Friday, June 2, 2023

From the Archives: No Face - Angel Season 5

I am honestly surprised that after twenty years, I still have not officially shared this piece. It is from my time in the film industry working in Los Angeles. While this piece has been a part of my makeup effects gallery for a long time, I have never discussed it or shared process images. There were several other makeups that we did at the same time as this one, but this was the one I designed and painted. From the archives, I present to you from season 5 of Angel, episode 4, the ghost, "No Face."

Before I go too far, I must remind everyone that this work is a collaboration of many talented artists and technicians. I was one of many that brought this thing to life. This time, I was the designer and painted the final makeup appliance. After twenty years, I only still possess a couple of the names of the others involved with this work. Therefore I am unable to properly give credit to the others involved. Sorry, but people's names were the first to go after I left LA. 

I do not believe I have watched this particular episode, so I am not sure the context of the ghost we worked on and how they related to the episode. I am not even sure how long they are in or if they are even in the episode. So goes the realities of working in the entertainment industry. All I know is that I made (as far as I remember) three ghost makeups. One was made from recycled makeup appliances, one had a small appliance made (a shard of glass into an eye), and this one was a completely new makeup and prosthetic arm with hand. I was likely given about three minutes to design this thing, so I was able to get a total of two designs made. They picked the second, but I am getting ahead of myself. Here are some set and shop images for the work done on the "No Face" ghost.

We were all aware of the movie Spirited Away, which made the naming of this ghost "No Face" all the more of an issue. But here we are all the same twenty years later. This is "No Face" on set in all his glory. All things considered, it really turned out well, and I still proudly display it as an example of the work I could do at the time.

 This was the first design I did for "No Face."
I likely had little time to work on these, and people at the shop had already bound my hands and would force me to use photographs we didn't have usage right for as the starting point of my designs. It is a good thing they never made an 'Art of Angel' book and used any of these because a lot of people would have gotten into a lot of trouble. Knowing myself, this first one was just getting out of the bad ideas.

This is the second and final design that I did for "No Face."
This was deemed the Micheal Jackson design, and those that named it as such had themselves a long giggle. Needless to say, this was the one they picked. But I have no idea what, if anything, was sent to production for approval. Sometimes they didn't care and would just take what we made. Other times, they would nitpick our work into the ground. They may have only ever seen this second design and were told that this was what we were making.

Two different angles of the "No Face" sculpture. I wish I could remember who was responsible for this work, but that is long gone knowledge for me. I still like it a lot, but it was a rush, like so, soooo, SOOOOO much of the work we did.

Now that "No Face" was designed, sculpted, molded, and cast in foal latex, it was time to paint it. Painting the makeup was often an enjoyable time. I felt a lot more competent while wielding an airbrush and paint than I did while designing. I am not sure I would know my way around an airbrush these days, but I do miss having one.

Several more angles of the "No Face" appliance. We coated the teeth in resin to make them rigid, and so they have the right look to them. The gums and the juicier lacerations were coasted in an acrylic gloss we could paint with. It was common for the on-set union makeup artist to go off script and repaint an appliance, or at least make HEAVY changes to them, without consult or approval. This would come back to us at the shop even though we had nothing to do with it. Thankfully, this one was nearly untouched, and you can see my paintwork in the final photos from set.
 
Lastly, here is another image from set and the cut away prosthetic hand and arm. When the fingers are removed with a knife, blood would flow out of the stumps. All low-tech on-set effects, but they get the job done. I was not on set for this one, but I assumed it all went according to plan.

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, May 31, 2023

"Recent" Magic the Gathering Artist Proof Drawings

Today I have "recent" Magic the Gathering artist proofs that I added a drawing to their backs. All available artist proofs and drawing options can be found on my store. I have been producing many of these lately, and I am properly behind in sharing what I have been working on. I present a selection of monster drawings on the back of Magic the Gathering cards.

We now find ourselves in the midst of all my color orders.
The Ancient Carp was one of the first to get the full-color treatment, and it will not be the last time.
 
The Coveted Peacock got some love when the color drawing version became available.

Again, the Coveted Peacock getting some color love.

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

Monday, May 29, 2023

Ehstilux Portrait - The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia

I am thrilled to share another new piece from The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia. This illustration is for Book Two: The Completed Circle. This piece was completed in March of this year. This will be a character portrait accompanying one of the short blurbs at the beginning of a chapter. I shared more about these with the first post focused on these portraits. With most of these, I have an idea regarding their voice and placement in the book, but the fun part is that it is not set in stone and may turn into something very different from what I first planned. I have mentioned the Bazaar's constables and the Aberannt Stillters that support them. Still, there are also a few others that make up the managerial wing of law enforcement under the tenting. There will be more about them in book three, but for now, all you will need to remember is that they think very highly of themselves and always wear polished armor that has never seen a day of use. I present you with an Ehstilux (name to come later).
 
Ehstilux
The Grand Bazaar of Ethra Dalia - The Completed Circle
5 x 5 - Pencil, ink, and acrylic paint on paper
Original - Currently NFS
© 2022 Christopher Burdett
 
Ehstilux - Drawing 
5 x 5 - Pencil on paper
© 2022 Christopher Burdett
 
These are the smallest pieces created for the books. There is something charming about a 5 x 5 image, and I have already framed them all up. They look great in a frame and will make an excellent addition to my conventions later in the year. I have completed the first planned set of them, and I will likely begin making more of them soon. Here is a look at the sketch for the Ehstilux to show where it started. Once I have shared all of this first batch, you might notice some Easter eggs in the backgrounds.

Ehstilux - Sketch 
Digital
© 2022 Christopher Burdett
 
 
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, May 26, 2023

Kickstarter Roundup - Miller

Today on the blog, I wanted to point out a Kickstarter project that I think you all might be interested in. It features fantastic art by an incredible artist, and if you have not already checked it out, you should do so NOW!

Today I am sharing Aaron Miller's 5E Ready Reference Stat Cards. Aaron shares:

Hi, I’m Aaron Miller. I'm a fantasy artist and illustrator. I've had the pleasure to work on such projects as Magic the Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, and many more. Since 2015 I've been making Collector Tokens for TCG players. In late 2021 I started playing D&D with a few regular groups.

While playing my druid, Skwirl, I needed something handy for my wild shaping ability. I couldn't find anything so, I put my talents to use and began designing and illustrating my own. In 2022 I released the Core set of Wild Shape cards via Kickstarter. And as promised I worked on the additional Ready Reference Cards and Tokens I'm presenting to you here.

I've also added a few more guest illustrators to the list. Along with Tom Babbey and Owen Weber, I've added the fantastic talents of Allie Irwin and Crystal Sully.

Aaron is a great human and artist. These are fun art pieces even if you do not play, and I look forward to adding them to my collection. This is another great project from Aaron, and I am excited to see it becoming a reality.

That's 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, May 24, 2023

"Recent" Magic the Gathering Artist Proof Drawings

Today I have "recent" Magic the Gathering artist proofs that I added a drawing to their backs. All available artist proofs and drawing options can be found on my store. I have been producing many of these lately, and I am properly behind in sharing what I have been working on. I present a selection of monster drawings on the back of Magic the Gathering cards.

Zombie Liliana on the back of a Festering Mummy card.

Yoda (and Grogu) has been a favorite request for some time. It is always fun to draw them.

The Ancient Carp is likely the most requested of the cards I have created. I will be sharing one of my favorite carp drawings in the coming weeks - but to be honest, they are all my favorites.

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

Monday, May 22, 2023

Brondibock Portrait - The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia

I am thrilled to share another new piece from The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia. This illustration is for Book Two: The Completed Circle. This is another piece I completed in the final days of 2022, and again, this will be a character portrait that accompanies one of the short blurbs at the beginning of a chapter. I shared more about these with the first post focused on these portraits. With most of these, I have an idea regarding their voice and placement in the book, but the fun part is that it is not set in stone and may turn into something very different from what I first planned. This particular individual comes from a long line of semi-aquatic beings. Their nose has evolved to inflate outwards to hold onto a pocket of air while submerging. The nostril can close, forming a waterproof seal. When on land the nose retracts into a void in the middle of their skulls. I present you with a Brondibock (name and career to come later).

Brondibock
The Grand Bazaar of Ethra Dalia - The Completed Circle
5 x 5 - Pencil, ink, and acrylic paint on paper
Original - Currently NFS
© 2022 Christopher Burdett

Brondibock - Drawing 
5 x 5 - Pencil on paper
© 2022 Christopher Burdett
 
These are the smallest pieces created for the books. There is something charming about a 5 x 5 image, and I have already framed them all up. They look great in a frame and will make an excellent addition to my conventions later in the year. I have completed the first planned set of them, and I will likely begin making more of them soon. Here is a look at the sketch for the Brondibock to show where it started. Once I have shared all of this first batch, you might notice some Easter eggs in the backgrounds.

Brondibock - Sketch 
Digital
© 2022 Christopher Burdett
 
 
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, May 19, 2023

Aarakocra Returns as a Dungeon & Dragons Metal Print

I recently noticed a Facebook link for a company that produces metal prints. They have a licensing agreement with Wizards of the Coast and produce D&D metal prints. My curiosity was piqued, so I followed the link and saw what they had to offer. I would be lying if I had secretly hoped to see some of my work and then... there it was.

Aarakocra Metal Print

Having seen (and loved) the D&D movie and the awesome job they did with Jarnathan, I was not surprised to see that they had used my Aarakocra art for one of their print offerings. Not only did they use the painting I created for the Monster Manual, but they also used the supplemental drawings that I produced. Here is a look at the art I created for the game.

Aarakocra
 Dungeons & Dragons - 5th Edition Monster Manual
8x11 - Digital
© 2014 Wizards of the Coast

Aarakocra - Detail Sketches
 Dungeons & Dragons - 5th Edition Monster Manual
9x12 - Pencil on paper
© 2014 Wizards of the Coast

I enjoy collecting books, cards, miniatures, and everything else my art appears on and in. So I had to pick up one of these metal prints. I think it looks great, and it looks even better on the wall in the studio.

Aarakocra metal print on the wall in the studio

The one odd thing was that there was the following message in my receipt email. While I know that as work for hire, WotC can do anything and everything with the work that I created. This is not an issue, it is the way of things. I assume that the company that produces these metal prints must work with some artist directly in some capacity, but the fact that this went out to the very person who made the art and will never see another dime from its use is somewhat ironic.


But the world is weird and there is not much to be done about it. I tried to reach out to the company about the working of the email but encountered a very dumb chat-bot (it said as much), and I gave up. Cool metal print all the same, and the art looks great on it. 

That's 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

Monday, May 1, 2023

May Blog Break

For the next several weeks, I will be taking a break from the blog. One must step away occasionally to try other things and experience new and different places. Fear naught, for I will return with plenty of images and stories. Until then, I will leave you with this monster that I have shared so many times before.

NOM NOM NOM NOM!
And yes, I have used this image on the blog for ten years. 
How time flies.

That is all for another exciting Monday on the blog. I will see you back here in a few weeks. Until then...

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

Friday, April 28, 2023

From the Archives: Spider Monster - Angel Season 4

I am still surprised that after twenty years, I still have not shared everything that I worked on during my time in the film industry working in Los Angeles. When I am looking through my archives, I have to cross reference this blog to see if I had or had not shared something. To my surprise, I found a large build that we did that I have not shared yet. I am genuinely baffled that this has not been shared, as it was such a massive project that required all hands on deck. From the archives, I present to you from season 4 of Angel, episode 20, the Spider Monster (more on this name in a moment).

Before I go too far, I must remind everyone that this work is a collaboration of many talented artists and technicians. I was one of many that brought these things to life. This time, I was involved with designing, various shop duties, and set work for this creature. After twenty years, I only still possess a couple of the names of the others involved with this work. Therefore I am unable to properly give credit to the others involved. I am sorry, but people's names were the first to go after I left LA. 

This particular monster was linked to two others I designed and worked on. There was a story arch in season four that took Angel to a temple and portal that had him interacting with the High Priest and the Keeper of the Name. If you look closely at the photos in the latter post, you will see a sculpture that might remind you of a particular Spider Monster.

As I have said, this was a massive project, and we only had a couple of weeks to complete all the work. The Spider Monster was known to us at the Centaur Bug, Centerpede, and the Centaurbug. I have no idea when it became known as the Spider Monster, but that appears to be the official nomenclature. Not only did we need to design and build a suit and makeup, but this creature also required articulated extending legs that were puppeteered on set. There was also a stool that connected to a socket of a seat base built into the suit so that the actor could sit while in the suit. From my experience and the reaction of the actor, this was not the most comfortable suit that we made, but at the end of the day, no suit is comfortable to wear. I have a lot, and I mean a LOT of images for this creature. I had to be selective about what I shared, so without further yammering from me, here is the Spider Monster. 

Spider Monster on set. The digital team removed the human legs in any shot they were visible. You will note the control rod from the boot to the tip of the foreleg. This assisted in making the movement more natural and realistic.

This masterpiece (j/k) was the beginning and end of the official design work I put into this monster. In an earlier version, the entire body shape would be different and more centipede-like. This was the nasty tip of the tail. This direction was scrapped, and other designs were made.

Although I would remain in LA for another year and a half, things were already becoming problematic at work. I will leave it at that for now. I was removed, against my wishes, from design duties on this monster after the first version was shelved. I still wanted to continue working on designs, so that is what I did. On top of my other duties, I was creating more designs for this monster. Some of these I did at home on my own time. The two images above were my first explorations of the new direction. 

This version had different options for the arms. These are my favorites, so I will spare you the other versions. I displayed these at work to show that I was still a needed team member. These designs only enlisted derisive comments from the shop's leadership.

My final design was by far the strongest of what I created.

There were three or four sculptures that tackled the suit all at once.

Looking back, I am always amazed at how much the shop could get done on such tight deadlines.

And the back side of a Spider Monster.

There was only one leg sculpted. It was cast four times and made into different legs. Work smarter, not harder!

If I remember correctly, both hands had to be their own sculpture. There was an effort to see if we could get away with only one, but in the end, they needed a left and right.

Actor Jeff Ricketts expressing his option of the test fitting. His opinion of all of this remained unchanged.

A better view of the stool that clicked into the monster's butt.

I still really like the color scheme and look of this suit. I have no memory of painting on it, but that is not to say I didn't. If I did, i would have been shadowing the lead painter.

And the back of the suit with the interchangeable butt cover. The nubby tail would cover the socket for the stool.

A photo to show off just how bad of an edge the cowl and suit made. This was on set between takes.

A better photo of the face, teeth, and cowl. The face was silicon, and the rest was foam latex.

I have no memory of the shirt I am wearing or what I am doing to the monster's butt.

Monster on set between takes. This shows off the overall form of the suit and legs very well. This is still some quality work. It is nice to look back on and to have been a part of it.

This is still one of my favorite photos of the monster. It has a very human feel for something very much not human - a theme that can be seen in my work ever since. The blurry fellow next to the monster was the cool assistant director. Sadly his name is lost to me.

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

Thursday, April 27, 2023

Infinity Con 2023 Guest Announcement!

I am thrilled to announce that I will be returning as a guest to Infinity Con this coming July 8th and 9th in Tallahassee, Fl. I have had a ton of fun at this convention, and I get to sleep in my bed when it is over - you can't beat that combination. I will be bringing the Grand Bazaar with me again, so you can expect books, art, enamel pins, and a lot more! I will share more details when they are released, but mark your calendars and I will see you at the Donal Tucker Civic Center in a couple of months.

Come see me and many others at Infinity Con this July 8th and 9th!

That's all for an unexpected Thursday on the blog. See you back here tomorrow for a blast from the past. Until then...

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

Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Rediscovered Art Now Available - Star Wars

With the completion of my studio last year and my return to conventions, I have been digging through many files, boxes, and art and doing a great deal of organizing. With all this comes the resurfacing of older art and art that I had assumed was gone. I have previously shared some L5R work I located, but this time I found work that is near and dear to me. I have for you a selection of paintings and drawings that I produced for various Star Wars games.

Star Wars Imperial Assault - Ahsoka Tano Ally Pack
14 x 11 - Acrylic and pencil on board
Art Director - Deb Freytag
© 2017 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games
 
Star Wars LCG - Ancient Rivals
11 x 14 - Acrylic and pencil on board
Art Director - Taylor Ingvarsson
© 2016 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games 
 
Star Wars LCG - Meditation and Mastery
11 x 14 - Acrylic and pencil on board
Art Director - Taylor Ingvarsson
© 2016 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games
Star Wars LCG - Ancient Rivals
17 x 14 - Pencil on paper
Art Director - Taylor Ingvarsson
© 2016 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games 
 
Star Wars LCG - Galactic Ambitions
17 x 14 - Pencil on paper
Art Director - Taylor Ingvarsson
© 2016 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games
Star Wars LCG - Meditation and Mastery
17 x 14 - Pencil on paper
Art Director - Taylor Ingvarsson
© 2016 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games

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