D&D 5E Toward a new D&D aesthetics

[doctorbadwolf]

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I love this image. Firstly, I want to explore that forest. I also love the color palette, especially in the contrast between the forest and owlbear vs the armored lady.

Also that thing is HUGE!

I could talk at length about how cool owlbears could and should be vs how boring they currently are.

Here's a piece from Tasha's that I think shows some trends. Like the 2e piece, it's got realistic adventurers doing something that's not necessarily cinematic or heroic: they are offering meat to an Owlbear.

Some differences I notice:

The digital art has a brighter color palate.

The characters' clothing and items aren't worn and dirty.

There's a tiefling, and the female character has darker skin tone.

...

Overall, I think it supports these trends: a move towards digital art, and more diverse peoples are represented.

The move towards digital art is definitely not a new thing, and diverse peoples...well lets just say that anyone objecting to that will not find me a sympathetic audience.

You can do a lot with the right brushes in digital.

You can, sure. I wish more people were choosing to do so. That preference isn't important in any way external to myself, but hey we're talking about art preferences, right?

 

[Scribe]

Possibly related?

I mean are we saying Wild beyond the Witchlight, this latest book, and other pieces from Strixhaven are all bisexual? lol

EDIT: Reading the wiki, its not even agreed upon that thats a thing? Nah. I'll keep my synthwave art style separate from my fantasy art, thanks.

Its just something about the palette. I'm just not a fan in the context of fantasy.

 

[BookTenTiger]

I suspect the pinks, purples, and blues are being used to represent otherworldliness, in the same way Erol Otus used those colors:

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Possibly related?

I would hope that the other poster isn't objecting to the color palette with a hidden motivation of not liking bisexuals! lol (to be clear, I genuinely don't think that's the case, it just kinda made me laugh to think of. Us dang bisexuals, ruining DnD!)

But yeah the "bisexual" color palette is great.

modern fantasy art likes those colors, but just as much loves bright reds and greens.

 

[Umbran]

But just curious. How many pictures would have been sufficient to demonstrate a trend?...

Honestly, it is a pretty big claim, so it'd require some effort to establish it.

Also, there's degrees of demonstration - do you want to prove to us that you are clearly correct, or do you want to prove to us that you've thought it through enough that we'd see you might have a point, but still disagree? The latter is far easier.

But first, since we don't all have a shared art language, you'd probably need to better establish what esthetic you're talking about - three to five pieces that all share the elements you don't like. Preferably, these would be from different publications, or at least different artists. Then, if you wanted us to not think you're just not happy with one or two recent pieces, you'd want to take several more, from other works. If you want to really establish a trend, you'd need enough for us to feel you've got a solid sample of WotC art, in general, and WotC uses a lot of art...

And, you'd want to be prepared for counter arguments, like noting that a lot of people would feel that art from Dragon Magazine, including, say, Trampier's "Wormy" and Phil Foglio's "What's New with Phil and Dixie" are solidly part of the "classic" aesthetic.

 

[Undrave]

D&D's aesthetics has been in constant evolution from the start and - it's not about to stop - but there seems to be a conscious artistic direction toward art that is less and less identifiable to a specific timeline, ethnicity, or culture, and art that is much more relatable to our society as it is now rather than as it used to be.

Personally, I applaud D&D's general inclusion of as many fantasty styles and aesthetics as possible, but I wish they'd stick to one when it comes to setting design, both in the sense of what the setting offers and what it does not.

That's a defendable position for sure. At the same time, everybody's imagination is going to render D&D adventure slightly different, isn't it? I think it fits D&D to have all these different styles to represent the same world, as a representation of how each of us has a different view in his mind's eye of what is going on, while still being valid. I like to hear from a variety of voices when it come to art.

Books with, for exemple, only one artist also have their charm. It often make for a more intimate experience. When there is multiple artists it feel like we're catching glimpses of multiple campaign run by different groups, but if there is only one it feels like it's the same DM from start to finish.

I think both have value. Especially in our world where every company is moving their brand identity to the same bland streamlined minimalist aesthetic. Having a major franchise with eclectic art direction feels cool and a little rebellious, even if Hasbro is a big company.

 

[Scribe]

I would hope that the other poster isn't objecting to the color palette with a hidden motivation of not liking bisexuals!

No, but its a humorous reach. I do think they have dug up for me what it is though.

I associate the pallet with 'not fantasy'.

One of my favorite youtube channels for example.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I mean are we saying Wild beyond the Witchlight, this latest book, and other pieces from Strixhaven are all bisexual? lol

EDIT: Reading the wiki, its not even agreed upon that thats a thing? Nah. I'll keep my synthwave art style separate from my fantasy art, thanks.

Its just something about the palette. I'm just not a fan in the context of fantasy.

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So, the outer four of those, I'm having a hard time seeing any meangingful difference in style from the murky forest art from the magic card, upthread.

Do you just dislike fantasy art that lacks obvious menace? But even then, the left two images don't exactly look safe.

 

[Umbran]

I suspect the pinks, purples, and blues are being used to represent otherworldliness, in the same way Erol Otus used those colors:

And let us not forget the tendency to use a warm and cool color together to compliment each other and indicate drama:

 

[Scribe]

So, the outer four of those, I'm having a hard time seeing any meangingful difference in style from the murky forest art from the magic card, upthread.

Do you just dislike fantasy art that lacks obvious menace? But even then, the left two images don't exactly look safe.

Theres only 3 with the colour scheme I'm thinking of, but hopefully my prior post here explains what I'm feeling.