Dragon 315: "The Suits"

[romp]

Where's the great art? All I see is Wayne Reynolds, Martin, and Cramer.

Where's the Brom, the Easley, the Elmore, the Parkinson, and the Caldwell?

do you mean now? WotC art has dropped since the Parkinson, Elmore, and Caldwell days. Someone noted WotC's tendency to do "spiky bits" in excess on armor, and some have mentioned the trend to do women wearing as little as they can be drawn with (Avalanche Press covers). When I wrote that I was thinking of the fantastic Lockwood work on 3ed. core books and characters.

The best art guys are Games Workshops' guys for creating mood; although they go down the "spiky bits" road a lot. They really capture the dark, somber feel of WH40K in the charcoals they do for White Dwarf.

All things being said WotC's art dept. is really good at organic architure interior shots and ornate buildings. Its the other stuff that they trip over.

I guess you have to have been around since the old Erol Otus and Wade Hampton days like me to see the improvement to now. I'll take Reynolds to Otus any day. Even though it has dropped a bit, it is still a huge leap over where it was.

 

[Henry]

I know what the term "The Suits" means, Henry. I'm one at the place where I work.

AH! My mortal enemy! How did you track me--

Er, I mean, cool! That's interesting.


As for who specifically, maybe some of the Blume family? Maybe the big W herself? It's difficult to say. All of the suits got little love from the designers, and vice-versa, in those years according to the stories.

 

[Henry]

Where's the Brom, the Easley, the Elmore, the Parkinson, and the Caldwell?

The Easley, the Elmore, the Parkinson, and the Caldwell, I can hang with. But the Brom? Ugh!

Lockwood has done some awesome stuff, though. He's one recent artist that can turn out some really "classic"-looking work.

 

[I'm A Banana]

I've never seen an illo in a RPG book inspire *action* until I saw WAR's work....spikey bits and all...

 

[MrFilthyIke]

Someone mentioned women in as little clothing as possible in WotC
books...I thought that trend was pioneerd in the old "Elmore/Easley/
Caldwell" days. I remember more cheesecake in old D&D. Chainmail
bikinis, anyone?

Anyway, sex always sells, and these things will never go away. So
hop on the boat, and enjoy the ride.

 

[Orius]

She who cannot be named?

I suspect she'd be included among the suits -- the head suit if you will.

 

[Orius]

Where's the great art? All I see is Wayne Reynolds, Martin, and Cramer.

Where's the Brom, the Easley, the Elmore, the Parkinson, and the Caldwell?

Seconded. Although pricey, WotC's material seems to be a lot better than the stuff T$R was releasing like 10-12 years ago. However, I do prefer the old look and art from the old days to the new look. Lockwood is good, Reynolds is good, and there's a couple others I like, but WotC seems to use a lot of art that seems cartoony or something.

 

[Orius]

As for who specifically, maybe some of the Blume family? Maybe the big W herself? It's difficult to say. All of the suits got little love from the designers, and vice-versa, in those years according to the stories.

I strongly suspect them as well.

 

[Orius]

The Easley, the Elmore, the Parkinson, and the Caldwell, I can hang with. But the Brom? Ugh!

Lockwood has done some awesome stuff, though. He's one recent artist that can turn out some really "classic"-looking work.

Brom's cool with the right kind of stuff.

And like I said above, Lockwood is cool. His stuff to me seems to be like a mix of Elmore and Easley.

 

[Bendris Noulg]

When I wrote that I was thinking of the fantastic Lockwood work on 3ed. core books and characters.

Mind pointing it out... All I find is crappy Lockwood work. In fact, I've found all of 3E's art to be a sad disappointment. The black-and-white sketches in many d20 products is far more inspiring than anything I've seen in the main D&D line, and if the art isn't inspiring, it sucks.