Worst art in 3.X?

[TentacleSurpris]

Question:

What do you think is the worst art in 3.X?

Of course, DND 3 characters become Christmas Trees as they gain levels, so I guess ridiculous looking outfits comes with the territory.

I always thought that any picture of Miallee the Sorceress was terrible. The "dwarf?" on page 86 of Complete Psionic is pretty bad too.

[limejuicepowder]

Miallee is the wizard, I think. Hexor (or something like that) is the sorcerer.

There's a picture in the DMG of the 4 main characters (Tordec, Miallee, L-something the halfing, and Jozen) standing around a table, planning their next adventure. Perspective is way off, and all of the character's faces look very flat.

[A_S]

The "game of goatball" (Races of Stone, p. 58) is pretty ludicrous. Expecially the guy to the far left preparing to catch.

[Amphetryon]

Races of Destiny has a horrifically off-scale female tiefling on some stairs.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/rod_gallery/86313.jpg

[Venger]

Miallee is the wizard, I think. Hexor (or something like that) is the sorcerer.

There's a picture in the DMG of the 4 main characters (Tordec, Miallee, L-something the halfing, and Jozen) standing around a table, planning their next adventure. Perspective is way off, and all of the character's faces look very flat.

mialee is the wizard. the sorcerer (the genleman with all the belts on his tummy) is named "hennet"

art for a number of prcs is bad, but one would have to be radiant servant pelor from complete divine. he himself looks fine, but lidda that he's healing underneath him looks really weird: out of focus, perspective/proportion's off, etc.

[Amnestic]

I've always hated the picture in Complete Divine that they used for Spirit Shaman.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/cd_gallery/81336.jpg

The hat looks goofy, the pose looks goofy and the magic looks unimpressive.

I'm sure there are other pictures out there I'm not a fan of, but that's the one that sticks in my mind the most.

[Evard]

I've always hated the picture in Complete Divine that they used for Spirit Shaman.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/cd_gallery/81336.jpg

The hat looks goofy, the pose looks goofy and the magic looks unimpressive.

I'm sure there are other pictures out there I'm not a fan of, but that's the one that sticks in my mind the most.

Hot damn Jim, that looks like a Romulan!

[A_S]

Number of pages I had to scroll through in a Google image search for "a game of goatball" before finding a photo of goat testicles: 1

[SaintRidley]

My answer was going to be Mialee. Then Amphetryon reminded me of this.


Races of Destiny has a horrifically off-scale female tiefling on some stairs.

No sense of how perspective works at all. She's basically sticking out parallel to the stairs, not walking up them.

[Telonius]

My answer was going to be Mialee. Then Amphetryon reminded me of this.



No sense of how perspective works at all. She's basically sticking out parallel to the stairs, not walking up them.

Not to mention the right arm proportions. Does she have a T-Rex graft? Withered hand from a curse? Does she have a Gnome on her back who's trying to help out a poor one-armed Tiefling?

[Zaq]

Magic of Incarnum has some gems. The picture illustrating the Mauling Gauntlets has some hilarious proportions, and the picture of Soveliss in the magic section makes him look like a broken action figure. Legs and hips simply do not go that way. (I'm on an iPad because it's easier to type with one hand when there's a good autocorrect, so linking is hard, but if someone wants to bring in the pics I'm talking about, that'd be rad.)

That said, the art in Tome of Battle is just atrocious. I know a friend who was put off from ToB for way too long just because the pic of the Crusader near the beginning is so awful.

[Amphetryon]

Not to mention the right arm proportions. Does she have a T-Rex graft? Withered hand from a curse? Does she have a Gnome on her back who's trying to help out a poor one-armed Tiefling?

There's also something very wrong with her legs, and her. . . familiar?. . . is apparently headed downhill, at the top of the stairs. The whole thing looks like a bad M.C. Escher knockoff.

[Karnith]

I have always been bothered by Demogorgon's picture in the Book of Vile Darkness. Not because it's particularly poorly-drawn, but because apparently no one told the artist what Demogorgon is actually supposed to look like.

[Eldan]

There's also something very wrong with her legs, and her. . . familiar?. . . is apparently headed downhill, at the top of the stairs. The whole thing looks like a bad M.C. Escher knockoff.

I am not quite sure if she's walking up or down those stairs. I mean, the stairs look very down, but her pose looks as if she was walking up.

[ArcturusV]

Thus it threatens to come full circle. It's one of those things so hilariously bad, that it might actually be genius. I mean.... NOTHING about it is "right". You can't just stumble across something like that. That's talent. That's skill. That's... genius.

[danzibr]

IIRC Warshaper has some really terrible art.

[Daftendirekt]

The "game of goatball" (Races of Stone, p. 58) is pretty ludicrous. Expecially the guy to the far left preparing to catch.

Oh god, yes. So terrible.

[herrhauptmann]

Thus it threatens to come full circle. It's one of those things so hilariously bad, that it might actually be genius. I mean.... NOTHING about it is "right". You can't just stumble across something like that. That's talent. That's skill. That's... genius.

The perspective is so bad I thought it was a Liefield drawing at first. But then I realized whoever it was did a passable job at drawing a hand that was holding something.

[Agent 451]

While by no means the worst, the Righteous Zealot from the Dragonlance Campaign Setting always bothered me. Unless of course they were trying to illustrate someone who had an inexplicably small head and suffered from Marfan Syndrome...

http://crpp0001.uqtr.ca/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Dragonlance_Campaign_Setting/Righteous%20Zealot.jpg

[Vaz]

Anything by Wayne England. I came from Warhammer 40K originally where he also did some art, and I hated it there.

[WhatBigTeeth]

Wayne ****ing England. It doesn't help that he had like a quarter of the illustrations in the later books.

Some day he will learn how arms work, that pointy teeth can sometimes take up less than a full half of an illustration, that creatures and people sometimes do things more interesting than stand awkwardly staring straight forward, or that backgrounds can comprise things other than swirly colored mists.

Some day he might even discover that esoteric piece of anatomy called the "neck."

Some day.

[Lupus753]

I was going to say the Senmurv (though I'm not 100% sure if it's 3.X), but nothing I say can even approach what was already shown here. Great job, TSR or Wizards! No, that was not sarcastic.

[Agent 451]

Vaz, I would totally have agreed with you when I started playing 3.5. Now his art has kind of grown on me. It seems more... subdued than a lot of the other art, with vague but complimenting backgrounds. Unlike Wayne Reynolds, who puts a distractingly large amount of detail into everything (nothing wrong with that, but I like more focused art).

[Axinian]

Wayne ****ing England. It doesn't help that he had like a quarter of the illustrations in the later books.

Some day he will learn how arms work, that pointy teeth can sometimes take up less than a full half of an illustration, that creatures and people sometimes do things more interesting than stand awkwardly staring straight forward, or that backgrounds can comprise things other than swirly colored mists.

Some day he might even discover that esoteric piece of anatomy called the "neck."

Some day.

This for me.

It's a shame, because he sometimes does okay things for MtG, but everything else is just *blegh* :smallyuk:

[Palanan]

Hearkening back to another era...

Cover illustration of Sword and Fist.



Ember looks like early concept art for Blade. Or...something.

Also, dwarven epiglottis.

[Jesterface]

Speaking as an illustration graduate...

I don't like a lot of Tom Baxa's artwork. Some of it works, other's just seem like he's trying to hard to be gothic and murky. I don't overly mind some of Wayne England's artwork, but he does overuse the same composition a lot. The best work I ever saw of his was some 40k Grot comic he did. Also, the senmurv. In fact, everything about the senmurv... And, can't recall the artist, but the Frost Giant illustrations in Frostburn; don't really care for them :smallconfused:

[Venger]

Fog giant.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/mof_gallery/MonFaePG50.jpg[/QUOTE]

suffering from deformities of liefieldian proportions. along with a comically oversized weapon that he couldn't possible lift or gain leverage over, like all of liefield's characters, and bones, muscles, tendons, and joints all cropping up over his body essentially at random (how many radii and ulnae does he have?!)

combine this with a downright baffling shot of him fighting a human for perspective (what the hell did that bone club come from?) and note how his hands are in no way realistically depicted as holding it.

also look at his hairline and how it looks like he's wearing a porcelein mask of his own face due to how the hair just abruptly stops before culminating in the widow's peak it's clearly growing in.

This has my vote for #1 worst art of all time in 3.5

[Big Fau]

I don't overly mind some of Wayne England's artwork, but he does overuse the same composition a lot.

That's the understatement of the year. Every one of his weapons looks the exact same, the clothing all looks either too skimpy (especially for warrior-types) or has seriously impractical amounts of cloth for the terrain they are in (if the person is fully-clothed, 90% of the time they are depicted in a tropical environment where the clothing they have would cause heat stroke in a matter of minutes).

And his goblins. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.


But Mialee generic Elven Wizard the mutant cricket daelkyr/elf lovechild always looks bad.

[Shining Wrath]

Races of Destiny has a horrifically off-scale female tiefling on some stairs.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/rod_gallery/86313.jpg

That wins. Her eyes are leaking purple mascara, her rat is escaping in terror, her body parts aren't proportional, and she's knee-deep in the staircase.

[Lupus753]

At first, I thought she was walking down a corridor with an unusually large number of parapets. That's how bad the art is.

Also, I think that purple is the reflection of her eye-fires.

[Big Fau]

her rat is escaping in terror

That's a rat?

[Kuulvheysoon]

I'd give it a tie between half of Wayne England's stuff and that... horrific tiefling. I mean Nine Hells, would a little quality control kill you, Wizards?

Wait, what I am saying? I just answered my own question.

[Eldan]

I'm looking at it again, and I'm now convinced she's walking on a kind of rack like these: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rack_railway

And her arm must be a gnome graft.

[Shining Wrath]

That's a rat?

<Foghorn Leghorn>That's rat, boy, that's rat</Foghorn Leghorn>


I'm looking at it again, and I'm now convinced she's walking on a kind of rack like these: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rack_railway

And her arm must be a gnome graft.

I do feel sorry for her, because I think she's had a partial mastectomy on top of all her other problems. There seems to be a ... disparity.

[Jesterface]

I've just remembered a particularly terrible picture from Drow of the Underdark, of some matriarch whipping the face of a subordinate. The matriarch's stance includes Liefeldian amounts of spine injury, and the whip/cat-o'nine-tails she is using seems to be the only thing actually moving in the image, as the girl stands there and simply 'takes it'. I linked it to my friend/fellow RPer/fellow graduate and said 'No matter what we do in life; take solace in the fact we will never be as bad as this."

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/DrowUnderdark_Gallery/104428.jpg

[Rethmar]

I came here to mention Wayne England's bulbous characters and weird weapons with oval gems.

Glad to see it has already been thoroughly discussed and my opinion is shared.

[Lupus753]

That's not the face of someone being whipped. That's the face of someone who's been insulted in a way that seriously stings.

[Diefje]

The boobs are wonky on both of them. I mean, who draws fantasy art FOR A LIVING and can't draw boobs?

[Deaxsa]

That wins. Her eyes are leaking purple mascara, her rat is escaping in terror, her body parts aren't proportional, and she's knee-deep in the staircase.

no, it doesn't. that artist at least had SOME degree of technical skill. the goat-ball picture looks like it was drawn by a paraplegic. Wayne England... has a whole lot of problems with the whole "drawing things" concept.

some really bad art:
pg 39, MM3
pg 85, MM4
pg 207, DMG2

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Venger
Fog giant....This has my vote for #1 worst art of all time in 3.5

Actually that's from Monsters of Faerûn, which is 3.0. :smalltongue:

As it happens, I really like that one. I don't disagree with you on any particular, but that was one of the very first books I looked at, back when I started playing 3.5. There's still a bit of the old gee-whiz there.

Although I did wonder, when I first saw it, just exactly what he took that femur from.

:smalleek:

[Vaz]

While not exactly DnD, Dave Gallagher from Warhammer IMHO is one of the worst artists in the genre. His artworks on and in army books tend to have a lot of space filled up with faces. Normally, this takes a lot of time, to give character to each one, but instead, he saves time by copy-pasting the same face every single time for each one.

Whether its a Rotting swamp golem type character, female in power armour, male in power armour, space marine, vampire lord, or a lowly empire soldier. Same face, everytime.

Other terrible artists? John Blanche. He looks almost like he's had a stroke halfway through the painting, and knocked all his paints over.

[Zombulian]

I personally like the Wayne Reynolds style. It feels just like an adventurer should look. Also I can't decide if I like Chuck Lukacs or not.

[Daftendirekt]

I personally like the Wayne Reynolds style. It feels just like an adventurer should look.

Ditto, all of his stuff for the icon PF party is pretty solid.

[The Viscount]

That tiefling probably is the worst art (does anyone think she even looks like a tiefling?), but here's my contributions.
Fiendish Codex page 57. The art for this isn't that bad, actually but there is one thing that must be pointed out. Demogorgon and Orcus are here displayed in combat, and in the bottom part of the screen we see Demogorgons tentacles wrapped around what seems to be a glaive, which is odd, because demogorgon doesn't use one. If you look up from there, you see the "glaive" melds perfectly into Orcus' wing. So one of two options here. Either the artist was including a glaive and forgot about it, or Orcus has a handle coming out of only 1 wing.

Book of Vile Darkness page 91. I think it's the art for dancing chains, and it's an absolute mess. Look at the point where her arm meets her bracer. There is a violent shift there that is completely unexplained. Are we looking down at her, or facing her? Where in the Nine Hells is her other leg? Explain this to me. I dare you.

[Rethmar]

Runecaster pg 69 of PGtF. One of my absolute favs.

[Tanuki Tales]

That tiefling probably is the worst art (does anyone think she even looks like a tiefling?), but here's my contributions.
Fiendish Codex page 57. The art for this isn't that bad, actually but there is one thing that must be pointed out. Demogorgon and Orcus are here displayed in combat, and in the bottom part of the screen we see Demogorgons tentacles wrapped around what seems to be a glaive, which is odd, because demogorgon doesn't use one. If you look up from there, you see the "glaive" melds perfectly into Orcus' wing. So one of two options here. Either the artist was including a glaive and forgot about it, or Orcus has a handle coming out of only 1 wing.

Check the bottom of his other wing.

[TuggyNE]

That tiefling probably is the worst art (does anyone think she even looks like a tiefling?)

Not especially; maybe an elf, or half-elf, or human?

Who knows, could be an anorexic half-giant.:smalltongue:

[molten_dragon]

While it's not official, the art in the Book of Erotic Fantasy deserves a mention just for the creepy factor of it all being photographs.

I've also always thought the picture of the Ninja in Complete Adventurer was pretty terrible. The stupid pose of him hovering in front of the roof is bad, but the worst is the dwarf arm that's apparently firing shurikens out of spiderman's webshooter.

http://crpp0001.uqtr.ca/w4/campagne/images/WotC_Art_Galleries/Complete_Adventurer/Ninja%20by%20Ed%20Cox.jpg

[Lupus753]

I think the dwarf-arm Ninja is supposed to be in mid-jump.

[Tanuki Tales]

I think the dwarf-arm Ninja is supposed to be in mid-jump.

And that's definitely a woman.

[Logic]

Most of the Deity symbols in Faiths and Pantheons are simply horrid.

[herrhauptmann]

Here's a good one
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/cw_ag/75409.jpg
It looks cool and all, until you realize she's going to die before she lands. The arrows might have missed, but she's going to impale herself on those spears.

And did she do with that sword? Kill a sparrow in midair?

Bare thighs, so her femoral will get cut easy. Bare ass, with a pose that accentuates the fact that her ass is bare, without showing that she's wearing an armor thong. She's gonna poke herself in the ear everytime she raises her arms with those spiky shoulders, and running will cause the fangs on the hips of her armor to cut into her. I mean, talk about armor bite.

[Solophoenix]

Here's a good one
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/cw_ag/75409.jpg
It looks cool and all, until you realize she's going to die before she lands. The arrows might have missed, but she's going to impale herself on those spears.

And did she do with that sword? Kill a sparrow in midair?

Bare thighs, so her femoral will get cut easy. Bare ass, with a pose that accentuates the fact that her ass is bare, without showing that she's wearing an armor thong. She's gonna poke herself in the ear everytime she raises her arms with those spiky shoulders, and running will cause the fangs on the hips of her armor to cut into her. I mean, talk about armor bite.

She *is* a Frenzied Berserker, so the whole leaping headlong into damage thing fits perfectly. Yes, the armour is impractical, but practical armour on a female is so rare in fantasy art that people take special notice when a woman is actually protected decently.

The spikes are clearly to provoke a Frenzy in intense situations.

[SaintRidley]

It looks cool and all, until you realize she's going to die before she lands. The arrows might have missed, but she's going to impale herself on those spears.


Four Words:

Deathless Frenzy. Friendly Cleric.

[herrhauptmann]

Four Words:

Deathless Frenzy. Friendly Cleric.

Every FB has deathless frenzy? :smallconfused: Weird, I thought the game always ended once they had the first TPK.

[Gnome Alone]

She would die in real life, but... that's HP for you. Axe to the face? Magical healing. Swim in a volcano? Ouch, hot. Magical healing. Spear wounds in your ass which you didn't even bother to cover, while killing random birds in the park? Magical healing.

[Big Fau]

It looks cool and all, until you realize she's going to die before she lands.

Take a close look at her calf/thigh positions too. Even if she survives, if she lands on that shield, her legs aren't going to enjoy the impact.

[Spuddles]

Here's a good one
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/cw_ag/75409.jpg
It looks cool and all, until you realize she's going to die before she lands. The arrows might have missed, but she's going to impale herself on those spears.

And did she do with that sword? Kill a sparrow in midair?

Bare thighs, so her femoral will get cut easy. Bare ass, with a pose that accentuates the fact that her ass is bare, without showing that she's wearing an armor thong. She's gonna poke herself in the ear everytime she raises her arms with those spiky shoulders, and running will cause the fangs on the hips of her armor to cut into her. I mean, talk about armor bite.

Doesn't matter; deathless frenzy.

[Rubik]

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g111/Lycanthromancer/Non-Motivators/ReallyBad.png

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g111/Lycanthromancer/Non-Motivators/Bad.pngThe more you look at them the stupider they look. WHO HAS A BODY LIKE THAT?

It's awful, like someone added plutonium to her Wheaties as a child.

[VeisuItaTyhjyys]

That Tiefling is bad, but I can't believe more people haven't mentioned those two Drow; the only art that even comes close to the whipping Drow for sheer ineptitude is the Drow being whipped.

[Rubik]

That Tiefling is bad, but I can't believe more people haven't mentioned those two Drow; the only art that even comes close to the whipping Drow for sheer ineptitude is the Drow being whipped.I try not to think about it, for the sake of my sanity.

[Spuddles]

WHO HAS A BODY LIKE THAT?

elves?


dsgdsgfsdgdsggfds

[Zombimode]

I personally like the Wayne Reynolds style. It feels just like an adventurer should look.

I'm the opposite. I just can't stand most of Reynolds art, weather its for D&D/PF or MTG. It exemplifies the kind of Fantasy I don't enjoy. Everything is so over the top and impractical. Not just the equipment which is just ridiculous, but the poses and actions scenes as well.
He is talented, it's just not my style (most of the time; I sure there is art by Reynolds I do enjoy).

But he can draw very nice boobs :smallamused:

[Rubik]

elves?No wonder they reproduce so slowly. They have to blindfold themselves to breed, and probably can't find each other without a game of Marco Polo from across the forest.

[ShadowFireLance]

I try not to think about it, for the sake of my sanity.

What picture are you refering to? :smallconfused:

[Rubik]

What picture are you refering to? :smallconfused:This:
I've just remembered a particularly terrible picture from Drow of the Underdark, of some matriarch whipping the face of a subordinate. The matriarch's stance includes Liefeldian amounts of spine injury, and the whip/cat-o'nine-tails she is using seems to be the only thing actually moving in the image, as the girl stands there and simply 'takes it'. I linked it to my friend/fellow RPer/fellow graduate and said 'No matter what we do in life; take solace in the fact we will never be as bad as this."

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/DrowUnderdark_Gallery/104428.jpgYou take SAN damage every time you look at it.

[ShadowFireLance]

This:You take SAN damage every time you look at it.

well, yeah...that's...so many amounts of painful, and messed up art...:smallconfused:

[Rubik]

well, yeah...that's...so many amounts of painful, and messed up art...:smallconfused:Maybe the one has back problems from having such a high center of gravity (and an absurdly elongated spinal column), and is ripping off a bandaid or something?

[sabelo2000]

I've just remembered a particularly terrible picture from Drow of the Underdark, of some matriarch whipping the face of a subordinate. The matriarch's stance includes Liefeldian amounts of spine injury, and the whip/cat-o'nine-tails she is using seems to be the only thing actually moving in the image, as the girl stands there and simply 'takes it'. I linked it to my friend/fellow RPer/fellow graduate and said 'No matter what we do in life; take solace in the fact we will never be as bad as this."

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/DrowUnderdark_Gallery/104428.jpg

That one is awful, it really seems as though he deliberately contorted the matriarch's spine just so he could put her bustier on full-frontal display.

[TuggyNE]

That one is awful, it really seems as though he deliberately contorted the matriarch's spine just so he could put her bustier on full-frontal display.

All things considered (I only briefly glanced at the picture, for obvious reasons) that seems by far the most likely explanation. :smallsigh:

[Krazzman]

Magic of Incarnum has some gems. The picture illustrating the Mauling Gauntlets has some hilarious proportions, and the picture of Soveliss in the magic section makes him look like a broken action figure. Legs and hips simply do not go that way. (I'm on an iPad because it's easier to type with one hand when there's a good autocorrect, so linking is hard, but if someone wants to bring in the pics I'm talking about, that'd be rad.)

That said, the art in Tome of Battle is just atrocious. I know a friend who was put off from ToB for way too long just because the pic of the Crusader near the beginning is so awful.

I don't know but I think the pic of the Crusader is good in a sense of trying other ways of illustration. The Bad artwork in ToB is probably the chapter cover page where that guy stands around... I think Maneuvers and Stances chapter...

In PHB2 I think Lidda as Savage is rather dumb... The Barbarian in PHB1 and EVERY other work he is in also always looks bad to me. I never saw the picture of the ninja thanks to our "totally legal" "copy" was missing the picture because we were out of toner. But as Lidda in PHB2... many times the eyes are a problem. They are opened too wide as if they are crazy/suprised...

But yes most DnD splats have bad artwork. Comp Warrior, Comp Arcane (the fat necromancer in the feat section), Comp Adventurer has many "weird" looking pictures.

Additionally everything trying to picture a female dwarf... I recall as bad. Don't know about Races of Stone.

Faerun Stuff nearly always is bad. There are exceptions. Malar and Shar for example. But most gods look... stupid. The Cover for Faith and Pantheons "I am Super Paladin! To the evil and beyond!"
Another super example is the symbol of Miellicki or how you write that stupid unicorn. The Artwork for her isn't that bad, it's ok but her symbol... descriptive text says something along her symbol being a blue eyed unicorn. The symbol drawn has... brown eyes. Or something along these lines were it.
Most symbols are bad... but more bad in a sense of... how am I supposed to have a holy symbol of it bad or they are disconnected from the god himself.
Why is Tempus Symbol a Flaming Sword on a Bloodred Shield when he dual wields Waraxes and gives his Clergy Waraxe Profency?

I think in terms of advancement... Pathfinder stuff has some cool artwork... and off the top of my head I don't remember anything bad. Although I don't like the "naked" Dwarf in the Race section of Pathfinder Core Rulebook.

[ArcturusV]

Yeah, something about them trying to make female dwarves just... you'd think it's the art equivalent of a Unified Theory. Just can't happen. Exalted Deeds has that one, illustration for the Prophet of ____ PrC that just skeeves me out all the time.

[Spiryt]

Dunno, maybe I'm missing something, but most of those aren't really that horrid... In the sense that they may have some weird physiological features, but considering they're Drow, or whatever else, that may not really matter, weirder things happen in nature. So pretty bad, but still not quite 'the worst'.

Guy behind Purple Mascara Chick should definitely never ever draw stairs again though. Or practice a lot.


Anyway, I would mention Extended Rage from CW, don't have bigger resolution though:

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/cw_ag/75437.jpg

The general style and execution wouldn't be so bad, I guess, even though they are rather ugly and plastic looking, but Half Orc reverse lobster monster pose kills it....


This looks like something Elementary School kid would be 'proud, but man I messed up something here' of...

Seriously.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/tob_gallery/99656.jpg

[Amphetryon]

The only good thing about the woman in Spiryt's linked picture is the artist managed to avoid the "Lesbian Stripper Armor" motif that's fairly ubiquitous to the genre.

[Spiryt]

The bad things is that I realized that it's probably indeed woman only after your post, and I'm not even joking.

[Zombimode]

The crusader guy is supposed to be a woman? How do you figure?
I mean, I don't say its not possible, but it's also not obvious. But yeah, horrible picture in general (what is he/she doing with hir arm?)

[maximus25]

The only good thing about the woman in Spiryt's linked picture is the artist managed to avoid the "Lesbian Stripper Armor" motif that's fairly ubiquitous to the genre.

You what? White text to hit post word limit.

[Solophoenix]

In PHB2 I think Lidda as Savage is rather dumb... The Barbarian in PHB1 and EVERY other work he is in also always looks bad to me. I never saw the picture of the ninja thanks to our "totally legal" "copy" was missing the picture because we were out of toner. But as Lidda in PHB2... many times the eyes are a problem. They are opened too wide as if they are crazy/suprised...

Crazy like a...savage?

[Spiryt]

some really bad art:
pg 39, MM3
pg 85, MM4
pg 207, DMG2


Most of the art still appears to be on WoC site

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ag/20060710a&page=4

Though I can't locate any really bad art so far.

[Telonius]

The crusader guy is supposed to be a woman? How do you figure?
I mean, I don't say its not possible, but it's also not obvious. But yeah, horrible picture in general (what is he/she doing with hir arm?)

Armor over the chest, plus use of "she" throughout the description. (Not that either one excludes male, but I also always assumed the character was female).

[Amphetryon]

Armor over the chest, plus use of "she" throughout the description. (Not that either one excludes male, but I also always assumed the character was female).

The curvature of the armor over the chest indicates to me that the picture is either supposed to be a woman, or the artist had just watched Meatloaf's performance in Fight Club 15 times in a row before drawing "him."

[Derjuin]

These (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ph35_gallery/PHB35_PG56_WEB.jpg) three (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ph35_gallery/PHB35_PG46_WEB.jpg) characters (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ph35_gallery/PHB35_PG43_WEB.jpg), all by the same guy (David Martin). Why couldn't they have kept Todd Lockwood, Sam Wood, Scott Fischer and Wayne Reynolds for the classes? :smallfrown:. All the others look...well, a lot better than those three.

Also this (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ph35_gallery/PHB35_PG206_WEB.jpg), which I can't find the artist for, but it's still bad.

All of this is just in the PHB...

[Grey Watcher]

Here's a good one
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/cw_ag/75409.jpg
It looks cool and all, until you realize she's going to die before she lands. The arrows might have missed, but she's going to impale herself on those spears.

And did she do with that sword? Kill a sparrow in midair?

Bare thighs, so her femoral will get cut easy. Bare ass, with a pose that accentuates the fact that her ass is bare, without showing that she's wearing an armor thong. She's gonna poke herself in the ear everytime she raises her arms with those spiky shoulders, and running will cause the fangs on the hips of her armor to cut into her. I mean, talk about armor bite.

You know, I never noticed before, but look at her arms. Not only does it look like one is longer than the other, but what the heck kind of swing is she gearing up for? I mean, granted, I have no training in swordsmanship, but even trying to recreate the upper half of that pose in pantomime, I can't figure out how it leads into any movement that puts the ouchy end of the sword into those spear carriers. (If she weren't doing a reverse grip with one hand, it would make a heck of a lot more sense.)


...

Anyway, I would mention Extended Rage from CW, don't have bigger resolution though:

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/cw_ag/75437.jpg

The general style and execution wouldn't be so bad, I guess, even though they are rather ugly and plastic looking, but Half Orc reverse lobster monster pose kills it.

...

I've stared at that picture for minutes on end, several times, and still can't figure out how his leg is supposed to join up with his torso, not to mention where the other one is.

[Karnith]

I've stared at that picture for minutes on end, several times, and still can't figure out how his leg is supposed to join up with his torso, not to mention where the other one is.
The picture actually depicts the tragic death of poor Krog. He was cut in half during his fight with the drow, and his torso is about to topple over from his waist onto the ground.

[Rubik]

I've stared at that picture for minutes on end, several times, and still can't figure out how his leg is supposed to join up with his torso, not to mention where the other one is.I always thought he was reclining on the overstuffed couch made of corpses.

[Amphetryon]

Here's a good one
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/cw_ag/75409.jpg
It looks cool and all, until you realize she's going to die before she lands. The arrows might have missed, but she's going to impale herself on those spears.

And did she do with that sword? Kill a sparrow in midair?

Bare thighs, so her femoral will get cut easy. Bare ass, with a pose that accentuates the fact that her ass is bare, without showing that she's wearing an armor thong. She's gonna poke herself in the ear everytime she raises her arms with those spiky shoulders, and running will cause the fangs on the hips of her armor to cut into her. I mean, talk about armor bite.
Pop quiz: Is the point of the sword pointed toward the viewer, or away from the viewer?

I think the answer is 'yes,' due to the weird foreshortening technique used. :smalleek:

[Spiryt]

Don't get the fuzz about Frenzied Berserker one at all- not very good art, and doesn't really make sense, but most of such pictures don't. It's Fantasy after all, and not exactly 'gritty' one.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ph2_gallery/97126.jpg

Here subject B from whatever reason decides to try her chances at Europe's High Jump record, and those guys who appear to be hostiles just stare blankly.

But it's pretty good picture anyway.

[Rubik]

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ph2_gallery/97126.jpg

Here subject B from whatever reason decides to try her chances at Europe's High Jump record, and those guys who appear to be hostiles just stare blankly.

But it's pretty good picture anyway.It does make sense according to the rules if you take into account the whole Tumble Does Not Provoke thing.

[CockroachTeaParty]

I like the bottom right-hand guy's sword. Perspective? Eh... nope. Good enough.

[Eldest]

You know, I never noticed before, but look at her arms. Not only does it look like one is longer than the other, but what the heck kind of swing is she gearing up for? I mean, granted, I have no training in swordsmanship, but even trying to recreate the upper half of that pose in pantomime, I can't figure out how it leads into any movement that puts the ouchy end of the sword into those spear carriers. (If she weren't doing a reverse grip with one hand, it would make a heck of a lot more sense.)

The attack that makes sense for me is her trying to reverse the sword so she can do a Link-style finishing move. Point downward, stabbing... I guess the guy on the other side of the shield?

The Tiefling gave me a headache bad enough to steal my roommate's aspirin, I'm just blanking out the Drow matriarch's spine think to avoid cringing, so this is what I'm commenting on. Though for the super-jump picture, that's what I imagine potions of jump doing, and if I was fighting somebody who did that, I'd be surprised enough to pause for a second and go "Wot." I'd have the shield up to block by the time she landed, though. Looks like she's still going up.

[SaintRidley]

You know, I never noticed before, but look at her arms. Not only does it look like one is longer than the other, but what the heck kind of swing is she gearing up for? I mean, granted, I have no training in swordsmanship, but even trying to recreate the upper half of that pose in pantomime, I can't figure out how it leads into any movement that puts the ouchy end of the sword into those spear carriers. (If she weren't doing a reverse grip with one hand, it would make a heck of a lot more sense.)

I can tell you that it will be a downward arc, bringing the sword to her right. It'll hit them. The hand positioning, of course, will actually weaken her blow. So she'll probably not wind up hurting them much, if at all. She is clearly not the most intelligent berserker out there.

[Dusk Eclipse]

I can tell you that it will be a downward arc, bringing the sword to her right. It'll hit them. The hand positioning, of course, will actually weaken her blow. So she'll probably not wind up hurting them much, if at all. She is clearly not the most intelligent berserker out there.

That seems like an oxymoron to me >_>

On-topic I hate the Fling Ally feat from Races of Stone, I mean just look at the gnome's(?) face is... gah it gave me nightmares the first time I saw it.
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ros_gallery/83327.jpg

[The Viscount]

Page 11 of Unapproachable East. The detail of the art isn't that bad... but that female gnoll. That answers a question nobody wanted the answer to! No...just no.

[Venger]

You know, I never noticed before, but look at her arms. Not only does it look like one is longer than the other, but what the heck kind of swing is she gearing up for? I mean, granted, I have no training in swordsmanship, but even trying to recreate the upper half of that pose in pantomime, I can't figure out how it leads into any movement that puts the ouchy end of the sword into those spear carriers. (If she weren't doing a reverse grip with one hand, it would make a heck of a lot more sense.)

This is a phenomenon that occurs in almost every single picture that shows someone holding a weapon (or anything for that matter) like this frenzied berserker, or the picture of the fog giant I put up earlier, for example.

A more than cursory inspection of the picture will show that the artist drew the figure's hands first and then later was told what kind of weapon to draw in. This usually leads to the character just having weird awkwardly bunched fists overlapping the hilt of the weapon rather than actually have the hilt block their palm and have their fingers curling around the edge. This is what leads to stuff like the FB's picture, the fog giant's picture, or almost any picture where a character is grasping a weapoin

[Eldan]

That seems like an oxymoron to me >_>

On-topic I hate the Fling Ally feat from Races of Stone, I mean just look at the gnome's(?) face is... gah it gave me nightmares the first time I saw it.
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ros_gallery/83327.jpg

I'm wondering why the orc is dropping his weapon. That really looks like he'd just need to hold his blade in the gnome's general direction and he'd bisect himself on it.

[Amphetryon]

I'm wondering why the orc is dropping his weapon. That really looks like he'd just need to hold his blade in the gnome's general direction and he'd bisect himself on it.

It's just a trick of perspective. The weapon is actually only the size of a surgical scalpel.

[herrhauptmann]

You know, I never noticed before, but look at her arms. Not only does it look like one is longer than the other, but what the heck kind of swing is she gearing up for? I mean, granted, I have no training in swordsmanship, but even trying to recreate the upper half of that pose in pantomime, I can't figure out how it leads into any movement that puts the ouchy end of the sword into those spear carriers. (If she weren't doing a reverse grip with one hand, it would make a heck of a lot more sense.)

Thing is, it's not a reversed grip, her wrist is just cocked badly. Think of it like riding a bike, and you rotate your wrist so that your knuckles are pointed up, instead of forward/slightly downish.

And yeah, teh swing isn't going to get any power. I've done more single-hand sword and polearm than greatsword, but she's not going to get much power out of that swing. And if she does, she'll probably slice off her own nipple or kneecap instead of cutting someone (depends on her posture)

I don't even bother mentioning perspective and fore-shortening, I'm no artist or art critic, so it comes out of my mouth as gibberish.

[Shining Wrath]

Just as a comment, all your images inside Spoilers come out as an empty bow for me ... I wonder why. I have to go Google the images.

[Snowbluff]

Wayne Reynolds deserves credit for making adventures look... adventurous... but he's Liefeld for DnD. I know there are worse artists represented here, but he seems to be a product of the brown age of comics.

[Norin]

It's ad&d but still....

http://www.lyberty.com/encyc/articles/dnd/img/phb_2ed_r2.gif

His empty clenched fist, does it look damn odd to anyone else? Isn't it kind of upside down?

[Kornaki]

It's just a trick of perspective. The weapon is actually only the size of a surgical scalpel.

Oh god now that's the only way I can see that picture

[Venger]

I'm wondering why the orc is dropping his weapon. That really looks like he'd just need to hold his blade in the gnome's general direction and he'd bisect himself on it.

well, maybe he dropped his weapon before the goliath decided to throw the gnome at him.

goliath"Now's an opening! Good thing our dm's using fumbles."
gnome"Toss me"
goliath"wut"
gnome"I don't have any ranks in jump, you'll have to toss me"
goliath"lolk"
gnome"KNIFE EYE ATTAAAAAAACK!"
DM"Ugh, okay guys, after this round no more fumbles"

[Spiryt]

Wayne Reynolds deserves credit for making adventures look... adventurous... but he's Liefeld for DnD. I know there are worse artists represented here, but he seems to be a product of the brown age of comics.

Isn't he the PF artist?

If so, I really don't follow how hanging 90 pounds in random s.....tuff on guys clad in some random clothes that would be completely impossible to move in makes anyone look 'adventurous"... It's even worse than usual fantasy art in this regard.

Although some of his characters actually look halfway decent, while other are completely insane. The mean doesn't end up too high. :smallwink:

[Axinian]

Wayne Reynolds deserves credit for making adventures look... adventurous... but he's Liefeld for DnD. I know there are worse artists represented here, but he seems to be a product of the brown age of comics.

I think thats a bit of an unfair comparison. Reynolds's stuff has some redeeming qualities, even to the people who dont like it I think.

Liefeld? None. There is literally nothing positive about his style. Zip zilch nada. If you think youve found a redeeming quality its probably a fluke.

[Agent 451]

Ron Spencer is the only person I've found so far that draws ogres in such a way that they look like they are the size of halflings...

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/mm4_gallery/98705.jpg

[hamishspence]

The skull on the belt of the one on the far right does provide scaling though.

[Kornaki]

The one in the middle is wielding a shovel.

Presumably they're here to shovel your driveway, and the axes are to break up any icy patches

[Tvtyrant]

Ron Spencer is the only person I've found so far that draws ogres in such a way that they look like they are the size of halflings...

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/mm4_gallery/98705.jpg

Why would you need a shovel that big? The head of that thing is almost as big as the ludicrously oversized axes... Oversized is too a word. I don't care what you say spellcheck!

I still love the "face full of spikes when you stretch" look.

[Karnith]

Liefeld? None. There is literally nothing positive about his style. Zip zilch nada. If you think youve found a redeeming quality its probably a fluke.
Well, his art is consistently hilarious. And the Crusader image earlier on in the thread reminded me of his infamous Captain America cover.
http://www.dubnerdesign.com/images/cap.jpeg

My main problem with Wayne Reynolds, which is more from his work on Magic: the Gathering than PF stuff, is that he draws everyone in slight variations on the same pose.

[SaintRidley]

The skull on the belt of the one on the far right does provide scaling though.

You sure? Because now that I'm thinking halfling ogres, I'm imagining those as pixie skulls.

[Agent 451]

Why would you need a shovel that big?

I dunno, seems like a fairly proportionally sized shovel to me. Unless you are comparing it to the dude's feet, which are arguably the only thing ogre-sized in the image apart from the ridiculous axes.

Edit: Well, one of his feet anyway...

[Lupus753]

Liefeld's work sold very huge numbers. He gave buyers what they wanted: a new, 'dynamic' artstyle for those tired of what came before. It was different from your Curt Swans, your George Perezs, even your Jack Kirbys, so people somehow thought it was good. Now tell me, what does this say about comic buyers in the nineties? WHAT DOES IT SAY?!

Of course, D&D 3.X came in 2000, so I don't know why the art is similar.

[Eldan]

Well, his art is consistently hilarious. And the Crusader image earlier on in the thread reminded me of his infamous Captain America cover.
http://www.dubnerdesign.com/images/cap.jpeg

My main problem with Wayne Reynolds, which is more from his work on Magic: the Gathering than PF stuff, is that he draws everyone in slight variations on the same pose.

Bwaaah? What's going on in that picture? Is Cap storing a giant tortoise under his shirt? If that's chest muscle, where hte hell is his stomach?

[Togath]

Don't get the fuzz about Frenzied Berserker one at all- not very good art, and doesn't really make sense, but most of such pictures don't. It's Fantasy after all, and not exactly 'gritty' one.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ph2_gallery/97126.jpg

Here subject B from whatever reason decides to try her chances at Europe's High Jump record, and those guys who appear to be hostiles just stare blankly.

But it's pretty good picture anyway.

Not that it changes the picture much, but I think that that's actually meant to be a he, just a very feminine one

[Spiryt]

Well, since the armor has for once sensible coverage at least, it's hard to tell. Pelvis region looks feminine though.

As far as Captain America goes, spine getting bent at 90 degrees two time obviously gives huge structural benefits for superheroes.

I'm not sure what benefits exactly, but I'm just a plebian, not superhero.

[VeisuItaTyhjyys]

I think thats a bit of an unfair comparison. Reynolds's stuff has some redeeming qualities, even to the people who dont like it I think.

Yeah, like, all the female characters Reynolds draws probably have access to alter self, so, you know, it's much more verisimilar for them to be built (http://paizo.com/image/product/secondary/Pathfinder/Pathfinder2_Sorceress03.jpg) like (http://paizo.com/image/content/GameMasteryModules/PZO9504-Ankana.jpg) they (http://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderCompanion/PZO9401-LavenderLil.jpg) are. :smalltongue:

[Snowbluff]

My main problem with Wayne Reynolds, which is more from his work on Magic: the Gathering than PF stuff, is that he draws everyone in slight variations on the same pose.Comparing Reynolds' work to other cards I own from the same set, Reynolds just doesn't seem to produce the same quality of art the (Digital) painters do.


Yeah, like, all the female characters Reynolds draws probably have access to alter self, so, you know, it's much more verisimilar for them to be built (http://paizo.com/image/product/secondary/Pathfinder/Pathfinder2_Sorceress03.jpg) like (http://paizo.com/image/content/GameMasteryModules/PZO9504-Ankana.jpg) they (http://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderCompanion/PZO9401-LavenderLil.jpg) are. :smalltongue:Why would you alter self yourself to have knees as knobby as that Sorcerer's?

That tiefling/demoness is cute, though. Everything they say is supposed creep you out about them I find cute. Except for the sulfur scent. I suggest mango perfume.

[Susano-wo]

she has knees? :smallbiggrin: Seriously, though I love that pic :smallsmile:
I also don't think the Crusader art is that bad. A bit clunky, but not bad, and she(yes, I think its obviously a bulkier female frame) looks loaded for bear (as opposed to bare...OH! :smallwink:)

[VeisuItaTyhjyys]

Why would you alter self yourself to have knees as knobby as that Sorcerer's?

I think those are pretty clearly an arcane graft, since her skin tone also abruptly changes at the knee. Besides, even with the strength bonus from Pathfinder's version of alter self, she probably needs magically enhanced knees to balance properly, considering her deformed spine and disproportionate breasts. Like I said, it's all perfectly verisimilar.

Well, at least, it's perfectly verisimilar if one assumes Seoni is a randy male sorcerer using a permanent alter self.

[Larkas]

The art I most dislike is the Favored Soul's:

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/cd_gallery/81335.jpg

On the other hand, this art, also found on Dragon Magazine 336's cover, is one of my favorites:

http://www.artists.neherielart.com/uploads/entrimg/42/Mummy_Queen_final.jpg

James Ryman's, I think.

[RolandDeschain]

I don't even know where to begin

Teaching a Child to Weave (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ros_gallery/83285.jpg) - Ron Spencer RoS

[TentacleSurpris]

I actually like Wayne Reynolds. I like the fiend hunter from mtg, and I haven't seen any i've really disliked, oversized spearheads notwithstanding.

But as to bad art, Book of Exalted Deeds is full of stinkers.
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/boed_gallery/75050.jpg
It's like wow:tbc
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/boed_gallery/75061.jpg
Looks pretty amateur.

Though I do love the champion of gwynnharwyf art.

[Karnith]

I actually like Wayne Reynolds. I like the fiend hunter from mtg, and I haven't seen any i've really disliked, oversized spearheads notwithstanding.
Well, it's mainly something that got pointed out to me in a thread from a MtG forum (http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showpost.php?p=6784854&postcount=99) that I frequent. He can draw fine, it's just that now that I notice it I reeeeeally wish he'd vary up the poses in his art more.


I don't even know where to begin

Teaching a Child to Weave (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ros_gallery/83285.jpg) - Ron Spencer RoS
Man, that kid sure looks unhappy about having to learn basketweaving. Someone really ought to let him know that it's the best skill to have ranks in.

[TentacleSurpris]

I don't even know where to begin

Teaching a Child to Weave (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ros_gallery/83285.jpg) - Ron Spencer RoS

I want to ban Goliaths as a dm based on artwork alone. My imagination just rejects such poorly illustrated creatures from the cooperative fantasy that is dnd.

[VeisuItaTyhjyys]

Is there, like, a "Weirdly Sexualized Mummy" template I don't know about or something? I assumed it was just Wayne Reynolds being almost wholly unable to draw women without gigantic cleavage, whether it makes sense or not, but it's apparently a thing.

[Larkas]

Is there, like, a "Weirdly Sexualized Mummy" template I don't know about or something? I assumed it was just Wayne Reynolds being almost wholly unable to draw women without gigantic cleavage, whether it makes sense or not, but it's apparently a thing.

Dunno. But to be frank, if I ran into something like Cleopatra's mummy (if there was one) and wanted her to be imposing, I'd like her to look like this, not some desiccated corpse like the traditional mummy. There is no reason mummies can't take care of their appearance, and you'd think that if they wanted to use their body in their second/after life, like in the Egyptian myth, they'd want it to look good. Come to think of it, mummies, or at least mummy lords, should always look well preserved, be they male or female. There are enough intelligent skeletal undead out there to fill that trope.

Now, on the sexualized bit... Eh, I guess they wanted to introduce some variance on the whole "only vampires look good" undead thing. Go figure!

[Bhaakon]

Is there, like, a "Weirdly Sexualized Mummy" template I don't know about or something? I assumed it was just Wayne Reynolds being almost wholly unable to draw women without gigantic cleavage, whether it makes sense or not, but it's apparently a thing.

Maybe it's just a really fresh mummy, or she got the Lenin treatment.

[Marnath]

Maybe it's just a really fresh mummy, or she got the Lenin treatment.

Mummy Lords can cast gentle repose. It should be trivial for a particularly vain high priestess to pull off.

[Larkas]

Mummy Lords can cast gentle repose. It should be trivial for a particularly vain high priestess to pull off.

Exactly my thoughts. Which also reminds me of the shirt of gentle repose from BoEF.

[Grey Watcher]

Is there, like, a "Weirdly Sexualized Mummy" template I don't know about or something?

...

Didn't you see the 1999 version of The Mummy? Once he finished reconstituting himself, Imhotep was pretty easy on the eyes. :smalltongue:

[Solophoenix]

You know, I never noticed before, but look at her arms. Not only does it look like one is longer than the other, but what the heck kind of swing is she gearing up for? I mean, granted, I have no training in swordsmanship, but even trying to recreate the upper half of that pose in pantomime, I can't figure out how it leads into any movement that puts the ouchy end of the sword into those spear carriers. (If she weren't doing a reverse grip with one hand, it would make a heck of a lot more sense.).

Look at the trail of blood from the tip of her blade. She isn't powering up for a downward swing. She has just finished an upward one.

[nobodez]

Exactly my thoughts. Which also reminds me of the shirt of gentle repose from BoEF.

That reminds me, if you cast gentle repose on a dead body within a round of it's death, can you cast revivify on it at a later time (before the gentle repose ends of course)?

[Larkas]

That reminds me, if you cast gentle repose on a dead body within a round of it's death, can you cast revivify on it at a later time (before the gentle repose ends of course)?

I'd have to go with no. Revivify has some pretty specific text that doesn't interact directly with Gentle Repose. Regardless, you'd have better luck asking that on the RAW questions thread.

[Grey Watcher]

Look at the trail of blood from the tip of her blade. She isn't powering up for a downward swing. She has just finished an upward one.

Unless the art is REALLY deceptive and she's actually jumping AWAY from the pointy spears (or possibly just straight up?), it seems really strange that she'd do the swordplay equivalent of backing herself into a corner. (Yes, it's pretty clear that Intelligence was this woman's dump stat, but she's a high-level warrior. That sort of thing is supposed to come intuitively at this point.)

I'm gonna go with the she-was-drawn-before-the-artist-knew-what-weapon-she-was-holding explanation. Seems to make the most sense.

[VeisuItaTyhjyys]

The real question wasn't why their flesh wasn't rotting, but rather what kind of idiot attempted to wrap them. Seriously, their mummy wrappings cover a pretty minimal amount of skin, and that only in one tight, thin layer of apparently clingy gauze filled with little gaps to leave even less to the imagination.

I know it's pretty standard for fantasy ladies to be less clothed than their fella counterparts, but it somehow seems more egregious when the trend spreads from armor to mummification.

[Lupus753]

It looks like a lot of it got torn off, probably by the mummy for added dexterity or vision.

[Humble Master]

Never understood the picture for Sacred Exorcist. Is that tombstone exploding into blood or something?
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/cd_gallery/81354.jpg

[SaintRidley]

Look at the trail of blood from the tip of her blade. She isn't powering up for a downward swing. She has just finished an upward one.

That makes the picture a failure on a whole new level. A glorious new level.

[Venger]

That reminds me, if you cast gentle repose on a dead body within a round of it's death, can you cast revivify on it at a later time (before the gentle repose ends of course)?

Yes. you are allowed to do this, as it's the only reason for gentle repose (works for all spells like this: revivify, revenant, last breath, etc)

[Eldan]

Never understood the picture for Sacred Exorcist. Is that tombstone exploding into blood or something?
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/cd_gallery/81354.jpg

Huh. She's smashing her hands and forearms between two blocks, maybe?

[Snowbluff]

Well, it's mainly something that got pointed out to me in a thread from a MtG forum (http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showpost.php?p=6784854&postcount=99) that I frequent. He can draw fine, it's just that now that I notice it I reeeeeally wish he'd vary up the poses in his art more.

Passable really stands out as bad in MtG, relatively speaking. The art is truly amazing in many cases, and anything with so much as an outline sticks out. Cloth in his art doesn't seem to move quite like cloth, etc. His art seems to overdo in some respects, similar to how Liefeld likes to put to many useless pouches on everything. This is stuff I have trouble with, but I am far from a professional artist. :smallfrown:

Also, the guy in Blood Reckoning (the card that made me weep as I realized Reynolds was doing art for MtG) is totally the wizard from PF's manuals.

[The Viscount]

Whatever sacred exorcist is doing, she looks really jazzed about it.

I found the gnoll image from UA I was talking about. Behold, if you dare. (http://www.battlegrip.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/unapproachableeast01.jpg)

I gotta wonder, did someone tell the artist to do this, or did the artist just take the initiative?

[Humble Master]

Huh. She's smashing her hands and forearms between two blocks, maybe?
I would love it if the Sacred Exorcist was a female because I think she has a beard.

[Lupus753]

Whatever sacred exorcist is doing, she looks really jazzed about it.

I found the gnoll image from UA I was talking about. Behold, if you dare. (http://www.battlegrip.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/unapproachableeast01.jpg)

I gotta wonder, did someone tell the artist to do this, or did the artist just take the initiative?

The gnoll is very squicky (obviously, some people are into that), but the albino gorilla ([sqiunts] ...taer) is funny to look at. Unintentionally (perhaps), but in a good way.

[Karnith]

I found the gnoll image from UA I was talking about. Behold, if you dare. (http://www.battlegrip.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/unapproachableeast01.jpg)

I gotta wonder, did someone tell the artist to do this, or did the artist just take the initiative?
Also, what is going on with that poor star elf? Is she supposed to have an overlong head and neck like that? Because her head looks like it's about the size of her torso.

[Zombulian]

Eberron usually has some art that I can appreciate, which is why I was so disappointed with this (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/roe_gallery/88236.jpg).
Looks like something I would draw. And it's for a feat called Dinosaur Hunter too! DINOSAUR HUNTER.

[Big Fau]

He can draw fine, it's just that now that I notice it I reeeeeally wish he'd vary up the poses in his art more.

Yeah. Almost every single card he's done (there's a few exceptions) that features a humanoid has very similar poses: Upper torso on full display (usually topless if he can get away with it), arms perpendicular to the body (or close to it), and some kind of skirt or belt with too many attachments dangling from it.

The other part of WR's art that I object to is the head proportions. While real-life proportions are rare in any form of fantasy artwork, WR has this habit of make the head either far too large for the neck (Gustrider Exuberant, Koth's Courier, Mad Prophet) or hideously tiny (Kindled Fury, Vow of Duty, Knight of the Reliquary).

[Snowbluff]

Whatever sacred exorcist is doing, she looks really jazzed about it.

I found the gnoll image from UA I was talking about. Behold, if you dare. (http://www.battlegrip.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/unapproachableeast01.jpg)

I gotta wonder, did someone tell the artist to do this, or did the artist just take the initiative?

AAAAAGH! I dared and I was not ready! :smalleek:

Yeah, about that. When you make something humanoid, you had better decide on how humanoid you make it. Some traits don't translate well. Also, spiky metal nipples on armor doesn't exactly work, either.

[VeisuItaTyhjyys]

It looks like a lot of it got torn off, probably by the mummy for added dexterity or vision.

In case she needed to see better out of her boobs? :smalltongue:

[Solophoenix]

I would love it if the Sacred Exorcist was a female because I think she has a beard.

She's definitely female, it's in her stat block.

[Karnith]

Also, spiky metal nipples on armor doesn't exactly work, either.
Maybe she favors grappling in combat?

[VeisuItaTyhjyys]

Yeah, but how could she even see out of her breasts with all that metal in the way?

[Snowbluff]

Maybe she favors grappling in combat?

:smallconfused:

Judging by the placement (I have examined it very closely *shudder*), length of the armor spikes, and other factors, I think it is safe to determine that it's not for combat grappling. They'd shift around too much and not do very much penetrating.

[Dimers]

The art I most dislike is the Favored Soul's:

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/cd_gallery/81335.jpg

Trying to scratch her back. "****! Somebody put itching powder in my armor padding!"

[Humble Master]

She's definitely female, it's in her stat block.
Excellent! So we have a holy bearded woman who exorcises ghosts by blowing up tombstones into blood. Pure comedic gold.

[The Viscount]

I... think that her face is just in shadow without cause, rather than bearded. Not sure.

I found the picture for dancing chains and it is magnificent (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/bovd_gallery/88161_620_25.jpg). If you can tell me what's going on here, you are the master.

[Solophoenix]

Excellent! So we have a holy bearded woman who exorcises ghosts by blowing up tombstones into blood. Pure comedic gold.

Actually, according to her statblock, she chose evil outsiders, not undead, as the things she gets her bonuses against. What the evil outsider is doing hanging out in a graveyard, I have no idea.

[Venger]

Well, check out this cool sword here. tell me how he sheathes that monster (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/bovd_gallery/88161_620_43.jpg)

[VeisuItaTyhjyys]

That's pretty much where all evil creatures hang out, unless they're at an evil guy bar or a high school. Haven't you ever seen Buffy? If not, take the bandages off of your secondary sexual characteristics and get to it! :smallwink:

[Lupus753]

Actually, according to her statblock, she chose evil outsiders, not undead, as the things she gets her bonuses against. What the evil outsider is doing hanging out in a graveyard, I have no idea.

A family member got killed while it was hanging out on the material plane and its just paying its respects.

[Karnith]

I found the picture for dancing chains and it is magnificent (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/bovd_gallery/88161_620_25.jpg). If you can tell me what's going on here, you are the master.
What happened to her left leg? Also, how did the chains remove part of her armor without injuring her chest? And why is her chest showing in the first place? I really hope that I'm seeing this wrong, because this is not something that needs to be sexualized.

[Solophoenix]

That's pretty much where all evil creatures hang out, unless they're at an evil guy bar or a high school. Haven't you ever seen Buffy? If not, take the bandages off of your secondary sexual characteristics and get to it! :smallwink:

There are waaaay more evil outsiders hanging out in downtown LA than Buffy ever came across in graveyards.

[Solophoenix]

Well, check out this cool sword here. tell me how he sheathes that monster (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/bovd_gallery/88161_620_43.jpg)

He waits a little longer for it to go completely flaccid, and then rolls it up.

[ArcturusV]

What happened to her left leg? Also, how did the chains remove part of her armor without injuring her chest? And why is her chest showing in the first place? I really hope that I'm seeing this wrong, because this is not something that needs to be sexualized.

Ah... fantasy women art, having to try to sexualize things even if it really shouldn't be... :smallsigh:

[Big Fau]

Actually, according to her statblock, she chose evil outsiders, not undead, as the things she gets her bonuses against. What the evil outsider is doing hanging out in a graveyard, I have no idea.

The same thing he does every night Pinky... Try to take over the world.

[VeisuItaTyhjyys]

What happened to her left leg? Also, how did the chains remove part of her armor without injuring her chest? And why is her chest showing in the first place? I really hope that I'm seeing this wrong, because this is not something that needs to be sexualized.

I had the same initial thought, but I think that might have been intended to be a shoulder. I have no idea, it really is pretty much impossible to figure out what's going on.

[lord pringle]

I... think that her face is just in shadow without cause, rather than bearded. Not sure.

I found the picture for dancing chains and it is magnificent (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/bovd_gallery/88161_620_25.jpg). If you can tell me what's going on here, you are the master.

So, A friend of mine and I have a running joke where we try to find rulebook art that best fits the caption, "I'm trippin' balls, man!"
What I'm trying to say, is that that is my new entry.

[Karnith]

I had the same initial thought, but I think that might have been intended to be a shoulder. I have no idea, it really is pretty much impossible to figure out what's going on.
No, it's pretty clearly one of her breasts; you can see her shoulder a bit above and to the right of her chest, and it's all cut up. You can also tell by looking at where her forearm leads; it'd basically be impossible for that to be her shoulder unless her arm is in her stomach somehow.

Though now, looking closer, her left arm doesn't appear to work anyway.

[Humble Master]

I... think that her face is just in shadow without cause, rather than bearded. Not sure.

I found the picture for dancing chains and it is magnificent (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/bovd_gallery/88161_620_25.jpg). If you can tell me what's going on here, you are the master.
Wait, how are the chains bloody if they have only struck armour?

[ArcturusV]

Well, it's an Evil Spell, so it probably used Virgin Blood as a component in the casting.

[Karnith]

Wait, how are the chains bloody if they have only struck armour?
She is cut up, albeit only a little. Her right forearm, right knee, and left shoulder all appear to be bleeding. There is certainly waaaay too much blood for how little she's been injured, though.

Unless the reason that there's so much blood is that the chains took off her leg. Which would actually make the drawing make more sense.

[Humble Master]

Well, it's an Evil Spell, so it probably used Virgin Blood as a component in the casting.
Inactive Ingredients: petroleum jelly, glycerin, heart of a virgin collected on his/her wedding day, fragrance.
And probably yah because Virgin Blood makes everything more evil.

[prufock]

Well, check out this cool sword here. tell me how he sheathes that monster (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/bovd_gallery/88161_620_43.jpg)

In the flesh of innocents?

[Solophoenix]

Wait, how are the chains bloody if they have only struck armour?

The rest of the party didn't have Evasion.

[The Viscount]

After a long time looking at it I decided my best answer was that she is leaping at the viewer, as off a wall. Her right leg is bent, as we can see what I think is her foot next to the bottom of her bow. Her left arm has suffered a violent break, and her left leg is extended behind her, perfectly obscured.

[herrhauptmann]

Trying to scratch her back. "****! Somebody put itching powder in my armor padding!"

That armor actually isn't bad as armor goes...
Elbow cop on sword arm is off kilter a bit. Transition from greave to sabaton (shin to foot) is off. And the armor is a mix of styles. But it's not bad.
On the other hand, look at the ground beneath him. Looks sort of like explosive diarrhea to me.
And of course, there's the sword. Apparently swords need to look like a ginormous sai. Or why someone would make a helmet where their ears stick out the side. They're ears, cartilage can bend.

Hmm, Jozen the cleric doesn't know how to use a shield. http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ph2_gallery/97181.jpg Either that, or the artist didn't know what the inside of a shield should look like.

Divine resistance. http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/cw_ag/75436.jpg
For some reason I think the shield is supposed to be the object that diverts the flame. Since you know, it's probably doubling as a holy symbol. So I can never understand why the shield is turned edgewise to the dragon.
Armor/posture:
Surprisingly for a female character (the paladin), not much in the way of boobs or butt being shown. Yes, we do see her butt, but that's understandable since she's facing the monster.
I can't tell which leg is forward though. Looking at her thighs, the left leg is back, but looking at her calves, it looks like her left leg is forward.
She can't swing her sword from there without taking off the guys head, or having to waste a movement gettng her sword into position.
I'd complain about the gauntlets going past the elbow, but found an armourer who did just that. Given how good his work normally is, I'll assume that some countries did that on purpose.
http://www.ugoserrano.com/w56.html


The halfling on the left, Lidda(?) seems to be trying to give us a fair view of her butt, I guess to make up for not seeing the paladins.
So aside from the thing with the shield, not too bad a picture.

[VeisuItaTyhjyys]

No, it's pretty clearly one of her breasts; you can see her shoulder a bit above and to the right of her chest, and it's all cut up. You can also tell by looking at where her forearm leads; it'd basically be impossible for that to be her shoulder unless her arm is in her stomach somehow.

Though now, looking closer, her left arm doesn't appear to work anyway.

Yeah, exactly. Her arm would have be coming out of her stomach for that to be a shoulder, but her arm kind of does look like it is coming out of her stomach. Sure, it would mean she has an extra shoulder or half-shoulder, but that hardly seems out of the question. Look at her torso, it ends in a single leg, like she's some kind of weird gastropod/biped hybrid. I mean, it's not like she's missing a leg, that would be one thing. No, it's just that her torso clearly narrows into a single leg, like a yuan-ti's narrows into a tail, but, you know, it's not a tail, it's a leg.

I wouldn't rule it out being a breast, by any means, but I also wouldn't rule out it being literally any other body part, given the rest of the drawing. I mean, hell, that might be her foot, for all I can figure out.

[The Viscount]

Is it just me, or is the guy to the paladin's right so non as to fade into the background? I jumped a little when I saw him, because I didn't realize he was there at first.

[A_S]

The Dread Witch (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/hoh_gallery/91984.jpg) is awfully...I dunno...colorful/cheerful for a fear-based caster.

[Togath]

Hmm, Jozen the cleric doesn't know how to use a shield. http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ph2_gallery/97181.jpg Either that, or the artist didn't know what the inside of a shield should look like.


I'm not actually sure what you mean, he appears to have moved it out of the way due to the weight of trying to swing the(admittedly over-sized) mace throwing him off-balance

[Solophoenix]

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/MM35_gallery/MM35_PG181.jpg

So...what exactly are those breasts for? She seems to be pretty wholly reptile. And don't get me started on how she's holding that bow...

[The Viscount]

Her staff doesn't seem to hit the floor at quite the right angle. It makes it look like her leg is intangible or a different length.

[Gnome Alone]

She's definitely female, it's in her stat block.

That sounds like what a character would say while planning a panty raid in Revenge of the Nerds 12 or something.

[Solophoenix]

I'm not actually sure what you mean, he appears to have moved it out of the way due to the weight of trying to swing the(admittedly over-sized) mace throwing him off-balance

Or perhaps he's holding it back there to let it drop to the ground, freeing up his hand for the spellcasting the party seems to be in dire need of.

EDIT: Or momentarily checking behind him whilst Bull Rushing through the other two idiots who haven't seen the big scary monsters yet.

Meanwhile, not really bad art, but art that made me shiver in an unpleasant way:
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/sx_gallery/98406.jpg

[SaintRidley]

Meanwhile, not really bad art, but art that made me shiver in an unpleasant way:
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/sx_gallery/98406.jpg

That's got to be some sort of Half-Illithid Giant Spider Thingy that Obox-Ob decided to make even more freaky.

[Gildedragon]

AAAAAGH! I dared and I was not ready! :smalleek:

Yeah, about that. When you make something humanoid, you had better decide on how humanoid you make it. Some traits don't translate well. Also, spiky metal nipples on armor doesn't exactly work, either.

Sure they do... provided your armorer is Jean Paul Gautier.

[Failed Phantasm]

The art I most dislike is the Favored Soul's:

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/cd_gallery/81335.jpg


My first reaction upon seeing that was, "That's a rather awkward way to stab yourself in the head." :smallconfused: but there's no blood so that couldn't be it. The facial expression doesn't help, either. Then I figured out that he was supposed to be holding the sword behind him, but it makes his forearm look kinda strange to me.

[herrhauptmann]

I'm not actually sure what you mean, he appears to have moved it out of the way due to the weight of trying to swing the(admittedly over-sized) mace throwing him off-balance
Be a pretty odd time for an artist to start paying attention to how weapon sizes can alter your fighting style...

Get into a boxing stance. Throw a right punch, but let your left hand drop to your waist as you throw it.
Or Karate... Get into stance, and throw a kick. But put your arms out in a T or Y shape while you kick. That's pretty much what he's doing.

You don't move your shield out of the way when you fight. Even crappy SCA fighters learn that's a bad thing within a few practices. And the worse they usually get is a bruise.

[Agent 451]

And don't get me started on how she's holding that bow...

Almost looks like she is holding a hacksaw with the blade forward until you see the bowstring is behind her arm.

[TentacleSurpris]

My first reaction upon seeing that was, "That's a rather awkward way to stab yourself in the head." :smallconfused: but there's no blood so that couldn't be it. The facial expression doesn't help, either. Then I figured out that he was supposed to be holding the sword behind him, but it makes his forearm look kinda strange to me.

That's a favored soul? Wonnderful suit of plate armor that he's not proficient with there.

(Oh yeah this is giantitp so I'll note that he could wear mithril or take a feat but it's more likely that the editor picked a stock image).

[ArcturusV]

Well, note that armors often are depicted as "Full" armors even if they shouldn't be. For example, the image of Breastplate Armor in the the PHB. It's a breastplate. That's all that should be there. Instead they have it as some sort of Half-Plate armor.

So it might be something like that.

[TuggyNE]

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/MM35_gallery/MM35_PG181.jpg

So...what exactly are those breasts for? She seems to be pretty wholly reptile. And don't get me started on how she's holding that bow...

Non-Mammal Mammaries strikes again! :smallmad:

(TV Tropes link not provided, for courtesy's sake.)

[Grey Watcher]

Well, check out this cool sword here. tell me how he sheathes that monster (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/bovd_gallery/88161_620_43.jpg)

With considerable discomfort, it looks like.


...

Divine resistance. http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/cw_ag/75436.jpg
For some reason I think the shield is supposed to be the object that diverts the flame. Since you know, it's probably doubling as a holy symbol. So I can never understand why the shield is turned edgewise to the dragon.

Well, if I remember the feat correctly, it's basically "spend a use of turn/rebuke undead to get some defensive bonus(es)". Since the dragon isn't the direct target of the ability the way standard Turn Undead would be, I guess maybe the where the symbol is pointing is less important than that it's held forth.


Armor/posture:
Surprisingly for a female character (the paladin), not much in the way of boobs or butt being shown. Yes, we do see her butt, but that's understandable since she's facing the monster.
I can't tell which leg is forward though. Looking at her thighs, the left leg is back, but looking at her calves, it looks like her left leg is forward.

The legs look OK to me. Maybe what you're seeing as two left legs, I'm subconsciously dismissing as just the light hitting each leg differently.



She can't swing her sword from there without taking off the guys head, or having to waste a movement gettng her sword into position.

Again, I think interpreted what's happening as the paladin jumping into frame last minute to protect her allies, not necessarily to line up a swing.



I'd complain about the gauntlets going past the elbow, but found an armourer who did just that. Given how good his work normally is, I'll assume that some countries did that on purpose.
http://www.ugoserrano.com/w56.html


The halfling on the left, Lidda(?) seems to be trying to give us a fair view of her butt, I guess to make up for not seeing the paladins.
So aside from the thing with the shield, not too bad a picture.


The Dread Witch (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/hoh_gallery/91984.jpg) is awfully...I dunno...colorful/cheerful for a fear-based caster.

She kinda reminds me of Miracle Max's wife, whose name eludes me.

[VeisuItaTyhjyys]

Valerie. Max's wife, I mean.

[Togath]

That's a favored soul? Wonnderful suit of plate armor that he's not proficient with there.

(Oh yeah this is giantitp so I'll note that he could wear mithril or take a feat but it's more likely that the editor picked a stock image).

That reminds me of the picture for the Flaming Charge maneuver from ToB.. which only makes sense if you optimize(though as you mentioned it's probably just a random, but very lucky stock image)

[Waspinator]

This needed the text to be complete.
http://i.imgur.com/SJhWCRYl.jpg

[White_Drake]

Well, it's possible that they just meant teeth capable of producing a bite attack. Although I admit that if that was their intent it was very poorly phrased.

[nobodez]

This needed the text to be complete.
http://i.imgur.com/SJhWCRYl.jpg

The best thing, though, With those hands, he can't even wield weapons!.

[Waspinator]

It's either bad writing or bad art, take your pick.

And actually, good question. How do those hands use a crossbow?

[Tvtyrant]

I assumed it was like Humans. We can bite, it just won't do much good. Fishfolk there doesn't have a very large muzzle, so chances are he can't get much of a mouthful.

[White_Drake]

Well, 3.x has no shortage of either, but there is a larger quantity of writing, so in order to keep pace nearly all of the art must be terrible, so I vote art, I guess. That's a lot of commas...

[Tvtyrant]

It's either bad writing or bad art, take your pick.

And actually, good question. How do those hands use a crossbow?

Carefully. Or maybe they use bellybows instead...

[VeisuItaTyhjyys]

I'll agree that the writers probably meant they lacked the kind of teeth that would make a bite attack viable, but even so, those teeth like they could do some damage. Obviously, like people said, the Locathah in the picture isn't about to be using a crossbow. Still more glaring than any of that, I think (since, after all, they might not send the "Combat" entry to an artist) is the fact that the two-sentence physical description says a Locathah has "yellow-green scales" and the thing drawing is orange and teal. It's adding orange-and-teal insult to the injury of not matching the description.

[Dimers]

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/MM35_gallery/MM35_PG181.jpg

So...what exactly are those breasts for? She seems to be pretty wholly reptile. And don't get me started on how she's holding that bow...

Yes, that bow that's so small it couldn't possibly do more than 1d3 base damage ... I've seen NERF brand weaponry that looks more imposing.

[ArcturusV]

Well, unless the creature represented is something like a 20 foot tall behemoth. Which is entirely possible I suppose.

[Tvtyrant]

I'm going to bandwagon by adding a picture of a Gith evidently tackling a Mindflayer. The Ithiliads legs look like it is already falling over, and the Gith is about to land on top in a heap.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/lom_gallery/88112.jpg

[VeisuItaTyhjyys]

I think the Illithid is just supposed to be bobbing to dodge the knife, but, yeah, I have no idea what is happening with that Gith, unless it's just standing on one foot for some dumb reason.

[Rhatahema]

Hmm, Jozen the cleric doesn't know how to use a shield. http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ph2_gallery/97181.jpg Either that, or the artist didn't know what the inside of a shield should look like.

I imagine he's holding his shield that way for compositional reasons. It provides a good backdrop for the dwarf, even if it doesn't make much sense for him to hold it that way. You have to balance arranging things so that they work abstractly with positioning people in sensible yet dynamic ways.

I'm the opposite. I just can't stand most of Reynolds art, weather its for D&D/PF or MTG...But he can draw very nice boobs :smallamused:

Conversely, I like Wayne Reynolds quite a bit, but I would say that he's not good at drawing breasts. Typically, any skin he paints is very plastic looking. Less noticeable on a ripped Ogre Magi, more noticeable on Seoni (PF iconic sorceress).

My vote for worst 3.5 art is either the Spirit Shaman or this guy (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/moi_gallery/91056.jpg) from Magic of Incarnum. MoI has the worst art (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ag/20050909a&page=1) and art direction, save for a few gems (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/moi_gallery/91041.jpg).

[Spuddles]

That's a favored soul? Wonnderful suit of plate armor that he's not proficient with there.

(Oh yeah this is giantitp so I'll note that he could wear mithril or take a feat but it's more likely that the editor picked a stock image).

It looks like breast plate and some other pieces. Way too much to be exposed to be full plate, or even half plate.

[VeisuItaTyhjyys]

I should start a campaign where there are a bunch of women who are secretly yuan-ti agents, but it will be a really easy campaign because it's a) it's every woman in the entire world, apparently and b) it's like a DC 2 spot check to pierce the disguise because their spines are just seriously not even close to human spines.

[Drelua]

Or perhaps he's holding it back there to let it drop to the ground, freeing up his hand for the spellcasting the party seems to be in dire need of.

EDIT: Or momentarily checking behind him whilst Bull Rushing through the other two idiots who haven't seen the big scary monsters yet.

Meanwhile, not really bad art, but art that made me shiver in an unpleasant way:
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/sx_gallery/98406.jpg

Sadly, that's some of the best Wayne England art I've ever seen, probably because of the lack of people or swords, although the skulls clearly demonstrate his complete lack of any idea what a face looks like. I mean, I had no idea skulls could squint. I guess that could just be stylized, but this is Wayne England we're talking about, so I think incompetence is a safe bet.

I guess Wayne Reynolds has better technical skills, but his style just bugs me. As someone else pointed out, he makes hair just abruptly end so it looks like either a wig or a mask. Then there's the way he draws swords. The edges make it look like they must be at least an inch thick; the iconic fighter's longsword must weigh like 20 pounds at least, and I don't even want to think about the Barbarian's sword. I mean, I know it's supposed to be a Frost Giant's shortsword, but the proportions are way just don't make any sense. Frost Giants are supposed to be 15 feet tall, so assuming it should be about 2.5 times bigger, that thing is still way too wide and would be impossible to lift. And what are those straps for?! Are they holding the thing together?

Oh, and then there's that chest thrust in the picture for almost every iconic character, especially the female ones. The only one of those pictures I like is the Ranger, and that's just because he's hilariously prepared. I mean, the man's got a teapot. He is ready for anything, as long as it doesn't involve pulling that ax off his back in anything less than 2 full-round actions.

There was another picture that really bugged me where Pathfinder's iconic paladin was holding a shield with her arm vertical, sort of like this guy (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBDQOXCHTEU/TBEAGxlIodI/AAAAAAAAAs8/PIZrKdMr_Lk/s1600/paladininhell2.jpg), assuming his shield's upside down. Stuff like that that just blatantly makes no sense if you think about it for half a second, which is presumably a lot less time than it took to draw the thing, just bugs the hell out of me.

Oh, and then there's this gem (http://oi48.tinypic.com/295pg8p.jpg) I just found looking for that picture of the Paladin. Not only are the facial expressions cartoonishly overdone, they just don't seem to match the situation at all.

Overall though, I'd say Wayne England is by far the most consistently terrible artist I've ever seen. As far as I can see, nothing comes close to those hobgoblins in ToB. I mean, everything by him here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ag/20060816a) just makes me angry.

Edit: wow, I think ranting about bad art is my new hobby. I got a bit carried away there... :smallredface:

[Yora]

A strange thing about 3rd Edition art is, that the one artist who I consider to be the worst one by far also is the one who draws armor and environments in the least silly, Final Fantasy-like way, which I highly appreciate.
But everything he draws is so damn ugly.

Like this (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ca_gallery/85429.jpg)

He's a terrible artist, but he nails down how the style of of the generic D&D world should look like.

Speaking of terrible 3rd Edition art: Mel Gibson's Boobs (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/pgte_gallery/95051.jpg)

[Spuddles]

That Paladin, from paladins in hell, has his shield like that because the spiny devil is pinning it there.

And holy cow, what a load of hyperbole. The hypercriticism and nitpicking over basically nothing is pretty silly. It's like complaining that the simpsons only have 4 fingers or are all yellow.

[Drelua]

That Paladin, from paladins in hell, has his shield like that because the spiny devil is pinning it there.

And holy cow, what a load of hyperbole. The hypercriticism and nitpicking over basically nothing is pretty silly. It's like complaining that the simpsons only have 4 fingers or are all yellow.

Yeah, I get that his shield is upside down, but try to picture it rotated 90 degrees to the guy's right. That's not how a shield is supposed to work. The one flat side should be on the top when his forearm is level, but it would be to his left, which makes no sense. Besides, that picture's a lot better than the one I was actually talking about, where the shield was much bigger and her arm was attached right near the bottom. At least the shield in the picture from A Paladin in Hell is actually secured to his arm, the one I was describing wasn't.

I also don't see what hyperbole you were talking about, assuming that bit was aimed at me. It literally does look, to me, like the iconic Pathfinder Fighter's sword is an inch thick, and given that it's about 4 inches wide and 3 feet long, I'd say that if anything 20 pounds is a little on the low side. That's really the only thing that wasn't purely subjective opinion, which was not in any way overstated. Is it nitpicking to point out the problems that jump out at me when I look at a picture? Sure, I have a tendency to be annoyed by some pretty unimportant things, but that only speaks to how much I (admittedly, irrationally) hate those two artists, and how much I love a good rant every now and then.

Now, I certainly wouldn't say they're as bad as Liefeld; that would be silly.

[molten_dragon]

I think the dwarf-arm Ninja is supposed to be in mid-jump.

Yes but where is he jumping from and where is he jumping to? If he jumped off the roof behind him, how the hell did he get posed like that?


And that's definitely a woman.

You know I never even noticed that.

[GoatBoy]

Really? No one?

Are you sure?

I'm warning you.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/bovd_gallery/88161_620_46.jpg

[ArcturusV]

Belial and Fierna from Book of Vile Darkness?

I wouldn't call it worst/terrible art. It's a simple composition. Has obvious squickness due to the text near said image mentioning rumors of an incestual relation, AND the devil thong...

But compared to things like the Tiefling on page one? Or the Dancing Chains image from the same book? Nah. That's a downright masterpiece by comparison.

[Amphetryon]

Belial and Fierna from Book of Vile Darkness?

I wouldn't call it worst/terrible art. It's a simple composition. Has obvious squickness due to the text near said image mentioning rumors of an incestual relation, AND the devil thong...

But compared to things like the Tiefling on page one? Or the Dancing Chains image from the same book? Nah. That's a downright masterpiece by comparison.

Indeed. A bunch of what's being called out as bad-to-horrible here isn't bad from a general artistic point of view, so much as from a content or personal taste point of view.

[Lupus753]

We've already seen a gnoll's bra. A tiefling's thong isn't going to squick us out. By comparison, at least.

[Solophoenix]

That's a favored soul? Wonnderful suit of plate armor that he's not proficient with there.

(Oh yeah this is giantitp so I'll note that he could wear mithril or take a feat but it's more likely that the editor picked a stock image).

The lack of proficiency is why the elbow has gone all wonky and the sword is in an awkward position behind his head. Armor check penalty at work, folks.

Speaking of the BoVD, this is a nice image for a really cool spell. But I think this cleric needs to seriously reconsider her choice of weapon>
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/bovd_gallery/88161_620_27.jpg

[ArcturusV]

Yeah, it's why I haven't listed anything that's really bad. A) I don't think I could top the Tiefling thing.... that's just... it mystifies me. It is surrealistic in it's wrongness in ways that artists who try to do surrealism couldn't manage. And B) A lot of things I think are "bad" are mostly personal taste things. For example, I don't like how they draw Krusk, the PHB Half-Orc Barbarian. Mostly due to his eyes and jaw, it gives him almost this cartoonish quality that just seems "off" to me. I just don't like it.

[Amphetryon]

The lack of proficiency is why the elbow has gone all wonky and the sword is in an awkward position behind his head. Armor check penalty at work, folks.

Could be a mithral suit.

[Spiryt]

There generally doesn't seem to be agreement about the exact topic here : bad art in sense of actual, badly drawn stuff, or 'bad art' meaning that subjects of the art is : creepy, dumb, silly, or just completely crazy.

[Solophoenix]

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/gallery/6FemaleBarbarian.jpg

"I wonder where around here I can get my sword sharpened..."

[Spuddles]

Yeah, I get that his shield is upside down, but try to picture it rotated 90 degrees to the guy's right. That's not how a shield is supposed to work. The one flat side should be on the top when his forearm is level, but it would be to his left, which makes no sense. Besides, that picture's a lot better than the one I was actually talking about, where the shield was much bigger and her arm was attached right near the bottom. At least the shield in the picture from A Paladin in Hell is actually secured to his arm, the one I was describing wasn't.

Oh damn, you're right. That is a ridiculous way to hold a shield.


I also don't see what hyperbole you were talking about, assuming that bit was aimed at me. It literally does look, to me, like the iconic Pathfinder Fighter's sword is an inch thick, and given that it's about 4 inches wide and 3 feet long, I'd say that if anything 20 pounds is a little on the low side. That's really the only thing that wasn't purely subjective opinion, which was not in any way overstated. Is it nitpicking to point out the problems that jump out at me when I look at a picture? Sure, I have a tendency to be annoyed by some pretty unimportant things, but that only speaks to how much I (admittedly, irrationally) hate those two artists, and how much I love a good rant every now and then.

Now, I certainly wouldn't say they're as bad as Liefeld; that would be silly.

Of course you don't see the hyperbole. Your criticisms are slight quibbles with an artistic style and minor nitpicks of the composition/subject. Like, "oh no, this fantasy guy looks totally silly because it doesn't look like Bayeux Tapestry Fighter Manuals of the late 15th century that I am totally well versed in." No, he looks bad ass, and his sword is a brutal kill stick with a bad ass story. Sorry you cannot appreciate that kind of stuff.

This is what genuinely bad D&D art looks like:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y219/Black_Majik/ADD/Monster%20Manual%20II/ADD004MonsterManualII027Boggle.jpg


http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/gallery/6FemaleBarbarian.jpg

"I wonder where around here I can get my sword sharpened..."

That's an awesome pencil piece. What's it doing in this thread :smallconfused:

[Solophoenix]

That's an awesome pencil piece. What's it doing in this thread :smallconfused:

No issues with the style. Just a little concerned about how she's grasping the blade of her falchion with a bare hand.

[DrGonzo]

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/gallery/6FemaleBarbarian.jpg

"I wonder where around here I can get my sword sharpened..."

"I wonder why I can't flex my fingers anymore?"

[ArcturusV]

I wouldn't even say your example of "Genuinely bad art" is necessarily bad itself, Spuddles. It's simple, clean line art. It has a certain charm and quality to it. Quite representative of a sort of misshapen goblinoid as is fairly common in fantasy. Simply put, as a piece? There's nothing really wrong with it. It's not "brilliant", it could be improved a lot, sure. But it's not "Bad". The toes are quite bad, sure. But that's just one off bit to the whole composition. And in fact I had to look a few times before I even caught it.

[Eldan]

Might just be a sword that's not sharpened all the way along the blade. Not unusual, for long blades.

[Solophoenix]

Might just be a sword that's not sharpened all the way along the blade. Not unusual, for long blades.

Perhaps if she were holding the blade on the bottom third or so, but her fingers are right up there on the end you stick in the ogre.

[Susano-wo]

RE the GEm: I love that piece! (first time seeing it) You do realize that's the cleric being fitted for a dress, right? :smallsmile:



Sadly, that's some of the best Wayne England art I've ever seen, probably because of the lack of people or swords, although the skulls clearly demonstrate his complete lack of any idea what a face looks like. I mean, I had no idea skulls could squint. I guess that could just be stylized, but this is Wayne England we're talking about, so I think incompetence is a safe bet.

I guess Wayne Reynolds has better technical skills, but his style just bugs me. As someone else pointed out, he makes hair just abruptly end so it looks like either a wig or a mask. Then there's the way he draws swords. The edges make it look like they must be at least an inch thick; the iconic fighter's longsword must weigh like 20 pounds at least, and I don't even want to think about the Barbarian's sword. I mean, I know it's supposed to be a Frost Giant's shortsword, but the proportions are way just don't make any sense. Frost Giants are supposed to be 15 feet tall, so assuming it should be about 2.5 times bigger, that thing is still way too wide and would be impossible to lift. And what are those straps for?! Are they holding the thing together?

Oh, and then there's that chest thrust in the picture for almost every iconic character, especially the female ones. The only one of those pictures I like is the Ranger, and that's just because he's hilariously prepared. I mean, the man's got a teapot. He is ready for anything, as long as it doesn't involve pulling that ax off his back in anything less than 2 full-round actions.

There was another picture that really bugged me where Pathfinder's iconic paladin was holding a shield with her arm vertical, sort of like this guy (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iBDQOXCHTEU/TBEAGxlIodI/AAAAAAAAAs8/PIZrKdMr_Lk/s1600/paladininhell2.jpg), assuming his shield's upside down. Stuff like that that just blatantly makes no sense if you think about it for half a second, which is presumably a lot less time than it took to draw the thing, just bugs the hell out of me.

Oh, and then there's this gem (http://oi48.tinypic.com/295pg8p.jpg) I just found looking for that picture of the Paladin. Not only are the facial expressions cartoonishly overdone, they just don't seem to match the situation at all.

Overall though, I'd say Wayne England is by far the most consistently terrible artist I've ever seen. As far as I can see, nothing comes close to those hobgoblins in ToB. I mean, everything by him here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ag/20060816a) just makes me angry.

Edit: wow, I think ranting about bad art is my new hobby. I got a bit carried away there... :smallredface:

[Spiryt]

No issues with the style. Just a little concerned about how she's grasping the blade of her falchion with a bare hand.

There was possibly no sword ever quite sharp enough to actually do any harm to your fingers because you just grasped it. :smallconfused:

Those are not lightsabers, after all.

See also, half-swording (http://www.thearma.org/essays/HT-A&UA_files/image014.jpg)

That's seriously one of better drawn swords in 3.5 in general, and you guys are grasping at some tiniest straws.

Incorrectly, as well. :smallwink:

[Spuddles]

No issues with the style. Just a little concerned about how she's grasping the blade of her falchion with a bare hand.


"I wonder why I can't flex my fingers anymore?"


Perhaps if she were holding the blade on the bottom third or so, but her fingers are right up there on the end you stick in the ogre.

You guys don't use sharp things very often, do you?

Not to mention a few callouses go a long way in keeping your hands safe.

[Drelua]

Of course you don't see the hyperbole. Your criticisms are slight quibbles with an artistic style and minor nitpicks of the composition/subject. Like, "oh no, this fantasy guy looks totally silly because it doesn't look like Bayeux Tapestry Fighter Manuals of the late 15th century that I am totally well versed in." No, he looks bad ass, and his sword is a brutal kill stick with a bad ass story. Sorry you cannot appreciate that kind of stuff.

My opinion is not hyperbole. :smallconfused: I did not exaggerate anything, I explained my reaction to the artwork. If you're not getting that at this point, all I can really do is direct your attention here (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hyperbole?s=t). I think you'll find my words do not in any way fit either of the given definitions. Sure, I get worked up over nothing. There's no rational reason to be as bothered by art I don't like as I am, but, well, I am.

More importantly, I can appreciate a brutal kill stick as well as anyone, though I doubt this particular one comes with much of a story. What I cannot appreciate is a sword that looks so utterly useless that I'd rather wield a butter knife.

I don't see where you're getting that tapestry bit from, but contrary to your condescending accusations, I never claimed to be an expert, I just know that most swords should be less than an inch thick. So please, don't belittle my opinion as though it only differs from yours due to a weakness on my part.

That's an awesome pencil piece. What's it doing in this thread :smallconfused:
Finally, something we can agree on! :smallsmile: I really like Todd Lockwood's art, though I do have one, and only one, complaint about his work, and believe me, if I've only got one problem with something, that means I really like it. So sue me, I like to complain. Some of the cover art he did for RA Salvatore's books really doesn't seem to match up with their description, mostly for the Sellswords trilogy. Still, it's good art, so I can forgive him if it doesn't look like the characters as I picture them.

Edit @ Susano-wo: Really? I thought it was the Paladin. That would explain why she looks absolutely horrified at the prospect of being fitted for a dress.

[Solophoenix]

You guys don't use sharp things very often, do you?

Not to mention a few callouses go a long way in keeping your hands safe.

Even if the blade isn't sharp enough to cut you while holding it, it's not good practice to hold it with bare hands, if only because the oils from your skin will tarnish it.

[OverdrivePrime]

Even if the blade isn't sharp enough to cut you while holding it, it's not good practice to hold it with bare hands, if only because the oils from your skin will tarnish it.

She's probably not too worried about tarnish if she's planning to yank it around in an ogre's guts right after posing for that picture.

I love Lockwood's art. I wish I'd see more of it these days - particularly nice pencil examples like this. Lockwood puts terrific detail into his art, while maintaining a cohesive visual style that ties a lot of his pieces together, as if they're all part of the same world. I like that I can look at a Lockwood piece and immediately know I'm in a fantasy setting. His armor and weapon designs aren't always super practical, but you can quickly imagine them being functional for their setting.

[DrGonzo]

You guys don't use sharp things very often, do you?

Not to mention a few callouses go a long way in keeping your hands safe.

As a matter of fact, I do, quite a lot. And carrying the sword like that probably won't cause deep cuts. But admit: that's a pretty stupid way to carry your sword. Especially since she has a scabbard.

Concerning the quality of the drawing: pretty good. As are most thing by Lookwood.

[Spuddles]

Even if the blade isn't sharp enough to cut you while holding it, it's not good practice to hold it with bare hands, if only because the oils from your skin will tarnish it.

I don't even... what?
Worst art in 3.x and the best you can come up with is the warrior chick might tarnish her blade with the oils in her skin?

On that piece, of all pieces? With almost sensible armor, and proportions, and a sword that isn't from Final Fantasy?

This thread disappoints me!

[Zombulian]

This always bothered me, but it's not the worst I guess. http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/dx20061115_Darkhunter.jpg

[Amphetryon]

This always bothered me, but it's not the worst I guess. http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/dx20061115_Darkhunter.jpg

Her step is more than a bit awkward. I'll give you that.

[Spuddles]

This always bothered me, but it's not the worst I guess. http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/dx20061115_Darkhunter.jpg

The offness of the perspective, especially the crossbow hand, and the color scheme makes me think it's purposefully anachronistic in its style.

[Zombulian]

The offness of the perspective, especially the crossbow hand, and the color scheme makes me think it's purposefully anachronistic in its style.

Yea. It still bothers me though.

[Spuddles]

Yea. It still bothers me though.

What especially bothers me is her dwarfiness. Female dwarfs always bother me, even when they aren't smeared sideways. Even male dwarfs are pretty weird looking and just don't make sense.

[Yora]

Is this a "bad art" thread or a "let's nitpick about not 100% accurate postures"?

[OverdrivePrime]

Yea. It still bothers me though.

Hrm. I always liked that dwarf. She seemed like something out of a stained glass window. Totally should lose that lame crossbow though.

And though there are loads of technically inferior art examples, I have always hated the art for the (otherwise beautiful) Abjurant Champion PrC.
I mean look at this guy!
http://wizards.com/dnd/images/compmage_gallery/100490.jpg
There is nothing about him that doesn't beg for you to punch him in the mouth as hard as you can. From the worst bastard sword in the world to the worst shield in the world, to the silly ribbons on his vest and the eminently slappable face, there is almost nothing to like about this guy. Even his mustache is terrible.
His boots are pretty cool though. So, maybe not all of his fashion decisions are as terrible as strapping three highly valuable wands to the outside of the vambrace on his sword arm. :smallconfused:

[Tytalus]

An example of terrible/non-functional weapon art: Wayne England's Quickblade Rapier: The handguard is on the wrong side of the balde.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/cx_gallery/86396.jpg


Poor creature depictions:

Berronar Valkyrie by Kalman Andrasofszky:

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/cov_gallery/92322.jpg


The laughing umber hulk (see on the right) by by Jeff Miracola:

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ca_gallery/85468.jpg

[Karnith]

The awkward perspective in the illustration for the Dirgesinger class (in Libris Mortis) has always bugged me. The poor guy's head is just so tiny!
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/libris_gallery/84714.jpg

[Big Fau]

MoI has the worst art (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ag/20050909a&page=1) and art direction, save for a few gems (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/moi_gallery/91041.jpg).

To be fair, the MoI gave us an entire race where the males look like Hugh Jackman. Not as good as Eberron (EVERY Shifter looks like Hugh Jackman, even the females), but still awesome.

[Karnith]

Also from Libris Mortis, we have the True Necromancer, whose legs seem to be doing... well, something.
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/libris_gallery/84719.jpg

[Diefje]

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/gallery/6FemaleBarbarian.jpg

"I wonder where around here I can get my sword sharpened..."

I'm more boggled with why she has to strap in her coochie.

Also: most of the pictures of maces are held in some sort of penor analogy, which just makes me wonder... Am I just a huge perv?