Fresh from the drawing table... Beetle (Giant) - Boring!

I have for you another drawing that is fresh from the drawing table. This time around it is a Beetle (Giant) - Boring! The Boring Beetle is the sixth and final giant beetle included in the original D&D Monster Manual. I present to you my version of a Beetle (Giant) - Boring… 

Beetle (Giant) - Boring

9 x 12

Pencil on paper

Original - Currently not available

© 2015 Christopher Burdett

Giant Beetles come in all sizes, from over grown subterranean beasts to huge magic created leviathans to gigantic walking unnatural disasters. The Boring Beetle is somewhere in between and more toward the low end of the spectrum. Was this a naturally accruing creature? Was this the byproduct of wizardly actions? Who knows... but as long as you keep them supplied with their fill of wood you can get the Giant Boring Beetle to do just about anything. At some point all the player characters will get themselves giant mounts of some sort and it will be just that much harder for the Dungeon Master. Forget dragons, someone is going to want the Giant Ram, someone is going to what the Giant Boring Beetle, and someone is going to want an ...ostrich. ...or not. When the player's Giant Beetle is devoured by a Purple Worm there will be a sad funeral ceremony. You will never be forgotten, Billy the Giant Boring Beetle.

My first 100 original Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual redesigns (A - Z): Aerial Servant, Ankheg, Ant (Giant), Ape (Carnivorous), Ape (Gorilla), Axe Beak, Axe Beak (version 2), Baboon, Badger, Barracuda, Basilisk, Baluchitherium, Bear (Black), Bear (Brown), Bear (Cave), Beaver (Giant), Beetle (Giant) - Bombardier, Beetle (Giant) - Boring, Beetle (Giant) - Fire, Beetle (Giant) - Rhinoceros, Beetle (Giant) - Stag, Beetle (Giant) - Water, Beholder, Black Pudding, Blink Dog, Boar (Giant), Boar (Warthog), Boar (Wild), Brain Mole, Brownie, Bugbear, Buffalo, Bulette, Carrion Crawler, Catoblepas, Cerebral Parasite, Chimera, Cockatrice, Coutal, Crab (Giant), Demon Type III (Glabrezu), Demon (Juiblex), Demon (Manes), Devil (Ice), Dragon (Red), Elemental (Earth), Ettin, Eye of the Deep, Flightless Bird, Frog (Giant), Fungi (Violet), Giant (Hill), Goblin, Golem (Flesh), Hobgoblin, Homunculus, Hydra, Imp, Intellect Devourer, Ixitxachitl, Jackal, Jacklewere, Jaguar, Ki-Rin, Kobold, Lich, Lizard (Giant), Lizardman, Manticore, Mind Flayer, Minotaur, Naga, Neo-Otygugh, Nixie, Ochre Jelly, Ogre, Owlbear, Peryton, Pixie, Purple Worm, Quasit, Ram (Giant), Roper, Rust Monster, Sahuagin, Salamander, Shambling Mound, Treant, Troglodyte, Troll, Umber Hulk, Unicorn, Vampire, Wasp (Giant), Wight, Wyvern, Xorn, Yeti, and Zombie.      

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

Illuxcon 2015 Preparations

Illuxcon 2015 is upon us! Many are already on their way to Allentown, PA for five days of AMAZING and AWESOME art. I hope that you find yourselves among those attending because Illuxcon is really a special time filled with great people and great art. I have said it plenty of times while sharing my adventures each year, Illuxcon has had a profound effect on my career as an artist. This year will be no different, especially because I will be part of the Weekend Salon for the first time!

I have been preparing for my time in the Weekend Salon for weeks and I am hoping I didn't forget anything. At the moment, I am more concerned that I have packed too much! Better too much then too little, right? Because I am shipping the majority of my show to Allentown I had to start prepping weeks in advance. These preparations included completing several new paintings and drawings, organizing and prepping a huge addition to the drawings I will be offering, and getting everything either packed for shipping on crammed into suitcases. No small task, especially as I work it all around work and life. As long as the boxes arrive in Allentown safely and the day of flights to get to Allentown go smoothly, the rest will work itself out.

I have some pics and peaks at the boxes and cases and some general preparation stuff... if you are so interested...

Some, but not all of the framed paintings and drawings waiting to get boxed up for shipping.

One of the carry on suitcases on its way to being absolutely filled to the brim...

...and the second carry on suitcase that might have just a little more space in it.

A bit box of drawings for all your big box of drawings needs.

Carry on suitcases and a backpack full of unframed paintings and drawings ready to go to Allentown!

All the framed work is packed, padded, and secure for its long journey to Allentown.

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

Dight-Kin - The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia

Here is the last of the new work that I have been finishing up in preparation for Illuxcon. I have been sitting on this piece for a while now. First, I had the idea, and then I did nothing. Second, I sketched out the concept and then did nothing. Third, I did the line art drawing and then did nothing. Finally, FINALLY, I made the time to render this bad boy up fully, and now it is done. This thing has been haunting me for MANY months.

 Dight-Kin

11 x 14 - Pencil on paper

Currently Available Grand Bazaar Originals

© 2015 Christopher Burdett

With the encouragement of my wife, I scanned the line art stage of the Dight-Kin so that there is a documentation of that stage of the drawing, and here it is.

 Dight-Kin - Line art before the rendering began

© 2015 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.

Further details on this piece, like all of these personal monsters on toned paper, will have to wait for another day and hopefully a different type of information interface. Fear naught, for all will be revealed in the fullness of time. As a bonus, here are some images of the piece as I worked on it.

All images © 2015 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

Fresh from the drawing table... Boar (Giant)!

I have for you another drawing that is fresh from the drawing table. This time around it is a Boar (Giant). The mundane monster of the letter "B" continue with another boar! There are three boars in the original Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual and today I have the last one, the Giant Boar. I present to you my version of a Boar (Giant)… 

Boar (Giant)

9 x 12

Pencil on paper

Original - Currently not available

© 2015 Christopher Burdett

Of all the Boars in the Monster Manual the Giant Boar is clearly the most monstrous. Its size alone makes the Giant Boar a proper monster. It is the oldest trick in the book, make something really big and it becomes a monster. With the Giant Boar you also get giant bacon which can make the hunting of the Giant Boar and interesting side mission for the players. A village was pillaged my Kobolds and needs food badly. SIDE QUEST! Time to go hunt a Giant Boar to restock the larders in one hunt. ...and if the DM is lucky, that annoying wizard can get a face full of the business end of the Giant Boar.

My first 100 original Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual redesigns (A - Z): Aerial Servant, Ankheg, Ant (Giant), Ape (Carnivorous), Ape (Gorilla), Axe Beak, Axe Beak (version 2), Baboon, Badger, Barracuda, Basilisk, Baluchitherium, Bear (Black), Bear (Brown), Bear (Cave), Beaver (Giant), Beetle (Giant) - Bombardier, Beetle (Giant) - Boring, Beetle (Giant) - Fire, Beetle (Giant) - Rhinoceros, Beetle (Giant) - Stag, Beetle (Giant) - Water, Beholder, Black Pudding, Blink Dog, Boar (Giant), Boar (Warthog), Boar (Wild), Brain Mole, Brownie, Bugbear, Buffalo, Bulette, Carrion Crawler, Catoblepas, Cerebral Parasite, Chimera, Cockatrice, Coutal, Crab (Giant), Demon Type III (Glabrezu), Demon (Juiblex), Demon (Manes), Devil (Ice), Dragon (Red), Elemental (Earth), Ettin, Eye of the Deep, Flightless Bird, Frog (Giant), Fungi (Violet), Giant (Hill), Goblin, Golem (Flesh), Hobgoblin, Homunculus, Hydra, Imp, Intellect Devourer, Ixitxachitl, Jackal, Jacklewere, Jaguar, Ki-Rin, Kobold, Lich, Lizard (Giant), Lizardman, Manticore, Mind Flayer, Minotaur, Naga, Neo-Otygugh, Nixie, Ochre Jelly, Ogre, Owlbear, Peryton, Pixie, Purple Worm, Quasit, Ram (Giant), Roper, Rust Monster, Sahuagin, Salamander, Shambling Mound, Treant, Troglodyte, Troll, Umber Hulk, Unicorn, Vampire, Wasp (Giant), Wight, Wyvern, Xorn, Yeti, and Zombie.      

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

Overshields - Kaijudo - Process

Today I have for you the process and steps that went into one of my paintings that I created for the now cancelled game, Kaijudo. While I only worked on the game a short time it was a lot of fun and I was sad to see it go. The painting I will be talking about today depicts a sky base shielding itself from the attack a dragon. Here is the final painting for Overshields ...

"Overshields"

Kaijudo - Vortex

11.3 x 9 - Digital

© 2014 Wizards of the Coast

Overshields focuses on a the last ditch efforts for a sky base to shield itself from an attacking dragon. The shields needed to be the focus of the piece and the base and the dragon needed to not be pulling too much focus. The shields also need to appear like they were beginning to fail. Here are how the thumbnails turned out...

Overshields - Thumbnails

© 2014 Wizards of the Coast

Not sure I had a favorite among these thumbnails. I wanted to make the dragon the focus and I was not too keen on that sky base, but I was making the most of the piece. ...because that is my job and my responsibility of taking on the work. It is clearly obvious now that options "A" and "B" were not right for the assignment and the dragon was too much in focus. "C" fits the bill perfectly... which makes it no surprise to anyone that it was the thumbnail that was selected. Now that I had an approved thumbnail it was time for the drawing...

Overshields

12 x 9 - Pencil on paper

Original for sale over on my web store!
© 2014 Wizards of the Coast

Apparently in my original drawing I was a little too much off model with the dragon's horns. It was one of those moments where I thought the dragon needed to be similar to the supplied model when in reality it needed to be exactly like the supplied model. The change was quick enough and made digitally. The updated drawing was approved without any further notes and I was approved to get started on the final painting. The Kaijudo pieces allowed me to work a bit more colorful and playfully. Bright and shiny was the Kaijudo way. The painting for Overshields had some rocky moments, but it all came together in the end...

Overshields - Process Progression

© 2014 Wizards of the Coast

Like magic the painting comes to life. Since the focus was the shields they needed to stand out so I battled with the piece a bit to make that happen. Maybe a pick/lavender sky was not my best choice to make that happened, but I really thought the sky would contrast well with the YELLOW shields. Getting the perspective and forms right on the sky base were also a bit of a pain. I stuck with it and worked it out in the end. I REALLY should have seen to the base in the drawing... but I was rushing and caused myself to spend more time later fixing it.

As an added bonus here is a handy dandy animated process thingy to better show the process and creation of the painting...

Overshields - Animated Process

© 2014 Wizards of the Coast

Here again is the final painting for Overshields and the card form of the art. There was a bit of cropping on the final card, but that happens. Since the shields are the focus, it helps direct the eyes to the big yellow hexagons in the center of the piece. 

"Overshields"

Kaijudo - Vortex

11.3 x 9 - Digital

© 2014 Wizards of the Coast

Overshields in handy dandy card form (and don't forget the artist proofs!)

All of my Kaijudo Artist Proofs for all your Artist Proof needs!

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

Chewbacca - Imperial Assault Winter Organized Play Kit

Just in time for Illuxcon! My Chewbacca painting has been spoiled over on the Fantasy Flight website. This marked the first time I was asked to paint everybody's favorite Wookiee and it was a very exciting assignment. I was asked to depict Chewie giving a bunch of Stormtroopers a very difficult time. Speaking of Stormtroopers, this is the first time I got to paint Stormtroopers as well! I present Chewbacca for the Imperial Assault Winter Organized Play Kit...

Chewbacca

Imperial Assault Winter Organized Play Kit

11 x 14 - Acrylic and pencil on board

Art Director - Deb Freytag

Original - SOLD

© 2015 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games

This piece was completed in March and it feels like a million years ago now in terms of painting. In the first full year of painting traditionally for clients and myself I produced 30 paintings. If I remember correctly, Chewbacca was number eight or nine, in the top ten for sure. This image of the painting is still a scan and not a photograph so needless to say, the actual painting looks SO much better in person. Really thrilled I will be able to bring this with me to Illuxcon!

This painting will be used as alternate art as part of the Winter In-Store Organized Play Kits for Imperial Assault. Each kit has only two copies of the card so hopefully it will be in high demand. Here is a look at the rest of the Winter Organized Play Kit...

Imperial Assault Winter Organized Play Kit courtesy of the Fantasy Flight Games website

A HUGE thanks to Deb Freytag for giving me this assignment and for the great art direction during the creation of this piece! Thanks, Deb!

That is all for a very special extra Tuesday post 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

Getting ready for Illuxcon - Gill-Man

With Illuxcon right around the corner I am hurriedly getting ready for my time in the weekend Salon. My preparations include getting a couple of new personal pieces completed just in time to make their debut at Illuxcon! The second of these new pieces is my take on the Gill-Man...

Gill-Man

5.5 x 6 - Acrylic and pencil on board

Original - SOLD

© 2015 Christopher Burdett

I found the frame for this piece before I began it. I knew I wanted to make something that would find a good home in this frame and the Gill-Man seemed like a good fit. Here is how the piece looks in its new frame home... 

Gill-Man

All framed up

Original - SOLD

© 2015 Christopher Burdett

As with all my paintings there is a drawing for it as well. I will be bringing the drawing with me to Illuxcon as well for those who like drawings more then paintings...

Gill-Man - Drawing

9 x 12 - Pencil on paper

Original - SOLD

© 2015 Christopher Burdett

As an added bonus, here are several images I took during the creation of this piece. It came together without a lot of drama and now is ready to go to a forever home. RAWR!

Gill-Man - Process progression

© 2015 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