Looking Back: Unproduced "The Gambler" - Dreamblade

Today on the blog I am looking back at another Dreamblade miniature design that I have never shared before. This particular design never made it into production and was never a miniature, but the design was approved (somehow). Here is the design for the "The Gambler" which was slated to be a part of the first expansion (Baxar's War) to Dreamblade released back in 2006...

Unproduced "The Gambler"

12 x 9 - Pencil on paper

© 2005 Wizards of the Coast LLC

Unlike the Genteel Husk and the "Janus Scout" by the time this piece was approved I was not unhappy with the work that I had done. While there were some rocky spots while designing it, in the end I thought it was a descent enough design. Not one of my best at the time, but descent enough. I of course could do better now and there are plenty of things I would have liked to have done differently, but that is to be expected with anything you look back on. Here is a look at how the full turnaround turned out...

Unproduced "The Gambler" Turnaround

12 x 9 - Pencil on paper (multiple sheets)

© 2005 Wizards of the Coast LLC

While I was not unhappy with the final design, the work I did leading up to it did leave some to be desired. So that I am not beating a dead horse, you can review my post on the Genteel Husk and the "Janus Scout" to get all the details. This was kind of a weird mini. The art called for a guy with a gun and a hand full of dice who needed to have 20 sided dice for eyes and clothes featuring a motif based on the playing card suites. My first design was really flat and stiff...

"The Gambler" Version 1

9 x 12 - Pencil on paper

© 2005 Wizards of the Coast LLC

Working with the art director I was able to take what I have done with the first version and rework the pose, some of the details, and breath a little more life into it. I had some things right in the first one, I just needed to be smarter about it. I think that is the lessen to be learned by all these old Dreamblade designs I am sharing - you learn and you get better over time. My second attempt at the deign was met with a lot more approval...

"The Gambler" Version 2

12 x 9 - Pencil on paper

© 2005 Wizards of the Coast LLC

Unfortunately, like several of my designs that I did for Dreamblade, I had an approved design except for one element and then I would end up doing a bunch of variations and alternate versions to get that one aspect nailed down. For "The Gambler" it was the head/face. Just could not seem to get it right. It was as if I was not very good at drawing humans at the time and I was not using reference. Here are some of the alternate versions of the head that I did as I got closer and closer to the goal of an approved design...

"The Gambler" Version 3 - 8

12 x 9 - Pencil on paper with digital alterations

© 2005 Wizards of the Coast LLC

When I finally enlarged the head and made it more of a crazy monstery human guy thing we were in business. I made one last edit to get the approved design at the top of the post. This mini would not have won awards, but I think it is interesting enough and would have been neat if it had received a decent paint job. Who knows why it was never used, but I am sure there were good reason. Another gaming mystery for the ages...

That's 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