ooh! Hammer and Helm Art

[RedOZ]

I'd like to offer my comments on the cover art - not to belittle the artist, but as constructive criticism.

- the perspective is off. The buildings shouldn't be almost sideways, at least, not with the dwarves being right side up. Ever stand on a hill and look down at buildings below? The mountains in the distant background look good and right-side up, though.

- the handle on the black-clothed dwarf's hammer is far too long and thin.

- the redbearded dwarf's face is too elongated. For example, look how much space there is between the bottom of his nose and his mouth. Then compare it to your own face.

- I also have a minor issue with the fact that the red-haired dwarf is holding his axe up near the blade, not further down, but since he could potentially have a hand supporting the shaft near the bottom, and he's not in combat, but in a pose, it's really not a big deal.

- Oz

 

[RedOZ]

David Griffith's work is okay, but I've got a problem with the "mountain's fury" one.

There are lots of little issues with this one that just make me twitch when I look at it.

- overall, none of his parts really seem to fit together. His arms and shoulders seem too narrow, and it looks like a lot of random arm muscles were added for effect. To be fair, I've never studied human anatomy, but it doesn't feel right.

- the right arm is completely unnatural. where's his wrist? His right arm is completely straight all the way from his elbow to his finger tips, with no natural curve at all.

- the left arm does have a wrist, in contract, but his elbow is touching the knee! He's sure as hell not bent over enough for his arm to go that far down.

- you would never hold an axe like that in combat. Pick up a toy axe and try to swing it by holding it so close to the blade - it doesn't work well.

- finally, why are we seeing a dwarf committing suicide? It must really hurt to jam that axe into the back of your neck.

Sorry - had to get that off my chest. Hope I wasn't too harsh, but I believe that if you can't take criticism, you'll never grow.

-Oz

 

[trancejeremy]

Well, if saturating the market is an issue, I'm pretty sure that a "Slayer's Guide to Dwarves" is a product that hasn't appeared yet....

Yeah, because Mongoose's book is called "The Quintessential Dwarf" and is also due out in July, I think.

http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/quintessential_dwarf.htm

(If you were joking, nevermind. I have trouble getting Australian humor)

Still, if you love Dwarves, July is going to be your month.

It is odd how all these books seem to come out at the same time. I think 3 different witch books are due out around Sept or so.

 

[trancejeremy]

I've got a problem with the artwork as well. Everyone knows that Dwarves wear loafers, not boots. Sheesh!

 

[Gizzard]

> I've got a problem with the artwork as well. Everyone knows that Dwarves wear loafers, not boots. Sheesh!

Yeah, and that female Dwarf wearing an evening gown to her anvil. Wont she burn her tender bits with sparks of hot metal? Ouch! ;-)

 

[Nikchick]

> I've got a problem with the artwork as well. Everyone knows that Dwarves wear loafers, not boots. Sheesh!

Yeah, and that female Dwarf wearing an evening gown to her anvil. Wont she burn her tender bits with sparks of hot metal? Ouch! ;-)

Just shows how tough she is.

Nicole

 

[Voadam]

I really like the interior B&W dwarven art here, it has a very WFRP feel to it.

Good job David.

 

[Nikchick]

As promised, I'm posting the update about the PDF preview here as well:

Green Ronin has posted a sneak preview of our first Races of Renown title, Hammer & Helm: A Guidebook to Dwarves.

http://www.greenronin.com/files/hammer_pre.pdf

This four-page PDF preview of Hammer & Helm features eight complete feats, a complete dwarven prestige class (Ironbound), and stats for the Fortitude, Stonehearth, and Sword clerical domains. On top of that, it also features some forge-hot art by David Griffith.

Hammer & Helm is also the first book to bear the OGL Interlink logo, a trademark of Green Ronin Publishing and Paradigm Concepts, Inc.

--
Green Ronin Publishing
PO Box 1723
Renton, WA 98057-1723

 

[Goremole]

Thanks for your praise and your criticisms guys! You are right RedOz if I can't take criticism I won't learn to get better, your points have been noted.

I don't know about all Dwarves wearing loafers though, I mean how can you look menacing mincing around in a pair of slip-ons?

And as for the female Magesmith not wearing very much, well these Dwarves can have a close affinity with fire, check out the bonding feats when the book is released.

It is nice to get feedback though, so thanks again.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Aww, the she-dwarf isn't so bad.

Now see, if it had been Avalanche, she would have been squatting over the forge spread-eagle like she was giving birth to molten steel from her very womb.