The DOODLES, DESIGNS, and aRT of CHRISTOPHER BURDETT

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Glorkian Warrior: The Trials of Glork - Fan Art Contest

I recently took part in a fan art contest being held by the great folks over at Pixeljam Games. There was a call out for Glorkian Warrior: The Trials of Glork related art, and since I am a fan and player of the game I was more then happy to jump in and make some Glorkian art. It turns out that I took third place in the contest! Here is my winning contribution...

Glorkian Warrior: The Trials of Glork

Art by Christopher Burdett

You can see the over winners and get info about Glorkian Warrior: The Trials of Glork over on the Pixeljam website. A BIG thanks to all involved and I am thrilled to have won myself a graphic novel! Here is a look at the original drawing that went into my piece...

Glorkian scribblings

9 x 12

Pencil on paper

That is all for another exciting Wednesday, 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, October 13, 2014

Very Near Mint volume three

I may have first mentioned VNM volume 3 way back in February of 2013 but the wait has well been worth it because VNM3 is now out in the world! I am happy to also share my contribution to this new graphic novel. I have more then once mentioned Justin Perterson's graphic novel series that includes VNM1, Uncanny VNM, and VNM2. Over the years I have taken Justin's characters and turned them into monsters and put them in harms way, and this time is no different. Here is my contribution to Very Near Mint volume 3...

Teenage Mutant Ninja VNM
Art by Christopher Burdett
Characters © 2014 Justin Peterson

This piece was a lot of fun to work on and I was more then thrilled to be a part of VNM3. Also nice to help a friend and live vicariously in comics through someone else. Here are some images of the piece in process...

Mutants taking shape in red and blue.

Mutants in black and white... and some gray.

If you need another reason to pick up VNM3... how about you need to get it because I am in the book as a character! There was an option in Justin's Kickstarter for VNM3 to be a character in the book and I was quick to jump on that. While enjoying your copy of VNM make sure you keep an eye out for me...

Very Near Mint 3 with special guest star... ME!

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

Friday, October 10, 2014

Dungeon & Dragons Monster Manual - Gorgon - Redesign

Concluding another week of monsters from 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons I am bringing you the redesign of the very METAL, Gorgon. It is all fun and games until a giant metal bull monster smashes in and breathes poison green gas all over you adventuring party. Here is how the final concept turned out...

Gorgon - Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual - Redesign

Okay, I have to admit, this one was kinda hard. The Gorgon is one of those weird monsters that is kinda crazy as a stand alone idea (poison breathing metal bull) but still needs to be kinda like a real bull. I think that was what got me from the beginning, I was in a 'RAWR, MONSTER' state of mind when it needed to be in more of a 'Hey, I am bull... that is metal'. Needed to be less RAWR and more REAL. Anyway, I am getting ahead of myself... Here are how the first set of thumbnails turned out...

Gorgon - Thumbnails

As already mentioned, these were not cutting it for the Gorgon. I got some notes and some art direction and got a new start on a revised thumbnail. Still was fishing a little it on what this thing needed to be. Not necessarily feeling what this thing really needed to be. Here is how the revised Gorgon looked like...

Gorgon - Revised Thumbnail

It was better, but still not there yet. I got some more feedback and art direction (THANKS, Jon!) and after some email conversations I had a better feeling for where this thing needed to head. After some more frantic scribbling on the computer I had an updated version of the Gorgon...

Gorgon - Revised REVISED Thumbnail

This version hit the mark and I was given the go ahead to work up the final drawing. After having lot my way several times with this monster it was good to be finishing it up. Here is how the final drawing turned out...

Gorgon - Drawing

9 x 12

Pencil on Paper

Original Drawing for sale over on my web store!

It looks like I spoke to soon! Upon review of the drawing by the full team I received some notes to edit the Gorgon further. Even though this is a poison breathing giant metal bull it is still a living monster and should not appear to be made or constructed. I was asked to remove anything that looked like a rivet or element that made it look hand built. I made these changes digitally since most of the drawing was to remain the same. Here is how the revised drawing turned out...

Gorgon - Revised Drawing

Seventh time is the charm! I had an approved drawing and it was time to move ahead to the final digital color comp of the Gorgon. Nothing like a big shiny metal animal to bust out all the specular highlights. Here is how the final color comp turned out...

Gorgon - Final Redsign

This final color comp was approved and I was able to mark it off my list. While it was still a fun monster to work on, other monsters came to me much easier and quicker. Not all the monster can and should be easy and we learn from the hard one. I also learned that I did not have as much good bull reference as I thought I did.

A HUGE THANKS to Jon Schindehette for all the monsters and direction during the design phase of 5th Edition!

That is all for another exciting week on the blog, I may be taking next week off from the blog, or maybe it will be on auto pilot! Until then...

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

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Dungeon & Dragons Monster Manual - Flesh Golem - Redesign

Monster Manual monster redesigns continue today... I told you I did a bunch of these things... Today I have a rather humanoid monster and that is okay because it is a monster mess, which I like a lot. What is made from the bodies of the dead and hopefully will obey the will of its creator? That would the reanimated Flesh Golem! Here is how the final concept turned out...

Flesh Golem - Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual - Redesign

Not dead, but not fully in the world of the living, the Flesh Golem is a mess of body parts where science and magic merge. I am no stranger to Flesh Golems, not only did I work on a Frankenstein TV movie in my other art life but I also redesigned the Flesh Golem for myself in 2012. When I was tasked to redesign the Flesh Golem for 5E I wanted to make sure I explored new ground as well as cover my bases with a traditional approach. I got to work on some thumbnails...

Flesh Golem - Thumbnails

The first note from production was to loose the magic runes, there were plans for such things to be used elsewhere. If you are familiar with my work you know that 'A' and 'C' are right up my alley and I would draw stuff like this all day without complaint. I love the top heavy big beefy body shape. I knew 'B' was going to be rejected and too crazy, which it is, but it needed to be done and submitted. 'D' was the most traditional design and the most similar to what I did for myself. While sticking to the classic visual archetype I still wanted to make it feel oddly put together and kind of off. As you already know, 'D' was the winner and it was time for the drawing...

Flesh Golem - Drawing

9 x 12

Pencil on Paper

Original Drawing for sale over on my web store!

Always nice when a monster can appear something other then instantly threatening. The switch from confused, unintelligent, sympathetic, or helpful to a threat is always really satisfying. The drawing for the Flesh Golem was approved and I was given the go ahead to work up the final color version of this drooling heap of flesh that will be as likely to rip you apart as to walk into a wall and stay there. Here is how the final color version turned out...

Flesh Golem - Final Redsign

Another monster was put to bed and the villagers can get there torches and pitchforks ready for a night out. While I would have loved to do the version with the three heads this is really what comes to mind when you imagine a Flesh Golem, and sometimes there really is not need to reinvent the wheel and stick close to what has been established over the last 40 years of D&D.

A HUGE THANKS to Jon Schindehette for all the monsters and direction during the design phase of 5th Edition!

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

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

Monday, October 6, 2014

Dungeon & Dragons Monster Manual - Fire Beetle - Redesign

The 5th Edition Monster Manual is now officially out in the world and I had a great book signing over the weekend. Coverage of the monsters I redesigned for the 5E MM continues with the might Fire Beetle. RAWR! Here is how the final concept turned out...

Fire Beetle - Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual - Redesign

I am all about giant insects... working on one for a personal project right now. Giant insects with the word 'fire' in their description? Even better! In fact, I re-redesigned the Fire Beetle since I originally did this one for 5th Edition. Those familiar with the blog know I am redesigning the entire original Monster Manual and recently I got to the Fire Beetle. But we are not here to talk about that we are here for the 5E Monster Manual. As with all good monsters, they started with some thumbnails...

Fire Beetle - Thumbnails

With some monsters the options are so open I just do not know where to start or what direction to take, so there will me lots and lot of thumbnails and designing. These six are my top picks from all the thumbnails I scribbled away on. I felt some were getting close, or were at least good starts for some further work. Turns out that 'E' was actually the winner and was almost to the finish line (or was it?). I had a few notes and I worked up a new more fleshed out concept thumbnail...

Fire Beetle - Revised Thumbnail

This thumbnail was approved and I was given the go ahead to work up the final drawing. Here is how the final drawing for the Fire Beetle turned out...

Fire Beetle - Drawing

9 x 12

Pencil on Paper

Original Drawing for sale over on my web store!

Things are always in flux. People change their minds. New people are brought in. Nothing is set in stone until it is payed for or printed. After sending in the above drawing and thinking that this is the new look for the Fire Beetle I got a lot of notes on changing the beetle a bit. I decided to do the edits digitally over my drawing since most of the monster was staying intact. After changing its head and back here is the new version of the Fire Beetle drawing...

Fire Beetle - Revised Drawing

While production always has the final say I was a little taken aback by the edits to the design. I thought, at the time, that the monster was being watered down and a lot of what made it look 'cool' was getting removed. Time moves on and the greater context of the monster in the world of the game becomes clear and it becomes obvious that production made the right choices. This updated version was approved and I was given the go ahead to work up the color comp...

Fire Beetle - Final Redsign

There were some little edits after turning in the final color version to get the glow effect to look correct, but beyond that the creature was approved on the first pass. Since this left my hands it looks like the monster eventually lost the little fire jet nozzle on it forehead altogether. It no longer has a offensive fire attack and goes back to being a source of light for adventures. In the end I was happy with how this one turned out... all things considered.

A HUGE THANKS to Jon Schindehette for all the monsters and direction during the design phase of 5th Edition!

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

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

Friday, October 3, 2014

Dungeon & Dragons Monster Manual - Fire Bat - Redesign

More monsters, RAWR! Today's monster redesign that I created for the 5th Edition Monster Manual is the very HAWT Fire Bat. Here is how the final concept turned out...

Fire Bat - Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual - Redesign

A Fire Bat... a bat on fire... FIRE bat... fire BAT... fibatre... Sometimes when approaching a monster the name so permanently controls the basic being and look of that monster that you can go in circles. While there was no real need to reinvent the wheel with the Fire Bat I did want to give it a fresh spin compared to the previous incarnations. ...which were a big bat shaped fire elemental. Here are how the thumbnail concepts that I submitted turned out...

Fire Bat - Thumbnails

Not surprisingly, I came up with a lot of bat shaped fire elementals. FIRE BAT! In a last ditch effort, an act of desperation, or a stroke of inspiration I thought to add some bones. Good thing too... I would have hated to be stuck in perpetual redesign of the Fire Bat. Without adding those bone I could be sitting here even now on my 5047th round of Fire Bat revisions trying to make it cool. The bones saved the day and I was asked to do a more detailed thumbnail to make sure the anatomy and bones looked realistic and accurate to a real bat. Good thing for me... I own a bat skeleton! With some observation and reference I worked up a more fleshed out thumbnail...

Fire Bat - Anatomical thumbnail

This more fleshed out thumbnail was approved and it was time to draw. With my bat skeleton in hand it was time to get drawing. Here is how the final drawing for the Fire Bat turned out...

Fire Bat - Drawing

9 x 12

Pencil on Paper

Original Drawing for sale over on my web store!

There was not a whole lot of difference between the anatomical thumbnail and the final drawing except the drawing was on paper and is a whole lot cleaner and tighter. But it is part of my process so I make sure to follow my steps to create a finished product that I am happy with. The drawing was approved without comment and I moved onto the final color comp...

Fire Bat - Final Redsign

The final color redesign was approved without comment and another monster was squared away. My biggest concern for the final version was that the fire read well and that the skeleton looked burnt. Maybe I did that, maybe I didn't... but it was approved. All I knew is that I needed to move onto the next monster...

A HUGE THANKS to Jon Schindehette for all the monsters and direction during the design phase of 5th Edition!

That is all for another exciting week on the blog, see you back here on Monday for another new monster! Until then...

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

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Dungeon & Dragons Monster Manual - Gauth (Spectator) - Redesign

The monsters keep coming, RAWR! Today's monster redesign that I created for the 5th Edition Monster Manual is a wily Beholder-Kin, the Gauth (now Spectator). Here is how the final concept turned out...

Gauth (Spectator) - Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual - Redesign

The Gauth has always been more or less portrayed as a four eye stocked Beholder like creature. Production wanted me to continue this, but give it an update and reworking. I was so excited about this one and the finished piece remains one of my favorite redesigns. Once I started to thumbnail concepts I had to stop myself because I think I could have continued on and on and on working up little floating balls of teeth and tentacles. Here are how the thumbnail concepts that I submitted turned out...

Gauth (Spectator) - Thumbnails

If I remember correctly, "C" and "D" were favorites for production. "C" they really liked but there was a concern it would read as a Beholder that had lost its stalks in a fight rather then being a completely different creature. "D" offered up a unique silhouette and read instantly as a Beholder like creature that is not a Beholder. In the end, it is obvious "D" won because it was more unique... and I think it looks better then some of the more snaky wavy stalked Gauth concepts. Now that I had an approved concept it was time to get started on the drawing...

Gauth (Spectator) - Drawing

9 x 12

Pencil on Paper

Original Drawing - SOLD

I fleshed out the concept and added my usual level of detail that makes me feel that the drawing is finished. I think I could have drawn Beholder-kin for days or weeks. Perpetual production of teeth, tentacles, eye stalks, tongues all on horrid floating balls... sounds like fun to me. The drawing was approved without comment and I moved onto the final color comp...

Gauth (Spectator) - Final Redsign

The final was approved immediately and as I have said, remains one of my favorites produced for 5E. They all can not be Beholders, but when they are, I really try to savor the moments working on them. The final illustration for this monster was expertly handled by Kieran Yanner! RAWR!

A HUGE THANKS to Jon Schindehette for all the monsters and direction during the design phase of 5th Edition!

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

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