The State of the Grand Bazaar - February 2025

This post is more likely for me than anyone else. In the times we find ourselves, it can be hard to focus on one's art and stay motivated and confident that your actions are not futile in the face of an uncaring universe. To that end, I wanted to look at where the Grand Bazaar stands at the beginning of 2025 compared to where things were in 2020 when I began work in earnest on the second book. Luckily, I have a habit of taking lots of photographs, which allows me to document the progression of my work in such matters. Here is where book two was in September of 2020. You will note there is some stuff on there for book three to the right side of the board.

The beginning.

All the ideas and a plan.

You would be shocked by how much changes during the years it takes to make these things.

Now, let us see where the board is at currently. Please note that there is one thing not updated in this image, I have begun work on a larger new piece, and its card has not been updated with an image of the sketch, which is customary for me. Those who have signed up for my newsletter will get a look at a VERY loose thumbnail for this piece in a day or two (so sign up now and not miss it - and see the two newest pieces that I have completed for the book). You will also notice some additional items to the right of the board that are also for book three, though no work actively happening on that one until two is completed.

A definite difference and one that I needed to see.

My next piece will take some work to see completed, and I need to see that I am making progress.

There are still a number of '?' on the left side of the board that I need to address. The plan has been to reduce the size of the illustrations than I would normally make them. This will allow me to speed up and get closer to writing sooner. That said, the piece I am actively working on is larger than I had hoped to get it down to. But it needs to be large as there are MANY figures in an action-filled scene. If all goes to plan, it will be a great looking piece and an important one for the book.

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

A Second Look at Older Work - Usagi Yojimbo - San Diego Comic-Con Souvenir Brochure

This coming June will mark twenty years for me in the gaming industry, and this is also my twenty-sixth year as a working artist. I have made a lot of work over these years, and as I focus on larger projects with multi-year timelines, it is hard to keep this blog updated regularly. I have kept this thing going since 2009, and I would like for it to continue. To that end, I thought I would look back at works I particularly liked, enjoyed making, or seemed to fall through the cracks and went unnoticed.

Today, I have for you a piece completed in 2009 (the year I got serious) and was for the San Diego Comic-Con Souvenir Brochure. There was an open submission for art entries related to one of the various celebrations or anniversaries in the comic industry in 2009. Stan Sakai was being honored for twenty fives years of his Usagi Yojimbo series (I guess it is now 41 years!). I am a HUGE Sakai and Usagi Yojimbo fan, and sixteen years ago, I apparently had the time and interest to do a tribute piece for the brochure. There was no guarantee that your work would be accepted, but I did it anyway. Ultimately, my work was selected and included in the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con Souvenir Brochure. I had a very awkward moment meeting Stan to thank him and put my face to my art in the brochure.

Usagi Yojimbo

Digital

San Diego Comic Con Souvenir Brochure

It is fun to look back at older work to see things that became things you repeatedly do in your contemporary art. I still love these golem samurai that are full of hellfire. If you want to see and read more about this piece, you must know by now there are posts here on the blog to assist you!

That's 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

Mystery Print Bundles coming to Pensacon NEXT WEEK!

I am pleased to share one of the surprises I have in store for Pensacon (and possibly beyond) next week! For the first time, I will be offering discontinued prints in mystery bundles, allowing collectors to obtain prints that are no longer available. Each mystery bundle contains three randomly selected prints. All of the prints come signed, and if you are lucky, you may find a print with an ORIGINAL DRAWING along the border.

Mystery Print Bundles!

Get yours at Pensacon, February 14-16, in Pensacola, FL.

Each pack has a combined value of up to $150, and you can obtain one at the convention for only $50! I have a great selection of prints available, and they run the gamut of my work over the years. Included are many fan favorites, high-profile projects, and hidden gems. Prints available in the bundles may include:

• STAR WARS
• DUNGEONS & DRAGONS
• A GAME OF THRONES
• THE HOBBIT
• TALISMAN
• LEGEND OF THE FIVE RINGS
• Various DRAGONS
• Various MONSTERS
• Various CTHULHU monsters
• Roller Derby Posters
• The GRAND BAZAAR of ETHRA VANDALIA

Each bundle comes sealed, so there is no peaking. Here is a selection of cropped images from just some of the prints you can expect to find in each bundle.

Do you like Star Wars? Dragons? Or monsters of every shape and size? Then, be sure to pick up one of my Mystery Print Bundles and test your luck to see what prints you will take home!

If you are lucky, there are five bundles that contain one print featuring an original drawing along the border. Each is unique and one of a kind and is related to the art on the print. These were a lot of fun to do, and I hope the lucky people to find them enjoy them. Here is a look at three of the five drawings you might find.

Are you feeling lucky?

If you are, you might find one of these original drawings in your mystery bundle!

Depending on the remaining stock and interest, I will have any remaining packs at my other shows this year. But the good folks attending Pensacon have a way of buying all of my stock, so we shall see.

That's all of 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

Denizens of the Grand Bazaar

At the start of the new year, I typically reassess the state of the various aspects of my art as I plan out the year ahead of me. As I mentioned last month, with the new year, I also added all the art I created last year that is still available to my store. This gives me time to reflect on how much I have made and how much is yet to be completed. I had meant to share this some time ago, but there was always an interruption or something else more important happening on the blog. That said, it is now time! Here are all of the portraits of the denizens of the Grand Bazaar that I have created so far for book two. I still have more to create, but those will be for another day. These are super fun to make, and so many have already gone to their forever homes. I have included an image of them all, as well as a version that shows which are still available. Nothing profound to share with you today, only some monsters that I made that I love that you may be interested in living with.

The Current Selection of Portraits from the Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia
The Grand Bazaar of Ethra Dalia - The Completed Circle
Each 5 x 5 - Pencil, ink, and acrylic paint on paper
© 2022-2025 Christopher Burdett

The AVAILABLE Portraits from the Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia
The Grand Bazaar of Ethra Dalia - The Completed Circle
Each 5 x 5 - Pencil, ink, and acrylic paint on paper
© 2022-2025 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

A Second Look at Older Work - The Rollbots Attack Derby Poster

This coming June will mark twenty years for me in the gaming industry, and this is also my twenty-sixth year as a working artist. I have made a lot of work over these years, and as I focus on larger projects with multi-year timelines, it is hard to keep this blog updated regularly. I have kept this thing going since 2009, and I would like for it to continue. To that end, I thought I would look back at works I particularly liked, enjoyed making, or seemed to fall through the cracks and went unnoticed.

Today, I have for you one of the roller derby posters that I made fifteen years ago. This is easily my favorite and the one that was also a fan favorite. It is hard to imagine that fifteen years ago, I had enough time in my schedule to allow me the freedom to take on projects like this to help out the local team. The local team has changed a lot over the years, and they neither do posters like this nor play locally due to a lack of venues. That said, we love roller derby in our house, and it was great to support our friends and the team when we could. You can read all about the work that went into the poster, shirt, and the process of it here on the blog.

Rollbots Attack poster (11 x 17)

Title only
© 2010 Christopher Burdett

Rollbots Attack poster (11 x 17)

Clean art
© 2010 Christopher Burdett

Rollbots Attack poster (11 x 17)

Final with text
© 2010 Christopher Burdett

Rollbots Attack handout (8.5 x 11)

Final with text
© 2010 Christopher Burdett

Rollbots Attack handout (8.5 x 11)

Final with text
© 2010 Christopher Burdett

It took a significant amount of reference, work, and more work to get this one across the finish line. Everything was in my wheelhouse save for the Rollbot - which is the main focus of this piece. But thanks to some really good reference thanks to my wife, we have this image.  

That's 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

Cephalid Inkmage - Magic: the Gathering - Process

Today, I have the process and steps that went into my Caphalid Inkmage Magic the Gathering card released this past November. When I recently shared the process and steps for the Cackling Prowler, I shared how my process posts were changing. If you missed that post, follow the link, which will explain everything. Now that this is taken care of, let's start things off with the final painting for the Cephalid Inkmage.

Cephalid Inkmage

Magic the Gathering - Foundations

14 x 10.2 - Digital

Available prints at OMA!

All of my Magic the Gathering Artist Proofs! 

Art Director - Forrest Schehl
 © 2024 Wizards of the Coast

This was another fun assignment and the first of the two cards in this set that I created. I was vaguely aware of Cephalids in Magic, so it was fun to get to learn more about them. I always liked them because they have tentacles, and it is always fun to draw and paint tentacles. As with all my work, I got things started with a selection of thumbnails as I worked out the piece. Here are the thumbnails that I submitted for this assignment.

Cephalid Inkmage Thumbnails

Magic the Gathering - Foundations

Digital
 © 2024 Wizards of the Coast

I wanted to provide a range of options for this one. You never truly know how much and how little or how important and how unimportant things are in the art order until you start moving elements around into a composition. Quickly, you will realize that things clearly stated in the description are not necessary for the focus of the card and that other things not mentioned ARE very important. For this one, I present production with a medium shot, a wide-angle view, a close-up, and finally, more of an action pose. The action pose won out. Now that there was a selected thumbnail, it was time to work on the drawings and studies for the assignment.

Cephalid Inkmage Line Art

Magic the Gathering - Foundations

14 x 11 - Pencil on paper
 © 2024 Wizards of the Coast

Above is the line art of my drawing. This is the version of the drawing that I paint on top of. While it used to be the final stage for my drawings, they were not giving me what I needed most out of these assignments... TO DRAW MORE. So, several years back, I began finishing out the drawings so that they were a more finalized image, a more interesting image, and a way to start working out what I wanted to do with the overall look of the painting. That meant it was time to render!

Cephalid Inkmage

Magic the Gathering - Foundations

14 x 11 - Pencil on paper

Original - SOLD
 © 2024 Wizards of the Coast

Above is the fully rendered drawing for the Cephalid Inkmage. This is the version of the image that I submit to production for final approval before I start painting. Even though the thumbnail gives you a lot of what the piece will look like, the drawing gives me the time and size to work out all the details and ensure that I have something that can go directly to paint. Now that I have an approved drawing, I completed the final tonal study to work out the lighting and value structure for the image. I have the final drawing and the tonal study with me throughout the painting process and refer to them constantly. Here is the final tonal study.

Cephalid Inkmage

Magic the Gathering - Foundations

14 x 11 - Pencil, ink, and acrylic on paper

Original - Available on my store!
 © 2024 Wizards of the Coast

This would be where I shared the animated gif and talked a bit more about the painting process. Sorry that this part, for some, the most important part, is now gone. My process hasn't changed much over the past ten-plus years, and all my other process posts are here on the blog for you to enjoy. 

This was a completely normal and straightforward piece to work on. There were no issues or drama associated with it. I sat in the chair, and I painted, and eventually, I had a finished painting. It came together once I added the rays of light spilling around the figure. I will note that there was a specific note about what the helmet was made from. While I made sure to address it throughout the process, and it is painted as asked for, it is nearly impossible to see in the final piece. This is what I mean when I say that specific things in the art order can end up not being relevant to the final art. The painting was approved without notes. Here is the final card for the Cephalid Inkmage and the final art again.

 

Cephalid Inkmage in card form!

Cephalid Inkmage

Magic the Gathering - Foundations
 © 2024 Wizards of the Coast

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

A Second Look at Older Work - The Dreamblade Trojan Horse

This coming June will mark twenty years for me in the gaming industry, and this is also my twenty-sixth year as a working artist. I have made a lot of work over these years, and as I focus on larger projects with multi-year timelines, it is hard to keep this blog updated regularly. I have kept this thing going since 2009, and I would like for it to continue. To that end, I thought I would look back at works I particularly liked, enjoyed making, or seemed to fall through the cracks and went unnoticed.

To start things off, here is the miniature design that I did for the now long dead miniatures game, Dreamblade. Dreamblade will always be near and dear to me as it was the first game I ever worked on and one of the times I felt most free as an artist working in the gaming industry. This is the "Trojan Horse" design for the never-produced seventh set of the game. I wonder to this day if they had started any of the sculpts for these and if somewhere there had been or still is a prototype of it out there.

Unreleased Trojan Horse - © 2006 Wizards of the Coast

Trojan Horse turnaround - © 2006 Wizards of the Coast

This design was likely way too detailed for the miniature it was to become, but I didn't care. I had a ton of fun designing and drawing this one. Sure, it would have been fun to hold a little plastic version of this, but that was never meant to be. Maybe this time around, it will get a little more appreciation from folks. 

That's 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

Cackling Prowler - Magic: the Gathering - Process

Today, I have for you the process and steps that went into my Cackling Prowler Magic the Gathering card that was released this past November. While you may be familiar with my many process posts, things will change moving forward. First, due to the constant and widespread attacks of bad agents stealing our work to power their failing theft algorithms, I will only share images I can Shade and Glaze. This means the days of animated gifs to show you the painting coming together are now a thing of the past (until there is Algorithmic Disgorgement). Second, WotC has changed what and how we can share the work that led to the final MtG paintings. This is totally within their rights to do so, but it does add an extra hurdle in sharing a piece's process. It starts with cards released in 2025 and forward, but I have erred on the side of caution with this and my next process post for the Caphalid Inkmage. 

Now that all the bookkeeping is addressed, let us have a look at the steps and process that went into the Cackling Prowler. To start it all off, here is the final painting for the Cackling Prowler.

Cackling Prowler

Magic the Gathering - Foundations

14 x 10.2 - Digital

Available prints at OMA!

All of my Magic the Gathering Artist Proofs! 

Art Director - Forrest Schehl
 © 2024 Wizards of the Coast

The assignment was a fun one, as I was asked to design and create something new for the game on the fly. The hyena creature is a new creation for the game, and I got to design it as part of my thumbnailing process. Sort of, "HEY! Make us a hyena dude, and whatever you do, we are sure it will be fine." Well, it did turn out just fine. The card needed to depict the as-of-yet-designed hyena creature in a clearing in the grass, and it has been disturbed as it was about to eat a freshly killed animal. All straightforward, so I grabbed my cloak, sword, and rolled-up towel to stand in for the dead animal and got to work on a photoshoot. During the photoshoot, our grey cat Zemo came into the frame and flopped down under my outstretched hand for pets. So, Zemo became the 'dead animal' in my photos. His patterning and color carried through to the final painting. Here are the thumbnails that I submitted for this assignment.

Cackling Prowler Thumbnails

Magic the Gathering - Foundations

Digital
 © 2024 Wizards of the Coast

It should be evident that thumbnail 'A' was selected, with no notes. This is always a tremendous occasion as it means (1) that there are no further revisions or additional steps that I need to take and (2) since it was my first thumbnail, it is the version I most want to do and the one that I feel the best about. This is not always the case, but this time around, it was. It was time to get to work on the drawings and studies for the assignment.

Cackling Prowler Line Art

Magic the Gathering - Foundations

14 x 11 - Pencil on paper
 © 2024 Wizards of the Coast

Above is the line art of my drawing. This is the version of the drawing that I paint on top of. While it used to be the final stage for my drawings, they were not giving me what I needed most out of these assignments... TO DRAW MORE. So, a number of years back, I began finishing out the drawings so that they were a more finalized image, a more interesting image, and a way to start working out what I wanted to do with the overall look of the painting. That meant it was time to render!

Cackling Prowler Drawing

Magic the Gathering - Foundations

14 x 11 - Pencil on paper

Original - Available on my store!
 © 2024 Wizards of the Coast

Above is the fully rendered drawing for the Cakling Prowler. This is the version of the image that I submit to production for final approval before I start painting. Even though the thumbnail gives you a lot of what the piece will look like, the drawing gives me the time and size to work out all the details and make sure that I have something that can go directly to paint. While it is rare, there have been times when last minute changes have occurred and they are caught at this stage... I am looking at you, Blufferfish and Coveted Peacock. Now that I have an approved drawing, I completed the final tonal study to work out the lighting and value structure for the image. I have the final drawing and the tonal study with me throughout the painting process and refer to them constantly. Here is the final tonal study.

Cackling Prowler Tonal Study

Magic the Gathering - Foundations

14 x 11 - Pencil, ink, and acrylic on paper

Original - Available on my store!
 © 2024 Wizards of the Coast

This would be where I shared the animated gif and talked a bit more about the painting process. Sorry that this part, for some, the most important part, is now gone. My process hasn't changed much over the past ten-plus years, and all my other process posts are here on the blog for you to enjoy. I will say that the painting on this one was straightforward and direct, save for the cloak. I originally had the cloak painted green as the creature would want to camouflage itself to its surroundings. But that green cloak was also hiding the creature in the painting. My personal art director (my wife) pushed me to adjust it, and she suggested the purple. I worked on it and shifted the cloak from green to purple, and, doing so, made the character really pop now. The painting was approved without notes, and I must thank my wife and the purple cloak for that. Here is the final card for the Cackling Prowler and the final art again.

Cackling Prowler in card form!

 

Cackling Prowler

Magic the Gathering - Foundations
 © 2024 Wizards of the Coast

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

Store Updated with MORE Buffy the Vampire and Angel Concept Art

Following in the footsteps of Friday's post about the addition of my 2024 Grand Bazaar art going onto my store, I am pleased to share that MORE original concept art that I produced for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel is also now available!

If you visited me at any convention in 2024, you had first access to the first two waves of concept art from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel that I have made available to the public. Now that 2025 has begun, I have updated my store with all the remaining art pieces. Now is your chance to own a piece of television history with these one-of-a-kind pieces. If you have any questions, please let me know!

New art and a lot more can be found on my store!

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

Store Updated with 2024 Grand Bazaar Art

Now that 2025 has begun, I have updated my store with all remaining art for The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia that I created in 2024. While some of the new pieces for book two did sell this year at conventions, there is still a LOT of new art now up on my store.

If you want to have first access to any and all new art for my books, the best option is to sign up for my newsletter and, beyond that, come see me at a convention where all new art is debuted over the year before going up on my store at the end of the year. If you have any questions, please let me know!

New art and a lot more can be found on my store!

That's 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

Gen Con 2025 Announcement!

I am thrilled to annouce that I will be returning to Gen Con in 2025! I will see you Indianapolis for the best four days in gaming July 31 - August 3, 2025. Gen Con is one of my main events of the year and has been for over a decade. It is a lot of work, and now that I know I am in the show, planning begins NOW.

Gen Con calls and we will answer that call.

My Gen Con booth in 2024.

That is all for another Thursday on the blog. See you back here tomorrow! Until then...

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