D&D (2024) Josh Herman (Head of Art) Interview with Silver and Blue Dragon Art

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

How did the 3e design feel like a desert dweller to you?

Mostly comes down to the color scheme - blue, but complemented with a yellow/tan/brown underside that looks like it would help camouflage it when flying amidst dust clouds and sand storms, plus a horn that could easily pass for a jagged rock sticking out of the ground or the side of a dune while the rest of the dragon was burrowed just beneath, waiting to pounce.

By contrast, the new blue's color scheme is all blue and shades of gray, which seem specialized for hiding among clouds, particularly thunderclouds, and its horn is a smooth spike.

 

[dave2008]

Mostly comes down to the color scheme - blue, but complemented with a yellow/tan/brown underside that looks like it would help camouflage it when flying amidst dust clouds and sand storms, plus a horn that could easily pass for a jagged rock sticking out of the ground or the side of a dune while the rest of the dragon was burrowed just beneath, waiting to pounce.

By contrast, the new blue's color scheme is all blue and shades of gray, which seem specialized for hiding among clouds, particularly thunderclouds, and its horn is a smooth spike.

While I agree the new color scheme doesn't support the sand hiding idea of 3e, I don't really buy that the old one did either. If it's color scheme was reversed, maybe.

I am not sure what the 5e24 lore will be, but if they stick with the desert idea, I could see them flying low on the horizon of desert and there blue coloration blending with the heatwave distorted blue horizon in a blue cloudless sky.

 

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

While I agree the new color scheme doesn't support the sand hiding idea of 3e, I don't really buy that the old one did either. If it's color scheme was reversed, maybe.

I am not sure what the 5e24 lore will be, but if they stick with the desert idea, I could see them flying low on the horizon of desert and there blue coloration blending with the heatwave distorted blue horizon in a blue cloudless sky.

Blue dragons have a burrow speed, so they can easily get deep enough under the sands/earth that their coloration isn't much of an issue. The blue of their scales isn't going to be visible when they're "land sharking" their way several feet beneath the dunes. On top of that, they also had spell-like abilities related to illusions (mirages) and creating/destroying water.

It all came together for me in a way that made sense for a dragon specialized for the desert, while also being a more interesting design and powerset than "brown dragon with sand breath" and a decent contrast to their desert-dwelling metallic counterparts, the brass dragons.

The new blue design sacrifices that and makes it look like this is a creature that lives amidst storm clouds. Again, not an inherently bad design, by any means - just not what I look for when I think of blue dragons...

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

I did love the art of the 3E blue.

However, I think the more sleek, sinuous body lets it burrow (swim?) through sand with less resistance, like a sand worm or grabboid, and therefore more feasible.

 

[dave2008]

Blue dragons have a burrow speed, so they can easily get deep enough under the sands/earth that their coloration isn't much of an issue. The blue of their scales isn't going to be visible when they're "land sharking" their way several feet beneath the dunes. On top of that, they also had spell-like abilities related to illusions (mirages) and creating/destroying water.

It all came together for me in a way that made sense for a dragon specialized for the desert, while also being a more interesting design and powerset than "brown dragon with sand breath" and a decent contrast to their desert-dwelling metallic counterparts, the brass dragons.

The new blue design sacrifices that and makes it look like this is a creature that lives amidst storm clouds. Again, not an inherently bad design, by any means - just not what I look for when I think of blue dragons...

I will just have to agree to disagree. There was nothing in the design that said burrowing desert dragon to me. The accomplished that with its lore, but not the design IMO. However, if it worked for you - great!

 

[Von Corellon]

maybe it’s an astral variant
Sure looks nice!

 

[Moonrabbit]

Blue dragon looks weird without ear frills. Head looks like a sand worm from c. 1980s Dune movie. Or a Turkey vulture…. If it has ear frills it would be great. Otherwise it looks like Flasher Smurf just whipped it out for show and tell.

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

Blue dragon looks weird without ear frills. Head looks like a sand worm from c. 1980s Dune movie. Or a Turkey vulture…. If it has ear frills it would be great. Otherwise it looks like Flasher Smurf just whipped it out for show and tell.

I like the blue quite a bit, but miss the ears. I will say the concept art in the digital dragon book is better than most of what I have seen elsewhere.

 

[Sulicius]

This is probably my favorite old blue dragon design. I love it, but I think the new design is growing on me. In the end, I can still use any image I want for my games!

 

[NaturalZero]

I like all of the new designs, except for the blue. It was my favorite, with that chonky horn and armored look. All of the art looks very well done it's just that design that I like the least.

The brown dragon has been a desert thing and even though I like the blue for deserts just fine (I live in Nevada!) the brown is custom fit for it.