Gudul Lurker - Dragons of Tarkir - PROCESS

Today I have for you the process and steps that went into a Magic the Gathering piece of my that I first shared with you back in March, the Gudul Lurker. The Lurker is a happy little salamander that lives in a happy little pond and thinks happy little salamander thoughts all day long. ...OR it is a monster that wants to eat your face and say, "RAWR!". Your choice. To start things off, here is how the final art for Gudul Lurker turned out...

"Gudul Lurker"

Magic the Gathering: Dragons of Tarkir

12 x 8.7 - Digital

PRINTS available at OMA!

ARTIST PROOFS available over on my web store! 

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

I got things started off with some thumbnails, as always. The art order asked for a large salamander creature that "...is crawling about in the reedy muck along the riverside. The creature is partly obscured by the river plants but is ready to pounce on some unseen prey." I provided a bunch of options, but I secretly wanted to move forward with option "D". To tell you the truth I would have been happy with any of these. Any of these pieces could have been a successful piece, I think "D" would be (and was) a MORE successful piece. I feel "D" just was a more realistic portrayal of this type of creature and of a living breathing animal. I also wanted to paint a little damselfly on the Lurker's nose. Here are how the thumbnails turned out...

Gudul Lurker - Thumbnails

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

In addition to the thumbnails I also worked up some color / pattern concepts and provided an image of how I envisioned the Lurker over all. Again, I would be happy with any of these, looking back now, I am not sure which of the color I liked best at the time. I think the blue works best... which is a good thing that it was picked! Here are how the concepts turned out...

Gudul Lurker - Body / Color Concepts

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

Option "D" was the winning thumbnail and I knew I needed some reference to make sure I had something from the real work to look to to help guide the piece forward. I made a stop to the local pet store and went straight to the turtle tank. The turtles did their best impressions of a Gudul Lurker and I took lots of images. Here is the winner that best informed the final piece...

Gudul Lurker - Hnady dandy turtle stand in reference

As you know by now option "D" was the winner. As far as the color / pattern concepts go I was instructed to go with option "B". Now that I had a direction and plan of action it was time to gear up and move this piece forward. I got to work on the drawings...

"Gudul Lurker "

Magic the Gathering: Dragons of Tarkir

12 x 9 - Colored pencil on paper

Original - SOLD

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

Drawing the Lurker was a lot of fun to say the least. The initial drawing was approved and I was ready to move forward on the tonal study and the painting...

"Gudul Lurker "

Magic the Gathering: Dragons of Tarkir

12 x 9 - Colored pencil on paper

Original - SOLD

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

This painting was generally a straight forward process... except near the end when I need some outside encouragement to help push the piece to where it needed to go. I was playing it really safe for a lot of the piece and not really pushing it like it needed. These things happen. Chalk it up to where I was mentally and artistically early last year. Chalk it up to the perceived added stress of this being a Magic assignment. Whatever it was or whatever combination of things, I played it safe and then needed to be kicked over the finish line. Live and learn! You will see the major push and pull changes near the end of the piece to see what I am talking about.

In just 16 easy steps you too can have yourself a painting of a giant salamander monster! Or not.  Here is a look at the painting coming together...

Gudul Lurker - Process progression

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

Here is another look at the painting coming together in a handy dandy animated progression so that the progression may be clearer to see as I worked up and edited the image during painting...

  Gudul Lurker - Animated process progression

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

Moving the entire image down midway through the process was my own edit. I felt the piece needed some breathing room at the top and the damselfly was getting crowded. Pushing the environment above the water brighter and less saturated while pushing the water very much more blue... yeah, I needed that encouragement to make those edits. This is why it is good to have a second option, a fresh pair of eyes, and to talk to other artists about what you are working on to make sure you are doing the most you can with your work. We are all in this together, even if we sit alone in our studios. Thanks, Aaron!

And with that another painting is completed! Again, here is the finished Gudul Lurker painting and the corresponding card from Magic the Gathering...

"Gudul Lurker"

Magic the Gathering: Dragons of Tarkir

12 x 8.7 - Digital

PRINTS available at OMA!

ARTIST PROOFS available over on my web store! 

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

Gudul Lurker in handy dandy card form

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

Ancient Carp and Gudul Lurker prints now available!

Prints for my pieces in the Dragons of Tarkir expansion of Magic the Gathering are now available over at my store!  Each 18 x 12 print is signed and numbered and are limited to a print run of 50. Once they are gone, they are gone! Head over to to see all available Magic the Gathering prints.

"Ancient Carp" - Magic the Gathering - Dragons of Tarkir

PRINTS available at OMA!

"Gudul Lurker" - Magic the Gathering - Dragons of Tarkir

PRINTS available at OMA!

Once I receive my artist proofs they will be going up on the store as well. There will be a post about them when they go up. RAWR!

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

Dragons of Tarkir Prerelease

I had the opportunity to be  part of the Dragons of Tarkir Prerelease events in Tallahassee over the weekend and had a blast at Gamescape. Since I did not have to travel I was able to bring a bunch of stuff with me that and set up a full booth. I signed a bunch of cards, sketched some tokens, watched a lot of Magic get played, and had some fun.

Big thanks to Ben, Aras, and everyone out at Gamescape for making the Dragons of Tarkir Prerelease so much fun! Here are some images from the weekend...

The booth offering all sorts of things for your hands and eyes!

Magic the Gathering prints! The new prints will be up on the store in the next couple of days!
PRINTS available at OMA!

Peddling my wears... RAWR!

The Ancient Carp in handy dandy card form

The Gudul Lurker in handy dandy card form

A foil Gudul Lurker was pulled during the first sealed tournament of the Prerelease and is was pretty cool to see one in the flesh so soon... OH! Shiny!

I kept forgetting to take images of the players playing. Finally remembered on Saturday afternoon during a Two Headed Giant sealed tournament. RAWR!

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

Toned Paper Ancient Carp / Dragons of Tarkir Prerelease Weekend

It is going to be a Magic filled weekend for me and many other folks this weekend. The Dragons of Tarkir Prerelease events start up at midnight tonight and I have a very long day ahead of me.

Today on the blog I thought I would share the toned drawing study I did for the Ancient Carp. While it is now in a new home where I am sure it will be love and appreciated I was really happy with it and a little sad to see it go. My monsters need to go out into the world to live and grow, so it is for the best. Here is out the Ancient Carp toned drawing turned out...

"Ancient Carp"

Magic the Gathering: Dragons of Tarkir

14 x 11

Colored pencil on paper

Original - SOLD

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

In preparation of the Prerelease this weekend I have had my new Magic prints made and they are all ready to make their debut tonight. Fear naught, they will be up on my store first thing next week!

Prints are all ready for the numbers... scribble scribble scribble
PRINTS available at OMA!

Ancient Carp with sequential numbering action!

Just look at those numbers! Increasing by one from one print to the next!

As mentioned on Wednesday, if you are in the Tallahassee area this weekend I hope to see you out at Gamescape. You can get all the details about the Prerelease events and when I will be attending over on Gamescape's Dragons of Tarkir Prerelease Facebook event page. If you aim for midnight Friday and 5:00pm on Saturday it will be a good bet that you will run into me. Just look for the banner with Yoda on it!

Come see me at Gamescape above the AMC theater in the Tallahassee Mall! RAWR!

That is all for another Magic filled 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

Tallahassee Dragons of Tarkir Prerelease Appearances

I am proud to be returning to Gamescape in Tallahassee, Florida to take part in their Prerelease events for the newest expansion to Magic the Gathering, Dragons of Tarkir! I will appearing at Gamescape Friday night and again on Saturday afternoon/evening.

I will be signing my cards and those attending will be the first to have access to my limited edition signed and numbered prints of my cards. In addition to signing and prints I will have original art, sketchbooks, play mats, and much more!

Get your hands on my new cards from DoT this weekend!

(I will try my best to not steal them from you)
PRINTS available at OMA!

If you are in the Tallahassee area this weekend I hope to see you out at Gamescape. You can get all the details about the Prerelease events and when I will be attending over on Gamescape's Dragons of Tarkir Prerelease Facebook event page. If you aim for midnight Friday and 5:00pm on Saturday it will be a good bet that you will run into me. Just look for the banner with Yoda on it!

All the details you need over at Gamescape's FB page

Memories of prereleases past at Gamescape

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

Magic the Gathering - Dragons of Tarkir - Gudul Lurker

Last week I had a piece spoiled from the newest expansion of Magic the Gathering, Dragons of Tarkir! This piece is near and dear to me because it is a giant salamander monster that I was asked to design and illustrate. Here is the final version of the mighty Gudul Lurker...

"Gudul Lurker"

Magic the Gathering: Dragons of Tarkir

12 x 8.7 - Digital

PRINTS available at OMA!

© 2015 Wizards of the Coast

I understand that the card mechanics are pretty okay, or so the internet has led me to believe. Either way people seem to think it is cute and there are a lot of folks out there that like salamanders. Honestly, who could blame them, salamanders and newts are super cool. Here is how the final card turned out in low resolution goodness...

Gudul Lurker in handy dandy card form

A big thanks to Jeremy Jarvis for the assignment and great art direction on this piece! I will have more to share about this in the coming weeks with the process and related aspects. This piece had its ups and downs as I worked on it and in the end it is stronger for it all. RAWR!

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