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Creative Corner => Legends of the Heroes => Topic started by: Agrippa on November 21, 2012, 01:31:44 PM

Title: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Agrippa on November 21, 2012, 01:31:44 PM
RPG art, especially fantasy RPG art, helps to give the viewer ideas on the character or creature featured. Not just in surface appearence but also attitude, capablity and how that creature or character carries him/herself. This can be used to make said creature/character look everywhere from mythic and superheroic to mundane and ordinary. This can also be used to divide between what some people call "old school RPGs" and "new school RPGs". So tell me which do you feel is more sutable as fantasy artwork.

More new school artwork.

Chris Stevens a.k.a. chriss2d on deviantArt (along with Mark Sinclair, Kevin Yan and Espen Grundetjern)
(click to show/hide)

Kendrick Lim a.k.a kunkka on deviantArt
(click to show/hide)

Jeff Laubenstein
(click to show/hide)

Or do you prefer old school fantasy illustrations like these?

David C. Sutherland
(click to show/hide)

David A. Trampier
(click to show/hide)

Erol Otus
(click to show/hide)

Larry Elmore
(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Agrippa on November 21, 2012, 01:33:44 PM
Please move to When Inspiration Strikes.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: phaedrusxy on November 21, 2012, 01:40:21 PM
Definitely the first group. They are just flat superior, IMO.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: InnaBinder on November 21, 2012, 01:56:13 PM
Honestly, David A. Trampier's work is the only thing in the selections that I felt was at all appropriate; everything else seems comic book inspired or plain cartoonish.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Unbeliever on November 21, 2012, 02:13:39 PM
The OP is very heavily tilted towards one direction.  Old School fantasy art is probably better realized by, e.g., Larry Elmore.  Not the crappy low rent stuff found in the original D&D books/modules. 

I happen to like both, but I might be a bad example -- I also like anime and comic books as well.  For most fantasy worlds, though, I think the Elmore-esque stuff is more appropriate.  A lot of what the OP labels "new school" tends to be very over the top, which sets up unrealistic expectations and leads to a more do what is awesome Frank Franzetta universe.  And, don't get me wrong, I love me some Franzetta, but it's hard to pin a coherent world around that stuff.  Chris Stevens' construction crew and swashbuckler stuff fit perfectly fine, imho, though. 

I get a lot of my inspiration from anime, especially the better ones.  But, to say they are over the top for most fantasy purposes is a woeful understatement.  Two things I do like about that source of inspiration, though, are (1) that the abilities and fights are very dynamic.  The characters do neat things with their abilities and they interact in interesting ways, something that is often left out of the descriptions or game mechanics of fantasy RPGs.  And, (2) characters have well-defined bailiwicks.  The characters have a schtick, and one that isn't absurdly arcane to try and describe. 
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Nanshork on November 21, 2012, 02:50:56 PM
Old school, and by that I mean more 2E era than OD&D.  Elmore and especially Brom are more the style I prefer.  Brom is my favorite artist of all time and did most of the art for the 2E Dark Sun campaign settings book.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: awaken_D_M_golem on November 21, 2012, 03:25:36 PM
I love the historical d&d art because
it's D&D , not because it's great art. 

I like older styles when it comes to
non-cartoonish female "attributes" ...  :flutter

HEAVYMETAL zine sometimes gets
the balance right between the Art first
and the Art+Story combo second.
Good Story + iffy Art happens a lot too.
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6a/HeavyMetal-logo.jpg)
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Amechra on November 21, 2012, 06:14:51 PM
I've always felt good fantasy art to be closer to the good ol' pen and pencil art your DM shows you when they want you to take a look at the masks their fey wear.

Or, alternatively, woodcuts.

And anything Dreamtime inspired. That stuff is always awesome.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Concerned Ninja Citizen on November 21, 2012, 07:13:04 PM
The "new school" illustrations are both from Exalted books. Exalted is a fairly idiosyncratic setting with its own feel which is represented in its art.

I don't know why you'd want Exalted art for your D&D campaign unless it was deliberately Exalted flavored or influenced. I would also be wary of presenting Exalted as the sole representative of "new school" fantasy art.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Arturick on November 21, 2012, 07:24:12 PM
I lean towards Elmore out of those selections.  Otherwise, I tend to think that the artwork in most 3.5 and Pathfinder (WotC and Paizo, not speaking for third party) is quite good and captures the feel I want.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: littha on November 21, 2012, 07:29:53 PM
The second image is exactly what I feel fantasy art should look like. The first image is too cartoonish and the latter images look too grainy and out of proportions. I assume because these are before the advent of computer colouring and enhancement.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Agrippa on November 21, 2012, 07:32:03 PM
Quote from: Concerned Ninja Citizen on November 21, 2012, 07:13:04 PM
The "new school" illustrations are both from Exalted books. Exalted is a fairly idiosyncratic setting with its own feel which is represented in its art.

I don't know why you'd want Exalted art for your D&D campaign unless it was deliberately Exalted flavored or influenced. I would also be wary of presenting Exalted as the sole representative of "new school" fantasy art.

I picked Exalted illustrations for new school because I have a hard time linking Earthdawn pictures to illustrators.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: FlaminCows on November 22, 2012, 01:13:33 AM
Really, "old school" and "new school" are not styles. Brom has been noted as old school, but he still draws now. Most of those "new school" artists drew back then as well, and a lot of the old school artists still draw today.

Basically, I like good art. Good art has always existed, as has bad. There was a time when most of the artists D&D could afford to hire were not that great, but "cheap art" is not a style either. You'd need to group art by something other than age if you want a good judgement of art direction.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: zook1shoe on November 22, 2012, 01:31:01 AM
I like the 3e Draconomicon era type art, and it has some of the best dragons pics ever!

3e Forgotten Realms, most of the later books had good artwork. With exceptions, like Manshoon and the rebirth of Bane

Eberron was to WoW for me, and 2e wasn't fancy enough.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Agita on November 22, 2012, 04:11:33 AM
Moved as per request.

So long as the art looks good and depicts what it's supposed to depict appropriately, I don't really see the style mattering (style can matter when it sets the tone of the artwork, though). I don't like Sutherland's, Trampier's, or Otus's stuff very much, but the others are all things that fit RPGs.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Wilb on November 22, 2012, 06:45:09 AM
All of Elmore`s rpg works seem spot on for me, but the art of the 3.5 draconomicon is also fantastic.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: zugschef on November 22, 2012, 07:05:27 AM
rack planescape
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Pteryx on January 30, 2013, 11:53:37 PM
Depends on the campaign.  The one I'm currently playing in is Disgaea-inspired, so an anime style would be appropriate.  The last game I ran had a superhero flavor, so I described it as being drawn by Storn Cook.  -- Pteryx
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Amechra on January 31, 2013, 12:01:26 AM
I just noticed the scale on the Larry Elmore image of a stone dragon.

Holy shit is that thing massive.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: ImperatorK on January 31, 2013, 01:12:53 AM
Stevens and Elmore are cool and feel very fantasy-ish.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Soda on January 31, 2013, 08:17:24 AM
I like the first picture. I also like pathfinder. :/

EDIT- Art! I like pathfinder art, not pathfinder. :D
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: RobbyPants on January 31, 2013, 08:42:38 AM
I love a lot of Larry Elmore's stuff, but that may be because I started playing 2E. As far as old school fantasy art (and not just fantasy RPG art), I like Larry Elmore and also Frank Frazetta (https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1112&bih=665&q=frank+frazetta&oq=frank+frazetta&gs_l=img.3..0l10.379.2412.0.2617.14.10.0.4.4.0.119.600.9j1.10.0...0.0...1ac.1.dslFn0_TURQ) (Some of those are NSFW, in the artistic nude sort of way); Although Frank's stuff really does look pretty retro.

As far as new art goes, I'm really fond of Wayne Reynolds, and I like the look and feel most of his pieces bring to the books.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: ksbsnowowl on January 31, 2013, 02:42:38 PM
I was going to post up some examples of the 3.0/3.5 artwork that I think is the best type, only to find that all the 3rd edition art galleries are now gone from WotC's website...  :(

So, forgive me, as I cannot give names of artists, but I think the artist, initials SW, who did Vadania the Druid and Hennet the Sorcerer for the PHB, is one of the best examples of what D&D art should look like.  Well-formed, but not cartoonish in much of any aspect.  Vadania is perhaps a bit too "perfect" in her physique (how many women really have a waist that small?), but it is realistic and pleasing to the eye.

I also like the artwork for the MM1 Troll and Umber Hulk.

Basically I'm all about realism.  Most of the 4th ed artwork is WAAAAYYYY too anime for me.

Similarly to Phaedrus, I really like most of the 3rd ed FR artwork.  The trolls from Unapproachable East, and the TSL.  Great artwork, there.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Risada on January 31, 2013, 02:54:38 PM
Quote from: ksbsnowowl on January 31, 2013, 02:42:38 PM
I was going to post up some examples of the 3.0/3.5 artwork that I think is the best type, only to find that all the 3rd edition art galleries are now gone from WotC's website...  :(

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Wizards.... Why? I used to go there and pick a few pictures as needed, but now....

On topic...

Quote from: ksbsnowowl on January 31, 2013, 02:42:38 PM
Basically I'm all about realism.  Most of the 4th ed artwork is WAAAAYYYY too anime for me.


I agree, up to a point. A few monsters were quite nice (Rage Drake, a few Warforgeds...) but most PC races were like this...
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Raineh Daze on January 31, 2013, 03:20:28 PM
I'm quite fine with whatever (and kind of baffled by picking Exalted art, since the whole setting is an exercise in being over the top), so long as it's actually good quality. So, not a monotone out-of-proportion sketch. Give me detail. Terrible quality drawings aren't really going to capture the feeling of any worlds at all. Except maybe bad ones.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: phaedrusxy on January 31, 2013, 11:49:24 PM
Quote from: RobbyPants on January 31, 2013, 08:42:38 AM
I love a lot of Larry Elmore's stuff, but that may be because I started playing 2E. As far as old school fantasy art (and not just fantasy RPG art), I like Larry Elmore and also Frank Frazetta (https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1112&bih=665&q=frank+frazetta&oq=frank+frazetta&gs_l=img.3..0l10.379.2412.0.2617.14.10.0.4.4.0.119.600.9j1.10.0...0.0...1ac.1.dslFn0_TURQ) (Some of those are NSFW, in the artistic nude sort of way); Although Frank's stuff really does look pretty retro.

As far as new art goes, I'm really fond of Wayne Reynolds, and I like the look and feel most of his pieces bring to the books.
I'm terrible with names... but that Frank Frazetta stuff is absolutely amazing, and I know I've seen some of it before.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Unbeliever on February 01, 2013, 09:55:18 AM
Despite my abiding affection for Frazetta, I feel like his stuff is just too over the top for what I envision a sustainable campaign or an interesting campaign world to be. 
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Raineh Daze on February 01, 2013, 09:57:35 AM
Hmm. Not a big fan of Frazetta's stuff, since a lend of perpetual sexual objectification and inadequate clothing just gets silly after a while. Why does no-one have clothes?
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Unbeliever on February 01, 2013, 10:04:15 AM
Quote from: Raineh Daze on February 01, 2013, 09:57:35 AM
Hmm. Not a big fan of Frazetta's stuff, since a lend of perpetual sexual objectification and inadequate clothing just gets silly after a while. Why does no-one have clothes?
It's a deliberate design choice.  But, as Robby noted, I believe it is harkening back to classic artists who mostly did nudes as well.

Why, for example, is virtually every (and I mean 99.999%) of all Greek and Roman statues of Hercules in the nude?  There was this aesthetic with sculpted muscles, the human form, etc.  Frazetta does, in all fairness, mix that with a healthy dose of boobies (although, again, every single classical sculpture or painting of a woman up until about the 15th century is nude, too).  But, I think that's what he's harkening back to, which from an artistic perspective is the only touchstone of real epic badassery the Western world has. 


P.S.: Risada, would it be too much trouble for you to list or post what you think 4E's best artwork is?  I agree that some of it I saw I really liked, but there was a lot, especially in the core books, that was awfully cartoony and WoW-esque for me.  I don't happen to love Blizzard's aesthetic choices there, and there are a lot of things that work ok in a video game environment that don't in an RPG.  It would just be nice for me to cull out the stuff that was good. 
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Raineh Daze on February 01, 2013, 11:19:53 AM
Whilst that works well for a classical scenario, I feel that it doesn't really mesh with a medieval setting. Technology had progressed too much, it's not like we're dealing with stories from the bronze age. XD
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Risada on February 01, 2013, 11:27:15 AM
Quote from: Unbeliever on February 01, 2013, 10:04:15 AM
P.S.: Risada, would it be too much trouble for you to list or post what you think 4E's best artwork is?  I agree that some of it I saw I really liked, but there was a lot, especially in the core books, that was awfully cartoony and WoW-esque for me.  I don't happen to love Blizzard's aesthetic choices there, and there are a lot of things that work ok in a video game environment that don't in an RPG.  It would just be nice for me to cull out the stuff that was good.

Will look into it... I'm AFB from my friend's 4e books...
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: ksbsnowowl on February 01, 2013, 12:00:39 PM
The art galleries are back up.  Here are examples of the kind of art I like for RPG's:

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: littha on February 01, 2013, 01:42:08 PM
I always thought the second one (with the Rogue) looked like she had a bad cold or something. Why is her nose so red?

Personal Favorite piece of 3.5 art:
(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: ksbsnowowl on February 01, 2013, 02:42:46 PM
Quote from: littha on February 01, 2013, 01:42:08 PM
I always thought the second one (with the Rogue) looked like she had a bad cold or something. Why is her nose so red?
I'll grant you that.  Doesn't change the fact that the overall style is good.

Quote
Personal Favorite piece of 3.5 art:
(click to show/hide)
What book is that from? Incarnum?  Eh, too cartoony for my tastes (reminds me of the pic of Sovellis the Ranger in the PHB.)

Definitely not the worst of 3.5, though (Races of Destiny...)
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: littha on February 01, 2013, 03:28:01 PM
It's the Sapphire Heirarch from Magic of Incarnum. Its a dual progression Divine/Soulmeld class and it is awesome. It is also possible to qualify for the class at level 4 (Cleric 3/Incarnate 1) which is awesome.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Raineh Daze on February 01, 2013, 03:29:22 PM
It's also very blue. It looks like it needs a hug.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Amechra on February 01, 2013, 05:26:19 PM
Quote from: ksbsnowowl on February 01, 2013, 02:42:46 PM
Quote from: littha on February 01, 2013, 01:42:08 PM
I always thought the second one (with the Rogue) looked like she had a bad cold or something. Why is her nose so red?
I'll grant you that.  Doesn't change the fact that the overall style is good.

Quote
Personal Favorite piece of 3.5 art:
(click to show/hide)
What book is that from? Incarnum?  Eh, too cartoony for my tastes (reminds me of the pic of Sovellis the Ranger in the PHB.)

Definitely not the worst of 3.5, though (Races of Destiny...)

What, you're against Krusk the Pimp?
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: ksbsnowowl on February 01, 2013, 05:36:54 PM
Quote from: Amechra on February 01, 2013, 05:26:19 PM
Quote from: ksbsnowowl on February 01, 2013, 02:42:46 PM
Definitely not the worst of 3.5, though (Races of Destiny...)

What, you're against Krusk the Pimp?
Nope, this:

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: brujon on February 13, 2013, 02:27:16 AM
I like Elmore and Frazetta best, from what was shown. I mean, when you look at it, it seems like something like that could actually exist. It's very well drawn, very realistic. I enjoy art like that. I've always been sad that i could only draw stick figures... If i could just express what i imagine, i'd be very happy, but i never had the talent, i get all the proportions wrong, have no aesthetic sense. Even if i trained and could draw by repetition, i'd still not be able to replicate the fantastic vistas that i see. Other works... Many of the more realistic artstyles found on Heavy Metal magazine appeal to me. The art on Savage Sword of Conan as well. I grew up with this, so it's to be expected.

BTW, my dad is such a fan of Frank Frazetta he tattooed one of his wolf drawings on his arm. He's a Conan & Heavy Metal fan from his teens. I had a good childhood.
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Pteryx on February 15, 2013, 01:23:18 PM
Never mind, scooped.  -- Pteryx
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Risada on February 20, 2013, 10:38:38 AM
Quote from: Risada on February 01, 2013, 11:27:15 AM
Quote from: Unbeliever on February 01, 2013, 10:04:15 AM
P.S.: Risada, would it be too much trouble for you to list or post what you think 4E's best artwork is?  I agree that some of it I saw I really liked, but there was a lot, especially in the core books, that was awfully cartoony and WoW-esque for me.  I don't happen to love Blizzard's aesthetic choices there, and there are a lot of things that work ok in a video game environment that don't in an RPG.  It would just be nice for me to cull out the stuff that was good.

Will look into it... I'm AFB from my friend's 4e books...

Here is a few I liked:

(click to show/hide)

Seems slightly serpentine, but I think it fits better than the D&D 3.5e's MM3 one... It shows that the drake is a hunter.

(click to show/hide)

Aside from their clothes, I don't know why but I like these. I also like ALL warforged art from 3.5, including the Pimpforged (http://cdn.obsidianportal.com/images/701637/warforged_-_pimp_2.0.jpg).

... I REALLY need to get a few 4e books on my hands, so I can post more....
Title: Re: What do you feel fantasy RPG art should look like?
Post by: Nytemare3701 on March 20, 2013, 08:23:10 AM
I'm a HUGE fan of Jason Engle's work.

http://www.jaestudio.com/ (http://www.jaestudio.com/)