D&D 5E I hope this isn't 5E...(art that screams "not this, not this!")

[Libramarian]

To be fair for the 1st picture shown, that is her actual weapon. She weilds are large bastard sword. Here's her bio from adventure paths as a pre-gen PC:

Amiri never quite fit into the expected gender roles of her tribe, and when the tribe attempted to send her on a suicide mission, she returned with an enormous trophy—a frost giant’s sword. She has since abandoned her people, and has come to value her oversized sword (even though she can only truly wield it properly when her blood rage takes her). She never speaks of the circumstances that forced her to flee her homeland. Some things are better left unsaid.

Was it that she wanted to wear the boys uniform instead of the girls but the principal was all like NO WAY and she was all OMG this is stupid I'm outta here and she went home and then the principal called her mom and her mom actually sided with the principal AHHHH OMG and she was like FU mom that's it I'm leaving this stupid tribe for good!!!

 

[Mercule]

I don't like the aesthetic of computer generated 3D art too much or photography. Line drawings mixed with paintings, heck even woodcuts seem appropriate to rule books.
I have seen fantastic fantasy work in cgi stuff but it leaves me cold for a TTRPG.

Agreed. It never looks quite right. I don't mind the look of, say, Skyrim. But I don't want screen caps from Skyrim in my D&D books. Whenever I've seen photos with RPG rules, it always makes me groan and think of either that stupid Tom Hanks movie or cosplayers. Neither image makes me want to game.

 

[tlantl]

I'm convinced 90% of the Eladrin hate is caused by their artwork. What's up with these Roswell Alien eyes?

Or it might be that Eladrins are powerful extra-planar monsters from the plane of Olympus aka Arborea. The developers of the latest edition decided to reflavor them as just another elf off shoot from the land of fairies.

I'm assuming they needed a chaotic plane touched race.

As for the things I would rater not see by way of art in the next edition is anything intended to draw the kiddies attention. The game should be more mature in it's art and themes, but not so mature it is inappropriate for young teens.

 

[CleverNickName]

Oh we have endured much, much worse than Pathfinder and 4E. You want to see true horror? Do you want to see the artwork that should NOT be in 5E? or any book, ever?

Just pick this up, turn to any page, and be prepared to rinse your eyes afterward:
[SBLOCK="Please no..."]

[/SBLOCK]

 

[trancejeremy]

I really don't see "anime" in any of the given artwork. If anything, I'd call it a little more comic book then anything....Which I'm sure is equally offensive to some.

Honestly, besides stuff that is just horrendous scribbles or offensively misogynistic, why do people care so much? How often do you even use the stock art at the table?

While I would agree, it is more like art out of Western comic books, at the same time, the anime influence is there - in the overly large weapons as well as the over the top outfits that no one would ever actually wear. And the large, almost floppy ears on elves.

And I think people care because it sets the mood.

I would like to see 5e adopt a realistic look myself - something like in the LOTR movies or the Game of Thrones TV show. Something like the old Elmore/Caldwell stuff, but not campy or cheesecake-ish. Real looking people in real looking armor doing real looking (if fantastic) things.

 

[triqui]

Dunno if somebody noticed, but yes, the oversized sword IS an oversized sword.

That's pathfinder iconic barbarian, and his signature weapon is a Large Bastard Sword she took from a frost giant (or ogre, I can't remember), and she uses it as an oversized greatsword (including a malus to attack )

 

[MACLARREN]

Not sure who the artist was, but whomever it was for the 3.5 forgotten Realms stuff did a fantastic job IMO. I would love to see that artwork used again. I know we all have different tastes and I love Paizo material but loathe the art. Must be what majority wants though and that is fine. It would just be nice to see some other non digital, non anime for once. Just my opinion and everyone's taste is different. Guess I'm the minority of the masses now a days.

 

[pneumatik]

I started playing DnD with 1E and a lot of 2E. There wasn't much art in the basic books compared to today, and what there was didn't seem to show anything related to the games I was playing or running.

Then I got Dark Sun. It had a huge amount of art that strongly influenced my thinking about the setting. Later I got Planescape and found its art has a similar influence on me. But those were both single settings with very specific feels. I don't think it's helpful to have art that's equally influential in a game that's as generic as base DnD.

 

[Herremann the Wise]

Oh we have endured much, much worse than Pathfinder and 4E. You want to see true horror? Do you want to see the artwork that should NOT be in 5E? or any book, ever?

Just pick this up, turn to any page, and be prepared to rinse your eyes afterward:
[SBLOCK="Please no..."]

[/SBLOCK]

Are you talking the internal line art by Terry Dykstra (which I agree I don't want that style anywhere near D&D 5E) or the Cover Art by Jeff Easley which is nothing short of magnificent and everything that should be in D&D... in my humble opinion.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[BryonD]

Reynolds is hit-or-miss.

Most often it is:
Drawing a basic humanoid: Miss
Drawing some kind of monster: Hit

Not always, but that seems to be the rule of thumb