Revisiting the Monsters - Sahuagin

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 Sahuagin. Enjoy!

Sahuagin 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

Fresh from the drawing table... Sahuagin!

I have for you another drawing that is fresh from the drawing table. This time around it is a Sahuagin! 'S' is a robust letter offering a lot of exciting monsters to choose from and it is always a hard decision to see who gets drawn first. The only reason the Sahuagin didn't get picked the first time through is that I had never drawn a Shambling Mound and I have drawn Sahuagin for D&D. On my second pass through I can now draw that most dastardly sea devil! I present to you my version of a Sahuagin ... 

Sahuagin
© 2012 Christopher Burdett

Aquatic scaly reptile fish man monsters... how can you be so fun to draw? Since I have already worked on a piece using the official D&D Sahuagin it can be a bit of an extra challenge to redesign the monster. Much like the Kobold, there is a lot about the current version of the monster that I really like. While I tried to approach the Kobold from a completely new direction, I tried not to stray too far with the Sahuagin. It is after all a humanoid aquatic lizard fish monster... there is still a lot of territory to cover before you need to start fresh. I should say that I did not actually pose for this monster, another artist and friend posed for monster reference some time back and I am finally getting around to using one of the images.

My first 100 original Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual redesigns (A - Z): Aerial Servant, Ankheg, Ant (Giant), Ape (Carnivorous), Ape (Gorilla), Axe Beak, Axe Beak (version 2), Baboon, Badger, Barracuda, Basilisk, Baluchitherium, Bear (Black), Bear (Brown), Bear (Cave), Beaver (Giant), Beetle (Giant) - Bombardier, Beetle (Giant) - Boring, Beetle (Giant) - Fire, Beetle (Giant) - Rhinoceros, Beetle (Giant) - Stag, Beetle (Giant) - Water, Beholder, Black Pudding, Blink Dog, Boar (Giant), Boar (Warthog), Boar (Wild), Brain Mole, Brownie, Bugbear, Buffalo, Bulette, Carrion Crawler, Catoblepas, Cerebral Parasite, Chimera, Cockatrice, Coutal, Crab (Giant), Demon Type III (Glabrezu), Demon (Juiblex), Demon (Manes), Devil (Ice), Dragon (Red), Elemental (Earth), Ettin, Eye of the Deep, Flightless Bird, Frog (Giant), Fungi (Violet), Giant (Hill), Goblin, Golem (Flesh), Hobgoblin, Homunculus, Hydra, Imp, Intellect Devourer, Ixitxachitl, Jackal, Jacklewere, Jaguar, Ki-Rin, Kobold, Lich, Lizard (Giant), Lizardman, Manticore, Mind Flayer, Minotaur, Naga, Neo-Otygugh, Nixie, Ochre Jelly, Ogre, Owlbear, Peryton, Pixie, Purple Worm, Quasit, Ram (Giant), Roper, Rust Monster, Sahuagin, Salamander, Shambling Mound, Treant, Troglodyte, Troll, Umber Hulk, Unicorn, Vampire, Wasp (Giant), Wight, Wyvern, Xorn, Yeti, and Zombie.        

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