Is Larry Elmore still popular?

[Kelek72]

I love Elmore's work!
His cover for the red basic set in the early 80's got me hooked on the game. That dragon was going to kill that guy... and I wanted to play to see it happen!
His interior illustrations for that boxed set also stick in my mind to this day.

That dragon picture was used for the cover of the "30 years of D&D" book this year although they messed it up so bad it was barely recognizable.

 

[WizarDru]

weird-ass mutant/manga-fied elves. Neither one can claim that they haven't

"Manga-fied"? Could you give an example of that? Or are you saying that the picture of a gnome is an example of being manga-fied? Because as a big fan of manga, I'm not seeing the characteristics you're mentioning. Which is not to say that I think you're wrong or right, I'm just curious what traits you're picking out as specific to manga.

 

[Desdichado]

I agree.
While the whole 'dungeonpunk' look may in fact be a fad, it is no more a fad than the line drawings, woodcut illustrations, and 80's hair-styled adventurers of the 70's and the 80's (a fact that I normally rip on Elmore for). In a couple of years, the art of 3e may look as dated and out of place as the pictures from 2e and 1e. By then, I'll be complaining about the new look and hearkening back to when 'spikes and buckles were the norm.'

Art evolves.

Pants, the more I read of your posts, the more I'm convinced you're a guy I'd like to game with sometime. We seem to have eerily convergent tastes in lots of areas.

Any chance you'll be making the Chicago gameday? Looks like it's shaping up for Nov. 12th.

Speaking of which, I can't believe buzz still hasn't chimed in on this thread. His hat of Larry Elmore know no limit...

 

[madelf]

"Manga-fied"? Could you give an example of that? Or are you saying that the picture of a gnome is an example of being manga-fied? Because as a big fan of manga, I'm not seeing the characteristics you're mentioning. Which is not to say that I think you're wrong or right, I'm just curious what traits you're picking out as specific to manga.

Nah, the Gnome isn't a good example of what I meant by "manga-fied" (I just chose that one because it's a decent example of some of his more "cartoony" work).

And "manga-fied" probably isn't that great a term either. It's just what I think of when I see them. It's also only his elves (with the pointy faces, nearly nonexistant noses, and long swoopy ears) that strike me that way.

Others have picked up the style too, as his illustrations pretty much defined the look of D&D elves when 3rd edition came out.

 

[Desdichado]

And "manga-fied" probably isn't that great a term either.

The phrase you're looking for just might be, "That's so anime!" It's a catchall phrase to describe anything you don't like.

 

[Orius]

The phrase you're looking for just might be, "That's so anime!" It's a catchall phrase to describe anything you don't like.

Shouldn't that be "anime videogame dungeonpunk"?

 

[Orius]

I've always liked the classic mid 80's D&D artists, namely the big 4: Easley, Elmore, Caldwell, and Parkinson. Though Caldwell is easily my least favorite of the 4. Elmore I'd say is probably my favorite. I tend to prefer realism to more stylized looks in art. As for newer artists, I like Lockwood's stuff, probably because his style reminds me a lot of the classic TSR artists. Other artists whose work I like to see is Brom and Fred Fields.

Otis' stuff is ok, but there's a big weirdness factor to it that doesn't really do it for me. He's good for weird fantasy, but not really high fantasy.

I've always liked diTerlizzi's stuff. He's got a great whimiscal style, though that doesn't always work for D&D.

 

[Black Omega]

I really don't like Otus's work at all. I'm sure he can do better, but the link showing his stuff wasn't good at all. I like Elmore's stuff, not my favorite but I love the use of light and color.

 

[Megatron]

Nyeh, I never really liked Elmore's stuff. Honestly a lot of it seems kind of ugly to me.

 

[madelf]

The phrase you're looking for just might be, "That's so anime!" It's a catchall phrase to describe anything you don't like.

That's a bit of a jump isn't it?
:\

My comment had nothing to do with not liking manga/anime (I do like it) or with not liking Lockwood's work (I do like it). It's simply that the features he often uses for his elves remind me of the way elves are portrayed in a lot of manga/anime stuff (the pointy faces, tiny noses, big ears). The "silliness" comes in because I think that particular stylistic choice clashes with his overall style in many of his pieces (in much the same way I think the cheesecake lessens some of Elmore's work). It's not a kneejerk reaction, it's an opinion formed after significant thought about why certain of his pieces seem "off" to me. I think that, in combination with his general style, the manga-ish elements end up looking silly and out of place. Of course, if you don't agree with my opinion, that's cool too.

Interestingly, I've seen other D&D artists simulating the same look whose overall style carried it quite well. It just (IMO) doesn't work for Lockwood.