Incline Good D&D artwork

[nikolokolus]

Another one. I'm clearly a huge fan of the art from the AD&D era. Best depiction of the Magic Mouth spell that I've ever seen.

There's something about this art that makes me immediately think Dungeons & Dragons. Some of it's nostalgia, but a lot of it has to do with how it's dark and gritty instead of bright and colorful. The dungeons look dank and dangerous. You can practically smell the wet stone and hear the clatter of armor echoing through the corridors. The modern D&D art doesn't always capture the same feeling, since the focus has mostly moved away from underground exploration.

There's a few things about this composition that I love: 1. It completely captures the idea of the "mythic underworld" as a place with its own rules and features that defies the logic of the surface world 2. The characters all look like regular folk, who are probably in over their heads. These aren't heroes, but they are plucky and brave - quintessential adventurers. 3. Finally, you don't know if they're going to win through or get eaten by the beastie peering back up the stairs and that gives the whole scene tension.

 

[Shadenuat]

http://bigcomicpage.com/2015/08/20/...t-of-tony-diterlizzi-hc-dark-horseturnaround/

Amount of books in the world I want: 1
Amount of fairies and tieflings with huge funny ears per page: all of them

 

[Neanderthal]

You can't see er lugs though can you?

Fuck me i'm a pedantic cunt, neh mind fucking great drawings anyway.

 

[Alex]

Another classic. Kind of makes you wonder if the party escaped this scenario, or if this was the last time they were ever seen:

I think they got it. The wizard seems to be warning the fighter about what is going on, and the dwarf is already going for his sword. Also there are at least two more further back that should be able to help if those three manage to still get caught.

 

[<3sRichardSimmons]

http://bigcomicpage.com/2015/08/20/...t-of-tony-diterlizzi-hc-dark-horseturnaround/

Amount of books in the world I want: 1
Amount of fairies and tieflings with huge funny ears per page: all of them

I normally really like DiTerlizzi's work, but what the fuck is going on with the anatomical proportions here? Does he know where nipples are on breasts that size? Also, why is one of them shaped like a crushed lime? And what's up with the creature's right tentacle-arm being fused into its belly?

Not one of his better works.




(Still miles ahead of fucking Wayne Reynolds though).

 

[Baron Dupek]

Is that Lady of Pain? This pauldron looks familiar...

 

[Immortal]

what the fuck is going on with the anatomical proportions here?
Does he know where nipples are on breasts that size?
Also, why is one of them shaped like a crushed lime?

Her breasts are in a corset and are being squished against it As far as I can tell. Doesn't look weird to me..
It does give a squished lime appearance and the fats in the breast are being pushed up.. while the nipple is still covered..

Not the best example but:

 

[Neanderthal]

I'm just not gettin it, perhaps a few more examples'd help.

Old perv rubs hands together.

But seriously is that a babby Displacer Beast that she's holding?

 

[Immortal]

Displacer Beast that she's holding?

Probably.. I can't think of any other feline like creature with tentacles growing out it's ass.

 

[ProphetSword]

Probably.. I can't think of any other feline like creature with tentacles growing out it's ass.

What about the dreaded Catopus (aka Octo-Cat)?

 

[Atlantico]

I adore Tony Diterlizzi's art, I was just lost in all those dreamy drawings when I got the Planescape setting back in '94.

Elmore is a legend to me as well, but he's a close second.

 

[Alchemist]

The new Tony Diterlizzi book is indeed awesome, I got it for Christmas.

I normally really like DiTerlizzi's work, but what the fuck is going on with the anatomical proportions here? Does he know where nipples are on breasts that size? Also, why is one of them shaped like a crushed lime? And what's up with the creature's right tentacle-arm being fused into its belly?

Her breasts are in a corset and are being squished against it As far as I can tell. Doesn't look weird to me..
It does give a squished lime appearance and the fats in the breast are being pushed up.. while the nipple is still covered..

I've studied a lot of breasts in corsets over the years (you know, for science) - and yep, they definitely do that. Diterlizzi knows what he's doing for sure, and the tentacle is coming out of the cat's back, since it's a displacer beast - so that's also fine.

I'm just not gettin it, perhaps a few more examples'd help.

Old perv rubs hands together.

Sounds like a Codex General thread that needs to happen... (the Corset Crowd?). I'd be in firm support of that.

I adore Tony Diterlizzi's art, I was just lost in all those dreamy drawings when I got the Planescape setting back in '94.
Elmore is a legend to me as well, but he's a close second.

I've been collecting art books of all the great TSR D&D artists (the Diterlizzi one is the latest). Also got the two massive Complete Elmore books - if you don't have them you should definitely check them out. They are amazing, very high quality books and include almost everything he has done. By the way, the website listing is out of date on the latest one (Complete Elmore II) it's actually available now (I have it), though the site says it's at the printer.

I still need to get a good Clyde Caldwell collection, and unfortunately I don't think a Jeff Easley collection even exists yet.

 

[Dorateen]

Elmore's from the AD&D Complete Book of Dwarves.

 

[vonAchdorf]

Now we get this:

Spoiler

The old pictures had much more realistic weaponry and armor. When did they decide to go all "rule of cool" on that stuff?

 

[Alchemist]

Now we get this:

Spoiler

The old pictures had much more realistic weaponry and armor. When did they decide to go all "rule of cool" on that stuff?

The decline started with 3rd edition and its "dungeonpunk" aesthetic. Then came the rise of Wayne Reynolds and the inevitable influence of World of Warcraft on many fantasy artists.

I will say though, that 5th edition overall has taken a welcome step back towards some realism, and it's somewhat less cartoony than 4th edition. Still could be better though.

 

[nikolokolus]

Now we get this:

Spoiler

The old pictures had much more realistic weaponry and armor. When did they decide to go all "rule of cool" on that stuff?

The armor and weapons from the golden and silver age of RPGs was plenty unrealistic, it's just that so much of the newer shit you see from Wayne Reynolds et al. is the fucked up scale . . . well that and I find that the art of composition is sort of a lost art - most of the shit churned out in the last ten years feels too posed (like the pic you posted) or hyper-exaggerated.

 

[vonAchdorf]

Now we get this:

Spoiler

The old pictures had much more realistic weaponry and armor. When did they decide to go all "rule of cool" on that stuff?

The armor and weapons from the golden and silver age of RPGs was plenty unrealistic, it's just that so much of the newer shit you see from Wayne Reynolds et al. is the fucked up scale . . . well that and I find that the art of composition is sort of a lost art - most of the shit churned out in the last ten years feels too posed (like the pic you posted) or hyper-exaggerated.

I was mostly thinking about scale, but also things like huge cauldrons when I said "realistic". Or war hammers. The dwarf (top-right) in the Elmore picture holds something resembling an actual war hammer, while the DnD 5e dwarf lady wields something completely fictional and unbalanced (though it's smaller than during the worst years).

 

[Irenaeus II]

5ed was an improvement in art, but here and there you get bad art cases like this badly posed you go grrl dwarf with epic mythic equipment. The Orc Paladin in the Player's Handbook is bad too.

Here's something good from 5e for a change:

I was going to post something good from the Player's Handbook, but as I was going through the pages, I came to the realization that I couldn't find a cool fighting dude in the book who looks like anything I liked. I was here thinking to myself, why do I say I like the art in 5ed anyway?? So I was looking at the drawings and I saw cool art of women, old guys, monsters and equipment (unfortunately weapon and armor still unrealistic). But get this: Not a single good looking dude! The men drawings are all awful in 5ed PH... I was like wtf... Then I searched a bit on the internet for "good 5ed art" and came across an article that explains a lot!

https://gomakemeasandwich.wordpress.com/2015/07/28/wtf-wotc-your-art-direction-is-confusing/

, I keep thinking about last year and how the release of D&D 5th Edition wound up being a pretty big deal for me – despite that I still have not purchased any 5E products or even played the game. I got to have lunch with Mike Mearls and discuss the future direction of D&D and D&D art direction – something which was way encouraging.

Now, why am I linking this and who are these people?

The blogger:
About
In addition to being a cranky feminist blogger, I am an artist, (...)

Mike Mearls
http://dnd.wizards.com/taxonomy/term/396

Mike Mearls is the senior manager for the D&D research and design team. He led the design for 5th Edition D&D. His other credits include the Castle Ravenloft board game, Monster Manual 3 for 4th Edition, and Player’s Handbook 2 for 3rd Edition.

Well, there you have it! It explains a lot. I think this guy has been shown the light because I remember liking the art in 5ed Monster Manual and Dungeon Master's Guide more than PH! More on that later, after I peruse the book for example of good dude art. Hope I don't have another disappointment.

In the meantime, here's some good old Elmore to blow everything out of the water:

Yeah, he draws hot chicks too.

 

[ProphetSword]

Don't know if anyone else has already posted this one, but every time I saw it in the Dungeon Master's Guide as a teenager, it would just make me think how cool an urban adventure could be. A powerful picture can tell a story all on its own, and this one certainly does.

 

[Irenaeus II]

That's a crazy pic indeed. GTA D&D

 

[Melan]

Emirikol did nothing wrong, GTA D&D is the best D&D.

Our best campaigns have invariably been about a band of amoral assholes trying to get rich and make a name for themselves in a world populated by corrupt and violent sociopaths.

 

[ProphetSword]

It took me years of owning this book to realize that the monster on the cover is facing off against a barely visible and much smaller man in the lower right hand corner. What I have never figured out is why the monster is holding his axe wrong...

 

[xxxCatholicKillahxxx]

What I have never figured out is why the monster is holding his axe wrong...

I think it is a halberd. So thrusting with it would be fine. Missed the man aswell until you mentioned it.

 

[nikolokolus]

I always liked that Easley painting when I was younger, but making the ranger so dark and low contrast with the background was a poor choice.

 

[Alchemist]

Well the actual book doesn't look quite as faded as that image above (which appears to have a shadow gradient applied in the bottom bit) :

Looks fine to me. The warrior is secondary but the focus should be on the monster on a monster book anyway. Easley knows what he's doing. And yeah, the giant can stab with that pointy bit of the halberd just fine.