D&D General D&D Art across the editions

[Enrico Poli1]

I am thinking about adding the DMG and MM too. I see what the weekend brings.

I join the others and thank you.
Please add the DMG and MM.
Maybe for the MM you could select some monsters and see the corresponding art in the different editions...

 

[dave2008]

I join the others and thank you.
Please add the DMG and MM.
Maybe for the MM you could select some monsters and see the corresponding art in the different editions...

Ya. the DMG shouldn't be difficult - but the MM. Not sure what I would feel right just leaving it to the full spreads.

 

[dave2008]

I've updated the 3e PHB art with the chapter art. Not really full page spreads IMO, but it is close.

 

[dave2008]

Maybe for the MM you could select some monsters and see the corresponding art in the different editions...

That's not a bad idea.

 

[Hussar]

1e: Gygaxian, gritty art.
2e: TSR fires Gygax. The company wants a more High Fantasy feeling, and wants to tell stories with adventures, settings and related art. Elmore, Caldwell, Easley and Parkinson are paid to produce such high quality work. Larger-then-life, over-the-top art, it was good to illustrate legends and epics and fables. Later in the edition, the settings were bound to the art of one or two artists: Mystara had Elmore and Caldwell, Dragonlance had Elmore, Dark Sun had Brom, Planescape had DiTerlizzi... Moreover, for the first time, the art preceded and inspired the world-building (see the case of Dark Sun: Brom draw, and then Timothy Brown translated the art into setting lore...)
3e: The change of edition implied a drastic change in art also. Covers looked as tomes now. The overall atmosphere was provided by Lockwood. From the stuff of myth to a more "realistic" fantasy, precise, efficient and codified (Lockwood Dragons).
4e: The art was video-gamey, colorful, full of action and dynamism.
5e: nostalgia for 2e and its fairytale atmosphere. Mike Mearls finally understands the importante of art (both in quality and quantity) to sell physical books.

That's not entirely accurate though. Dragonlance was very much a 1e thing. It was largely finished by the time 2e rolled around. And Elmore was ALWAYS the go to Dragonlance artist.

 

[Ulfgeir]

That's not entirely accurate though. Dragonlance was very much a 1e thing. It was largely finished by the time 2e rolled around. And Elmore was ALWAYS the go to Dragonlance artist.

He definitively did most of it, but I know that some of the others did stuff there as well. Come to think of it, might be from one of those that my dislike for Easley stems from (if I recall correctly it was a picture of Tasslehoff Burrfoot) . On the really good side though, is one from Parkinsson, where the group of Draconians wonder "What do you mean we're lost?"

 

[dave2008]

He definitively did most of it, but I know that some of the others did stuff there as well. Come to think of it, might be from one of those that my dislike for Easley stems from (if I recall correctly it was a picture of Tasslehoff Burrfoot) . On the really good side though, is one from Parkinsson, where the group of Draconians wonder "What do you mean we're lost?"

Yes, Caldwell, Easley and Parkinson all had a good bit of DL art.

 

[Ancalagon]

Could you find another version of the first image of the 2nd ed PHB (not the cover)? It's way too dark - the image is brighter and clearer IMO, this doesn't do it justice. As I think it's one of the best pieces D&D has generated...

 

[dave2008]

OK I have added the art form all of the DMGs. Please note there is a limit to the number of images that can be attached in a post, so I had to add the 5e DMG images to separate post. I linked to it in the original post.

 

[dave2008]

Could you find another version of the first image of the 2nd ed PHB (not the cover)? It's way too dark - the image is brighter and clearer IMO, this doesn't do it justice. As I think it's one of the best pieces D&D has generated...

That is a good piece. I had the same issue with some of the 2e DMG images as well. If someone wants to send me a better version I am happy to replace it. If I get time later I might go look myself, but it is not a priority at this momment.