D&D General Initial Thoughts on the Two 2025 Forgotten Realms books

[dave2008]

Most of my paintings look off. It’s becoming increasingly common to blame bad art on AI, when humans are perfectly capable of making bad art without using a computer.

What is different, to my eye, about AI art is that if can look technically good, but the compositions almost always feel stiff and unnatural. Some human artist have the same issue, but almost all AI currently seems to have that issue IMO.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

What is different, to my eye, about AI art is that if can look technically good, but the compositions almost always feel stiff and unnatural. Some human artist have the same issue, but almost all AI currently seems to have that issue IMO.

Generally speaking, it also seems to have everything in focus, rely on blue/orange compositions, and everything appears to be illuminated with a ring light.

 

[Zardnaar]

Question for you @Zardnaar: why are you so dismissive of artistic skill?

I mean if someone on facebook has skills to match a published artist - great! That isn't a knock on either artist's skill. I mean before Elmore and Caldwell were published they had the skills, they were just not published yet. That is just how these things work.

Also, what is your artistic skill level? Are you familiar with the time and talent it takes to be an artist?

I lean more towards oils requiring more skill.

Theres so many people doing digital by comparison you end up with that generic CGI/AI look.

I cant do either in my life. But i do pay for it.

Sone WoC books look beautiful. Alt art infinite staircase, Therros few others.

 

[Mercador]

I just skimmed them on my lunch break. I was planning on buying them because I love setting books, even though I haven't been playing of late and haven't run the Realms, but after looking at them, decided not to. I might change my mind, but in the end I just wasn't wowed. They're nice books, but for my purposes--reading--they don't seem to offer much that is new, or that I prefer how its been done now vs. the 3E books. Plus, I'm not a huge fan of the art; I'd only buy the alt covers, but the inside is just...too....(insert your preferred adjectives).

Anyhow, for my demographic--semi-retired from playing, buys books that are interesting to read and look at, with evocative settings--it doesn't justify the $110 price tag. I'll save the cash for Dolmenwood and/or whatever Free League comes out with next. But if I was actively playing and/or running the Realms, I'd get both books.

I'm in the same demographic, looking for retiring within the next decade. Money isn't an issue. But I just got the 3rd edition so I still doubt about it. I do like alternate versions of the books though but I don't have any 2024 editions of the core books. I don't plan to play in the coming years though...

As for AI art, it might be difficult to distinguish "real" art from AI art before long. Lastly the images generated were gloomy but nowadays, it can be really difficult to know if it's AI or a real artist. I would expect that WotC would say if it's AI art and even if they dare do that, I think it will backfire to them quite quickly. Future artists will have to pictures their design process to attest that it's an human made art...

 

[Sulicius]

I lean more towards oils requiring more skill.

Theres so many people doing digital by comparison you end up with that generic CGI/AI look.

I cant do either in my life. But i do pay for it.

Sone WoC books look beautiful. Alt art infinite staircase, Therros few others.

Oils require more time, patience and money. They have a physical quality that reminds us of the old masters, that is true.

But man, I have seen a TON of awful oil paintings. Turns out back in the day oil paintings were all the rage among rich folk, and it's like an expensive selfie with filter.

Most artists do not have the time, patience of their client or the money to work with oil paint. I don't think you can find many TTRPG products that mostly have oil paintings. I don't think there has ever been a book that ONLY had oil paintings for art. It's just too expensive. It is also very expensive and time consuming to make edits based on the client's feedback.

I also want you to imagine how AI got to make art look that way. Because it ripped all those talented and skilled artists and never gave them a dime. And now instead of seeing the AI art as being ripoffs, you call original artwork "AI look".

Please stop calling it "AI" style. It is such a backwards and dismissive thing to say.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I miss the underdark...

 

[dave2008]

I lean more towards oils requiring more skill.

Having done both (and acrylic, pencil, and watercolors), I would disagree. It was much harder for me to become decent at digital art and I never was as good as it as I was with traditional art. For example, it was much easier for me to blend and shade with pencil or paint than it was with my digital art. Now, perhaps that was because I was trained on traditional media and digital art wasn't as sophisticated as it is now. Regardless, the actual skills are almost identical, it is just a difference in tools primarily.

Theres so many people doing digital by comparison you end up with that generic CGI/AI look.

Do you realize that some of the art in the core books is traditional and even more of it is by traditional artist who have switched to digital? And their art looks the same whether is traditional or digital?

I mean an all the old 1e artist could produce their art digitally and make it look 100% the same. There is nothing special about Elmore, Caldwell, Easley, etc. that couldn't be replicated digitally. The only way you could tell the difference is to have the physical painting.

 

[dave2008]

I miss the underdark...

Did it go somewhere?

 

[Zardnaar]

Having done both (and acrylic, pencil, and watercolors), I would disagree. It was much harder for me to become decent at digital art and I never was as good as it as I was with traditional art. For example, it was much easier for me to blend and shade with pencil or paint than it was with my digital art. Now, perhaps that was because I was trained on traditional media and digital art wasn't as sophisticated as it is now. Regardless, the actual skills are almost identical, it is just a difference in tools primarily.


Do you realize that some of the art in the core books is traditional and even more of it is by traditional artist who have switched to digital? And their art looks the same whether is traditional or digital?

I mean an all the old 1e artist could produce their art digitally and make it look 100% the same. There is nothing special about Elmore, Caldwell, Easley, etc. that couldn't be replicated digitally. The only way you could tell the difference is to have the physical painting.

Im saying digital art tends to have that shiny cgi type feeling on a lot of it.

Even if you do an old school type update.

AI art probably copies that.

I lije the cover art on the alt core I bought. Interiors a mixed bag as per usual.

Normal art on new FR books meh ones low side of meh the others ok.

 

[dave2008]

Im saying digital art tends to have that shiny cgi type feeling on a lot of it.

I am not sure 100% what you mean by "shiny cgi type," but I am pretty sure that is false. I see art that follows many different styles, depending on the artist. Digital art is often not of the shin cgi look.

I had a conversation with another poster and they were adamant that a particular piece of D&D core book of art was AI.* I was able to do a little research and found the artist and discovered they were a traditional artist and digital artist. His digital art was indistinguishable from his traditional art. And, the supposed AI piece was even shown in-progress on canvas on the guys website.

AI art probably copies that.

That is partially true.

Normal art on new FR books meh ones low side of meh the others ok.

I haven't really looked at the FR books so I don't know. Though I imagine my idea of quality art is different than yours!

*FYI, one of the posters arguments as to why the piece as AI was that the scabbard was on the wrong side. As if a person couldn't make that mistake!

PS - Love the cat, reminds me of my last and greatest cat Jasper Jones.