwin
Original - SOLD
© 2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC
The drawing was approved, and I was given the go-ahead to start the painting. With all of these Volo pieces, the painting went quickly, smoothly, and there were no issues or concerns. Which is always nice. I just got to sit back and have fun making pretty monsters. Being an isolated figure helps out a lot too. Here is the paint work for this piece coming together...
Yuan-Ti Broodguard - Process steps
I work out the lighting in the reference photo shoot I do before ever starting the thumbnails. From the very beginning, I have an idea of what I want to do with the final image. I knew this one would work well with up lighting and made sure my reference photos were shot that way. I know some folks fly by the seat of their pants through an assignment. I just can't work that way, I have a plan from the beginning. Granted, there can and often change along the way, but that is to improve or correct things as they take shape. To better show how the painting developed, here is an animated progression of it taking shape...
Yuan-Ti Broodguard -Animated process
While there is a fair bit of pushing and pulling of form and value the painting was extremely straight forward. I get into a zen state when working on isolated figures as I work the large forms and then lay in all the detail work. I just want to make a really pretty monster for these types of pieces, and hopefully, I did. Here again, is how the final painting turned out...
Yuan-Ti Broodguard
11 x 14 - Digital
Art Director - Kate Irwin
© 2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC
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
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