D&D 5E Let's talk about WoTC Book Covers

[Parmandur]

Huh. That makes me feel bad for him, and for criticizing his art. His box-set art is amazing and iconic.

I mean, the DIY local town feel of OD&D doesn't stack up precisely to a global multimedia juggernaut that seeks the hottest art talent from around the world. And that's fine.

 

[J.Quondam]

Huh. That makes me feel bad for him, and for criticizing his art. His box-set art is amazing and iconic.

Don't feel bad for criticizing the art.
Look at it this way: that image is probably the very first time the weirdness that is the beholder was ever put to paper! Given the era and state of the industry at the time, not to mention whatever oddball description he had to work with, what else could he have done? It's amateurish, sure, but he was an amateur.
And D&D is all the better for it.

 

[pukunui]

I think the paintings are generally fine, but I hate the trade dress. The red "blood," if that's what it is, on the spine looked cheesy the moment it came out, and I suspect it's going to age terribly.

I've always thought of it as a tattered banner or flag rather than blood. I can't speak to how it will age aesthetically, but I can speak to how it weathers (or doesn't). The red strip fades to pink due to sun fade.

 

[Zardnaar]

I've always thought of it as a tattered banner or flag rather than blood. I can't speak to how it will age, but I can speak to how it weathers (or doesn't). The red strip fades to pink due to sun fade.

All D&D books sun fade. I keep mine out of direct sunlight.

 

[Parmandur]

I've always thought of it as a tattered banner or flag rather than blood. I can't speak to how it will age, but I can speak to how it weathers (or doesn't). The red strip fades to pink due to sun fade.

I think the style has aged, and aged pretty well as a bookcase shelf in my experience.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

All D&D books sun fade. I keep mine out of direct sunlight.

You'd think they'd have learned not to have them printed in the Underdark by this point.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

All D&D books with pigments in their covers fade in the sun. I keep mine out of direct sunlight.

Fixed that for you. UV light breaks apart the pigments in paint and other materials (which is why clothing and house-paint fades in sunlight).

 

[Zardnaar]

Fixed that for you. UV light breaks apart the pigments in paint and other materials (which is why clothing and house-paint fades in sunlight).

If you want to nitpuck sure.

I figured this out years ago when some books bought in early 90's are now sunfaded.

Then you get odd ones out for whatever reason.

 

[Parmandur]

You'd think they'd have learned not to have them printed in the Underdark by this point.

And people say that WotC doesn't care about Tradition.

 

[Zardnaar]

And people say that WotC doesn't care about Tradition.

That being cheap. 1Es gonna win long term. Only edition where the books are durable enough to last centuries.