Yucatan Monster Reference

Today is a holiday in these parts so I am letting the monsters run the blog today. To that end, they have decided to share some monster reference that I took during my recent trip to the Yucatan. Turtles, iguanas, and coati... OH MY! Lots of wonderful scale and pattern information in some of these as well as some movement reference in two videos! Hope you enjoy...

Video time! The iguanas at Tulum were the most mild mannered and allowed me to get the closest. Because of that, here are a pair of videos showing an iguana in action, doing his thing...

RAWR!

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

Yucatan Adventures - Ek Balam

Concluding my Yucatan adventures we arrive at last, but certainly not least, to Ek Balam. Not knowing what to expect from Ek Balam the fact that a temple facade featuring the mouth and face of the Earth God was uncovered in the last 20 years was a surprise not thought possible. There is plenty to see at this site, but the real treasure is the surviving and AMAZING temple facade. If you are wondering, yes, it was always all white. Imagine a red building, white temple facade of a massive God face and a king or spiritual leader standing in the mouth covered in golds, reds, blues, feathers, skins... speaking to his people... it must have been something! The view from the pyramid's top was also very impressive. I present to you, Ek Balam...

The figures along the were most likely ancestors of the leader found buried within and exhibit recognizable birth defects attributed to inbreeding.

Temple facade wants to NOMS you. Figures hold the eyes of the God open so that it will be ever vigilant. There are both animal and human teeth in this toothy snarl.

Well worth the climb up the pyramid... Do not miss seeing this in person when visiting Ek Balam.

The wind was cool and refreshing up here and something in the distance was burning. You could see all the Ek Balam from up here. A Mayan could see their entire world from the tops of these pyramids.

 All images © 2014 Christopher Burdett

This concludes all of the ruins that we visited in the Yucatan. While I would not miss seeing any of them or returning to any of them... Uxmal was my favorite over all. There were the fewest tourists and vendors and the most isolated as well as it having the most unexpected treats in the best condition. When visiting, be sure to go to all of these sites... but Uxmal is not to be missed.

That is all for an very Yucatan 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

Yucatan Adventures - Uxmal

Continuing my adventures across the Yucatan, today we arrive at Uxmall (Ooshmal). Uxmal is officially one on my new favorite places on the planet. I can not speak highly enough about the quality and quantity of amazing things to see at Uzmal. The carvings are beautiful and plentiful. A lot of the carvings depict Chaac, the rain God, and I will definitely need to create something Chaac related in the near future. I present to you, Uxmal...

Again, out of the jungle rise amazing structures of stone.

Chaac!

I think this is my favorite photo that I took on my adventures.

Everywhere there are faces and amazing carvings.

From the top of the pyramid you can climb looking back at the main pyramid.

All images © 2014 Christopher Burdett

That is all from Uxmal, tomorrow we wrap up the adventure at Ek Balam, which held a unexpected treat.
That is all for another exciting 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

Yucatan Adventures - Chichen Itza

Sharing images from my recent adventures in the Yucatan all this week on the blog. Today I have for you the most famous of the Mayan sites, Chichen Itza. The pyramid at Chichen Itza is on the license plates for the Yucatan state and can be seen almost everywhere you look when traveling through this part of Mexico. This was the busiest site we visited with bus loads of tourist arriving by starting mid morning it was also surrounded by vendors peddling their wares. Our lodgings were walking distance from Chichen Itza, so we had a couple hours of exploration before the crowds of tourists and vendors were at full strength. I present to you, Chichen Itza...

If you have a mental image of the Yucatan or the Mayan ruins, it is probably this pyramid.

I tried very hard to image these ruins as they must have been when they were living cities. They impress as ruins and they must have been amazing when they lived. If you visit make sure you face an intact staircase and clap your hands... then imagine 50,000 people doing the same.

Plenty of coatl to draw inspiration from.

Yes, you can be a monster soon.... but only because you asked nicely.

All images © 2014 Christopher Burdett

That is all from Chichen Itza, tomorrow we journey to Uxmal, my most favorite of the ruins we visited in the Yucatan.

That is all for another exciting Wednesday 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