Skade
Explorer
All this talk of whether Elmore is worthy of having a cover or not, and the other artists who gave us full page art for this issue are ignored. 
Elmore may not be the greatest artist to grace the earth but he is talented, well tarined, and wel known. He is also a staple of our hobby, whether you play Dungeons and Dragons or not. If the man relies on certain stylistic choices, and certain looks to his women, as well as the supposed unrealistic armor, so be it. It is no worse than any other artist that has been featured on the cover of Dragon or its sister Dungeon, and better than most.
Not only that, this cheesecake you speak of has always been a part of the hobby. How many artists out there attached to the genre, in gaming or in fiction use the female form in a seductive way? Let's make that easier, how many do not? (Rhetorical question BTW, it would take a bit of research to really answer that to satisfaction.)
Now to the pieces inside the issue.
The barbarian piece is great. I really like the skin of the half orc, obviously not human, but not grotesque or hideous. The woman was interestingly done, with the sleek black leather pants and halter top that I am sure offended someone, coupled with the snow tiger print cloak flanged with brass bits that are reminiscent of feather and a birds skull for a brooch. It is a great look. No, it's not viking inspired, nor any other earth barbarian culture, but it does not have to be. The characters are vivid, jumping out at you on the page, beautiful and dangerous both.
The fighter piece is also quite nice. Someone will be upset by the conical bits on the elves breastplate, but I really don't see a problem. She is very much fully dressed, so I'm sure that will be to her benefit. The piece is very dark, with a plume of flames in the background. The colors are soft, and faded as if my early light, suggesting the first moment of a battle, with mist or smoke surrounding them. The armor for both characters is ornate, but traditionally designed for the most part. Certainly it is not dungeon-punk.
The piece for the monk article is my favorite, and probably by the same artist who did the fighter piece. It possess the same soft light, and blurred detail on background structures and landscape. The poses of each character are realistic to my untrained eye. The female in mid kata, a staff held at the ready. Her male companion ready for business. he wears no shirt, and she wears a green and flower print bikini top. neither were done for the look alone. Both outfits are utilitarian simple outfits suitable for excercise or combat.
I really did not like the Champions of the Divine piece. The hlfling looked...odd. Something about the face and the helm on her war dog, the lines are too simlar. She simply seems out of proprtion. the idea of a fully plated female halfling paladin on a barded war dog is very cool though.
The armor worn by the male character is probably realistic enough.
The piece for the ranger issue is cool enough. The background is great. Gorgeous use of light through a forest canopy, complete with falling leaves, and a very organic looking tree detailed just behind the two characters. Our traditional rough looking green garbed raneger today is a halfling (gnome?). Not common, so nice. The other, the female is half-orc, again not common, as not sexy. Again, like the other half orc doen this issue she is obviously not human, well defined muscles and greay flat skin, as well as feral almost skelatal facial features mark as her as obviously not. The pose does make her appear capable, dangerous and wary, as imagine she was meant to be.
Each article also incldes a map, made not for direct use, but instead as a reference. Each one is very pretty, nicely colored and evocative. There are no grids and no measurements though.
The last price of art in the issue is by Brain Snoddy, who i first became familair with though Privateer Press where I love his black and white line art. he work reminds me of woodcuttings for some reason, and 18th century art for penny dreadfuls. This piece is in color, watercolors I think (not an art expert again. There is no sex here, simpl,y a large man with a large sheathed sword resting on his shoulder. His eyes are very real, small dark piercing eyes, leveled appraisingly, and dissaprovingly on the viewer. It's a good piece, but I have not read the short story it is attached to.
Overall, I really think the art for this issue was top notch. I'd love to see more of this in the future.
Edit: I forgot the rogue piece. It's like DnD done by Tim Bradstreet.
Elmore may not be the greatest artist to grace the earth but he is talented, well tarined, and wel known. He is also a staple of our hobby, whether you play Dungeons and Dragons or not. If the man relies on certain stylistic choices, and certain looks to his women, as well as the supposed unrealistic armor, so be it. It is no worse than any other artist that has been featured on the cover of Dragon or its sister Dungeon, and better than most.
Not only that, this cheesecake you speak of has always been a part of the hobby. How many artists out there attached to the genre, in gaming or in fiction use the female form in a seductive way? Let's make that easier, how many do not? (Rhetorical question BTW, it would take a bit of research to really answer that to satisfaction.)
Now to the pieces inside the issue.
The barbarian piece is great. I really like the skin of the half orc, obviously not human, but not grotesque or hideous. The woman was interestingly done, with the sleek black leather pants and halter top that I am sure offended someone, coupled with the snow tiger print cloak flanged with brass bits that are reminiscent of feather and a birds skull for a brooch. It is a great look. No, it's not viking inspired, nor any other earth barbarian culture, but it does not have to be. The characters are vivid, jumping out at you on the page, beautiful and dangerous both.
The fighter piece is also quite nice. Someone will be upset by the conical bits on the elves breastplate, but I really don't see a problem. She is very much fully dressed, so I'm sure that will be to her benefit. The piece is very dark, with a plume of flames in the background. The colors are soft, and faded as if my early light, suggesting the first moment of a battle, with mist or smoke surrounding them. The armor for both characters is ornate, but traditionally designed for the most part. Certainly it is not dungeon-punk.
The piece for the monk article is my favorite, and probably by the same artist who did the fighter piece. It possess the same soft light, and blurred detail on background structures and landscape. The poses of each character are realistic to my untrained eye. The female in mid kata, a staff held at the ready. Her male companion ready for business. he wears no shirt, and she wears a green and flower print bikini top. neither were done for the look alone. Both outfits are utilitarian simple outfits suitable for excercise or combat.
I really did not like the Champions of the Divine piece. The hlfling looked...odd. Something about the face and the helm on her war dog, the lines are too simlar. She simply seems out of proprtion. the idea of a fully plated female halfling paladin on a barded war dog is very cool though.
The armor worn by the male character is probably realistic enough. The piece for the ranger issue is cool enough. The background is great. Gorgeous use of light through a forest canopy, complete with falling leaves, and a very organic looking tree detailed just behind the two characters. Our traditional rough looking green garbed raneger today is a halfling (gnome?). Not common, so nice. The other, the female is half-orc, again not common, as not sexy. Again, like the other half orc doen this issue she is obviously not human, well defined muscles and greay flat skin, as well as feral almost skelatal facial features mark as her as obviously not. The pose does make her appear capable, dangerous and wary, as imagine she was meant to be.
Each article also incldes a map, made not for direct use, but instead as a reference. Each one is very pretty, nicely colored and evocative. There are no grids and no measurements though.
The last price of art in the issue is by Brain Snoddy, who i first became familair with though Privateer Press where I love his black and white line art. he work reminds me of woodcuttings for some reason, and 18th century art for penny dreadfuls. This piece is in color, watercolors I think (not an art expert again. There is no sex here, simpl,y a large man with a large sheathed sword resting on his shoulder. His eyes are very real, small dark piercing eyes, leveled appraisingly, and dissaprovingly on the viewer. It's a good piece, but I have not read the short story it is attached to.
Overall, I really think the art for this issue was top notch. I'd love to see more of this in the future.
Edit: I forgot the rogue piece. It's like DnD done by Tim Bradstreet.
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