Worst art in an RPG book thread.

[danbuter]

I wish that was the standard artwork style used for D&D.

[TheShadow]

The conventions of the crappy 3.x/4.x/Pathfinder school are interesting. Just why is it cool to be androgynous and to wear frills and spikes? Just why is it cool to have a vapid smirk as the default expression? How did these conventions become attached to the pleasure centers of whoever created this style? It's like I'm trying to decipher markings on a cave. These things must mean something to someone.

[misterguignol]

The conventions of the crappy 3.x/4.x/Pathfinder school are interesting. Just why is it cool to be androgynous and to wear frills and spikes? Just why is it cool to have a vapid smirk as the default expression? How did these conventions become attached to the pleasure centers of whoever created this style? It's like I'm trying to decipher markings on a cave. These things must mean something to someone.

I don't think those conventions are specific to 2.x/4e/Pathfinder though.  The Pirates of the Caribbean movies are full of androgyny and knowing smirks; see that various Warhammer franchises for frills and spiky bits.

[One Horse Town]

I think it's pretty simple - it's meant to hammer home that it's fantasy. Practicality and fashion don't come into it.

[Benoist]

I don't think those conventions are specific to 2.x/4e/Pathfinder though.  The Pirates of the Caribbean movies are full of androgyny and knowing smirks; see that various Warhammer franchises for frills and spiky bits.

I agree. This is something more about the conventions of the times, about the trends of fashion and media, rather than something specific to a particular brand.

Whether an argument could be made that RPGs follow more the fashion and media trends now than they were at any other point in time prior to it, I'm not sure. I'm doubtful.

[Elfdart]

I think it's pretty simple - it's meant to appeal to fans of Gene Simmons. Practicality and fashion don't come into it.

[Elfdart]

Reynolds doing some strong historical work:




It still shows his distinctive rendering style (which I have always liked) while depicting a historically arrayed character in a basically neutral pose.

At the same time I appreciate his pathfinder work. If we are talking about fantasy, the terms "queer and baroque" are in my opinion as likely positive as negative; if we are depicting a fantasy world and not norman england there is not a need for the characters to look like they wandered off of the Bayeux tapestry.

You know what's really funny? All the people bitching about Liefeld drawing people in unnatural poses when this guy is apparently leaning away from his spear for no reason.

When it comes to clothes and things that might be purely decorative, "queer and baroque" are OK in my book. But with armor and weapons, it's just retarded wank. If you like having characters dressed in what look like Gene Simmons' hand-me-downs, or dressed like extras from a Mad Max film, knock yourself out. I think that outside of a Mad Max movie, a KISS concert or a float in a militant gay pride parade it sucks. Hard.

[FASERIP]

This is a great thread.

I like the harsh criticism of Sutherland and other early D&D artists, because even though I like some of their stuff, I recognize not only the flaws, but the lame influence on the OSRobots. "Incompetent art is Old School, d00d!"

For instance, here's a Purple Worm tunnelling in and out of a wall (I think):



This could be an okay piece, but I'm not really sure what the perspective is. Is the swordsman lying on the ground?

It could be a lot worse. Naivete for naivete's sake makes for shit artwork:

[ICFTI]

You know what's really funny? All the people bitching about Liefeld drawing people in unnatural poses when this guy is apparently leaning away from his spear for no reason.

what people were complaining about with regard to liefield is that he draws people in anatomically *impossible* poses, not merely unnatural ones. some guy leaning away from his spear is not in the same ballpark of bad, mainly because somebody can actually do that. half the shit that liefield draws simply defies human anatomy.

[jibbajibba]

The Dungeon-punk style comes out of Warhammer and the merger of citadel with games workshop it grows through the warcraft franchise and hits its zenith with WoW. If you had played everquest and the picked up WoW the fact that the characters and monsters were larger that life fantasy figures was definite bonus on the rather bland everquest models. WoW being by far the biggest western fantasy roleplay setting and esthetic it makes sense for the rest of the market to follow suit.

Going back to the impact of citadel their figures were always less realistric larger scale swords the size of massive cricket bats and spikes and helmets that would be impossible to lift, however they were more spectacular for it and when you are looking at something 5 feet away that is an inch and a half tall exageration has its place. Also citadel had superior production to ral partha and others and that was a big seller.

[Koltar]

The Celtic warrior guy is not "leaning".
 If you look at it the right way - he's just standing with one leg at more of an angle and holding his spear at an angle. Its kind of an 'At Ready' pose.

I don't see anything at all strange or unnatural  in that stance.

Heck, I may have stood in almost the same stance with a walking staff while waiting(killing time) for a friend that was shopping at the local Renn Fest.


- Ed C.

[danbuter]

when this guy is apparently leaning away from his spear for no reason.

Looks like Parade Rest to me.

[ICFTI]

I don't see anything at all strange or unnatural  in that stance.

nor do i. i found a comparison to liefield to be especially off-base.

[Grymbok]

Reynolds doing some strong historical work:




It still shows his distinctive rendering style (which I have always liked) while depicting a historically arrayed character in a basically neutral pose.

Hmm. Well what do you know, turns out I don't hate Wayne Reynolds's art after all. I wonder whether the issue is the WotC/Paizo art directors telling him to draw daft things or the Osprey art directors reining in his natural instincts?

[Philotomy Jurament]

Hmm. Well what do you know, turns out I don't hate Wayne Reynolds's art after all. I wonder whether the issue is the WotC/Paizo art directors telling him to draw daft things or the Osprey art directors reining in his natural instincts?

Yeah; weird huh?  I like his Osprey stuff, but I just can't stand most of his WotC/Paizo work.