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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Morlock" data-source="post: 6576112" data-attributes="member: 6776981">""Even with the ability to instill the fantastic, it did appear that DAT enjoyed depicting the mundane as much as anything. I remember reading somewhere a quote from the amazing Keith Parkinson, something to the effect that “one must paint the backgrounds as if they are in the real world, that way that which is fantastic in the foreground can seem rooted in its own reality.” Trampier appeared to have his own philosophy in this respect, choosing to show the fantastic at its most normal. Instead of portraying the great hall of the Hill Giant Chief, he would rather put the activities of its kitchen on display. A man working a sharpening wheel for an Enchant an Item spell is just a man, not some great wizard imbibing a noble weapon with power. Even the heroes of the legendary cover to the Player’s Handbook are devoid of anything exotic or unique. This was a very interesting approach, one that was never lost on me – that sometimes the fantastic is not really that fantastic at all."I'd add that if you assume Trampier was doing precisely what Parkinson described, then he wanted to emphasize the fantastic elements. Which is something I really prefer about 1e's art direction. The medieval men look like medieval men, hauberks and simple caps, realistic everything. It lets the magic and monsters shine.</blockquote>