D&D General Defining your campaing through art? Or how I learned to embrace anime elf ears (image-heavy)

[dave2008]

Question: can anyone explain to me why just about every non-Human is depicted these days as having increasingly long pointy ears?

The Gnome with the turkey (above) has non-pointed ears, which is almost unique in Gnome art. One would think Halflings (a.k.a. Hobbits) would have non-pointy ears but the points have been growing in the art as the years go by. And Elves - I used to think the Elves' ears in Elfquest were over the top but they look pretty subdued next to some of what's out there today.

IDK, elves have had pretty long ears since at least "The Record of Lodoss War" in the 80s:

 

[dave2008]

I'm not against anime elf ears, but the ears on that drow make them look like they're half bat.

Sounds like the right choice then.

 

[Keefe the Thief]

I think I have to say sorry for not contributing more to "my" thread - a surprise vaccination left me somewhat, uh, under the weather. Anyway, I think that I... uh... think so much about art these days because it allows me to define game concepts I`ve known for a long time in a different way. For instance, I always saw hobgoblins as vaguely defined, organized enemies without much personality. But I think they`ve gained much more depth, not the least because of all the art you can find of them.

http://i.*****.com/7n3jPPal.png

Expanding definitions, that is what I mean. I had very simple ideas how a fighter in D&D could look. Today, I`d think: why not like this?

http://i.*****.com/MojbJ59l.jpg

Or this?

http://i.*****.com/UhpUQX6l.jpg

Or this?

http://i.*****.com/YqSAonol.jpg

Or this?

http://i.*****.com/DhngIZKl.jpg

Or this (in a somewhat "dangerous" situation)

http://i.*****.com/5zKDq0xl.jpg

Elf ears (do we need a subforum for elf ears already) are basically a strong hint at non-humanness (is that a word).

http://i.*****.com/LirGUH1l.jpg

http://i.*****.com/dqGyrZll.jpg

Modern art (whatever that is) also depicts many adventurers as having fun. I like that. Some of the older art looked more like SWAT teams practicing trench warfare.

http://i.*****.com/cZYoZqVl.jpg

http://i.*****.com/tr1obRwl.png

In the end, though, the theme is less important. All that matters is if the art triggers your imagination, makes yourself define questions: who is this, why is this happening, what is this place, and of course: what story can it help me tell?

http://i.*****.com/9PY5euBl.jpg

 

[Keefe the Thief]

IDK, elves have had pretty long ears since at least "The Record of Lodoss War" in the 80s:
View attachment 139567

Deedlit is a perfect example, and she made the anime elf ears somewhat popular, I think. Though computer games like Lineage and WoW helped too.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

IDK, elves have had pretty long ears since at least "The Record of Lodoss War" in the 80s:
View attachment 139567

I love that look for elves. Makes them almost deer-like, to me.

 

[Thunder Brother]

http://i.*****.com/DhngIZKl.jpg

Do you know the name of the artist who made this image? It's fantastic!

 

[reelo]

The current fantasy art I like the most is specifically done by pauhami and ullathynell (both on Instagram) for Necrotic Gnome's upcoming "Dolmenwood" campaign setting (for Old School Essentials and other BX-derived OSR games).

It's a stark contrast to the prevalent modern manga-style and/or dungeonpunk. Very child-like. Very dreamy. Very evocative.
Enjoy!

 

[Urriak Uruk]

The current fantasy art I like the most is specifically done by pauhami and ullathynell (both on Instagram) for Necrotic Gnome's upcoming "Dolmenwood" campaign setting (for Old School Essentials and other BX-derived OSR games).

It's a stark contrast to the prevalent modern manga-style and/or dungeonpunk. Very child-like. Very dreamy. Very evocative.
Enjoy!

Wow that is very pretty indeed... it's like those older Lord of the Rings/Hobbit covers!

 

[Argyle King]

I think diversity in art is great.

My own personal preferences make me wish that contemporary diversity included pictures which viewed touches of reality as an enhancement of fantasy rather than as a barrier to it.

I think there's a place for showing the grit and grime which comes from the aftermath of a hard-fought battle. I also think that adding a few small touches to make a creature's form seem functional can help reel me into the mental space of fantasy.

I visited the Frazetta museum in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania back in January. His attention to how a creature's muscles might strain during a physical movement or how dirt might fly from the hooves of a galloping horse are touches of "real" which made the resulting artwork inspire more fantasy -not less- in my mind.

 

[Bigsta]

When it comes to ears, I always think of this passage from the OVA RPG:

Strange Ears: While exceptions certainly exist, when a given anime needs to present a fantasy race, an alien species, or a robotic construct, it is common to eschew the weird and bizarre for a very simple visual cue: strange ears. Whether these ears are elegant and elf-like, sharp metal fins, or fuzzy ones borrowed from this animal or that, anime makes it clear that this being is someone different but keeps at the forefront the human connection. These are characters that can be empathized with and understood, not faceless creatures to be subjugated or thwarted. Unless of course it is some outright evil race that needs subjugating and thwarting, then many-eyed visages, writhing tentacles, fangs, horns, and other inhumanities are fair game.