Huge donkey ears on elves, halflings, etc...

[Arravis]

I've noticed that many artists choose to put massive ears on elves and such. Any reason for this? Neither in any of the D&D rule books I've read, nor the hundreds of fantasy novels (classics and not) over the years, have I ever seen them described this way. Yet, illustrating the ears in that style is quite common. I just don't get it... Any explanations or thoughts on this? Thanks guys!

-Arravis

 

[Ambrus]

Four words: Record of Lodoss War

 

[ml3]

I generally do not draw them this way, though my most recent image had them. That was only because the description called for 'long ears' and not just 'pointy ears'.

I get the feeling that people are:
a) influenced by the fairies of Brian Froud
and
b) afraid of having their elves look like Vulcans

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Yeah, Record of Lodoss War and a couple other fantasy anime seems to be the ones that really got this going. It can look interesting if done right, but usually they just seem far too big...

 

[Hand of Evil]

You know your elfs are elfs that way, don't want them to be mixed up with your cat girls!

 

[alsih2o]

A lot of art is about implying rather than showing.

Noses tend to be implied, things like that.

To mkae the ears stand out makes it easier to amke it obvious in a simple drawing or painting that it IS an elf.

That and whatever caused all the damned spiked armor.

 

[sjmiller]

Yeah, Record of Lodoss War and a couple other fantasy anime seems to be the ones that really got this going. It can look interesting if done right, but usually they just seem far too big...

I can't say that I have ever heard of that show/movie/whatever it is. Since you mention it is anime that probably explains it. I too have noticed the larger than necesary ears in a lot of art of late. Of course, I have also noticed an explosion of body piercings, tattoos, and big spiky bits too. Most especially the body piercings. I must be old, 'cuz I just don't get it.

 

[Mr. Kaze]

At a guess:

Gnomes and halflings have disproportionately large ears to denote that they're lower on the food chain and thus need to have better physical capacity for predator-detection than larger humanoids.

Elves have huge ears because the extra surface area of the ears helps them stay cool-headed even in hottest situations. <joke>Because everybody knows that the elven ladies are super-hot.</joke> Alternately, I think it's because the designers of big-eared elves are just plain afraid of subtlety going unnoticed or that newbies might not understand that elves are a completely different species from humans.

That said, I also think the ears are ridiculous -- and I believe I said as much when/by naming my WoW Night Elf Druid "VorpalBunny".

::Kaze

 

[Arravis]

Some interesting ideas. I had always assumed that it was the influence of "furry" anime (where it seems extremely prevalent) on mainstream anime. Because of the anime explosion in the US, that influence has made it's way here.

I suspect the popularity of drawing in that style is because anime is easy to copy, having simple lines, and, for the most part, showing little regard for anatomy or representation of 3-dimensions in a 2-dimension medium (which is what makes more traditional drawing quite difficult). Of course, when you have to do as many frames as a tv series or movie takes, you want a quick and easy drawing method. Those shortcuts, in my opinion, don't work very well for normal drawings. Anyway, those are my two cents...

 

[Klaus]

Lodoss War seems the origin of long-eared elves.

For those not in the know, it started as an anime mini-series that adapted to the screen the D&D campaign of the anime's creator. In the opening credits they reference (as in steal 80% of it) Clyde Caldwells painting of Laurana being brought before Talhishis in Dragonlance.

The original series (IIRC, 6-part) was very good, though.