Magic Update - Ravnica and Gatecrash

I think I have only posted one of my Magic card illustration so far.  I have fallen a bit behind so here is a big update of many of the pieces that have been recently released.
From the Return to Ravnica Set:

Martial Law

Thrill-Kill Assassin

Chaos Imps

And from the recently released Gatecrash:

Firefist Striker

Gyre Sage

Domri Rade - Planeswalker

Aurelia's Fury

Vizkopa Guildmage

Cheers!

The Tarrasque

A couple months ago Kate Irwin asked me to do a cover for Dragon Magazine #418 (which would also be paired with an article by Jeff LaSala). The main subject was a Tarrasque, a gigantic horribly destructive creature. The art description was very brief, just a few reference images, and the request: "we're looking for a Godzilla moment here". This ended up being ridiculously fun.

Mmmm... city guards... crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside.

© Wizards of the Coast

Final Pathfinder oil for 2012

Just released this month is the 6th and final book in the Pathfinder RPG "Shattered Star" adventure.  This concludes a 6-month, 24 illustration project that I had a great time doing.

In the previous books, I was juggling doing multiple oil paintings each month, but for this last book I decided to focus my efforts on doing a single painting, leaving the other 3 to do digitally.  Its been difficult to get to a finished state doing so many at once, so I thought best to pick the coolest of the commissions and do a 100% job where I wouldn't have to finish after it was sent off.

Here is the final drawing.  I do the drawings in photoshop for speed and to visualize values simultaneously.

Below we see my reference.  For those unfamiliar with best practices in using photos, you can see the limbs and parts have been "frankensteined" together to get positions that match my sketch.  No one photo will be the perfect shot, so you need to adjust and piece them to get what you want.

Below we see the printed out drawing mounted and sealed onto masonite board.  I have gone over the lines with umber acrylic paint so they will be darker and seen through the underpainting.

Some acrylic washes for an underpainting serve to provide relationships to judge colors and provides opacity as I paint each object in one finished layer.

Progress on the painting showing how each part is finished at once.

The final painting.  12X16"  This looks cleaner just due to it being a proper photo using flash equipment whereas the shots above are just snapshots of the work on my table.  The shot below has no retouching.

Anyhow, it was nice to not rush so much with this one.  It took about a week.  

I still have a load of digital ones that I probably won't bother to show as they fall under the category of "git 'er done" art and don't really have final quality details. If I get the chance to make another detail pass at some of them I will post in the coming months... but in the meantime here is one that is more or less finished...

This 6 month Pathfinder job was great in forcing volume from me, and I'm looking forward to using that experience for bigger and better results.

This is Tranya.. I hope you relish it as much as I!

Pity I've not done a whole lot I can show yet this year, but while I have a couple days, I wanted to post a couple simple process pics, and tip ayebody a nod for the Nerdliest New Year ever!  =)  Pam made a couple bottles of Lemoncello this year, and I sketched a quick digital piece for the label, so I made it my Holiday Card as well..  After all, there's nothing that spells the Holidays more than gnomes in funny hats, squeezing lemons in inappropriate and disturbing ways, right?  =)

Okay.. everyone say, nostrils!

I also wanted to at least start painting on a set of illustrations, something like the old school liquor and cigarette spreads from the 70's based on OS StarTrek, to coincide with the new film, but this conceptual sketch and logo design is all that made it into existence thus far.  For those of you who know me, I've been talking about this for years, and after seeing a couple Trek based Gallery shows across the country, I could perhaps at least make some T's for the next Trek in the Park here in Portland?  =)  MadMen like sleaze?  I sure hope so, but there will be a hunky cigarette man as well, and I just can't wait to start painting them.  Hopefully 2013 is the year. =)

Have the very Happiest and Healthiest of New Years everyone!  Sorry I didn't get to meet you guys in Altoona, but I hope to get to know everyone a bit better this year.. =)

Bowing to your inner Gnome drunk,

Chuck

Happy Holidays!

Happiest of holiday wishes to one and all in which ever secular or non secular festivities you have planned!

 

"Hoping the unexpected finds you this Holiday Season!"
© 2012 Christopher Burdett

 

Happy Holidays Shadowcore!

Happy Holidays everyone!

Private Commission

14x11 Oil on Masonite

Sixth set of Pathfinder oils and other stuff...

Recently released is the 5th book in the Pathfinder game's current "Shattered Star" adventure path, so its time to show some more of my oil paintings from that 6-book job.  I'll update another time with some of the digital work I did as well.

As I near the one year mark from having started to use oils in my illustration process I feel like I'm honing in on the technique to use that works for fantasy gaming illustration.

Up to this point I have been working under extreme deadlines, doing about 3 paintings a month, plus a few digital illustrations at the same time.  The longest I've spent on a painting is about 5 days, and that feeling of being rushed has not allowed me to take the process slowly to get to a 100% result I'm happy with.  There's no sitting back in my smoking jacket rubbing my chin and looking at the paintings upside down; just render, render, render!

The process for my oils the entire year was to get through the drawing stage as quickly as possible in order to accommodate doing so much work at once. (also time to mount and prepare surfaces, etc) Below you can see the process of drawing directly in the computer, which I had to employ as a tool to deal with the deadlines. Using this method I was able to produce quite alot of paintings this year, however I never actually drew with pencil and paper the entire year and thus I don't have any drawings to sell... but a necessary omission to get through it all!

Below is an early thumbnail or stage in the drawing.  This is close to what I would get approved, as I have a trusting relationship with my art director, and he can evaluate the image at this point without the characters being costumed.   I have learned for speed to get an early part of the process approved rather than indicating the costumes and details, and then having to redo all that work once the structure is finalized.  

Spending about a day on each drawing gets me to this point where I can then print off the digital drawing to mount on board and paint on...

 The final oil painting...

Another painting in this set of a Dragon fighting a "Shoggoth" on the side of a mountain...

Also, I've shown this on Facebook, but here is another recently released Warcraft card for their "Feast of Wintervale" holiday set.  This is a "mechanical Greench" busting outta his box.  RAWR!™ 

 Lastly, I recently produced a new podcast of our Illuxcon panel on "Strengthening the Artist's Role in the Industry".  You've probably heard this already if you're remotely connected to the fantasy illustration community on Facebook, but in case this is news, give it a listen!
http://drawntoday.blogspot.ca/2012/12/podcast-episode-41-illustrators-unite.html

Future updates and past podcast episodes can be found on facebook as well...
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Drawn-Today-Podcast/194395403926048

Finally, everyone interested in improving the lot of freelance illustrators should get involved and follow this page on Facebook, relating to the ideas put forth in the Podcast and panel above...
https://www.facebook.com/Pactartist

Cheers!

Deep One and Chimera

I recent made some time to try my hand again at working traditionally. I had some ups and downs earlier this year with my first attempts at working with real live paint and had been hesitant to do do again. With Illuxcon fast approaching in November, I knew I had better step up to the plate of bow out completely... in the end I had two new piece to share at Illuxcon. Here are the pieces, the Deep One and the Chimera...

Deep One

© 2012 Christopher Burdett

Chimera

© 2012 Christopher Burdett

The Deep One is my third traditional piece and the Chimera is my fourth.  The Deep One was painted as a gift for a friend and fellow artist that was also attending Illuxcon. The Chimera is part of the huge and long term personal project I am working on whenever I can. Here are some process photos of the paintings coming together, I tried to take a photo once an hour as I worked...

Deep One steps 1 - 4

 

Deep One steps 5 - 8

Deep One steps 9 - 12

Chimera steps 1 - 6

Chimera steps 7 - 12

Slowly but surely this whole crazy thing of working traditionally is becoming less scary and maybe just might be something I do more often... maybe. Had a lot of fun with these and I think I learned a thing or two... or three. When I complete some more traditional pieces I will be sure to share them here! Here are some last looks at the piece, funny how putting a frame on them really finishes them off...

The Deep One is getting ready to head off it its new home.

The Chimera rests up after an exciting trip to Illuxcon. Maybe if it is good it will go find a nice home with someone.

RAWR!