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One Piece of Art X: The Weird Art
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<blockquote data-quote="Snarf Zagyg" data-source="post: 9389799" data-attributes="member: 7023840"><p>Welcome to part TEN in the art appreciation series- One Piece of Art! Prior columns are linked to at the bottom. It's been a while, but I thought I'd resurrect it.</p><p></p><p><strong>What was the weirdest art in D&D that inspired your gonzo D&D sensibilities?</strong></p><p></p><p>This is a little bizarre... basically, we are looking for a piece of art in an official D&D product that you loved, and it was so <em>weird</em> that it somehow managed to worm its way into your head like the critters in Star Trek II ... so it gave fuel to your creative fire for <em>weirdness</em> when it comes to D&D!</p><p></p><p>As always ... please note the following rules for the thread-</p><p></p><p>1. ONE piece of art. You shall count to one. If you do two, you've gone two ... um, too far. Three is just way out. And zero means you forgot to post something. Now, I know that everyone just ignores this ... but try your best! Seriously, though, pick one piece as your choice, and then follow up with more later if you feel the urge.</p><p></p><p>2. It has to be art you love, and please explain why you love it! Maybe you think it just looks cool. Whatever! It's your love, don't make me put a label on it.</p><p></p><p>3. Explain the where the art came from, and include the artist if you know who it is. This is "weird" art, so do your best to explain what it is .... <em>if you can</em>. </p><p></p><p>4. Finally, explain why you chose it. What did the art mean to you?</p><p></p><p>Now, as usual, I will start this thread off. Have to admit, there's a lot I could do. But I always go with the curveball .... NOT THIS TIME.</p><p></p><p>To me, weird art, when it comes to D&D, always starts and ends with the same name - EROL OTUS. Now, that isn't to say that other artists couldn't get their weird on. A lot of early D&D art was weird, but there was something especially psychedelic about Otus's art that stood out, especially compared to the art style that took over in the "E" era of TSR. </p><p></p><p>And there are many choices ... you can never unsee the gibbering mouther in C1. But I will instead off the work he did in Deities & Demigods. And, for once, I am going to break my own rule- but I have a good reason to do so! The first piece was not included in later versions of the book due to issues with Chaosium.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]370107[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p><strong>Artist</strong>: Erol Otus</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: Deities & Demigods (1980), first two printings. </p><p><strong>Depicting</strong>: Shub-Niggurath</p><p></p><p>Why this one? Well, capturing the feel of cosmic horror is not easy. Somehow, this conveys the essence.</p><p></p><p>But I will always, ALWAYS love his work on the cover of the book.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]370108[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]370109[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p><strong>Artist</strong>: Erol Otus</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: Deities & Demigods (1980) cover of book (first image) and actual illustration (second image). </p><p><strong>Depicting</strong>: Um ......</p><p></p><p>I spent a lot of time staring at this cover. Because there's a lot going on. Are those clerics battling it out by summoning their deities or avatars? Who is looking on, and why? And what bug critter is being beseeched? Finally, what's going on in the background, and where are they?</p><p></p><p>Whatever is going on for certain, I both want to be a part of it, and never want to be a part of it. </p><p></p><p></p><p>Prior Columns-</p><p><a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/one-piece-of-art-what-d-d-art-inspired-you-to-love-a-class.690436/" target="_blank">Part I (Classes)</a></p><p><a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/one-piece-of-art-ii-monsters-what-d-d-art-inspired-you-to-love-a-monster.690507/" target="_blank">Part II (Monsters)</a></p><p><a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/one-piece-of-art-iii-magic-items-what-d-d-art-inspired-you-to-love-a-magic-item.690557/" target="_blank">Part III (Magic Items)</a></p><p><a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/one-piece-of-art-iv-races-what-d-d-art-inspired-you-to-love-a-race-lineage-ancestry.690613/" target="_blank">Part IV (Races)</a></p><p><a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/one-piece-of-art-v-places-what-piece-of-d-d-art-inspired-you-to-love-a-place.690661/" target="_blank">Part V (Places)</a></p><p><a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/one-piece-of-art-vi-maps-what-is-your-favorite-d-d-map.690738/" target="_blank">Part VI (Maps)</a></p><p><a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/one-piece-of-art-vii-spells-what-piece-of-art-inspired-you-to-love-spells.690908/" target="_blank">Part VII (Spells)</a></p><p><a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/one-piece-of-art-viii-people-what-piece-of-d-d-art-inspired-you-to-love-a-d-d-personage.690996/" target="_blank">Part VIII (People)</a></p><p><a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/one-piece-of-art-ix-wildcard-what-non-d-d-art-inspired-you-to-love-d-d.691181/" target="_blank">Part IX (non-D&D art that inspired love of D&D)</a></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Snarf Zagyg, post: 9389799, member: 7023840"] Welcome to part TEN in the art appreciation series- One Piece of Art! Prior columns are linked to at the bottom. It's been a while, but I thought I'd resurrect it. [B]What was the weirdest art in D&D that inspired your gonzo D&D sensibilities?[/B] This is a little bizarre... basically, we are looking for a piece of art in an official D&D product that you loved, and it was so [I]weird[/I] that it somehow managed to worm its way into your head like the critters in Star Trek II ... so it gave fuel to your creative fire for [I]weirdness[/I] when it comes to D&D! As always ... please note the following rules for the thread- 1. ONE piece of art. You shall count to one. If you do two, you've gone two ... um, too far. Three is just way out. And zero means you forgot to post something. Now, I know that everyone just ignores this ... but try your best! Seriously, though, pick one piece as your choice, and then follow up with more later if you feel the urge. 2. It has to be art you love, and please explain why you love it! Maybe you think it just looks cool. Whatever! It's your love, don't make me put a label on it. 3. Explain the where the art came from, and include the artist if you know who it is. This is "weird" art, so do your best to explain what it is .... [I]if you can[/I]. 4. Finally, explain why you chose it. What did the art mean to you? Now, as usual, I will start this thread off. Have to admit, there's a lot I could do. But I always go with the curveball .... NOT THIS TIME. To me, weird art, when it comes to D&D, always starts and ends with the same name - EROL OTUS. Now, that isn't to say that other artists couldn't get their weird on. A lot of early D&D art was weird, but there was something especially psychedelic about Otus's art that stood out, especially compared to the art style that took over in the "E" era of TSR. And there are many choices ... you can never unsee the gibbering mouther in C1. But I will instead off the work he did in Deities & Demigods. And, for once, I am going to break my own rule- but I have a good reason to do so! The first piece was not included in later versions of the book due to issues with Chaosium. [ATTACH type="full"]370107[/ATTACH] [B]Artist[/B]: Erol Otus [B]Source[/B]: Deities & Demigods (1980), first two printings. [B]Depicting[/B]: Shub-Niggurath Why this one? Well, capturing the feel of cosmic horror is not easy. Somehow, this conveys the essence. But I will always, ALWAYS love his work on the cover of the book. [ATTACH type="full"]370108[/ATTACH] [ATTACH type="full"]370109[/ATTACH] [B]Artist[/B]: Erol Otus [B]Source[/B]: Deities & Demigods (1980) cover of book (first image) and actual illustration (second image). [B]Depicting[/B]: Um ...... I spent a lot of time staring at this cover. Because there's a lot going on. Are those clerics battling it out by summoning their deities or avatars? Who is looking on, and why? And what bug critter is being beseeched? Finally, what's going on in the background, and where are they? Whatever is going on for certain, I both want to be a part of it, and never want to be a part of it. Prior Columns- [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/one-piece-of-art-what-d-d-art-inspired-you-to-love-a-class.690436/']Part I (Classes)[/URL] [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/one-piece-of-art-ii-monsters-what-d-d-art-inspired-you-to-love-a-monster.690507/']Part II (Monsters)[/URL] [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/one-piece-of-art-iii-magic-items-what-d-d-art-inspired-you-to-love-a-magic-item.690557/']Part III (Magic Items)[/URL] [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/one-piece-of-art-iv-races-what-d-d-art-inspired-you-to-love-a-race-lineage-ancestry.690613/']Part IV (Races)[/URL] [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/one-piece-of-art-v-places-what-piece-of-d-d-art-inspired-you-to-love-a-place.690661/']Part V (Places)[/URL] [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/one-piece-of-art-vi-maps-what-is-your-favorite-d-d-map.690738/']Part VI (Maps)[/URL] [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/one-piece-of-art-vii-spells-what-piece-of-art-inspired-you-to-love-spells.690908/']Part VII (Spells)[/URL] [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/one-piece-of-art-viii-people-what-piece-of-d-d-art-inspired-you-to-love-a-d-d-personage.690996/']Part VIII (People)[/URL] [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/one-piece-of-art-ix-wildcard-what-non-d-d-art-inspired-you-to-love-d-d.691181/']Part IX (non-D&D art that inspired love of D&D)[/URL] [/QUOTE]
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