Beholder Gazer - Volo's Guide to Monsters - Process

The monsters are in charge of the blog, and they have decided to share with you the process and steps that went into making the five paintings that I contributed to the Dungeons & Dragons supplement, Volo's Guide to Monsters. I hope you enjoy it!

Today's selection is the Beholder Gazer. It is hard to go wrong with any type of Beholder. It is also hard to think of any other monster more directly tied to D&D, except for maybe a dragon. I have always loved Beholders and I probably always will. Here is how the final Beholder Gazer turned out...

Beholder Gazer

11 x 14 - Digital

Art Director - Kate Irwin

© 2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC

There was no need for a photo reference shoot to start off these thumbnails. I am more than familiar with the beholder form, and I was able to sit back and play around with making a funny little beholder-Kin. Here are how the thumbnails turned out...

Beholder Gazer - Thumbnails

© 2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC

Option C was the winner, and I can't object. Looking back at them now, C is the obvious pick of the litter, though at the time I think I really wanted A to win. Live and learn and have confidence that production will pick the right ones! I got the go-ahead to move onto the final drawing. Production thought the eye stalks of the drawing were a little, um, naughty and I was asked to change them out. I did a new version with less naughty eye stalks, and it was approved. Here are the two versions of the drawing...

Beholder Gazer (Original Version)

11 x 14 - Pencil on paper

Art Director - Kate Irwin

Original - SOLD

© 2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC

Beholder Gazer (Final Version)

11 x 14 - Pencil on paper

Art Director - Kate Irwin

Original - SOLD

© 2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC

With an approved drawing I was given the go-ahead to start the painting. With all of these Volo pieces, the painting went quickly, smoothly, and there were no issues or concerns. Which is always nice. I just got to sit back and have fun making pretty monsters. Being an isolated figure helps out a lot too. Here is the paint work for this piece coming together...

Beholder Gazer - Process steps

You will notice that the eye stalk furthest on the right looks a little weird throughout the process. This is because late in the painting I realized it was a little off. It just wants not in the right place, and I needed to move it. Because of how I build up my files this meant permanently shifting my work on many layers. This also meant when I went back to share the process that it would look a little weird. The background mask layer was shifted, and a later flattened paint layer was moved to match it. Happened pretty regularly when I work on isolated figures. To better show how the painting developed, here is an animated progression of it taking shape...

Beholder Gazer - Animated process

While there is a fair bit of pushing and pulling of form and value the painting was extremely straight forward. I get into a zen state when working on isolated figures as I work the large forms and then lay in all the detail work. I just want to make a really pretty monster for these types of pieces, and hopefully, I did. Here again, is how the final painting turned out...

Beholder Gazer

11 x 14 - Digital

Art Director - Kate Irwin

© 2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC

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

Lizardfolk - Volo's Guide to Monsters - Process

The monsters are in charge of the blog for the next week and a half. For this time they have decided to share with you the process and steps that went into making the five paintings that I contributed to the Dungeons & Dragons supplement, Volo's Guide to Monsters. I hope you enjoy it!

Starting things off will be the wily Lizardfolk. I think the Lizardfolk was my favorite piece from the book. I have a soft spot for the D&D Lizardmen that goes back decades. There was just something about this guy's smirk that I really liked, plus all the gear it needed to have. Here is how the final Lizardfolk turned out...

Lizardfolk

11 x 14 - Digital

Art Director - Kate Irwin

© 2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC

This piece needed to be more than a monster since it was the template for a player character race. It needed to be dressed a little better and have an air of humanity about him. Well, as much humanity that a Lizardfolk can have. Production asked for a smirk or some other facial queue to it having more intelligence and motivation than a brainless monster. Armor, equipment, and a fish on the hip was also requested by production. Like I said, I think this one really turned out well, and it is my favorite of the bunch. To get started with the process, I of course started with a round of thumbnails to get the ideas to work out...

Lizardfolk - Thumbnails

© 2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC

If I remember correctly all three thumbnails were liked by production, but it may have been just A and C. No matter, I was allowed to pick which one I wanted to move forward with. I picked A since it shows off the body and equipment the best. C is good too, but the pose does obscure a lot. As I proceeded with the final drawing, I was asked to add additional armor and equipment to make sure that that this Lizardfolk read less as a monster and more as a character. Here is how the final drawing for the Lizardfolk turned out...

Lizardfolk

11 x 14 - Pencil on paper

Art Director - Kate Irwin

Original - SOLD

© 2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC

The drawing was approved, and I was given the go-ahead to start the painting. With all of these Volo pieces, the painting went quickly, smoothly, and there were no issues or concerns. Which is always nice. I just got to sit back and have fun making pretty monsters. Being an isolated figure helps out a lot too. Here is the paint work for this piece coming together...

Lizardfolk - Process steps

To better show how the painting developed, here is an animated progression of it taking shape...

Lizardfolk - Animated process

While there is a fair bit of pushing and pulling of form and value the painting was extremely straight forward. I get into a zen state when working on isolated figures as I work the large forms and then lay in all the detail work. I just want to make a really pretty monster for these types of pieces, and hopefully, I did. Here again, is how the final painting turned out...

Lizardfolk

11 x 14 - Digital

Art Director - Kate Irwin

© 2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC

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

Aqualish Arms Dealer - The Return of Tools of the Job

I have for you another Star Wars piece that I did making a return appearance for your viewing and gaming pleasure. This time around the return of a painting comes shortly after its original appearance. Back in July I shared with you one of my contribution to the Jabba's Realm expansion to Imperial Assault, Tools for the Job. Granted, this set did come out in December of 2016, I only got around to sharing the painting on the blog in July. That said, in the upcoming expansion to the Star Wars LCG, Swayed by the Dark Side, the art is returning as the Aqualish Arms Dealer...

Aqualish Arms Dealer

Star Wars LCG - Swayed by the Dark Side

I have to say I am liking the look of the card now that it has jumped to the LCG. Imperial Assault always is limited on space on the cards, so the LCG just give more room for the art to live and breath. Game mechanics come first on all of these products, so if something has to be squished, it will be the art. Just the way of things. Here is how the art originally appeared as Tools for the Job in Imperial Assault...

Tools for the Job

Imperial Assault - Jabba's Realm

The LCG cards are also a larger sized card so the art will always look a bit better. Case in point, here is an image of the original painting and the Tools for the Job card side by side...

I fear I sometimes do not take the realities of final production printing into consideration when working on a painting. I focus on making a good image as a painting. Hopefully it all transitions well and does not muddy the final card with too dense of an image.

Lastly, here again is the full painting for both Tools for the Job and Aqualish Arms Dealer. It went to a forever home at Gen Con where it will play with the rest of its Imperial Assault friends.

Tools for the Job

Star Wars Imperial Assault - Jabba's Realm

14 x 11 - Acrylic and pencil on board

Art Director - Deb Freytag

Original - SOLD

© 2016 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games

That is all for another exciting week on the blog, the monsters will be taking over things for a little while here on the blog, so we will see what they have in store 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

Uncanny Scribe - The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia

I have a new piece from The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia! Today's monster is the hardworking Uncanny Scribe, much like many that live and work in the Grand Bazaar, the story of the Uncanny Scribe's life is not necessarily a happy one. Bound to their work, they are cursed to toil because of their skilled hands and unique ability with written languages. Having a desirable skill but not the power to defend yourself can put you in a perilous position in the Grand Bazaar. If you need scrolls, papers, and documents made with the finest materials and highest quality, and have the coins to rent one, then you should seek out an Uncanny Scribe.

Uncanny Scribe
11 x 14 - Pencil on paper
Currently Available Grand Bazaar Originals
© 2017 Christopher Burdett

Uncanny Scribe - Drawing
11 x 14 - Pencil on paper
© 2017 Christopher Burdett

Here are all the other completed monsters for The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia: Aberrant Stilter, Belled Kreep, Corrupted Knight, Dight-Kin, Eau-de-nil Elder, Ethra VanDalia, Footman, Gray Wanderer, Gullet, Humgruffin Mother, Irritated Girasol, Judicator, Kiplorbic Animal Dealer, Lammergeier Transport, Myopic Riflemen, Nimsbane Curse Victim, Ophiomornous Bureaucrat, Petrous Blacksmith, Quincaillerie, Saint Marque, Smokestack, Thrice, Uncanny Scribe, Virulent Artificer, Xandrell Tree, Yote Arms Dealer, and Zombic Spore.
 
As a bonus, I have some images of the line work and rendering process of this piece so that you can get a better idea of it taking shape.

Uncanny Scribe - Process © 2017 Christopher Burdett 

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

Death Mark - The Return of DXR-6 Disruptor Rifle

It is no secret that Fantasy Flight Games likes to use and reuse the art that done for them in many of their Star Wars games. I have hand many pieces of my Star Wars pop up multiple times all across the FFG Star Wars Games. It is a little bit of a game at this point to try to find them all and to keep track of them. Recently, I came across the return of my DXR-6 Disruptor Rifle piece that I originally produced for Imperial Assault. This time around it is the Death Mark card in the Scrap Metal expansion to the Star Wars LCG...

Death Mark

Star Wars LCG - Scrap Metal

Not a bad looking card! I am actually really pleased with how this piece looks on this card. It really gets the point across and shows off that angry Trandoshan doing angry Trandoshan things. No matter how the card printed it will be better then its original printing in Imperial Assault where the card was cropped down to the just the rifle...

DXR-6 Disruptor Rifle

Imperial Assault - Core set

The Death Mark card is actually not the first time this art has been reused. Shortly after the release of the core set to Imperial Assault the DXR-6 Disruptor Rifle art appeared on a convention exclusive alt art Trandoshan Hunter card. My art was on the original Trandoshan Hunter cards that are in the core set to Imperial Assault AND in the organized play kit, so it was only fitting that my art was on the convention exclusive card too. This alt art card turned out really good too and shows off a lot more of the piece, but I think Death Mark is my favorite to date.

Trandoshan Hunter

Imperial Assault - Adepticon exclusive giveaway

Lastly, here is the full are for DXR-6 Disruptor Rifle. Or is it Death Mark... or is it Trandoshan Hunter? It is all those things and more! Amyway, here is the full art for all these cards...

DXR-6 Disruptor Rifle

Imperial Assault - Core set

10.1 x 9 - Digital

© 2014 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games

That is all for another exciting week on the blog, Monday is a holiday so I will see you back here on Wednesday with a NEW monster from the Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia! Until then...

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

Upcoming Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia Monster Sneak Peek

In the middle of another busy stretch so the I have a quick sneak peek of things I am currently working on for The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia. There are three monsters that I am working on that are currently leaving the drawing table, on the drawing table, and waiting to be on the drawing table. That is about all I have time for today as far as the blog goes. ENJOY!

Process images from the Uncanny Scribe

Look for the finished image next week here on the blog!

Process images from the Quincaillerie (Ken-Kel-Lay)

Look for the finished image in the coming weeks here on the blog!

Initial sketch for the Lammergeier Transport

Still a lot of work to go before this one hits the blog.

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

Gen Con 2017 Recap - Day 4

All good things come to an end, even Gen Con. After a late night Saturday it was a very early morning on Sunday. Everyone survived the night and made it to their tables on time and the show began again and no one was the wiser to the level of exhaustion that loomed over the artist show like a fog. The morning was a bit low key, but as the day went on spirits brightened. Sunday of Gen Con this year was the single best day for me at any con. A good way to end the convention and always nice to leave with less than you bring. It is not always about sales, but sales are important to insuring that the convention experience is not a financial hindrance. Going into the convention my thoughts were not on sales, it was about seeing friends that I have missed and having a chance to catch up with people I only see once or twice a year. In the end of Gen Con it is nice to know that I was able to kill two birds with once stone.

Sunday is a shorter day on the floor, but there is tear down and packing up of the car. Each year it is a little easier and a little quicker. Many folks have to head home after tear down but those that are staying the night usually get together and we feast on Japanese food. It has become a tradition and it is a wonderful way to end the con. Good food, good drinks, some quiet time with friends, and a chance to relax and reflect on the past four days. We usually are all awake enough for a brief outing afterwards, but it is an early night for use all as the convention catches up with us. Another Gen Con done and it is one for the record books. I wonder what Gen Con 51 has ins tore??? Here are some images from day 4 of Gen Con 50...

It is like they never moved. This room was full the night before and it is even more full now. I can only imagine at the fun being had in there!

This year's balloon sculpture was a huge golden dragon. This was the best view of it that I was able to get the entire weekend.

Signed some more Magic cards.

Tools for the Job card next to the painting. Regular and mini me versions of the art.

Since Sunday is the last day and busy and there is a finite about of time I am limited on how many drawings I can do. Here is a Gen Con 50 dragon on the back of a Magic proof.

Only did one Pokemon on Sunday. This was a new one for me.

A bunch of Trandoshans needs signing and I was more than up to the task.

Looking around at the fun. I wish these images gave a better feeling for the crush of people.

I found Pikachu... and now I wish I hadn't

These Catan sheep were all over the place. Never knew why.

The walls came down while I was at the car getting the wheelie cart and all the boxes and packing material. I have to get the paintings down immediately or risk the walls coming out from underneath the paintings.

What was a mighty art show...

...is now a barren waste of tables.

All the art and all the crowds are now gone. I immediately get lost once the walls and art is gone. I loose track of where my table is.

The crowds are gone. The banners are down. Soon the rooms will be empty. 

Gen Con is officially over for another year...

That is all for another exciting day 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