I have no idea if this is a hot take or not, but...

[ThorinTeague]

When Elmore/Easley/Brom/et. al. left TSR, the soul left with them.

 

[aco175]

hot take
noun
US

• a piece of commentary, typically produced quickly in response to a recent event, whose primary purpose is to attract attention.

"his hot take on the latest column."


Sounds like you are trying to make a point. Maybe expand some on when they left and why you think this. Maybe the term is meant to be a conversation starter and I just am not getting it.

 

[Reynard]

When Elmore/Easley/Brom/et. al. left TSR, the soul left with them.

1. The soul of what?

2. Is art the only thing that matters?

 

[James Gasik]

The art of a game does help you get a feel for it, and captures the imagination. AD&D (both editions) had better art overall than 3.x (most of which was kind of meh). 4e mostly focused on characters, but was a clear improvement over 3.x. 5e is kind of a mixed bag; while most of it is fine, there's not a lot that really pops.

Example from 4e's Divine Power:

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

When Elmore/Easley/Brom/et. al. left TSR, the soul left with them.

I will accept you hot take, and I will go HAWTER TAEK:

Elmore was the beginning of the end- the soul left TSR when Otus, Easley, Dee, and Sutherland were no longer doing the primary work.



Or, go Galaxy Brained-

The best art was in the LBBs. It's all been downhill since then.

 

[Kai Lord]

I will accept you hot take, and I will go HAWTER TAEK:

Elmore was the beginning of the end- the soul left TSR when Otus, Easley, Dee, and Sutherland were no longer doing the primary work.

Oh yeah? Well I'll do YOU one better. Otus, Dee, and Sutherland were the beginning of the end and the soul left TSR when they stopped releasing products with fully naked women on the covers.

(I kid, I kid, I love all the aforementioned artists from Sutherland to Elmore, etc., lol.)

 

[Haplo781]

The heart and soul of D&D is the original beholder sketch.

 

[J.Quondam]

The heart and soul of D&D is the original beholder sketch.

View attachment 276289

Before they had wrinkles and big toothy maws:

 

[Yora]

I really don't like how Elmore paints characters. With 80s hair and no pants. But his landscapes were always fantastic and evoke a world that feels so much different from WotC D&D.

Also, Keith Parkinson always makes me want to go back running a Forgotten Realms campaign in OSRIC.

 

[James Gasik]

I really don't like how Elmore paints characters. With 80s hair and no pants. But his landscapes were always fantastic and evoke a world that feels so much different from WotC D&D.

Also, Keith Parkinson always makes me want to go back running a Forgotten Realms campaign in OSRIC.

How can you not love this picture?