D&D General Art in D&D

[Hussar]

Actually, I agree with @Hussar on this one.

Well, I do in some ways. Firstly, I would prefer it if halflings did not have odd and frightening proportions, but, without a distinct culture of some sort, halflings really are absolutely pointless in that they are more 'human' than any other humanoid race (other than humans, but that's a given).

Large feet, covered in hair, and oversized facial features are fine, but xenomorph heads and spindly limbs are... in my humble opinion, a tad weird.

One of the best looks for halflings is (IMO) when they have well-proporioned bodies for their size, (just barely) oversized heads with distinct features (not like the bobble-headed halflings of MToF), and large feet.

Yeah, I gotta admit, I don't like the 5e art for halflings. Weird is the right word. But, I get why they went that way - at least it's an attempt to make them recognizable.

Sorry, but, no, for those saying putting a hat on an elf makes them look human. You really think putting a hat on

Will make her look human? And, yes, I know that's the 3e elf iconic. I'm in a hurry and that's the first pic I found.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I can find a lot of pictures where if you put shoes on the halfling pictured, you still clearly know it's a halfling. That proves nothing. You often accuse others of cherry picking, and here you are doing the same thing.

Halflings have a few distinguishing universal features for a basic halfing. So does every other race. You're picking and choosing double standard criteria that applies to halflings but no ones else. Put a hat on a typical elf, and they look exactly like a Gen Xer from the 90s (a group of which I belonged to). An era where being androgynous, pale, and thin were all the fashion. So without seeing the ears, there is no difference between an elf and a 90s any male or female model.

And there are humans who are fat and have big beards. Just like a typical dwarf. Heck, half the movies Zach Galifianakis has been in, he looks just like a typical dwarf illustration.

So sorry, I don't follow your logic. Seems a clear double standard you're holding here, to apply restrictions to halflings but not the others.

 

[Hussar]

There’s more to the art for various races than purely physical traits. Elves are depicted wearing very specific kinds of clothes. Dwarves in 5e have wonky, angular weapons.

Halflings though lack a very distinct look. That’s why we got ugly 5e halflings. That’s the point I’ve been trying to make.

 

[Sacrosanct]

There’s more to the art for various races than purely physical traits. Elves are depicted wearing very specific kinds of clothes. Dwarves in 5e have wonky, angular weapons.

Halflings though lack a very distinct look. That’s why we got ugly 5e halflings. That’s the point I’ve been trying to make.

this is not true across editions. Dwarves angular weapons, for instance, didn’t really start showing up until Peter Jackson made a movie with them.

Halflings do have a distinct look across editions by and large. That is, large hairy feet and larger facial features. Saying “just put shoes on” is disengenous not only because of what I already mentioned, but also because halflings don’t normally wear them. Might as well say “shave a dwarf”.

Halflings don’t have to look like dark sun in order to be distinct. They always have been since they were called hobbits.

 

[Parmandur]

SO I literally just stumbled across this tonight and am watching it.

I thought it was pretty apropo to this thread and discussion!

It's a fun watch and I recommend it, especially for those interested in this thread

Eye of the Beholder: The Art of Dungeons & Dragons (2019) ⭐ 7.1 | Documentary

1h 31m

www.imdb.com

Hadn't heard of it before. Different services to watch it at here

Yes, lots of interesting stuff in that film. Kinda demonstrates, more or less intentionally I suppose, how specifically obsessed Caldwell was with drawing cheesecake...kind squiggy.

 

[Hussar]

Meh, this got blown way, way out of proportion. My only point was that without background, it's very easy to mistake a halfling for a human. Which is kind of a shame seeing as how every other race in D&D has far more identity in the art. I mean, take 3e Lidda for example. You're telling me that this:

is instantly recognizable as a halfling?

Now this:

Sure, I can see that. But, that kinda speaks to my point. You need other stuff in the image to give perspective in order to actually know that what you're looking at is a halfling.

I mean sure, this is horribly ugly:

But, at least it's instantly recognizable.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I would love it if some of my favorite M:TG illustrators produced pieces for D&D. Imagine a Terese Nielsen cover for a sourcebook.

The more I think about it, the more bizarre it seems. I can only think that there's some kind of internal division, or perhaps even rivalry or hostility that prevents this. Even if it is a simple diktat that MtG artists shouldn't do D&D stuff, that's a terrible idea because sooner or later MtG drags in the majority of really great fantasy artists, so that would severely limit D&Ds pool.

Re Halflings I feel like the major issue is that no one quite knows what to do with them, visually. Post-3E, all we can really say is that it's clear D&D wants them to be something other than hobbit, despite their origin. But what? That's less evident. Even Gnomes seem to have more of an identity.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Malrex]

But overall, I prefer a gritty, sword-and-sorcery approach to fantasy artwork that has fallen out of fashion in recent decades. Dave Trampier is still my favourite artist, and his work in 1E AD&D defines the tone I like my game to have. And D&D has moved far away from that aesthetic.

THIS.

 

[GrahamWills]

The more I think about it, the more bizarre it seems. I can only think that there's some kind of internal division, or perhaps even rivalry or hostility that prevents this. Even if it is a simple diktat that MtG artists shouldn't do D&D stuff, that's a terrible idea because sooner or later MtG drags in the majority of really great fantasy artists, so that would severely limit D&Ds pool.

Or it could simply be priorities. The MtG artists might be a limited resource, and so they are only going to work on small projects like D&D when they have spare time away from what will draw the most dollars.