D&D 5E D&D Next weekly art column!

[AbdulAlhazred]

Great article! Lots of stuff to ponder.

Per your final request--the desire to create a grand vision for D&D art that will encompass more than anyone's individual vision--I agree that this is a worthy and indeed necessary goal. Perhaps a start would be for everybody to step back from details (I want this artist, I want the art to use that technique), and post what you want the art to do for you.

For me: I want the art to intrigue me. I want it to make me wonder what's happening, what has happened, and what's about to happen. I want it to make me feel that there is a deep, complex, living world out there that my character is setting off to explore. There's danger, there's opportunity, but above all there is the Great Unknown waiting to be revealed.

By way of example, my all-time favorite D&D cover art is this version of the 1E DMG. I can't much tell what's behind the guy in the green robe, but I really want to find out. As a player, this draws me in because I want to discover the answers. As a DM, it draws me in because I get to make up the answers.

Yeah, pretty much. The implied story. That feeling of unexplored depth. Not sure that particular DMG was my favorite, but it isn't bad.

Honestly, in a lot of ways, somewhat of a riff on early 1e corebook art. That stuff wasn't always the best work, but the covers were good and a lot of the interior art, for all its limitations, was evocative. Partly BECAUSE of its limitations maybe.

 

[Hussar]

First off, is it bad of me to admit that I'm developing a huge man-crush on Jon Schindehette? This is a man who's just saying all the right things. Put on some Barry White, turn down the lights and preach it brother!

Sorry. Got carried away there.

But, yeah, keeping an open mind is probably the best advice there is. Sure, there's some stuff I like more than other stuff, but, recognizing that my tastes are not universal (at least not until I finish developing that new strain of bio... oops) and perhaps backing off a bit from confrontation is never, ever a bad thing.

 

[steeldragons]

First off, is it bad of me to admit that I'm developing a huge man-crush on Jon Schindehette? This is a man who's just saying all the right things. Put on some Barry White, turn down the lights and preach it brother!

Sorry. Got carried away there.

But, yeah, keeping an open mind is probably the best advice there is. Sure, there's some stuff I like more than other stuff, but, recognizing that my tastes are not universal (at least not until I finish developing that new strain of bio... oops) and perhaps backing off a bit from confrontation is never, ever a bad thing.

Sorry, Hussar, can't XP you just yet. "Spreading it around" and all of that. But lmao. Let's hear it for man crushes! hahahaha.

I've heard people say that....too much of anything is not goood for ya babaaaayyyyahhh...Well, I dunno about that, but...

HA! Gonna be in my head all day now! Thanks for that.
--SD

 

[Yora]

Is there a regular schedule for these articles? If yes, when are we going to see the next one?

 

[tuxgeo]

Is there a regular schedule for these articles? If yes, when are we going to see the next one?

Probably Wednesday.

I think it's like this:
Mondays: Legends & Lore (Mike or Monte at various times)
Tuesdays: Rule-of-Three (Rodney Thompson)
Wednesdays: Dragon's-Eye View (Jon Shindehette)
Thursdays: The Dungeon Master Experience (Chris Perkins)
Fridays: Joining the Party (Tracy Hurley) ("Sarah Darkmagic")

 

[Jon Schindehette]

Let me throw a question out there for you guys and gals....

Where do you stand on wizards? Pointy Hat or No Pointy Hat?

And please give your reasons why...

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Let me throw a question out there for you guys and gals....

Where do you stand on wizards? Pointy Hat or No Pointy Hat?

And please give your reasons why...

I always thought of the pointy hat as more of a witch thing really, but it works for a certain style of wizard. I can admit, I have plenty of old 'pointy hat wizard logo' vintage TSR products lying around. I kind of liked the lizard man logo better, but if you want to put pointy hats on wizards it won't offend me any.

 

[Mercutio01]

Pointy hat

Identifying features for different classes include costumes, for lack of a better word. Pointy-hat = wizard. Magical effects could just be a sorcerer or warlock or just about any magic-user out there. But slap that pointy hat on his/her head, and ambiguity is pretty well negated. At least, that's how I see it.

 

[Jon Schindehette]

Is there a regular schedule for these articles? If yes, when are we going to see the next one?

They are slated to go up every Wednesday. So look for it tomorrow morning!

...there's some late breaking news for the artists in the crowd.

 

[RangerWickett]

If you could convince the rules designers to let magic hats fill the same role as magic staffs and magic wands, I'd be happy. Y'know, options, not restrictions.