Dragonlance "The Women of Dragonlance" -- Larry Elmore's New Dragonlance Painting

Iconic D&D artist Larry Elmore has been working on a new Dragonlance painting. He has been sharing progress pictures over recent weeks. This is apparently a commission for a client, and is entitled "The Women of Dragonlance".

There's a new trilogy of Dragonlance novels coming from authors Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman featuring "classic Dragonlance" branding.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Awesome! Love Elmore! Can't wait to see it completed.

 

[dave2008]

Not quite as fond of his paintings anymore*, but I do still love the B&W illustrations in the BECMI books. Must be nice to be able to commission one the original DL artists.

*with some exceptions

 

[Alzrius]

For those wondering, from left to right the characters are: Goldmoon, Tika, Kitiara, and Laurana.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Not quite as fond of his paintings anymore*

If you don't mind me asking, why not? What changed in your opinion of his work?? If you don't want to respond, no worries, just curious.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Yeah if I was Kitiara I'd be giving these ladies the side-eye too. Definitely interested to see what Elmore does with it.

 

[dave2008]

If you don't mind me asking, why not? What changed in your opinion of his work?? If you don't want to respond, no worries, just curious.

I think some of his DL paintings just feel very posed and stiff. Not to mention I don't like his dragons very much. This could easily be the result of rate of work they were expected to produce.

Now, he has some classics too that continue to hold up IMO. Like this one:

 

[thomkt]

For those wondering, from left to right the characters are: Goldmoon, Tika, Kitiara, and Laurana.

Thanks, couldn't remember Tika, maybe if she had her frying pan I would have

 

[DND_Reborn]

I think some of his DL paintings just feel very posed and stiff.

Gotcha. Yeah, a lot of the DL work does feel that way. I don't like his dragons in the DL line much either.

For DL, my favorite is:

 

[Retreater]

I have a friend from community theatre who modeled for him at one point.
I'm glad to see a classic artist working on a mainstream project again.

 

[dave2008]

Gotcha. Yeah, a lot of the DL work does feel that way. I don't like his dragons in the DL line much either.

For DL, my favorite is:
View attachment 132361

I actually think this one suffers from some of the issues I discussed. But I will say that silver-haired elf (dragon in disguise if I remember correctly) left quite and impression on my young self. That is all I want to say about that!

 

[dave2008]

I have a friend from community theatre who modeled for him at one point.
I'm glad to see a classic artist working on a mainstream project again.

Well it sounds like it is possibly a personal project, not a mainstream one. At least that is how I read it. Though I think Larry is still active.

 

[Alzrius]

Well it sounds like it is possibly a personal project, not a mainstream one. At least that is how I read it. Though I think Larry is still active.

Clyde Caldwell is also. I bought a print of one of his more recent works a year or so ago, and ended up having a very pleasant email exchange about it with him afterward. He's quite the class act!

 

[DND_Reborn]

I actually think this one suffers from some of the issues I discussed. But I will say that silver-haired elf (dragon in disguise if I remember correctly) left quite and impression on my young self. That is all I want to say about that!

Her pose is a bit stiff, but I like his, and I love the background and setting and such.

Yes, left quite an impression on my young self as well... sigh.

My biggest complaint of art of the period (and still) is the scantly clad women and over sexualization of them. My female PCs are just as well covered and protected as their male counter-parts.

 

[Alzrius]

My biggest complaint of art of the period (and still) is the scantly clad women and over sexualization of them.

Which begs the question of whether or not Goldmoon will be wearing pants in this picture when it's finished.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Which begs the question of whether or not Goldmoon will be wearing pants in this picture when it's finished.

Thankfully, unless she has really loose skin and a seam on her legs, I think we can say she will be, barring a very surprising revision.

 

[MGibster]

There just hasn't been much in the way of D&D art that's really grabbed me since 3rd edition. It's not that the art in 3rd or 5th edition is bad by any means, it just doesn't do anything for me. Elmore is one of the names that really conjures up thoughts of D&D with his art and I especially love the cleric healing the dude that was just ROLFstomped by a giant.

My biggest complaint of art of the period (and still) is the scantly clad women and over sexualization of them. My female PCs are just as well covered and protected as their male counter-parts.

There are plenty of other Elmore illustrations that feature women wearing what we'd think of as more appropriate attire. The one below is probably my favorite Elmore work. But I hear ya, some of those old fantasy illustrations just look plain silly with their bikini armor.

 

[DND_Reborn]

There just hasn't been much in the way of D&D art that's really grabbed me since 3rd edition. It's not that the art in 3rd or 5th edition is bad by any means, it just doesn't do anything for me. Elmore is one of the names that really conjures up thoughts of D&D with his art and I especially love the cleric healing the dude that was just ROLFstomped by a giant.


There are plenty of other Elmore illustrations that feature women wearing what we'd think of as more appropriate attire. The one below is probably my favorite Elmore work. But I hear ya, some of those old fantasy illustrations just look plain silly with their bikini armor.

View attachment 132363

Yep. I own that one as a poster in my game room and probably in my top 5 favorites! I like it for many reasons, but one is the fact that the women are reasonably dressed.

 

[cmad1977]

Her pose is a bit stiff, but I like his, and I love the background and setting and such.

Yes, left quite an impression on my young self as well... sigh.

My biggest complaint of art of the period (and still) is the scantly clad women and over sexualization of them. My female PCs are just as well covered and protected as their male counter-parts.

A lot of artists at the time had clearly never really seen a woman.

 

[Retreater]

The one below is probably my favorite Elmore work.

I have a signed print of that one in my gaming room.