The DOODLES, DESIGNS, and aRT of CHRISTOPHER BURDETT: yoda

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Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Yoda - Process

Waited a long time I have, to share this post. One of my big pieces of 2014 was the Yoda card that I produced for the Fantasy Flight Games Star Wars card game. I have posted this piece everywhere and it has already been accepted as part of Infected By Art 3. This is one of those pieces you wait and wait for and when it arrives you just knock it out of the park... or fail miserably. Luckily for me, this time I had both hands on the bat. I always assume I will never get a major character or hero piece for a project since I specialize in monsters... then Yoda comes along. Just so we are all on the same page, here is my final Yoda piece...

Yoda

Star Wars: The Card Game National Championship Prize

12.4 x 8.9 - Digital

This piece called for something very specific, Yoda on Dagobah in a "bad ass" pose with his lightsaber. The rest was up to me. I got to work on some thumbnails and one of the first ideas I came up with was Yoda levitating rocks to use as target practice. Would anyone else get it? I certainly didn't know at the time. Though I was really excited about the sliced up rock idea I came up with some other version of Yoda being cool and sent them all off...

Yoda - Thumbnails

Turns out that my idea with Yoda slicing up rocks was the winner. Before I get too far I better mention good old reference. I took a ton of reference to work out these poses and to get my head around the pint sized Jedi Master. The only thing was I don't have any good lightsaber reference. My wife stepped in and made an an executive decision and got me a lightsaber for use in this piece. The lightsaber has actually come in really handy for a number of other reference needs, like as a laser blast. Here is a peek at some of the reference that was taken for this piece...

Reference I am. Pose I will.

With an approved thumbnail it was time to move onto the drawing. For this piece I cut out my usual white paper sketch step. I knew I was going to work up a toned paper drawing for this piece and cut out the middle man and went right on the toned paper from with the approved thumbnail. Here is the line are stage of the final drawing...

Yoda - Drawing (Line art stage)

I still needed to get the drawing step approved so I scanned the line art on the toned paper and made it black and white for the approval process...

Yoda - Drawing (Line art stage)

Black and white version that was submitted for review

The drawing was approved with out comment so I was now cleared to finish my toned drawing and get started with the painting. Here is how the final toned paper drawing turned out...

Yoda

Star Wars: The Card Game National Championship Prize

11 x 14

Colored pencil on paper

Original - SOLD

Time to get started with the painting! This one came together as many of my other pieces do, I work back to front and try to touch everything as I build up the piece. There was just a little adjusting while I was working on it, but for the most part it just came together with all the pieces falling into place. Here is the piece coming together in 18 easy steps...

Yoda - Process steps

Once production reviewed the final piece they believed that Yoda's legs were too long. My reference and familiarity with the character told me that my piece was accurate, but production wanted the change, so I made the change. That is how that works. I worked up two ways of addressing the leg issue, one had Yoda about to touch down on the ground and the other brought the ground up to make the requested leg length. The second version was picked. Here are my two variations on shortening Yoda's legs...

Yoda - Revision variants

Lastly, here is an animated gif that better shows the piece coming together. You can see the shortening of the legs clearly and how I adjusted the over all image as I worked...

Yoda - Animated progression thing

This piece will be a benchmark for all my work to come. Since I am now working traditionally I have a lot to learn and a lot to aim for. This piece will be my goal and the level of quality and detail I want to achieve with my traditional work. ...as well as any digital work that I find myself doing. Here again is the final image of Yoda...

Yoda

Star Wars: The Card Game National Championship Prize

12.4 x 8.9 - Digital

Here is how the art looks on the card as seen at Gen Con 2014 where the card was part of the National Championship for the Star Wars LCG. I thought the card turned out great and hope that I can be part of something like this again in the future!

A fistful of Yodas 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

Friday, January 9, 2015

Infected By Art 3 - Selected Pieces

The internet was a buzz yesterday as people shared their work that was selected for inclusion in Infected By Art 3. I am happy to include myself as one of the artist to be included in IBA3! I am sharing the pages of IBA3 with many of my peers, friends, and all around excellent artists. It is a real honor to be able to have three pieces in the book and it is not lost on me that these are most likely some of my strongest pieces from the past year. ...I am also pleased that one of the pieces is a personal work and not just client work was accepted.

Infected By Art volume 3 accepted pieces... RAWR!

Here are nice big versions of all my work that will be appearing in Infected By Art volume 3 so that you can get a good look at it. I am already eagerly looking forward to seeing the finished book that will be filled with so much excellent art.

Yoda

Star Wars: The Card Game National Championship Prize

12.4 x 8.9 - Digital

Gray Wanderer

9 x 12

Pencil on paper
© 2014 Christopher Burdett

Original - SOLD

"Ravenous Leucrocota" - Magic the Gathering - Journey Into Nyx

Digital
PRINTS available at OMA!

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

Friday, August 29, 2014

Star Wars Art Swap

Recently, it came to my attention that friends of mine had a pair of budding Star Wars fans running around their house. These Star Wars fans also liked to draw, a winning combination in my book! Happy to inspire the next generation of Star Wars enthusiasts and to encourage artistic endeavors I sent them a pair of drawings...

Yoda for Nolan

5 x 5

colored pencil on paper

Jawa for Parker

5 x 5

colored pencil on paper

Little did I know at the time that my gift would be reciprocated! Right before leaving for Gen Con a package arrived in the mail with six outstanding drawings. Nolan wanted to thank me for my drawings by sending me some of his own and I am thrilled to receive them! I wanted to share his work you, here are Nolan's Star Wars drawings...

Return of the Jedi - Battle at the Pit Carkoon

By Nolan

Jar Jar Bink

By Nolan

Darth Vader and a Stormtrooper

By Nolan

Stormtrooper

By Nolan

Angry Birds Star Wars

By Nolan

Even more Angry Birds Star Wars

By Nolan

While I wish I could display them all...

(the six drawings are on three sheets of paper - front and back)

... I have added my favorite to my office wall!

That is all for another exciting week on the blog, see you back here on Tuesday, since Monday is a holiday in these parts! 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 4, 2014

Yoda - Toned Paper Drawing

Last week I shared with you my Yoda painting that will be making its debut at Gen Con as a participation prize for those taking part in the Star Wars Card Game National Championship. Today I have for you the toned paper drawing from this piece. Those attending Gen Con will have the opportunity to see this piece in person for the first time... and if interested, can take it home with them!

Yoda

Star Wars: The Card Game National Championship Prize

11 x 14

Colored pencil on paper

Unfortunately, I did not document this drawing coming together, there is just the finished product. What I do have, which I will be sharing when I share the process for the painting, is the finished line art for this drawing which was submitted to the client. I do not have a what paper drawing for this piece, I cut out the middle man on this piece and went from thumbnail sketch directly onto toned paper for the drawing.

More on this another day, sometime after my return from Gen Con. Speaking of Gen Con... it is just around the corner! Next week even...

That is all for another exciting Monday! 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

Monday, July 28, 2014

Yoda - North American Championship Prize

I have only been sitting on this piece since February... but it has been a long wait none the less. Last week it was spoiled on the Fantasy Flight Games website as part of their North American Championship prizes at Gen Con in August. Here is a piece I have spent my life as an artist working toward...

Yoda

Star Wars: The Card Game National Championship Prize

12.4 x 8.9 - Digital

I put a lot of myself into this piece, not just time and effort. When I share the process there will be some fun reference photos of me in a robe on my knees wielding a lightsaber. Here is an image of the final card that will be given away at Gen Con...

PRIZES!

While I would have loved to see Yoda on that backpack I don't like the idea of trying to get my hands on one... they will be super rare items.

Did I mention Gen Con? Well, I am ready for attending Gen Con and Illuxcon this summer with my brand new retractable Yoda banner! ...for all my retractable Yoda banner needs. Here is a look at the art for the banner...

Depending on the set up at Gen Con this may or may not make an appearance, but it will definitely be at Illuxcon at my table in the Showcase. RAWR, I will!

Even though it is a kinda crappy photo, here is a look at the final banner that arrived last week, all 7.5 feet of it...

Can't miss me you will...

A big THANKS to Zoe Robinson for thinking of me when this assignment came up. This piece means a lot to me.

That is all the Yoda information I have for you right now. I will have the process for this piece here on the blog most likely right after Gen Con. I will see about getting the drawing for this up before Gen Con... but if you attend Gen Con you will see it there! 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