The DOODLES, DESIGNS, and aRT of CHRISTOPHER BURDETT: jabba the hutt

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Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Rancor - Star Wars - Process

Five years ago to the day, I worked on a Rancor painting for the Jabba' Realm expansion to Imperial Assault. Today, I am sharing with you the process and steps that went into making that painting. It is a little hard to believe that I made this painting five years ago, that it has sat in my blog queue folder all this time and all that I have done in these past five years. It feels like yesterday, and it feels like twenty years ago. To start things off, here is the final painting for the Rancor.

Rancor

Imperial Assault - Jabba's Realm Expansion

11 x 14 - Acrylic and pencil on board

Art Director - Deb Freytag

Original - SOLD

This was the second time I was asked to paint a Rancor for the Fantasy Flight Star Wars games. This time the Rancor needed to be depicted living its best life on its homeworld of Dathomir. That meant lots of red and lots of RAWRs. I have been more than acquainted with the Rancor since the summer of 1983, and it is a real treat to paint this particular Star Wars monster.

While I talk a lot about my process, always beginning reference, I am not able to share that reference. Much of it is pictures of me in my underwear, and no one needs to see that. When it comes to my work on Star Wars, I can employ my extensive collection of Star Wars toys to carry the bulk of the heavy lifting. It is not every project that you can open a box and have instant perfect reference for an assignment. While I have an idea for compositions and images in my head, when I use the toys as reference I can build little dioramas to better work things out, or I can position the figures into dozens of poses and arrangement as quickly as needed. Here is a look at some of the many photos that I used for reference for this painting.

Rancor Reference

With the reference collected, I can begin on thumbnails. I look at all my options, see what which are speaking to me, determine which work best for the assignment, and decide which I would like to actually paint. Typically, there are three to four winners, and they move onto becoming thumbnails. While some of the references is used nearly as is, some will be combined with other elements, edited, or in some way changed to make it work better. You must be aware that the reference is not perfect. While something looks correct in the real world, once it becomes a drawing or painting, it can begin to look awkward or wrong. Here are the four thumbnails that I submitted for this assignment.

Rancor Thumbnails

Option 'D' was selected, but I was asked to make some changes. For one, the planets/moons in the sky were too large and too dominant and they needed to be made smaller. The other issue was that the figure was crowding the chrome of the card that it was eventually going to be on. One of the problems with most of my work on the Star Wars properties was that I wanted all of my paintings to be up close and in the art's action. Most of the Star Wars games had many borders, numbers, information, and elements that cut into the art or overlapped it. This meant that there needed to be a lot of padding, especially at the top of the image, for the card's chrome to overlay. This meant that many of my thumbnails were updated to pull back from the subject matter and add a lot of padding around the figures. Here is my updated thumbnail, and you can see how much more room there is now around the Rancor.

Revised Rancor Thumbnail

This updated thumbnail was approved without further With an approved thumbnail, it was time to work on the final drawing that would be the blueprint for my painting. As mentioned many many times before, this is my favorite part of the process, and it often feels like the part I have the least time for. I have done things differently in my process over the past year to change that a little. But that is for another day and another assignment.

Rancor

Imperial Assault - Jabba's Realm Expansion

17 x 14 - Pencil on paper

Art Director - Deb Freytag

Original - SOLD

The drawing was approved without comment, and that meant it was time to start my painting. By this point, I had produced several traditional paintings for Star Wars, and some of the fear had begun to ease when beginning one of these pieces. I was still somewhat worried that I would ruin it all, but I was experienced enough to know what to do if I did ruin it. Here is a look at the process of the Rancor painting coming together from thumbnail to final approved painting.

Rancor Process

I got the painting to the point that I thought was done. It felt like it hit all the marks and with knowing how the painting would be used and printed, I figured I had all my bases covered. Here is the first version of the Rancor painting that I turned in.

Rancor Version 1

I don't remember any comments about the Rancor itself, and I don't see any difference in the painting - though I likely touched it all again, production wanted more done to the foreground and background. They wanted more pop, more detail, and they wanted it all to have more more more. I did as they asked because I am a professional, and you meet the requests of the client. I went back to the painting and pushed and pulled the background more. I added a lot more to the foreground and middle ground. For the most part, I just touched everything in the painting one more time to give it all a little more attention. As mentioned, I am not sure I did much or anything to the Rancor, after all, it is the star of the piece and got a ton of love and attention already. Here again, is the final painting of the Rancor that I submitted and was approved.

Rancor

11 x 14 - Acrylic and pencil on board

Original - SOLD

Now, let us have a look at the final production card that my art appears on. It is a good thing that all that additional work that I did on the card really got to shine in the card and really made a difference to how the art looked. Oh well. It is out of my hands, and I did what I was asked to do.

Rancor card in a handy dandy form

The art was reused in another of FFG's Star Wars games a year or so ago. You see a bit more of the art, but it was printed so very, very small on the card. The extra work goes pretty much unseen here as well.

Rancor reprinted as part of the Out Rim game, making it even smaller.

Do not get me wrong. I did as I was asked, without complaint or concern, and it did result in a visually more complex painting that could be considered better. I only wish that the extra work was visible to those playing the game. Oh well, it is all a little late now!

That's 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, August 2, 2017

Remaining Contributions to Jabba's Realm - Imperial Assault

On Monday I shared with you Tools for the Job, a painting I did for the new(ish) expansion to Imperial Assault, Jabba's Realm. This was not the only piece that I had in this new expansion, but it was the only piece I had not previously shared. I had two additional pieces in the expansion, one new that I had already shared and another previous piece that made an encore. To start things off here is my favorite of the new work that I created for Jabba's Realm, the Rancor...

Rancor

Imperial Assault - Jabba's Realm Expansion

11 x 14 - Acrylic and pencil on board

Art Director - Deb Freytag

Original - SOLD

I really enjoyed this one. Not only was this my second opportunity to paint a Rancor for the Star Wars games and it was the first chance to paint a Rancor on Dathomir. A win/win if I do say so. This art may have been cropped and flipped in the final card, FFG did feature it a lot on their website. Here is a look at the final card for the Rancor...

Rancor in handy dandy card form

Lastly, my Salacious B. Crumb painting my an encore appearance in Jabba's Realm on a pair of cards. The art was flipped and production pushed the background back a bit, but these things happen and are to be expected. Here are the new cards for Salacious B. Crumb...

Salacious B. Crumb in new handy dandy card forms

My Salacious B. Crumb painting is still one of my favorite pieces that I did for the Star Wars games and I am glad to have any opportunity to post it. Glad to see that it is still thought well enough by the folks at FFG to see print again. Here is my original painting of Salacious B. Crumb...

Salacious B. Crumb

10.6 x 7.9 - 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, November 2, 2016

Rancor - Imperial Assault - Jabba's Realm Expansion

While at Gen Con I had a new Star Wars piece spoiled and I am just now getting it on the blog. I am REALLY behind with getting new work up here. I need to rectify this. At Gen Con the newest expansion to Imperial Assault, Jabba's Realm was announced and with it so to was my art that accompanies a most excellent and sizable miniature. I present to you my art for the Rancor...

Rancor

Imperial Assault - Jabba's Realm Expansion

11 x 14 - Acrylic and pencil on board

Art Director - Deb Freytag

Original - SOLD

This was a fun one. I was my second time painting a Rancor and this time I got to depict it on its home world of Dathomir. This piece was actually done earlier this year and was a rush piece since they wanted to have the set potentially out by the end of the year. It was kind of a blur to work on because there was a second piece I was working on at the same time. This second piece has yet to be spoiled. When I share the process for this piece I will do my best to recall all of the exciting ups and downs. Here is a look at the final card, you can see how much it got cropped as well as it getting flipped horizontally...

Rancor in handy dandy card form

Always interesting to get asked to do such a large image when in the end it gets snipped down to a sliver. This piece also made the rounds in September on the FFG website as part of the previews of the Jabba's Realm expansion...

Various graphic using the Rancor 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, August 26, 2016

Lords of Nal Hutta - The Return of Salacious B. Crumb

I have another sighting from Gen Con of my work making a repeat appearance in the Star Wars universe. This time around it is my Salacious B. Crumb that I did for the Star Wars Card Game. It has come back as a half page illustration in the new Star Wars RPG supplement, Edge of the Empire: Lords of Nal Hutta. It looks a little something like this in the book...

One of the first pages of Star Wars: Edge of the Empire - Lords of Nal Hutta

You can't miss the image, it is one of the first pieces when you open the book, which is pretty cool. Unfortunately, it looks like my name got left out of the credits of the book. Oh well, not the first time and most likely, not the last time either. I have always submitted imaged larger than I needed to for all of my assignments, this is what it gets me! Nice to see it printed larger than the original card art. Here is what the original art looks like, to refresh the memory...

Salacious B. Crumb

Star Wars LCG: Darkness and Light

10.6 x 7.9 - Digital

I can't post about Salacious B. Crumb without also sharing what the final production card look like, here it is in the wilds of Gen Con...

Salacious B. Crumb in handy dandy card form as seen at Gen Con!

That is all for another exciting week on the blog, see you back here on Monday for something magical! 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 16, 2015

Jabba's Rancor - Imperial Entanglements - Process

To continue a very Star Wars filled week I have for you today the process and steps that went into Jabba's Rancor, my contribution to the Imperial Entanglements expansion to the Star Wars LCG. I first shared this piece with you in July, just prior to Gen Con when it was spoiled as part of the Bantha Raider Villain Pack for Imperial Assault. This is still one of my favorite pieces that I have created for Star Wars. So that we are all on the same page, here how the finished painting turned out...

Jabba's Rancor

Star Wars LCG - Imperial Entanglements

14 x 11 - Acrylic and pencil on board

Art Director - Zoe Robinson

Original - SOLD

This piece needed to depict the Rancor that lived under the main hall of Jabba the Hutt's palace. The rancor needed to be holding a Gamorrean Guard in one hand and needed to have the floor grate above casting a shadow on it. I was more then ready to take on this assignment! It was time to get started on some thumbnails and that means doing a photo shoot with a Rancor. Luckily, I know a Rancor I can call upon. Last month I talked about how I use my robust Star Wars action figure collection to help with reference and composition in my work. This is where having an amazing film accurate Rancor figure comes in handy...

Instant grate floor brought to you by the drying rack from our clothes dryer.

Before shooting the figure I worked out several ideas in my head and then shot accordingly. I shot a lot of images of the Rancor from many different posses to cover everything I would need. I also shot a lot of extra... just in case. Using the drying rack from our clothes dryer I was able to achieve the desired shadow pattern on the figure.

Jabba's Rancor - Reference sample

Pulling from my reference photos I worked out several posses and compositions of the Rancor. I used these reference composites to then create my thumbnails and further work out the environment and scene. For my first option I wanted to do something from Luke's POV of the Rancor. As the Gamorrean is about to be eated, Luke looks up at the Rancor. For the other two I wanted to go with something a little more straight forward. Cover my bases and give something that was a little more of a Rancor Portrait. Here is how the thumbnails turned out...

Jabba's Rancor - Thumbnails

Thankfully, my first option, Luke's POV was picked. It was my favorite of the set, but you sometimes never know what will be selected by production. With the thumbnail selected and no additional feedback it was time to work up the final drawing...

Jabba's Rancor

Star Wars LCG - Imperial Entanglements

17 x 14 - Pencil on paper

Original - SOLD

The drawing was approved without note and it was time to get painting. In just 18 steps you too can have a Rancor painting... or not. Here is a look at this piece coming together...

Jabba's Rancor - Process progression

This was a really straight forward painting, excpet when it wasn't. The secondary light source from the grate behind the guard and Ranor's hand was problem from the beginning. Compositionally, it allows a light source to rim light and highlight the guard and to make sure it all reads well over in a corner that would otherwise be dark. In practice it just was not working. This really was the only issue of this painting, but it plagued me almost the entire time. As you can see, I painted it out and repainted it several times. In the end, the most successful solution was to remove the grate. It turned out to be less distracting and actually seems to work better. Maybe if I had used a different color for the light? It took a lot of prodding from my wife, but removing it was the best choice.

To better show the painting coming together here is an animated progression using images I took along the way...

Jabba's Rancor - Animated process

Once again here is the final completed painting as well as an image of the printed card. I am super happy with how the card printed. I have mentioned it before, but I have for the most part extremely happy with how my paintings have been printing. I really hope this continues...

Jabba's Rancor

Star Wars LCG - Imperial Entanglements

14 x 11 - Acrylic and pencil on board

Jabba's Rancor in handy dandy card form

That is all for another exciting Wednesday on the blog, see you back here on Thursday! Until then...

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

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Salacious B. Crumb - Process - Star Wars: Darkness and Light

Today I have for you the VERY overdue process post for my Salacious B. Crumb card from the Star Wars Card Game. I first shared this with you WAAAAAAAY back in February of 2014 when the Darkness and Light expansion was first announced. This card continues to be a favorite of mine and I am happy to now share the work that went into it. Here is how the final Salacious B. Crumb turned out...

Salacious B. Crumb

10.6 x 7.9 - Digital

I was very happy to get this assignment and it was the first of many on screen characters that I have been able to illustrate. I love working on illustrations based around Jabba the Hutt, his palace, and the aliens that are associated it from Return of the Jedi. I really wanted to make this piece mine and add my voice to it. Which meant I was going to stray a little from the requested art order.

The art order called for, "Salacious B. Crumb, Jabba the Hutt’s jester, hangs from the low hanging ceiling over Jabba’s throne. Heckling a member of Jabba’s court that has displeased the corpulent gangster." First things first, it was going to be next to impossible to fit Jabba in the scene described in the art order and I really wanted to paint Jabba. Also, Crumb hanging from the ceiling is a little weird. Yes, he hangs from the rafters in the sail barge after being shocked by R2-D2 when defending C-3PO, but the rest of the time we ever see Crumb he is sitting with or on Jabba. I really wanted to depict Crumb in his iconic spot of sitting on the edge of the dais heckling and doing his crazy Kowakian monkey-lizard antics.

I let me art director know I was going to be going off script, but was going to turn in something cool and she gave me her blessing. I got to work on some thumbnails and here is how they turned out...

Salacious B. Crumb - Thumbnails

I talk a lot about reference and he is a good time to talk about it again. One of the things I like about working on Star Wars, besides my life long love everything having to do with it, is that I can use my substantial toy collection as handy reference. The toys are detailed, accurate, and possible, which makes getting lighting and composition reference images a quick and painless task. Here are the images that I used as reference...

Salacious B. Crumb -Reference

Option "B" was the winning thumbnail. If I remember correctly it was also my favorite of the bunch. It allows a nice glimpse of Jabba, a triangular composition that I love so much, and little treats of the fanning Jawa and the hookah frog creature. There were no comments on the thumbnail except that it was approved and I moved forward with a detailed drawing...

Salacious B. Crumb

12 x 9 - Pencil on paper

Original - SOLD

The drawing was approved and I was all set to move forward. I worked up a toned drawing of it for myself as part of the process to figure out some value and lighting issues. Here is how the toned drawing turned out...

Salacious B. Crumb

14 x 11 - Colored pencil on paper

Original - SOLD

I was all set to now begin on the painting. In just twelve easy steps the Salacious B. Crumb painting came to life... or not. This piece came together fairly easily and was rather straight forward. There were no real curve balls on this one. I was making the red light source in the tub in the background a little too prominent at first, but that got resolved. Here is how the Salacious B. Crumb came into being...

Salacious B. Crumb - Progress progression

As an added bonus here is an animated process thingy to better show the painting taking shape. You can watch the hours fly by in half second increments...

Salacious B. Crumb - Animated Progress thingy

As mentioned before this continues to be one of my favorite pieces. I put a lot of myself into it and really pushed to make it into the piece I wanted to make while still fulfilling the needs of the client. Here again is the final completed painting as well as an image of the final production card...

Salacious B. Crumb

10.6 x 7.9 - Digital

Salacious B. Crumb in handy dandy card form as seen at Gen Con!

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, July 27, 2015

Jabba's Rancor - Star Wars Card Art

Just in time for Gen Con! I have been approved to now share this piece after a part of it was spoiled on the FFG Website recently. This is the piece that started off my traditional card art on Star Wars last year. What better way then to start it all off with the Rancor! Hard to go wrong with such an icon and cool monster from Star Wars. I have always loved the Rancor and it was really great to be able to paint it for the Star Wars games. Here is how Jabba's Rancor turned out...

Jabba's Rancor

Bantha Raider Villain Pack (among other things)

11 x 14 - Acrylic and pencil on board

Original - SOLD

Those attending Gen Con will be the first to see this piece in person and if so inclined can take it home with them. You know you need a Rancor on your wall! RAWR!

I mentioned that this was the first card art for Star Wars that I painted traditionally last year, well it is now one of many that I have created over the last year. Looking forward to sharing them all in the fullness of time. This painting was originally intended for a different project but was spoiled when reused on an upcoming miniature expansion for Imperial Assault. A HUGE thanks to Zoe Robinson for this assignment and being open to my transition into traditional paint!

Bantha Raider Villain Pack for Imperial Assault

If you look carefully you will see a happy little Rancor... RAWR!

That is all for another exciting Monday on the blog, see you back here on Wednesday for more new Star Wars work! Until then...

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

Monday, August 11, 2014

Salacious B. Crumb - Toned Paper Drawing

Gen Con is THIS WEEK and I will be there in the artist alley again! If you are attending stop by and say hello... and buy lots of my stuff, cause it is cool... and you NEED it in you life! RAWR!

To that end, I have a piece I have not yet shared with you that will be at the convention with me. Back in February my Salacious B. Crumb piece was spoiled and today I have for you the toned paper drawing for that piece. Those attending Gen Con will have the first opportunity to take this Kowakian monkey-lizard home with them!

Salacious B. Crumb

14 x 11

Colored pencil on paper

I managed to remember to take a process image while working on this... once. SO... here is the one process shot of this while I was working on it. It is kinda in the post Crumb / pre Jabba period...

Scribble, scribble, scribble...

I think that is about all for this piece, it is all packed up and ready to head out to Indianapolis for the best four days in gaming at Gen Con. Hope to see you there!

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

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

The Droid's Task - Star Wars: It Binds All Things - Process

Back in January I shared with you The Droid's Task that I created for the It Binds All Things expansion of the Star Wars Card Game. Now that this expansion has been released the time has finally come to share the process that went into this piece. So we are all on the same page, here is how the final piece turned out...

The Droid's Task

This piece needed to portray the deadly bounty hunter droid, IG-88, having a meet and greet in Jabba's Palace as it received a mission or task. There was only one logical next step... REFERENCE! I started things off with creating several tableaus based on some composition ideas that I had and used my vast collection of action figures to work out my thoughts. When it was all said and done, three of my reference images rose to the top...

Reference! Let the toys do the heavy lifting during concepts

Now that I had a starting point for my compositions I got to work on my thumbnails. There was still a bit to do to turn the reference into something usable, but they were a big help in getting this complex scene headed in the right direction. Here are how the thumbnails turned out...

The Droid's Task - Thumbnails

While I liked them all, "C" was my favorite and the winner as far as Zoe and FFG were concerned. It conveyed that this scene was at Jabba's Palace and it focused heavily on IG-88 getting some sort or instructions, duty... or TASK, as it were. With an approved thumbnail it was time for a drawing...

The Droid's Task - Drawing

BOOM! Drawing done and approved... time for some painting. This piece was a very odd size and I ended up making it really big so that I could get a enough height to get the detail level I prefer. In the end, the file is twenty or more inches wide. Here is a breakdown of the piece in sixteen steps...

The Droid's Task - Process steps

You might notice there is a lot of editing of IG-88 towards the end and that we loose Bib Fortuna. Once the painting was finished and turned in there were several requests for revisions from FFG. First was to remove Bib (I will paint you another day my friend) he was pulling focus in the middle of the image. There was some concern IG-88 was a little beefy in all the wrong areas and that the table he was sitting at was causing his limbs to appear shorter then they are. When it was all said and done there was a bit of editing late in the game... but, it made the client happy and so it gets addressed. Here is a more thorough animated break down of the panting coming together...

The Droids' Task animated process thingy...

Always nice to work with named 'monster' characters and I am a huge Jabba fan, so getting to paint him again was fun. While all the edits were a little stressful, end the end it did make for a stronger image that was easier to read at a glance. Again, here is how the final image turned out as well as the final production card...

The Droid's Task

The Droid's Task 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