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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Raven Crowking" data-source="post: 3232913" data-attributes="member: 18280">Please note that my original post on this topic mentions this specifically, and leaves aside the static portraits.  So, you could quite easily do a similar survey leaving those illustrations aside.  It might be noted, however, that a static portrait -- a picture in which the primary figure is not engaged in any obvious or discernable activity apart from posing -- implies the ability to pose, and hence an inherent lack of danger.  I did not use this assumption in my analysis, but I would accept an analysis that did so.(In fact, if anything, such an analysis would skew the results in favor of similar percentages in the 1e books.)Not at all.  My point in reference to the message of the 1e artwork breaks itself down as follows:(1)  The PCs are part of a larger world, to which they are interconnected.(2)  That world is a frequently hostile place.(3)  That world contains unknown elements.(4)  That world contains danger, and the possibility of death or serious damage is real.(5)  Likewise, the possibility of spectacular success is real, but requires skill and/or luck.The cover depicts two PCs stealing the gem eyes from a large statue.  They have apparently just killed two lizardmen.  A fighter cleans his sword.  A mage stands on, perhaps speaking to the fighter.  Two other characters in the foreground seem to be examining and discussing a map.  This is clearly a PC success, and in terms of risk vs. reward scenarios, a resounding one.Paladin in Hell shows a paladin in hell (duh) engaged in combat with several devils.  Two are slain, one is currently being hit, and three more can be seen entering the combat.  The implication is that the paladin is doing well, and certainly that the PCs can do cool things in interesting places, but there is no guarantee that the paladin is going to win.The picture with the magic mouth shows a group listening to a magic mouth, while a pair of eyes watches them from the lower left hand corner, further into the dungeon.  The implication is one of mystery, with a small element of lurking menace.  I quote from <a href="http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.fierydragon.com/img/09_tn.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.fierydragon.com/db/2003-07-09.htm&h=144&w=144&sz=20&hl=en&start=8&tbnid=Yhed0ECHIdadlM:&tbnh=94&tbnw=94&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpaladin%2Bin%2Bhell%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DG:" target="_blank">http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.fierydragon.com/img/09_tn.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.fierydragon.com/db/2003-07-09.htm&h=144&w=144&sz=20&hl=en&start=8&tbnid=Yhed0ECHIdadlM:&tbnh=94&tbnw=94&prev=/images?q=paladin+in+hell&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&sa=G:</a>I think that it would be safe to assume that Emirikol could have just as easily filled the number one position, but there’s something about this illustration (found in the Player’s Handbook) that, in my opinion, out classes it. First off, there are effects that are taking place in it that are outstanding (the floor texture is amazingly handled, achieving a beautiful 3D quality). Secondly, and most importantly, this drawing sums up adventuring at its best: delving down in the darkness, the company encountering a magic mouth (one can only imagine what it is saying), and further down the stairs, the eyes of an awaiting denizen. Awesome.The same site had this to say about Paladin in Hell:Flipping through the original Player’s Handbook, you couldn’t help but stop and stare at this full page illustration of a paladin — on the brink — fighting valiantly with his holy avenger against this party of devils. There are many different stories one could attach to this image, but I always figured that he was a on a suicidal crusade attempting to vanquish as much evil as possible before he himself met his maker. Notice his aura of protection from evil and the comparable scale of each of the devils.It is noteworthy, actually, that the art in the 1e PHB was captionless, leading the viewer to determine what the story inherent in the picture was.  This is something that comes up again in the aforementioned site's descriptions of Emirkol the Chaotic:Truly, one of the classic illustrations of the time, "Emirikol the Chaotic" would likely be at the top of anyone’s list. From a technical standpoint, this drawing is fabulous, but really, like with most Trampier drawings, it is the implied story that really draws the viewer in. A late afternoon battle in the city streets between a known criminal wizard and city guardsmen? An assassination outside of the Green Griffon? Or a rampage of evil that threatens the city? Whatever the true story is, it is certainly a masterpiece of D&D illustration that one can find in the Dungeon Master’s Guide.Did the art in the 1e PHB imply that the PCs could triumph?  Absolutely.  Did the art in the 1e PHB imply that the PCs would triumph?  Absolutely not.Of course, when I went through my analysis of both PHBs and DMGs, I looked at all of the pictures.  I didn't simply pick and choose.   <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />   And, oddly enough, no one has yet pointed to a single picture in the 3.0 PHB and supplied a real counter example.  OTOH, we have a link to a direct statement confirming a part of what I said relating to the early 3.0 art direction.And the problem is not the implcation in 3.0 books that the PCs would succeed.  The problem is that the 3.0 DMG keeps showing the PCs in dire danger while the 3.0 PHB shows the opposite.  The illustrations are pitched to different demographics, but taken together they send a mixed message.And I suggest, once more, that it is the conscious or unconcious recognition of this mixed message that has caused some (but not all) viewers to dislike the 3.0 artwork, rather than the actual quality of the work's technique.RC</blockquote>

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