Lidgar
Gongfarmer
Indeed. In many ways, the opposite of this thread. Apologies all around for the teeth.
D&D General One Piece of Art II (Monsters)- What D&D Art Inspired You to Love a Monster?
- Thread starter Snarf Zagyg
- Start date
Laurefindel
Legend
If I had those in my attic, I too would be calling on an adventurer. Truly, it’s the tutorial-quest monster by excellence!
Voadam
Legend
That's a good one, kind of like King Kong and Godzilla both went through a teleportation pod and things went wrong.
Lidgar
Gongfarmer
And there was a bit of fried calamari on the floor too...
Voadam
Legend
Moldvay B/X Basic Set, Erol Otus.
Literally the first monster entry in the Basic Set. Ape, White is a full on pulp albino cave ape.
Bold black and white lines, very evocative. This brings to mind Conan style adventuring as these things are out there.
I remember being fascinated by this furry fellow when I was in middle school.
Artist: Dave A. Trampier
Source: 1e Monster Manual
Monster: Giant Spider
Nothing too out of the ordinary, just a spider much larger than the normal variety, but it kind of creeped me out knowing that party had no idea what they were about to get into. Sure, somebody in the back seems to have noticed it (he's pointing right at it), but it's already in its "attack" pose and well within pouncing range.
Johnathan
Artist: Dave A. Trampier
Source: 1e Monster Manual
Monster: Giant Spider
Nothing too out of the ordinary, just a spider much larger than the normal variety, but it kind of creeped me out knowing that party had no idea what they were about to get into. Sure, somebody in the back seems to have noticed it (he's pointing right at it), but it's already in its "attack" pose and well within pouncing range.
Johnathan
DrunkonDuty
he/him
Rabulias
the Incomparably Shrewd and Clever
I don't think that is Jeff Dee's work. It looks more like Bill Willingham to me.
grimslade
Krampus ate my d20s
I do love this and it forever cemented my idea that giant spiders were furry jumping spiders rather than web-making sleek orb weavers.
Sacrosanct
Legend
I know I've been posting old school art (because that was my most formative years), but some of the 5e concept art really struck me as excellent
WarDriveWorley
Hero
A LOT of monster specific art work over the ages made me fall in love with D&D. Some more than others. So many evocative prints, regardless of if they have color or not. I remember being awed by the Giants and Dragons, frightened by the Githyanki and Sons of Kyuss, viscerally loathing the demons and devils, and imagining myself in the sweeping vistas and set pieces provided by Easley and Elmore. And my love wasn't limited to any specific edition or artist. Reynolds, Brom, Caldwell, Trampier, DiTerlizzi (especially DiTerlizzi sincne I loved Planescape), and Wildermann all pulled me into what would become the best hobby I've ever played.
But nothing really grabbed me as much as the Jeff Easley cover for the Greyhawk Adventures Book. The "heroic" adventurer with the magic sword on the back of a hippogriff rushing to fight a dragon perched atop a sinister mountain.
THIS spoke to me in ways my hero starved soul was craving. This was a cool drink for a starving kid and I couldn't put it down.
But nothing really grabbed me as much as the Jeff Easley cover for the Greyhawk Adventures Book. The "heroic" adventurer with the magic sword on the back of a hippogriff rushing to fight a dragon perched atop a sinister mountain.
THIS spoke to me in ways my hero starved soul was craving. This was a cool drink for a starving kid and I couldn't put it down.
RoughCoronet0
Dragon Lover
While I always found the Couatl and interesting creature, it was this 4e art that made me fall in love with it.
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Jacob Lewis
Ye Olde GM
Source: FR1 Waterdeep and the North
Artist: Keith Parkinson
Title: The Xanathar Guild
I saw this image when I was still a young lad drawing dungeon maps and filling every room with monsters, traps, and treasures. That was game for me. But this suddenly made me realise that the worlds we imagined could be so much more interesting and entertaining.
Think about how novel it was to believe that a thieves' guild was secretly run by a beholder?! What kind of people would be willing to serve such a foul, alien being? And how about a couple intellect devourers for pets? Did anyone think those could be domesticated?
This image redefined what the world of D&D could be like. It was more than just dungeons and monsters waiting for adventurers to come steal their loot after dispatching them to the next plane of existence. This was a lot more fun, and a lot more surprising than I had previously imagined!
