AbdulAlhazred
Legend
Great article! Lots of stuff to ponder.
Per your final request--the desire to create a grand vision for D&D art that will encompass more than anyone's individual vision--I agree that this is a worthy and indeed necessary goal. Perhaps a start would be for everybody to step back from details (I want this artist, I want the art to use that technique), and post what you want the art to do for you.
For me: I want the art to intrigue me. I want it to make me wonder what's happening, what has happened, and what's about to happen. I want it to make me feel that there is a deep, complex, living world out there that my character is setting off to explore. There's danger, there's opportunity, but above all there is the Great Unknown waiting to be revealed.
By way of example, my all-time favorite D&D cover art is this version of the 1E DMG. I can't much tell what's behind the guy in the green robe, but I really want to find out. As a player, this draws me in because I want to discover the answers. As a DM, it draws me in because I get to make up the answers.
Yeah, pretty much. The implied story. That feeling of unexplored depth. Not sure that particular DMG was my favorite, but it isn't bad.
Honestly, in a lot of ways, somewhat of a riff on early 1e corebook art. That stuff wasn't always the best work, but the covers were good and a lot of the interior art, for all its limitations, was evocative. Partly BECAUSE of its limitations maybe.
This is a man who's just saying all the right things. Put on some Barry White, turn down the lights and preach it brother!
