Survivor: D&D cover artists

Sacrosanct

Legend
This thread is inspired by the prior threads on the iconic monsters, best cannon fodder, and so on. We all have favorite artists, so this one is going to be very hard because I know I can't pick just one. That's what this thread is for!

This survivor pool will only include some of the most iconic COVER artists TSR/WotC has used in the past. Interior artists are out of scope to narrow down the selections to a manageable figure.

IMPORTANT NOTE- DOWNVOTES ARE 2 IN THIS THREAD.

REPEAT- DOWNVOTES ARE TWO IN THIS THREAD.

Each item starts with 20 points and you vote for one item you like which gets 1 point and an item you dislike which loses 2 points. It is intentional that a negative vote is worth more than a positive vote- first, because we don't want to be here all year. Second, because.

Upvotes are in green, downvotes are in in red (unless you are on your phone, and are unable to, in which case please indicate your votes some other way). Copy and paste the previous posters vote and change the numbers. You may vote once per day. This is an honor system, and we are all honorable gamers; please do not abuse it. If this means you vote once at night one day, and once the next morning - that's fine, but don't vote again until the following day.

This is purely a popularity contest and you do not have to explain an upvote or downvote, but feel free to- explanations are where the fun is! When downvotes reach 0 the item is eliminated (FATALITY!). Finally, if an item has one vote left, then you have to make the choice to use all of your downvotes to eliminate it; there is no vote splitting. In addition, you must split your vote- you can't upvote and downvote the same item (no "see" votes). And you have to use BOTH YOUR UPVOTE AND DOWNVOTE if you vote.

Some important points that you must read before voting-
1. This is a pure popularity contest, and is meant to be fun. You can cast your votes for whatever reason you want. Spite, irrational love/hate, strategic voting, and voting just because you love Easley in more than a platonic way is totally fine! This vote does not affect anything in real life, and the winner probably won't give a congratulations speech because of your vote. You can comment for the reasons for your vote, or not- up to you! But this is for enjoyment only.

For this poll, because of the nature, I am including an image of an example of their work to jog memories. So with no further ado..

Daniel Horne--20
Keith Parkinson--20
Jeff Easley--20
Larry Elmore--20
Clyde Caldwell--20
Erol Otus--20
Wayne Reynolds--20
Todd Lockwood--20
Tyler Jacobson--20
David Trampier--20 (based on cover work only in this thread)
Emmanuel--20

Horne
skeleton.jpg


Parkinson
great%20red%20dragon2.jpg


Easley
Great%20red%20dragon.jpg


Elmore
BASIC%20set%20DnD.jpg


Caldwell
dragons%20of%20despair.jpg


Otus
basic-255-lyssa.jpg


Reynolds
bccfa06a385f9faa08f5514c47afd06a--wayne-reynolds-fantasy-art.jpg


Lockwood
sheep_daught.jpg


Jacobson
podcast_0918_1.jpg


Trampier
PlayersHandbook8Cover.jpg


Emmanuel
FiendFolioCover.jpg
 

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Sacrosanct

Legend
Daniel Horne--20
Keith Parkinson--20
Jeff Easley--20
Larry Elmore--21
Clyde Caldwell--20
Erol Otus--20
Wayne Reynolds--18
Todd Lockwood--20
Tyler Jacobson--20
David Trampier--20
Emmanuel--20

Elmore gets my vote here not only because he's good, but he was one of the nicest people I've ever talked to
 

Starting with Larry Elmore, for the Red Box and countless other inspiring pieces of art. Downvote to Clyde Caldwell for making Margaret Weis cry by drawing Goldmoon without pants.

Daniel Horne--20
Keith Parkinson--20
Jeff Easley--20
Larry Elmore--22
Clyde Caldwell--18
Erol Otus--20
Wayne Reynolds--18
Todd Lockwood--20
Tyler Jacobson--20
David Trampier--20
Emmanuel--20
 

rczarnec

Explorer
Daniel Horne--20
Keith Parkinson--21
Jeff Easley--20
Larry Elmore--22
Clyde Caldwell--18
Erol Otus--20
Wayne Reynolds--18
Todd Lockwood--18
Tyler Jacobson--20
David Trampier--20
Emmanuel--20
 

Mercurius

Legend
Daniel Horne--20
Keith Parkinson--22
Jeff Easley--20
Larry Elmore--22
Clyde Caldwell--18
Erol Otus--20
Wayne Reynolds--18
Todd Lockwood--18
Tyler Jacobson--18
David Trampier--20
Emmanuel--20

I wonder if this is going to be a nostalgia-thon.

I feel like Jeff Easley's art has not aged well - it is more cartoonish than I remember it being back in the day.

I had a hard time voting on this, as each has their own qualities that worth appreciating, but I went for Parkinson.
 

Beleriphon

Totally Awesome Pirate Brain
Daniel Horne--20
Keith Parkinson--21
Jeff Easley--20
Larry Elmore--22
Clyde Caldwell--18
Erol Otus--20
Wayne Reynolds--18-2=1 Oh gawds, those feet.
Todd Lockwood--19+1=20 I like Lockwood, his art style isn't goofy, but leans towards the fantastic while retaining an edge of reality.
Tyler Jacobson--20
David Trampier--20
Emmanuel--20
 

Dausuul

Legend
First, I want it on record that every one of my upvotes in this thread is the rightful property of Brom, only he's not on the list for some reason.

Daniel Horne -- 20
Keith Parkinson -- 21
Jeff Easley -- 21 -- Easley did all my favorite non-Brom covers in the TSR days, like the 1983 DMG and the original Manual of the Planes. Very evocative, very detailed, and not cartoonish-looking.
Larry Elmore -- 22
Clyde Caldwell -- 18
Erol Otus -- 20
Wayne Reynolds -- 16 -- I know a lot of people love WAR, but I can't stand his style. People with elephant feet wearing armor made of cardboard cylinders.
Todd Lockwood -- 19
Tyler Jacobson -- 20
David Trampier -- 20
Emmanuel -- 20
 
Last edited:

Radaceus

Adventurer
Daniel Horne -- 20
Keith Parkinson -- 21
Jeff Easley -- 21
Larry Elmore -- 22
Clyde Caldwell -- 18
Erol Otus -- 20
Wayne Reynolds -- 14 -- also not a fan
Todd Lockwood -- 19
Tyler Jacobson -- 20
David Trampier -- 21-- DAT was ahead of the game
Emmanuel -- 20
 

rczarnec

Explorer
Daniel Horne -- 21
Keith Parkinson -- 21
Jeff Easley -- 21
Larry Elmore -- 22
Clyde Caldwell -- 18
Erol Otus -- 18
Wayne Reynolds -- 14
Todd Lockwood -- 19
Tyler Jacobson -- 20
David Trampier -- 21
Emmanuel -- 20
 

The original Manual of the Planes is such a wonderful cover. It's so strange and evocative, a call to adventure.

Up to Easley, for similar reasons. Down to Wayne Reynolds. I don't mind the spikey-cartoony bits so much, but his art seems like it's either too filled with characters like a fantasy art Dagwood sandwich, or just a person screaming with their mouth open, with no background details.

Daniel Horne -- 21
Keith Parkinson -- 21
Jeff Easley -- 22
Larry Elmore -- 22
Clyde Caldwell -- 18
Erol Otus -- 18
Wayne Reynolds -- 12
Todd Lockwood -- 19
Tyler Jacobson -- 20
David Trampier -- 21
Emmanuel -- 20

Jeff Easley -- 21 -- Easley did all my favorite non-Brom covers in the TSR days, like the 1983 DMG and the original Manual of the Planes. Very evocative, very detailed, and not cartoonish-looking.
 

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