D&D General Art in D&D

Tazawa · Nov 27, 2019

I have to agree that 5e art is good but not great. I would like to see the evocative scenes of 2e art combined with 5e's more modern sensibilities.

The art in the PHB is dull. When it shows characters they are rarely interacting with the environment or opponents. The picture on page 156 showing the caravan is a good example.

Why not pull back a bit and show the fantastic landscape the party is travelling through or show a hidden enemy watching them? Add something interesting instead of having a static, boring scene.

Thankfully, it is getting better. Compare the art in Dragon Heist or Descent to Avernus to the PHB. The full page scenes are dynamic and interesting.

dave2008 · Nov 27, 2019

Tazawa said:
Thankfully, it is getting better. Compare the art in Dragon Heist or Descent to Avernus to the PHB. The full page scenes are dynamic and interesting.

I definitely agree the art direction seems to be getting better. I hope it continues!

The Glen · Nov 27, 2019

Something I heard in the documentary Eye of the Beholder stuck with me. Fantasy art needs to be the snapshot of a story in motion. You can look at it and you know exactly what happened before and what's going to happen next. Tazawa is right, 5th edition art is pretty bland and lacking in action. That has changed lately but you look at the image that he showed it's a boring story they're getting ready to leave to go somewhere. Then you look at this piece from The Lost City which is adventurers going somewhere but it tells a story. And it's hard to compare art from the old school to the new school because old school was largely lineart except for the covers. But man some of that line art stands up to the test of time.

Tazawa · Nov 27, 2019

This is the type of art that I think 5e needs. It's a Dragon cover from the 3.5 era by Eva Widermann. It's a dynamic scene in an interesting environment. And the female warrior is dressed appropriately.

Hussar · Nov 27, 2019

Eva Wildman rocks. Love her stuff.

Son of the Serpent said:
Yes. Really. The art in that piece takes vastly more technical skill than the average art i see in 5e.

What the art is saying is irrelevant to what i, myself, was saying.

Sorry this art offends you but yeah. Far greater technical skill and command over anatomical elements than the average art of 5e. The vulgarity couldnt be any less relevant.

Dont pearl clutch so hard that you end up needing a chiropractor.

Sorry the art doesnt acheive your moral standards.

Missing the point. It's not about "pearl clutching". And, I'll ask you nicely this once not to start dog whistling this thread which has remained relatively constructive. But, back to the criticism, it's about the composition. It's a character that is completely out of place for the setting (what is a blond seraglio girl doing in that setting) and completely unrelated to anything the players could do or see in the game. IIRC, that wasn't a Dragon magazine cover, but, I'm drawing a blank where it actually does appear.

As far as "technical skill" goes, well, sure, it's technically great. Good colors and whatnot. But, who cares? The Mona Lisa is technically great but would make for a very poor D&D book illustration. Just because it's a well made fantasy piece does not make it a good illustration. Context matters.

-------

Yeah, there's a lot of the "just a character" art in 5e, but, there's a lot of broader pieces too. I mean, this is a pretty darn good piece:

Tazawa · Nov 28, 2019

Hussar said:
IIRC, that wasn't a Dragon magazine cover, but, I'm drawing a blank where it actually does appear.

I'm pretty sure it is.

It could have appeared somewhere else.

Hussar said:
Yeah, there's a lot of the "just a character" art in 5e, but, there's a lot of broader pieces too. I mean, this is a pretty darn good piece:

It certainly is. I just wish there had been more of it.

Son of the Serpent · Nov 28, 2019

The Glen said:
Just going off my knowledge of art Direction it looks like they told him to add an imp to the piece and he took a picture of a monkey and converted that. Judging by the pose of the m and the fact that it's popping out of cheeks it does have a strong South American monkey vibe. Rotoscoping existing images is a rather common practice

I meant i thought hussar was projecting onto the imp things that were in his mind not in the picture. I actually already agree with you. If you thought i didnt. Just for the record.

Son of the Serpent · Nov 28, 2019

Hussar said:
Eva Wildman rocks. Love her stuff.

Missing the point. It's not about "pearl clutching". And, I'll ask you nicely this once not to start dog whistling this thread which has remained relatively constructive. But, back to the criticism, it's about the composition. It's a character that is completely out of place for the setting (what is a blond seraglio girl doing in that setting) and completely unrelated to anything the players could do or see in the game. IIRC, that wasn't a Dragon magazine cover, but, I'm drawing a blank where it actually does appear.

As far as "technical skill" goes, well, sure, it's technically great. Good colors and whatnot. But, who cares? The Mona Lisa is technically great but would make for a very poor D&D book illustration. Just because it's a well made fantasy piece does not make it a good illustration. Context matters.

-------

Yeah, there's a lot of the "just a character" art in 5e, but, there's a lot of broader pieces too. I mean, this is a pretty darn good piece:

Well i mean. Is it constructive to say the imp is learing?

Anyway dont know what dog whistling means but i dont think the imp was learing at all. I mean maybe. But thatd not what i think when i see it.

Son of the Serpent · Nov 28, 2019

dave2008 said:
Great, but to be clear a picture or two out of thousands doesn't make a trend. That being said I am really curious about the picture your referencing.

Side Note: RL humans do have quire a variety in anatomy. My son is 6-3 and I am 5-10.5, yet our legs are virtually the same length and he has a much longer torso. His friend ****(name removed) is 6-4, 260 lbs and has the head of someone who is 8' tall! (EDIT: to clarify, he is big man with an oversized head). Also, Look at Michael Phelps for some bizarre anatomy. I guess what I am saying is there is quire a range in human anatomy as is, what is your starting point for the 'correct' humanoid anatomy?

i agree. One picture does not a trend make.

Its a pucture of something i see a lot of though.

Still going to post it btw. But im not at a device that can currently.

Son of the Serpent · Nov 28, 2019

dave2008 said:
Great, but to be clear a picture or two out of thousands doesn't make a trend. That being said I am really curious about the picture your referencing.

Side Note: RL humans do have quire a variety in anatomy. My son is 6-3 and I am 5-10.5, yet our legs are virtually the same length and he has a much longer torso. His friend ****(name removed) is 6-4, 260 lbs and has the head of someone who is 8' tall! (EDIT: to clarify, he is big man with an oversized head). Also, Look at Michael Phelps for some bizarre anatomy. I guess what I am saying is there is quire a range in human anatomy as is, what is your starting point for the 'correct' humanoid anatomy?

People who come even close to johny bravo dont exist though. That would be an extreme deformity.

D&D General Art in D&D

Tazawa

Adventurer

dave2008

Legend

The Glen

Legend

Tazawa

Adventurer

Hussar

Legend

Tazawa

Adventurer

Son of the Serpent

Pupil

Son of the Serpent

Pupil

Son of the Serpent

Pupil

Son of the Serpent

Pupil

Similar Threads