Say what you want about D&D, but it has over the years had some
terrific cover art. Personally, I happen to like the old-school art
more than that used in the post-TSR era, but that's more a statement
on my taste than an indictment of the quality of the art itself.
Still, it's hard to top Elmore, Easley and Caldwell.
My personal favorite... well, it's not easy to pick one over the rest. There's so many good pieces and a lot of the books have nostalgic
value to me. For instance, I love the cover on the Moldvay Basic rules
(with the sultry spell-slinger and the long-necked green dragon), even
though - if pressed - I'd have to admit the actual art style doesn't
appeal to me all that much. Similarly, Robin Wood's harper-n-dragon
combo from the "Time of the Dragon" boxed set is wonderfully
evocative, but falls short because the material its attached to isn't
that memorable to me.
But if pressed, I'd almost certainly gravitate towards the revised
version of the 1st Edition Dungeon Master's Guide; you know, the one
with the green-clad wizard opening up the doors to hell by David
Sutherland. The painting itself is beautifully detailed; even taken
apart from the book, it is worthwhile art. It definitely serves its
purpose in making me want to pick up the book - even four decades
long, it can work that same magic. Plus, the artwork is incredibly
fitting as the cover of the book it graces; open up this tome, it
says, and you too will be like this wizard, unleashing magic and
mystery on your players. So in all respects - beauty, marketability,
and suitability, its an excellent cover.
(the 2nd Edition PHB and DMG tie for second place and, while it isn't
proper art, I give the third-place nod to the 2nd Ed Players
Handbook/DM Reference Guides/Historical Campaign books just because
they so nice on the shelf sitting next to each other ;-)
What's your favorite D&D cover-art?
On Friday, March 13, 2020 at 6:45:37 AM UTC-7, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
Say what you want about D&D, but it has over the years had some
terrific cover art. Personally, I happen to like the old-school art
more than that used in the post-TSR era, but that's more a statement
on my taste than an indictment of the quality of the art itself.
Still, it's hard to top Elmore, Easley and Caldwell.
My personal favorite... well, it's not easy to pick one over the rest.
There's so many good pieces and a lot of the books have nostalgic
value to me. For instance, I love the cover on the Moldvay Basic rules
(with the sultry spell-slinger and the long-necked green dragon), even
though - if pressed - I'd have to admit the actual art style doesn't
appeal to me all that much. Similarly, Robin Wood's harper-n-dragon
combo from the "Time of the Dragon" boxed set is wonderfully
evocative, but falls short because the material its attached to isn't
that memorable to me.
But if pressed, I'd almost certainly gravitate towards the revised
version of the 1st Edition Dungeon Master's Guide; you know, the one
with the green-clad wizard opening up the doors to hell by David
Sutherland. The painting itself is beautifully detailed; even taken
apart from the book, it is worthwhile art. It definitely serves its
purpose in making me want to pick up the book - even four decades
long, it can work that same magic. Plus, the artwork is incredibly
fitting as the cover of the book it graces; open up this tome, it
says, and you too will be like this wizard, unleashing magic and
mystery on your players. So in all respects - beauty, marketability,
and suitability, its an excellent cover.
(the 2nd Edition PHB and DMG tie for second place and, while it isn't
proper art, I give the third-place nod to the 2nd Ed Players
Handbook/DM Reference Guides/Historical Campaign books just because
they so nice on the shelf sitting next to each other ;-)
What's your favorite D&D cover-art?
Hands down Trampier's 1e D&D PHB - the iconic demon statue with the party >looting it and the dead lizardmen they obviously just killed.
I'm partial to most of Otis' module covers too though, I think D3 probably >being my favorite.
I have a special place in my heart for the Holmes Basic cover art as that's >what I started with, but really it's not that good.
I find the Efreet cover 1e DMG not all that good, the efreet is just standing there like he's posing or standing at attention, absently holding the bikini clad woman.
- Justisaur
On Friday, March 13, 2020 at 6:45:37 AM UTC-7, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
What's your favorite D&D cover-art?
Hands down Trampier's 1e D&D PHB - the iconic demon statue with the party >looting it and the dead lizardmen they obviously just killed.
I'm partial to most of Otis' module covers too though, I think D3 probably >being my favorite. I have a special place in my heart for the Holmes Basic
cover art as that's what I started with, but really it's not that good.
I find the Efreet cover 1e DMG not all that good, the efreet is just standing there like he's posing or standing at attention, absently holding the bikini clad woman.
On Fri, 13 Mar 2020 08:44:39 -0700 (PDT), Justisaur
<justisaur@gmail.com> wrote:
On Friday, March 13, 2020 at 6:45:37 AM UTC-7, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
What's your favorite D&D cover-art?
Hands down Trampier's 1e D&D PHB - the iconic demon statue with the party >looting it and the dead lizardmen they obviously just killed.
I should have guessed this one gets the nod; it's a common favorite.
It certainly evokes the game, showing a mixed party of warriors,
thieves and wizards looting a demonic statue surrounded by dead
monsters; it is very on-the-nose. But its style and proportions always
felt too cartoony, too comic book to appeal to me very much. I've
always preferred the more realistic styles of Elmore, etc.
I'm partial to most of Otis' module covers too though, I think D3 probably >being my favorite. I have a special place in my heart for the Holmes Basic
cover art as that's what I started with, but really it's not that good.
No, but it has heart. The cover art for Moldvay edition isn't much
better but, as you said, its nostalgic value pops it higher up the
list than it probably deserves.
I find the Efreet cover 1e DMG not all that good, the efreet is just standing
there like he's posing or standing at attention, absently holding the bikini
clad woman.
Never doubt the ability of bikini-clad women on your cover to help
sell books!
Other pieces of note that I almost favor:
"The Manual of the Planes" (1st Ed) has an awesome cover; it's
gorgeous and it makes you want to buy the book to find out what the
hell the monster on the cover is. It only fails because /there's no
such monster/ in the book!
Conversely, the cover for "Temple of Elemental Evil" is a well-drawn
and detailed piece of art that accurately depicts the eponymous cover,
but it's such a dreadful looking place that it actually makes me /not/
want to read the book. ;-)
We might find more concordance in choosing the /worst/ cover art. I'd nominate the original Monster Manual artwork by Sutherland. That one's
just terrible. ;-)
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