D&D 5E Art direction and 5th edition

[Lum The Mad]

Is anyone really thinking a fantasy roleplaying game could have a better (more fitting) art design than THAT?


http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_1.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_2.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_3.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_4.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_5.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_6.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_7.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_8.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_9.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_10.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_11.jpg

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

The "distressed" look to the pages was a nice touch (all my 2e books looked like that by the time 3e came out), but the artwork... not so much. I dig the "Leonardo's Workshop" motif they were going for, but the artist's style just fails to resonate with me. I know I'm not alone, and you probably aren't either. That's how it goes with things that are so subjective.

 

[RangerWickett]

It did amuse me that, after years of cheesecake in fantasy, the first illustration in the 3rd edition PHB was a naked man.

 

[scruffygrognard]

Imagine if Jon Hodgson does the art for 5e..

I would love that! 5E needs a more classic fantasy look.

 

[Morrus]

What I've never understood is that - while the style not be to everyobe's taste; and I'm head of the line to dislike "dungeon punk" - why is it that it seems to get better over the years?

I'm not just talking colour; detail is better, proportions are better. The dungeon punk style isn't for me - but that's just a personal preference.

That said, I think my ideal of D&D art was the Dragonlance stuff back in the day. It may have been a bit too exploitive of women, but overall the style was more evocative to me than the modern stuff.

Did I mention I didn't like dungeon punk?

 

[Bedrockgames]

Count me as another fan of the dragonlance stuff.

 

[LurkAway]

How about artists like Ian McCaig in the Fighting Fantasy series? He had me ever since the original cover of Deathtrap Dungeon....
http://www.gamebooks.org/gallery/figfan06o.jpg

 

[Ed_Laprade]

Is anyone really thinking a fantasy roleplaying game could have a better (more fitting) art design than THAT?


http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_1.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_2.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_3.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_4.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_5.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_6.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_7.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_8.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_9.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_10.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_11.jpg

Yes. The pages are too filthy. And that isn't art, its draftsmanship. Give me just about anything else, please. I definitely agree with those who want more 'realism' and landscapes.

 

[Dausuul]

Is anyone really thinking a fantasy roleplaying game could have a better (more fitting) art design than THAT?


http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_1.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_2.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_3.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_4.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_5.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_6.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_7.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_8.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_9.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_10.jpg
http://132.209.40.23/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Players_Handbook/Chapter_11.jpg

I guess it depends on what you mean by "fitting." I agree with you that that design is quite fitting for 3E, since what it conveys is "When playing this game, you will spend all your time tinkering with a million tiny parts in a massively complex machine."

However, as an art design for D&D in general... not so much.

 

[Lum The Mad]

However, as an art design for D&D in general... not so much.

So ... what kind of art design would you suggest?
Pics are welcome.