The DOODLES, DESIGNS, and aRT of CHRISTOPHER BURDETT: Age of Rebellion

Showing posts with label Age of Rebellion. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Heated Tempers - Process - Star Wars: Stay on Target

Today I have for you another overdue process post, this time around it is for my Heated Tempers interior illustration from Age of Rebellion: Stay on Target. I first shared this with you back in December of 2014. This was one of the last pieces that I painted digitally for Star Wars. Here is how the final Heated Tempers turned out...

Heated Tempers

12.5 x 14.5 - Digital

The assignment for this piece was to depict a heated exchange between a Bothan mechanic and the Chadra-Fan pilot whose ship is not ready for combat. This was my first opportunity to paint an A-Wing fighter, a Bothan, and a Chadra-Fan... so it was a WIN, WIN, WIN for me. It was a fairly straight forward piece that needed to focus on the interaction of the two Rebels, a ship, and a gloomy, cavernous hanger. As always, this piece came to life with a photoshoot followed by thumbnails. Here is how the thumbnails turned out...

Heated Tempers - Thumbnails

This thing about the interior art for the Star Wars RPGs is they need a ton of bleed depending on size and placement on the page. Silly me, I forgot about that when I worked up these thumbnails. I made them to size but forgot about the bleed. It was just a matter of adding background to resolve the situation, but I felt like a rookie forgetting about the bleed in the first place. A thumbnail was selected, and I was asked to adjust for the bleed and resubmit it. Option "B" was the winner...

Heated Tempers - Revised thumbnail

The updated thumbnail was approved, and it was time for the drawing. Throughout this entire process, there was a lot of issue with the scale of the relative elements in the illustration. The first issue was the size of the A-Wing compared to the figures. Historically, the A-Wing has been depicted as a rather small ship, maybe the size of an average car. I guess over the years, the A-Wing has increased in size in the Star Wars universe, and there was a bit of back and forth with the AD to get it the right size. I still think I was correct, and it is small, but my job is to fulfill the wishes of the client, and I made sure it was as big as they required. Always be a professional! Here is how the finalized drawing turned out...

Heated Tempers

Age of Rebellion - Stay On Target

9 x 12 - Pencil on paper

Original - SOLD
© 2015 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games

I mentioned reference earlier, and once again, I have some super top secret reference of me as the alien monsters... in costumes no less. Who knew that mechanics that work on star fighters use pipe wrenches, but I am sure there has to be at least one pipe in a fighter. Posing for reference allows me to get into the physicality of the assignment, work out computational and anatomy issues, and get much-needed lighting and material reference. You can make it up and risk getting it all wrong or use reference and let the reference to inform your choices to get a lot of it right. Enjoy the reference...

Bothan and Chadra-Fan reference! RAWR!
Photos by Achsa Nute

Time to paint! In just twelve easy steps, you too can have a completed painting of some Rebels arguing over repair completion times. ...or not. Here is a look at the piece coming together...

Heated Tempers - Process progression

You *MIGHT* have noticed that the Chadra-Fan greatly changed size near the end of the painting. In fact, she changed size after the piece was completed and long after it was turned in. The person at Lucas Film that approves everything felt that the Chadra-Fan was way too big. I know that Chadra-Fan are very tiny creatures, this one, in the context of the illustration, is the right size as I painted it. She is in the foreground close to the viewer looking at the Bothan up over there in the middle ground. By shrinking her, she is moved into the middle ground right next to the ship. This effects the composition, tangents, and the interaction between the two figures. I explained that she was in the extreme foreground, and she was the right size. I then made the change because that is what the client wanted, and I am a professional. If this has been a traditional painting, I most likely would have made the change digitally and left the original as I intended. I think I still like the Chadra-Fan larger, but that is not my call. Here is a better look at the process coming together with a handy dandy animated gif...

Heated Tempers - Animated process progression

Once again, here is a look at the final published illustration in all its heated temper goodness...

Heated Tempers

12.5 x 14.5 - Digital

That is 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

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Narralia - Process - Onslaught on Arda 1

I am away from the computers, and the monsters are in charge... so of course, they are eager to show how they are made. Next up is the Narralia from Age of Rebellion, Onslaught on Arda 1. I first shared these pieces last August, so here is how the final Narralia turned out...

Narralia

Age of Rebellion - Onslaught on Arda 1

The Devlikk are an interesting species and was only ever so briefly seen in Episode 1. I was asked to streamline the look of the Devlikk for this book, to take out some of the awkward bits. Please understand there is nothing wrong with the design of the Devlikk, with the limited reference, they come off looking a little goofy... or a lot goofy. I worked up some thumbnails as well as smoothed out the rough spots all at the same time. The Devlikk are also depicted without a lot of clothes, so I was looking into addressing that too. Here is how the thumbnails turned out...

Narralia - Thumbnails

The better dressed Devlikk was the winner, and I was approved to move forward with the final drawing. Everybody likes a well dressed Devlikk... or not. Here is how the final drawing turned out...

Narralia

Age of Rebellion - Onslaught on Arda 1

9 x 12

Pencil on paper

Original - SOLD
© 2014 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games

The drawing was approved without issue, and it was time to get to painting. Over the years, these digitally painted isolated figure pieces got to the point that they started painting themselves. I just get in a grove, and they come together. Perhaps in eight easy steps or perhaps not, the painting comes together...

Narralia - Process progression

Does it RAWR? I must be done. To better show how this piece came together, here is another of those little animated process things...

Narralia - Animated process progression

Another monster is all done, again, here is how the final painting looked when it was all done and turned in...

Narralia

Age of Rebellion - Onslaught on Arda 1

That is 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 25, 2015

Daran'Enok - Process - Onslaught on Arda 1

I am away from the computers, and the monsters are in charge... so of course, they are eager to show how they are made. Next up is the Daran'Enok from Age of Rebellion, Onslaught on Arda 1. I first shared these pieces last August, so here is how the final Daran'Enok turned out...

Daran'Enok

Age of Rebellion - Onslaught on Arda 1

The Daran'Enok was a completely new creature I was fortunate enough to get to design and illustrate for Star Wars. They needed a new animal threat in the book that was bigger and more fierce than a Wookiee and could fly or glide and climb up and down the rock cliff of Arda 1. I started out with thumbnails that both designed the creature and played with poses. Here is how the thumbnails turned out...

Daran'Enok - Thumbnails

The first thumbnail design and pose was the winner, and I was approved to move forward with the final drawing. I got my pencil into action and worked up the drawing, and here is how it turned out...

Daran'Enok

Age of Rebellion - Onslaught on Arda 1

12 x 9

Pencil on paper

Original for sale over on my web store!
© 2014 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games

Daran'Enok - Process progression

Does it RAWR? I must be done. To better show how this piece came together, here is another of those little animated process things...

Daran'Enok - Animated process progression

Another monster is all done, again, here is how the final painting looked when it was all done and turned in...

Daran'Enok

Age of Rebellion - Onslaught on Arda 1

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, December 12, 2014

Star Wars: Age of Rebellion - Quarren Agitator PROCESS

Back in July, I shared with you my contribution to the most recent Fantasy Flight Games RPG, Age of Rebellion. Today I have for you the process that went into one of those pieces, Quarren Agitator. This is my first time having a chance to illustrate a Quarren for Star Wars, so it was a treat. First things first, here is how the final Quarren Agitator turned out...

Quarren Agitator

To get things started, I posed for some very angry Quarren reference. Nothing like standing around with a big silly knife threatening an unseen authority. With the reference in hand, I got to work on some thumbnails, and here is how they turned out...

Quarren Agitator - Thumbnails

I think the art order did call for the Quarren to actually be smashing the holo-screen with Imperial propaganda, but I wanted to try out some other options. "B" was the winner and the only one that had depicted holo-screen smashing action. With Thumbnail selected, it was time to get started with the final drawing, and here is how that turned out...

Quarren Agitator - Drawing
9 x 12
Pencil on paper

Original for sale over on my web store!

If you are wondering what the holo-screen says, let your curiosity be sated, it reads, "Make a Difference." That is my contribution to propaganda without it being too creepy and over the top... make a difference and join the Stormtrooper corp! The drawing was approved without note, and I was all clear to get started on my painting.

At some point during my, I realized that the Quarren's left arm was a little too big or a little too long... or both. I fixed it, but due to the way my files are set up, it is now no longer part of the layered order of my painting - which is why it will be absent for most of the process steps and then suddenly appear. I had to cut it out, adjust it, and reattach it later in the process. With all that said, here is the making of a Quarren in 16 easy steps, or not...

Quarren Agitator - Process steps

Besides the arm adjustment, I decided to make the shards of the screen actively falling rather than gathered on the ground. This makes the image more in the moment with the sparks flying and pieces of plastic going in every direction. That Quarren JUST smashed that screen, and he is yelling about why the Empire must be stopped... which is right before a Stormtrooper shoots him in the face. That will show those Quarren they should not have backed the Separatists and the armies of Count Doku. Should have stayed unified with the Mon Calamari, but that political discussion is pointless now.

As an added bonus, here is an animated gif thing of the progression through the steps that made this piece. Right before your eyes, the Quarren takes shape...

Quarren Agitator animated thing...

This concludes my contribution to the Age of Rebellion core book, but don't worry, there will be plenty more where this came from. Here again, is how the final piece turned out...

Quarren Agitator

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, December 10, 2014

Star Wars - Age of Rebellion - Stay on Target

Last week I had a new Star Wars pieces spoiled over on the Fantasy Flight Games website, so it, of course, is now showing up on the blog. The newest sourcebook for the Age of Rebellion RPG, Stay on Target, is about to release. I have one piece in this new book, Heated Tempers, and this is how it turned out...

Heated Tempers

A Bothan and a Chadra-Fan walk into a bar... well, not so much a bar as a Rebel hanger, and boy, are they angry. This piece was a lot of fun, and I never pictured myself having a chance to paint an A-Wing. Tha Chadra-Fan is not very happy with her mechanic, and he does not look too happy either! RAWR!

I think this is the last digitally painted Star Wars piece that I made. There are still some pieces in the ether that I can't share with you yet, but this was the last one that I worked on digitally. Kind of glad this was digital, there was a rather sizable edit that I had to make when I had finished the painting. The rest of the story will be saved for another day once the book is out.

Heated Tempers on the FFG website

That is 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

Friday, November 7, 2014

Star Wars: Age of Rebellion - Passk PROCESS

Back in July, I shared with you my contribution to the most recent Fantasy Flight Games RPG, Age of Rebellion. Today I have for you the process that went into one of those pieces, Passk the Trandoshan. By now, you should be more than aware of my love for the Trandoshan and how much I enjoy working on them. Passk offered up an enjoyable opportunity to do something a little different and a lot more fun. First things first, here is how the final Passk turned out...

Passk the Trandoshan

The assignment for Passk was to depict a flamboyant dandy of a Trandoshan that owner a curiosity shop that appears in the adventure provided in the Age of Rebellion book. The first thing I thought of was one of the outfits that I had for my Trandoshan in the Star Wars MMO, Star Wars Galaxies. To be honest, when I approach working on Trandoshans, I am either channeling Bossk from the Empire Strikes Back or Scitro, my character that I played for several years in Galaxies. Here is the only surviving image of Scitro in red that I have...

Scitro, my Trandoshan bounty hunter that I played in Star Wars Galaxies

(In his festive red attire, RAWR!)

As usual, I got things started with some thumbnails of a space lizard man in red. I posed for some a reference shoot with a cane in hand doing my best impersonation of a dandy lizard. Holding a cane really help get into character. Here are how the thumbnails turned out...

Passk the Trandoshan - Thumbnails

While 'A' was the obvious winner, I still very much like what was going on in 'B.' He just looks saucy and up to something. I might have to revisit that thumbnail, at least only as a drawing for some personal fun. With a thumbnail selected, I was ready to move forward with the final drawing...

Passk the Trandoshan - Drawing

9 x 12

Pencil on paper

Original Drawing - SOLD

This was a fun one to working and wad completed much too quickly. Never enough time to savor the drawing time on the space lizards. The drawing approved it was time to get started on the painting. In just eight easy steps, the painting came together (or not)...

Passk the Trandoshan - Process Steps

I think the biggest unforeseen aspect of this piece was my decision to add a monocle to Passk at the end of the painting him. Not sure why I didn't think of giving him a monocle sooner, but I am definitely glad I thought of it. I think it really sends it over the top. Here is an animated thing of the painting coming together...

Passk animated process thing...

By now, these isolated figure pieces practically make themselves. So concludes another Trandoshan piece to add to my growing collection of space lizard me. Here again, is how the final piece turned out...

Passk the Trandoshan

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, August 27, 2014

Star Wars - Age of Rebellion - Onslaught on Arda 1

So much new work to choose from to share, it is so hard to pick which is next...

Kinda on a Star Wars kick, so here is my work from the newly released adventure for Age of Rebellion, Onslaught on Arda 1. One of the pieces I was asked to create for this book was a brand new creation for the Star War Universe, the mighty Daran'Enok, and here is how it turned out...

Daran'Enok

Narralia

The female Devlikk named Narralia was great to work on too... but to finally be able to design and illustrate something new for Star Wars eclipses her. The funny thing is that I always just expected this opportunity to happen... which seems really odd looking back at it. When I began my art career, the Star Wars prequels were in full swing, and Star Wars was EVERYWHERE. Then I started working with WotC, and they had, at the time, all the Star Wars games. For one reason or another... and most likely MANY reasons, I never had a chance to work on anything, let alone design something new. ...but now I have, and I am so very thankful for the opportunity to add my voice to that galaxy far far away.

Here are some images of the book so you can see how the work turned out in the final product...

Handy Dandy images of the work in the book, with minimal flip-flopping.

Many thanks to Zoe Robinson for another exciting Star Wars project!

That is 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

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Star Wars: Age of Rebellion

Today on the blog I have for you some new Star Wars work! The core sourcebook for Age of Rebellion has just been released, and that means I can share the two character pieces that I produced for it. This time around, I add another Trandoshan to my growing tribe of space lizard man pieces, and my very first Quarren! Here are how the final pieces turned out...

Passk the Trandoshan

Quarren Agitator

First off, if you are wondering what is written on the sign that the Quarren is smashing, it says, "Make a difference" in Aurebesh. My little Imperial propaganda contribution to the piece. At the time this book had its art assigned I was too busy to take anything on more than a pair of isolated character pieces - which I was thrilled to do and very happy with their finished illustrations - but man, there are some exciting and fun illustrations in the book I would have liked to do. It is just full of great art! Age of Rebellion is a new group of RPG books that, along with Edge of the Empire, will flesh out the RPG world of Star Wars. Here is how the pieces looked in the book (which is in stores now! and sorry for the crappy images)...

Never trust a Trandoshan, they are flip-floppers...

Apparently, I had just a little too much flying glass and sparks to fit into the final layout.

Thanks go out to Zoe Robinson for another exciting Star Wars project! There will be more Star Wars on the blog in the fullness of time... RAWR!

That is all for another exciting Wednesday, 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