Infinity Con 2026 This Weekend - Drink & Draw TONIGHT!

This is Infinity Con weekend! I hope to see you out there tonight, July 10th, at the pre-party Drink & Draw fundraiser at Amicus Brewing from 7-10 PM, and ALL weekend at Infinity Con this July 11th and 12th! Tonight, grab some food from the onsite food truck, your choice of alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverage, hang out with guest artists, and bid on a piece of original art! And tomorrow and Sunday, there will be tons of fun for the entire family and loads to do on a hot Tallahassee weekend.

Come see me and many others at Infinity Con this July 11th and 12th!

I hope to see you out at Amicus this Friday night!

I will be there with other amazing artists drawing on site!

All the details and more are on Facebook.

It is even easier to find me this year as I am the first booth when you walk into the show! You will find me at booth C1, which will be the first booth to your left when you arrive. It has never been easier to stock up on all your monster needs!

Walk in. Turn left. Say Hi.

 

And do not forget the panel Mark Maddox and I will be a part of tomorrow at 3!

That's all for an 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

Infinity Con 2026 Drink & Draw this Friday Night!

While the main event of Infinity Con is this Saturday and Sunday, for the first time, there will be a pre-party Drink & Draw fundraiser taking place this Friday night! Be sure to come out to Amicus Brewing Friday, July 10th, from 7-10 PM to grab some food from the onsight foodtruck, your choice of alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverage, hang out with guest artists, and bid on a piece of original art!

I hope to see you out at Amicus this Friday night!

I will be there with other amazing artists drawing on site!

All the details and more are on Facebook. 

And after the Drink & Draw, get lots of rest and then come out to Infinity Con this Saturday and Sunday to explore all that the event has in store. There will be plenty for the entire family, and I hope to see you there!

Come see me and many others at Infinity Con this July 11th and 12th!

The floor plan for Infinity Con is now available, and it will be even easier to find me this year as I am the first booth when you walk into the show! You will find me at booth C1, which will be the first booth to your left when you arrive. It has never been easier to stock up on all your monster needs!

Walk in. Turn left. Say Hi.

 

I am aware of one panel I will be a part of currently, and I am likely to be included in at least one of the draw-offs, I am sure. But for now, mark your calendar to come see Mark Maddox and me talk about making monsters for print, games, TV, and movies!

 

On the main stage from 3-3:45, Mark Maddox and I will talk monsters!

That's all for an 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

The Blasphemous Fish-Frogs Returns Home

Sixteen years ago, in 2010, I was creating many images for the weekly ArtOrder challenges hosted by Jon Schindehette. Some of the work was okay, some was great, and some of the pieces have stood the test of time (Mutation Nation!). One of the pieces that really stood out for me was my contribution to the Lovecraft challenge. The Deep One is one of those monsters that always stood out to me and has been interrupted in many ways. So I took a swing at the blasphemous fish-frogs, and this was what I came up with.

A Deep One, they were the blasphemous fish-frogs of the nameless design - living and horrible.

ArtOrder: Lovecraft Creature Lab Challenge
© 2010 Christopher Burdett

This piece was either given or traded with a mentor and friend of mine many moons ago. While at IX this past October, the drawing for the Deep One came back to me. It was a matter of space, and he owns other pieces of my work, and this one wasn't out on display. There was some hesitation about returning it to me, but I was thrilled to have it back. I haven't kept a lot of my work, until recently, and there are so many pieces that mean a great deal to me that are off somewhere in the world, and I will never see them again. So, when one of those pieces returns to me, I welcome it with open arms. It has been out in my studio since October so that I may look at it every day. Now that I am posting about it, it has gone into the flat file with other parts of my work. It will come out and play in time, but for now, it is great to have it back.

The Deep One at home in my studio

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

Revisiting - Runebound: Mists of Zanaga Expansion (Part 3)

I am still looking back while I make new things now. At the start of my career, I did a LOT of work from FFG. I think at one time, they were the on-ramp for many a gaming career. Back then, they had a lot of work to go around. Talisman was the first project I worked on for them, but one of the next was on Runebound. I cannot tell you anything about the game, except that I painted three elder gods for it in 2009, and they came out in 2010. I have a copy of the expansion my three cards are in, but I haven't looked in the box since 2010. This is one of those three elder gods, and it is a spider.

Arachne the Weaver

Runebound: Mists of Zanaga

4 x 6 - Digital

© 2010 Fantasy Flight Games

I have something extra for you. Here is the original drawing for this piece that I have never shared before. The drawing and the painting are both very small, especially compared to the size I work today. I am not sure if I have this drawing still or not, but I didn't sell many of these early pieces. I was learning a lot about making art and painting sixteen years ago, and in this piece, I can see clearly what I was already getting right, what I was getting very wrong, and some things that I have never been able to escape. 

Arachne the Weaver drawing

 Runebound: Mists of Zanaga

Pencil on paper (paper size likely 9x12)

© 2010 Fantasy Flight Games

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

Revisiting the Monsters - Hobgoblin

In 2010, sixteen years ago now, I began a personal project to redesign most, if not all, of the monsters in the original Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual. That original MM had a profound effect on me and led me to eventually work on the game. While I was already working on the game when I began this project, it did prove useful as I have redesigned many D&D monsters in my career on the game. In the end, I completed over 100 drawings for the project and even had a gallery show featuring the work.

I thought it would be nice to look back at some of my favorites. Today brings us back to my second pass through the book with the Hobgoblin. Enjoy!

Hobgoblin redesign (2011)
© 2011/2026 Christopher Burdett 

That's 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

Recent Magic the Gathering Artist Proof Art

Today, I have a recent Magic the Gathering artist proof that I added art to its back. All available artist proofs and art options can be found on my store. This one is from May, and it had a long journey to the UK. If you are in the UK or EU and would like an artist proof, please reach out to me, and I will be more than happy to work out the shipping for you.

The ever-popular Stinging Lionfish!

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

Revisiting - Runebound: Mists of Zanaga Expansion (Part 2)

I am still looking back while I make new things now. At the start of my career, I did a LOT of work from FFG. I think at one time, they were the on-ramp for many a gaming career. Back then, they had a lot of work to go around. Talisman was the first project I worked on for them, but one of the next was on Runebound. I cannot tell you anything about the game, except that I painted three elder gods for it in 2009, and they came out in 2010. I have a copy of the expansion my three cards are in, but I haven't looked in the box since 2010. This is one of those three elder gods, and it is a crocodile.

Ravin the Ravenous 

Runebound: Mists of Zanaga

4 x 6 - Digital

© 2010 Fantasy Flight Games

I have something extra for you. Here is the original drawing for this piece that I have never shared before. The drawing and the painting are both very small, especially compared to the size I work today. I am not sure if I have this drawing still or not, but I didn't sell many of these early pieces. I was learning a lot about making art and painting sixteen years ago, and in this piece, I can see clearly what I was already getting right, what I was getting very wrong, and some things that I have never been able to escape.

Ravin the Ravenous  drawing

 Runebound: Mists of Zanaga

Pencil on paper (paper size likely 9x12)

© 2010 Fantasy Flight Games

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

Revisiting the Monsters - Giant: Hill

In 2010, sixteen years ago now, I began a personal project to redesign most, if not all, of the monsters in the original Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual. That original MM had a profound effect on me and led me to eventually work on the game. While I was already working on the game when I began this project, it did prove useful as I have redesigned many D&D monsters in my career on the game. In the end, I completed over 100 drawings for the project and even had a gallery show featuring the work. 

I thought it would be nice to look back at some of my favorites. Today brings us back to my second pass through the book with the Giant: Hill. Enjoy!

Giant: Hill redesign (2011)
© 2011/2026 Christopher Burdett 

That's 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

Pokémon Go Ten Years Later

I have mentioned Pokémon and Pokémon Go a few times here on the blog. And yes, I am a few weeks ahead of the actual ten-year anniversary mark for Pokémon Go, but I feel like I have a significant announcement to make. Over this past weekend, I reached the level cap of 80 in Pokémon Go, and as I said, just shy of a rather big anniversary for a mobile app. I have been playing the app since its release in July of 2016, and I play it every day. In fact, I have played it more, longer, and more consistently than any other game in my life. But I do not see it only as a game, as it is an integral part of my daily routine. Because every morning I get up and walk for 2-2.5 hours and cover 7-10 miles while playing it, every day.

Scitro, Valor trainer - level 80

For those who care about such things.

I do more than just walk and play Pokémon Go. That time in my day is both for physical activity as well as mental. I work on my book while I walk, switching over to the notepad to type out notes and ideas. I problem solve, world build, and ponder and ruminate. It is me time in every way. I watch the world wake up, the sun rise, the turtles awaken, and catch a lot of Pokémon. I have also been hit by cars, bitten by dogs, threatened, followed, and have been victorious in reclaiming gyms. After a decade, it is a bigger part of my life than a lot of things. Which is all very strange to me now. Because when I started playing ten years ago, it was only so that I had a distraction and maybe some motivation to walk more. It excelled in both. 

Pokémon hit it big when I was in college. And while at the time I had a bunch of cards and loved the idea of it all, I never did anything more with it all. I never watched the show, and I honestly never played a single game - I liked the idea of it, and as a college student, I had no one to play against. I saw the animated feature in 2000 and the 2019 live-action Detective Pikachu movie, but that is it. I just love the monsters and the idea of the game and universe that I have spent the last ten years playing this game every day, and now I have some pretty awesome Pokémon.

For the record, my favorite Pokémon is the Garchomp. I have one that is a shiny, 4*, fully maxed, can mega evolve, and has two charge attacks. This one Pokémon single-handedly got me to level 80.

Garchimp, I choose you!

In normal and, of course, Mega form.

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

Revisiting - Runebound: Mists of Zanaga Expansion (Part 1)

I am still looking back while I make new things now. At the start of my career, I did a LOT of work from FFG. I think at one time, they were the on-ramp for many a gaming career. Back then, they had a lot of work to go around and soul-crushingly low pay rates to go along with said work. Talisman was the first project I worked on for them, but one of the next was on Runebound. I cannot tell you anything about the game, except that I painted three elder gods for it in 2009, and they came out in 2010. I have a copy of the expansion my three cards are in, but I haven't looked in the box since 2010. This is one of those three elder gods, and it is a snake.

Set the Deceiver

Runebound: Mists of Zanaga

4 x 6 - Digital

© 2010 Fantasy Flight Games

If you were wondering, I got paid a total of $100 for this work. That included thumbnails, drawing, and painting. That is a ton of work over many days for that money. Oh well. Live and learn. I think this is my favorite of the three I did, but you might have your favorite from the other two. I will share over the next two Fridays.

I have something extra for you. Here is the original drawing for this piece that I have never shared before. The drawing and the painting are both very small, especially compared to the size I work today. I am not sure if I have this drawing still or not, but I didn't sell many of these early pieces. That said, a quick search turned up MANY other drawings I didn't know I still have, but not this one. I was learning a lot about making art and painting sixteen years ago, and in this piece, I can see clearly what I was already getting right, what I was getting very wrong, and some things that I have never been able to escape.

Set the Deceiver drawing

 Runebound: Mists of Zanaga

Pencil on paper (paper size likely 9x12)

© 2010 Fantasy Flight Games

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

Revisiting the Monsters - Demon: Juiblex

In 2010, sixteen years ago now, I began a personal project to redesign most, if not all, of the monsters in the original Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual. That original MM had a profound effect on me and led me to eventually work on the game. While I was already working on the game when I began this project, it did prove useful as I have redesigned many D&D monsters in my career on the game. In the end, I completed over 100 drawings for the project and even had a gallery show featuring the work. 

I thought it would be nice to look back at some of my favorites. Today brings us back to my second pass through the book with the Demon: Juiblex. Enjoy!

Demon: Juiblex redesign (2011)
© 2011/2026 Christopher Burdett 

That's 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

Infinity Con 2026 Guest Announcement!

I am thrilled to announce that I will be returning as a guest to Infinity Con this coming July 11th and 12th in Tallahassee, FL. Infinity Con is a fantastic event, and it is always a joy to share my work with those in Tallahassee. Getting to sleep in your bed while also doing a convention is a treat. I will bring the Grand Bazaar with me again, so you can expect books, art, enamel pins, mystery print bundles, some new art, and more! I will share any additional details as we get closer to the event. Mark your calendars, and I will see you at the Donald Tucker Civic Center in less than a month.

Come see me and many others at Infinity Con this July 11th and 12th!

That's all for an 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

Gorgon Miniature

Today, I have for you a miniature based on one of my designs. I updated the Gorgon for the release of 5E. This is acutally the second release of a miniature for this design. An unpaintned version was released in 2021. This one is always a funny monster to me and is not the only time I have working on the Gorgon. To start things off, here is my design of the Gorgon. 

Gorgon - Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual - Redesign

© 2014 Wizards of the Coast

Here are a pair of images of the miniature so that you can compare them to the design. 

Gorgon miniature

Monster Menagerie Revivisted 

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

Revisiting the Monsters - Beholder

In 2010, sixteen years ago now, I began a personal project to redesign most, if not all, of the monsters in the original Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual. That original MM had a profound effect on me and led me to eventually work on the game. While I was already working on the game when I began this project, it did prove useful as I have redesigned many D&D monsters in my career on the game. In the end, I completed over 100 drawings for the project and even had a gallery show featuring the work. 

I thought it would be nice to look back at some of my favorites. Today brings us back to the beginning with my second pass through the book with the Beholder. Enjoy!

Beholder redesign (2011)
© 2011/2026 Christopher Burdett 

That's 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

The Raccoon's Skull

A few years ago, I discovered the remains of a raccoon along my daily walk. I am unsure of its fate, but I would assume a car was involved. The body was a very short distance off the sidewalk in heavy brush. I covered it, marked the location, and allowed the elements to do their job. I watched over the remains, checking in on the status of the decomposition over many months. Finally, when the skull was free of organic remains, I harvested it and the jaw and brought it home. I cleaned the skull and got it ready to be reassembled. The skull sat as a pile of teeth, jaws, and skull for a while on top of my flatfile. Over the weekend, I finally removed this job from my mental to-do list and put the teeth I still had into the skull and assembled the jaw and got it ready for display. Now that it is all done, I thought I would share some images of it.

Raccoon Skull

Images © Christopher Burdett 2026

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

Revisiting the Wailing Writher

In 2009, I was hired to design a series of miniatures for Fantasy Flight Games. They were gearing up to make plastic minis of all of their Arkham Horror/Call of Cthulhu monsters, and I was at the right place at the right time to get the bulk of them. It was a fun project with a lot of freedom for a grotesquely small amount of pay. And then nothing. It wouldn't be until 2011/12 for the monsters to finally be released as unpainted figures in board game sets and as fully painted premium minis. By and large, they all turned out great, and I still look back at them favorably. As it has been 17 years since I made the art and 15 years since they were eventually released, I thought it would be nice to revisit some of them. Next up in alphabetical order, we have the Wailing Writher. Here is my design and the final miniature.

Wailing Writher

12 x 9 - Pencil on paper - 3 separate drawings

Arkham Horror Monsters / Mansions of Madness 

© 2009 Fantasy Flight Games

The Wailing Writher miniature

And, as an added bonus, something I have never shared before, here are the thumbnails that I created for this piece. Over the past 17 years, I had forgotten how loose and sketchy these were.

Wailing Writher  - Thumbnails

Arkham Horror Monsters / Mansions of Madness 

© 2009 Fantasy Flight Games

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

The Gathering is the Magic Clip: "Christopher Burdett - Blufferfish"

During Gen Con 2022, I had an excellent opportunity to speak with the folks behind the upcoming documentary about Magic the Gathering, The Gathering is the Magic. It was a lot of fun and always a good time to talk about art, monsters, and more. I eventually was a part of a follow-up interview where I spoke about my work on the game in greater detail, as well as other topics. Another clip from the more recent interview has been shared, so I am now sharing it with you.

The Gathering is the Magic - A documentary about how Magic the Gathering brings people together, fosters friendship, and inspires with art and storytelling. 

In the interview, I was asked to discuss the cards I created for Magic the Gathering. It was fun to reminisce about the art and monsters I made, the fan response to them, and the behind-the-scenes stories regarding the cards. This clip is about the Blufferfish. Enjoy the clip, and check out what else The Gathering is the Magic has been sharing!  

The story of the Blufferfish and how I have made a lot of fish for Magic.

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

The State of the Grand Bazaar - June 2026

The last five months have been a blur. I began writing book two on January 1st, and I have devoted multiple hours a day, every day to writing and working on the book. And if I needed to miss a day, extra work is done on another day to make up for it. I have been burning the candle at both ends, but I am seeing results, and the book is taking shape. I could not be happier with how things are progressing, and it is exciting to see the book taking shape after working on it for the past six years. There is still plenty of work to do, which is why there is a 2027 completion date, and not one in 2026.

All of this and MORE was already shared with those following my mailing list, and if you want to see things first and see everything, then all you need to do is join my mailing list.

Punch the keys!

(This image is out of date, and more writing has been completed since.) 

The State of Writing 

The third column, listed as The Completed Circle, is the story within the story of book two. It is also, by far and away, the largest and most involved part of the next book. And it is all completely written. It was the very first thing that I tackled because I had to, as everything else will be in response to this story in the book (and a lot of other stuff, because nothing is simple or easy when I make things).

With the Street Voices now completed as well (they were an absolute joy to write, and they all went SO quickly), I went through the Completed Circle again as a whole to edit and update before I started writing Reginald's sections. It took a little work to find the voice for a young and enthusiastic Reggy, but I have locked it in, and his sections are taking shape as I type this.

Needless to say, things are progressing well, it is all taking shape, and I just need to stay focused, and soon I will have another book for you!

Number Goes UP!

This is not an image of what I have written so far. This is what I have written for ONLY the third-to-last chapter of The Completed Circle story within the story. There is a lot going on and a lot to resolve, and this one got big... really big. And book two was supposed to be a smaller book! Hopefully, this is a proof of concept image for all of you! 

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

Revisiting the Star Vampire

In 2009, I was hired to design a series of miniatures for Fantasy Flight Games. They were gearing up to make plastic minis of all of their Arkham Horror/Call of Cthulhu monsters, and I was at the right place at the right time to get the bulk of them. It was a fun project with a lot of freedom for a grotesquely small amount of pay. And then nothing. It wouldn't be until 2011/12 for the monsters to finally be released as unpainted figures in board game sets and as fully painted premium minis. By and large, they all turned out great, and I still look back at them favorably. As it has been 17 years since I made the art and 15 years since they were eventually released, I thought it would be nice to revisit some of them. Next up in alphabetical order, we have the Star Vampire. Here is my design and the final miniature.

Star Vampire 

12 x 9 - Pencil on paper - 3 separate drawings

Arkham Horror Monsters / Mansions of Madness 

© 2009 Fantasy Flight Games

The Star Vampire  miniature

And, as an added bonus, something I have never shared before, here are the thumbnails that I created for this piece. Over the past 17 years, I had forgotten how loose and sketchy these were.

Star Vampire  - Thumbnails

Arkham Horror Monsters / Mansions of Madness 

© 2009 Fantasy Flight Games

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

Revisiting the Monsters - Zombie

In 2010, sixteen years ago now, I began a personal project to redesign most, if not all, of the monsters in the original Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual. That original MM had a profound effect on me and led me to eventually work on the game. While I was already working on the game when I began this project, it did prove useful as I have redesigned many D&D monsters in my career on the game. In the end, I completed over 100 drawings for the project and even had a gallery show featuring the work. 

I thought it would be nice to look back at some of my favorites. Today brings us to the Zombie. Enjoy!

Zombie redesign (2010)
© 2010/2026 Christopher Burdett 

That's 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

May Blog Break

Starting on Wednesday of this week and continuing for the following 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, I will return. 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 over ten years.

How time flies.

 

That is all for another exciting week 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

Revisiting the Star Spawn

In 2009, I was hired to design a series of miniatures for Fantasy Flight Games. They were gearing up to make plastic minis of all of their Arkham Horror/Call of Cthulhu monsters, and I was at the right place at the right time to get the bulk of them. It was a fun project with a lot of freedom for a grotesquely small amount of pay. And then nothing. It wouldn't be until 2011/12 for the monsters to finally be released as unpainted figures in board game sets and as fully painted premium minis. By and large, they all turned out great, and I still look back at them favorably. As it has been 17 years since I made the art and 15 years since they were eventually released, I thought it would be nice to revisit some of them. Next up in alphabetical order, we have the Star Spawn. Here is my design and the final miniature.

Star Spawn

12 x 9 - Pencil on paper - 3 separate drawings

Arkham Horror Monsters / Mansions of Madness 

© 2009 Fantasy Flight Games

The Star Spawn miniature

And, as an added bonus, something I have never shared before, here are the thumbnails that I created for this piece. Over the past 17 years, I had forgotten how loose and sketchy these were.

Star Spawn - Thumbnails

Arkham Horror Monsters / Mansions of Madness 

© 2009 Fantasy Flight Games

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

Revisiting the Monsters - Xorn

In 2010, sixteen years ago now, I began a personal project to redesign most, if not all, of the monsters in the original Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual. That original MM had a profound effect on me and led me to eventually work on the game. While I was already working on the game when I began this project, it did prove useful as I have redesigned many D&D monsters in my career on the game. In the end, I completed over 100 drawings for the project and even had a gallery show featuring the work. 

I thought it would be nice to look back at some of my favorites. Today brings us to the Xorn. Enjoy!

Xorn redesign (2010)
© 2010/2026 Christopher Burdett 

That's 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

Tales from LA - That Bit Ain't Right

I have searched and searched for images to go along with this post, and after a great deal of looking, I have been unable to locate anything. Which is a shame, because I think seeing the original designs would have helped with this, but no matter, for this post, I quickly scribbled up something to help.

This story goes back to my time working in Los Angeles. We were hired to work on a PSA commercial focused on improving health. Please remember this: this is supposed to be about improving people's health. Another detail to remember is that the two people making all the decisions on the production side of things are British. Picture what they say with the appropriate accent. It is part of the adventure.

The big, amazing, new idea they had to help improve health was so new and so amazing that it took hours for them to try to explain it to me clearly so that I could understand and design it. The best I can explain it is that they wanted us to physically make "fat socks"... but not like that. Imagine someone is carrying more body weight than they want, and they "pull" the unwanted fat off themselves like clothes, but it's flesh and hollow. Just the outer ring or skin of fat... because that is how our bodies TOTALLY work and all our body fat is along the surface. Feast your eyes upon this very quick sketch.

Getting an idea for what kind of monstrosity they wanted us to make? Well, to get to this point, the point where I finally made something similar to what I have posted above, it took hours. Hours with two British men and the shop supervisor sitting behind me as I sat at my computer and worked. And they did helpful things like be super impatient, repeat the SAME not-explanation over and over like it was going to change anything, and the cherry on top, after EVERY mark I made, every choice I made, after I did ANYTHING... the peanut gallery responded in their accent with:

"THAT BIT AIN'T RIGHT" 

For HOURS. And I am not being hyperbolic or exaggerating. It was maddening. Nothing I did was right, and they most definitely could not tell me what to do differently or what they wanted. It was "fat sock" and "that bit ain't right," and that is all I had to work off of. Even today, "that bit ain't right" is seared into my memory. Well, after a Sisyphean design session, we had something, and the two not-at-all-helpful men left. Long story short, the things we made were horrible. They made no sense, looked dumb, and no one understood what they were or what they were doing at the shoot. It was bad, bad, bad. To be honest, I have no idea if the PSA ever got made, completed, or aired, but I cannot imagine for a second anyone watching it would understand it or take away from it that they should eat healthy and exercise... or something, whatever it was they were trying to depict. 

And as a side note, humans carry extra body fat for MANY different reasons, many of which are outside the control of the individual. So the idea that body weight was something that could simply be removed by sliding the fat off always felt callous, disconnected, and cruel. But hey, what do I know?  OH YEAH! I know THAT BIT AIN'T RIGHT! You know what I am saying?! They knew best, and the fact that they were unable to quickly and easily explain their big idea to anyone else never registered as an issue. Good ole LA!

That's all for another exciting Monday on the blog, see you back here Wednesday! Until then...

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