Revisiting the Monsters - Unicorn

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 Unicorn. Enjoy!

Unicorn 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 several recent Magic the Gathering artist proofs that I added art to the backs. All available artist proofs and art options can be found on my store. Most of these happened just after Gen Con and were all super fun to work on. Love making Pokemon and animals!

A Psyduck on the back of a Portant that returned to me for this art.

An octopus with swords and axes!

And finally, a pigeon!

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 - Troglodyte

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 Troglodyte. Enjoy! 

Troglodyte 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 Return of the Beasts - Beastly Scribe

Continuing to look back as I work forward. At one point, I had the time and the energy to do practice drawings, studies, and simply draw for the fun of it. These days I nearly exclusively draw with an intended goal. But fourteen years ago, it was quite different. At the time, I was completing a series of Beastly characters. I was working with reference to build my skill sets, and in the end I made a lot of weird animal warriors. This is a pig with a plan, and is one of my favorites from the set. 

Beastly Scribe

9 x 12 - Pencil on paper
© 2012/2026 Christopher Burdett

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 - 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

The Return of the Beasts - Beastly Fighter

Continuing to look back as I work forward. At one point, I had the time and the energy to do practice drawings, studies, and simply draw for the fun of it. These days I nearly exclusively draw with an intended goal. But fourteen years ago, it was quite different. At the time, I was completing a series of Beastly characters. I was working with reference to build my skill sets, and in the end I made a lot of weird animal warriors. This is an alligator with a sword. 

Beastly Fighter

9 x 12 - Pencil on paper
© 2012/2026 Christopher Burdett

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 - Ogre

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 Ogre. Enjoy!

Ogre 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 Return of the Beasts - Beastly Caster

Continuing to look back as I work forward. At one point, I had the time and the energy to do practice drawings, studies, and simply draw for the fun of it. These days I nearly exclusively draw with an intended goal. But fourteen years ago, it was quite different. At the time, I was completing a series of Beastly characters. I was working with reference to build my skill sets, and in the end I made a lot of weird animal warriors. This is a something or another casting a spell.

Beastly Caster

9 x 12 - Pencil on paper
© 2012/2026 Christopher Burdett

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

The Return of the Beasts - Beastly Archer

Continuing to look back as I work forward. At one point, I had the time and the energy to do practice drawings, studies, and simply draw for the fun of it. These days I nearly exclusively draw with an intended goal. But fourteen years ago, it was quite different. At the time, I was completing a series of Beastly characters. I was working with reference to build my skill sets, and in the end I made a lot of weird animal warriors. This is a bird with a bow.

Beastly Archer

9 x 12 - Pencil on paper
© 2012/2026 Christopher Burdett

That's all for another exciting week on the blog. I will be away for a bit of next week, so I will be back next Friday! 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 - Ki-Rin

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 Ki-Rin. Enjoy!

Ki-Rin 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

Rikala, Homarid King - Mystery Booster Commander

I am beyond excited to share with you my very first legendary monster for Magic the Gathering. Last year I was contacted by Kez Laczin because there was a monster with my name on it that needed to be made, and I am not sure that has ever been more accurate than this assignment. I present to you the mighty Rikala, Homarid King!

Rikala, Homarid King

Magic the Gathering - Mystery Booster Commander

14 x 11 - Pencil, ink, and acrylic on paper with digital finish

Art Director - Kez Laczin
 © 2026 Wizards of the Coast 

And you did read that correctly, this piece is traditional with a digital finish. I created a finished illustration in my personal style, the style I create all of my work for the Grand Bazaar. And after that image was completed, I glazed my art with color and made adjustments to create the final published image. At the end of the day, my traditional piece shines through. Here is the traditional final for this piece.

Rikala, Homarid King

Magic the Gathering - Mystery Booster Commander

14 x 11 - Pencil, ink, and acrylic on paper

Art Director - Kez Laczin
 © 2026 Wizards of the Coast

I made an animated GIF to show the glazed color over the traditional image. 

I could not be happier with this piece. This was a long time coming and likely should have happened sooner. At the end of the day, I am a drawer. I work best with pencil on paper, and I will create the best forms, volumes, lighting, and images when I am drawing. The color then goes down over it to create the image that Wizards needs for the game. But I first created the images I wanted to create. There is also my sketch that was created for approvals before I worked on the final. 

Rikala, Homarid King Sketch

Magic the Gathering - Mystery Booster Commander

14 x 11 - Pencil on paper

Art Director - Kez Laczin
 © 2026 Wizards of the Coast

Lastly, I present to you the published card. I cannot wait to get my hands on these, I am so happy with how it looks on the card. 

Rikala, Homarid King

That is all for another exciting Wednesday on the blog. See you back here on Friday, or maybe tomorrow, I just don't know anymore. Until then...

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

Remaining Gen Con Exclusive Final MtG Artist Proofs NOW AVAILABLE!

I am back from an amazing and exhausting Gen Con. The remaining Gen Con exclusive final Magic the Gathering artist proofs with art are now available on my store. Still plenty to choose from and an opportunity to get one before they are gone. I just wish my images of the art looked as good as they do in person!

Gen Con exclusive final MtG artist proofs are now on my store!

Here is a better look at the art on the cards. Again, I sure wish these images looked as good as the real thing. I am extremely happy with how all of these turned out! 

THREE Shifting Shadow proofs remain!

Shifting Shadow, Rejected Thumbnail Shifting Shadow, and Charmander! 

TWO Breaching Hippocamp proofs remain!

Breaching Hippocamp and Gyarados! 

THREE Coveted Peacock FOIL proofs remain!

Coveted Peacock, Articuno, and Ho-Oh! 

That is all for another exciting day on the blog. See you back here very soon! Until then...

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

What I Was Drawing 21 Years Ago

As I continue to focus on writing the next Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia book, I dig deeper and deeper into the archives to keep the blog active. While I have work older than this in the archives, I found these drawings from early 2005 interesting. These were done just after we left LA to move to Florida, but before I started to work for WotC in June of that year. These were me figuring out things and keeping the energy going and the learning happening.

Maybe no one will find these interesting beyond myself, but now that these drawings are old enough to drink, I look at them a little differently. I see in them the bad habits and the sloppy choices that I would need to correct over the years, but more so, I see what I will become starting to take shape. Things are starting to click, and ideas are forming. The hands of the first one would eventually show up on a creature in my first book. The second piece, after a redesign, is one of the species that will appear in my second book. The third piece has yet to resurface, but its anatomy and body structure have floated through plenty of concepts.  I should have the originals for these around here somewhere. I think.

All images © 2005/2026 Christopher Burdett  

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

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 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 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

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

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

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