Kalaraq Quori - Dungeons & Dragons - Eberron: Rising from the Last War

Last week the Dungeons & Dragons Eberron: Rising from the Last War supplement was released, and I have one piece in the book. I was asked to redesign and update the Kalaraq Quori for this 5th Edition journey into Eberron. Here is how the Kalaraq Quori turned out, as well as the drawing for it.

Kalaraq Quori

Dungeons & Dragons - Eberron: Rising from the Last War

11 x 14 - Digital

Art Director - Kate Irwin

© 2019 Wizards of the Coast LLC

Kalaraq Quori

Dungeons & Dragons - Eberron: Rising from the Last War

11 x 14 - Pencil on paper

Original available on my store!

Art Director - Kate Irwin

© 2019 Wizards of the Coast LLC

In all seriousness, this was the most challenging assignment I have had for Dungeons & Dragons in a long time. Possibly even the most difficult I have ever had. This most definitely on me and not the assignment, my art director, or anything else related to production. I overthought and overworked this piece almost into the ground. I somehow saved it and had the state of mind to turn it in before it was too late. It was, of course, immediately approved, and there were no issues. I will go more into this when I share the process that went into it. For now, here is a look at the Kalaraq Quori in the book and the two versions of Eberron: Rising from the Last War.

Kalaraq Quori in handy dandy book form

Eberron: Rising from the Last War is available in regular and collectors versions

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

Kickstarter Roundup - Seaman

Today on the blog, I wanted to point out a current Kickstarter project by my friend Chris Seaman that I think you all might be interested in. Chris is a super awesome artist, and if you have not already checked him out, you should do so NOW!

Chris Seaman's A Book of Monster Paper Dolls (and more) Kickstarter

Chris Seaman's A Book of Monster Paper Dolls (and more) Kickstarter is not to be missed! Chris is building off of his very successful tiny monster portraits, Cameo Creeps, to give us a better look at the world he is building. For the first time, Chris' monsters break free from their frames and can be seen in their entirety, and you get to dress them! As the title implies, Chris's monsters will be presented in paper doll format with outfits and accessories galore. Here is a glimpse of what you can expect.

From the Kickstarter, "Hear, Ye! Hear, Ye!  Cameo Creeps Presents A Book of Monster Paper Dolls (8.5" x 11", Softcover, Full Color) is a spooky twist on the classic paper doll.  I'll be releasing 12 individual monster dolls inspired by their Cameo Creeps paintings. (Black & White Sketches are Works-In-Progress)"

But that's not all! Also available as part of the Kickstarter is the very first Cameo Creeps Novella, written by G. D. Falksen and illustrated by Chris Seaman. More about this over on the Kickstarter!

From the Kickstarter, "I'll also be releasing the first illustrated Cameo Creeps Novella "The Case of the Carnivorous Crown" (5" x 7", Hardcover, Black & White). Written by G. D. Falksen, this 152-page hardcover book is filled to the sarcophagus with my pen & ink illustrations."

Are you asking for more!? Well, you are in luck! In addition to the paper dolls and the novella, the Kickstarter also includes the Cameo Creep playing cards! How could you not want to get in on this Kickstarter with so many amazing items available all at once?!

From the Kickstarter, "What's a night at the Murderer's Masquerade Ball without games?  I'll be releasing the deck of "Gho Ghoul" Playing Cards,  of course.  Suits designed around the Cameo Creeps noble courts of, Infernum, Dagon, Nosferatum, and Spectre. Enjoy the rules of "Go Fish" with a Cameo Creeps fiendish twist."

Chris is almost to his goal, and with six days remaining, he needs your help in getting this Kickstarter over the finish line! Head on over there right now and give some love and support to make all of these amazing creations a reality!

That is all for another exciting week on the blog, see you back here next week! Until then...

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

Infected by Art 7 and Spectrum 26

It is art annuals season! As I prepared for Illuxcon, I received my copy of Spectrum 26, and while at Illuxcon, I received my copy of Infected by Art 7. For this year's submissions, I only submitted works from The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia, and the Bazaar did not fail me, finding a place in both Infected by Art and Spectrum. Here are some images of my work in these two publications.

Infected by Art 7

 Hollow Alley received a full page and reproduced beautifully.

Spectrum 26 marks the first time I have been accepted into this publications. After ten years of submitting I made it in with a piece from my book. I have many opinions regarding Spectrum, its place within the greater art community, and the importance artist (especially young artists) place on the book. I don't really want to rehash it all, I have shared some of it here on the blog before. I will say that now that I have been accepted into it my feelings for myself or my work remain unchanged from those before I was accepted. For most of the morning they announced those accepted I had thought I had once again not be included and I was completely fine with it and planned to no long submit. I find solace that after all this time, the work selected was profoundly personal work from my book. That means something to me. The Spectrum box is checked off, and I have no further plans to submit. Maybe in the coming years as I produce some new work for my next two books I will submit some of the large complex pieces I have planned.

Spectrum 26

Strange how clearly I remember when Spectum 1 came out. It had a James Gurney cover and I was working at a comic book store at the time. The store owner made a huge deal about the book, about how important it was and the work within. It took me a quarter century, but I finally made it - not that I needed to.

 Blink and you might miss it.

Quarter page printing of Sunken Stalls. With the original being 16x20 I never imaged it being this small, but it still holds up.

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

Limited Edtion Shaper Advertising Prints NOW AVAILABLE!

The newest limited edition prints from the Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia are now available on my STORE. Each of the three prints is available individually as well as a set of all three for a discounted price. Simply select the desired option! As with last year's print, this is a collaboration between myself and Dear Wife to make a unique item from the Grand Bazaar. Each edition is limited to 25 prints that have been distressed, marked, stamped, and assembled by hand to make each individual print its own unique piece. These prints will appear in the Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia book!

Each edition is limited to 25 prints that are distressed, marked, stamped, and assembled by hand as a collaboration between myself and Achsa Nute.

The Shaper Cleaner is often called a Gullet.

 The Shaper Sentry is sometimes referred to as a Footman.

 The Shaper Assistant has the nickname of Smokestack.

Limited to 25, once they are gone, they are gone. 

Each print comes signed and numbered by both Achsa Nute and myself.

All images © 2019 Christopher Burdett

That's 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

Illuxcon 2019 Recap

There are back again! Another Illuxcon is in the books, and I am simultaneously missing it and looking forward to next year. What can I say? Illuxcon is one of our favorite events of the year. This year was particularly wonderful, I was back in the Main Show, I debuted my work from the Grand Bazaar, and I held my first workshop at IX. It was great to see so many familiar faces and to meet so many new ones. There is never enough time, but that leaves everyone wanting to see each other again as soon as possible.

This year we drove for the first time to IX. Since 2009 we have flown, which has limited our ability to bring a lot of art. That was not the case this year as Dear Wife set about ensuring my set up brought the feel of the Grand Bazaar to IX. Driving did greatly increase our travel time, but it also allowed us to enjoy the drive up and take in the sights. It was nice to have the flexibility and space to bring as much as we wanted to in regards to art and booth dressing. Since 2010, IX has been a staging and practice event for all my ideas for booth and convention set up.

I have been praising IX and all that Patrick and Jeannie Wilshire do with Illuxcon and for the greater illustration community as a whole since 2009. If you have not gotten the hint that this is a truly special event that you need to attend, then I don't know what else I can say. There is not another event like it that I have attended, and I can not say enough good things about it. Even if you are not in the Main Show or Showcase, there are workshops, demos, lectures, and rooms full of amazing art to take it. Here are some of the images I took this year of our time going to and attending IX 2019.

 Everything piled into the trailer and ready for IX. Well, not everything, we managed to get some more in there before leaving.

Visited the Natural Bridge State Park outside Roanoke, VA. I was completely unaware of its existence and was awestruck by it.

I could have spent a few hours taking in the rock formations.

There were not bad angles.

If you frame it correctly, you can make it a cave.

There was a historical recreation of part of a Monacan village at the park as well that was very insightful and offered a lot of reference opportunities. 

We finally made it to Reading, and it was time for IX to start!

 Thanks to the help of Dear Wife and Jason and Tina Rak, my booth came together in record time. If not for the assistance and expertise of all involved, my booth would not be what it was this year. 

I could not be happier with how it turned out, and it definitely raised that bar for me and what I will not expect from my setup at future events. 

We arrived well before most, but eventually, others began to arrive.

I have the pleasure of spending IX next to David Wenzel and his amazing art. We first met at IX last year, where I was able to purchase one of his illustrations. I have been a fan of Davis's work since the 1990s. It is wonderful how large and yet small the art community is and how you can meet people you have admired for decades and become friends.

 A few images of IX taking shape.

My monster workshop was a lot of fun, and I hope that everyone that attended got something out of it. Here are a few of the people that attended the workshop as I rambled and ranted about monsters.

In the end, I sketched a jellyfish monkey monster thing. It was a suggestion from the crowd. Not my best monster, but I was able to use it as an example and talk about my process.

 Some images of the galleries.

IX would not be complete without some Magic artist proof sketches.

 Some more images of the galleries.

I acquired one of Owen Weber's AWESOME Inktober sketches in the Showcase.

Signed my first egg tokens.

Another look at the galleries.

Dear Wife got me one of Nate Flamm's Stranger Things pieces after security was called on me when someone(s) mistook my Hopper costume and performance too seriously.

Apparently, there was a large drunk man wondering around the Showcase making threats?

 Even MORE images of the galleries.

Alas, all things must end, even IX.

 My last glimpse of the Reading Pagoda from the roof of the hotel parking garage as we prepare to head home.

Long story short, I hope to see you at IX 2020 in Reading, PA on October 21-25!

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