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Storm11 wrote:
answered...I believe that is Elmore himself writing there(& it is his website)...and yes, he was routed by Gary himself, apparently.
Gary was awesome, but he made mistakes! Still, I might get push-back on the awesome solo fighter vs big red being a mistake, but seeing this, I think it can speak for itself.
I think Gary was right artistically, but for the game the original is better as pulling in the party aspect.
Anybody know what the "shoot twice" at different percentages is about?
Smon wrote:Here's a good fight scene I don't think has come up yet, with dragon & snow:
That is just such an inspirational image. If you don't have stat blocks dancing in your head when you look at that then you're not a DM.
Je Suis Charlie
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Cut-back links while server sick:
Storm11 wrote:
answered...I believe that is Elmore himself writing there(& it is his website)...and yes, he was routed by Gary himself, apparently.
Gary was awesome, but he made mistakes! Still, I might get push-back on the awesome solo fighter vs big red being a mistake, but seeing this, I think it can speak for itself.
I think Gary was right artistically, but for the game the original is better as pulling in the party aspect.
Anybody know what the "shoot twice" at different percentages is about?
.
I think they photograph the artwork twice at different tonal settings prior to making the print plates to achieve better colour depth and contrast. It was a way of artwork manipulation before the onset of photoshop etc. It could also refer to enlargement and reduction of size.
The Icemaiden wrote:I think they photograph the artwork twice at different tonal settings prior to making the print plates to achieve better colour depth and contrast. It was a way of artwork manipulation before the onset of photoshop etc. It could also refer to enlargement and reduction of size.
The latter. Artwork (as Icemaiden likely knows) is normally created larger than the final product in the books. When I was involved in the biz, the piece was shot on a rather large camera to the requested size onto a type of paper (via negatives first, of course). The paper could be used as is on some types of printers rather than making plates, but most often, it went back to the paste-up table. Nowadays, it's just scanned and droped into a layout program like InDesign.
Art of dragons doing what dragons do. Site of a friend. Dragonstuff
The Icemaiden wrote:I think they photograph the artwork twice at different tonal settings prior to making the print plates to achieve better colour depth and contrast. It was a way of artwork manipulation before the onset of photoshop etc. It could also refer to enlargement and reduction of size.
The latter. Artwork (as Icemaiden likely knows) is normally created larger than the final product in the books. When I was involved in the biz, the piece was shot on a rather large camera to the requested size onto a type of paper (via negatives first, of course). The paper could be used as is on some types of printers rather than making plates, but most often, it went back to the paste-up table. Nowadays, it's just scanned and droped into a layout program like InDesign.
I thought of that but I could't see why the artist would specify the sizes themselves, or why do it at all on a sketch, or why specify two. Of course, it might not have been Larry who wrote that. And I guess the sizes might be for a box mock up and, er... something else.
Je Suis Charlie
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Cut-back links while server sick:
Oopsies. Someone correct me if I don't recall correctly, but wasn't Caramon a southpaw?
His high strength makes up for the -2 to hit, though.
Crom is your god, Crom and he lives in the earth. Once, giants lived in the Earth, Conan. And in the darkness of chaos, they fooled Crom, and they took from him the enigma of steel. Crom was angered. And the Earth shook.
The Icemaiden wrote:I think they photograph the artwork twice at different tonal settings prior to making the print plates to achieve better colour depth and contrast. It was a way of artwork manipulation before the onset of photoshop etc. It could also refer to enlargement and reduction of size.
The latter. Artwork (as Icemaiden likely knows) is normally created larger than the final product in the books. When I was involved in the biz, the piece was shot on a rather large camera to the requested size onto a type of paper (via negatives first, of course). The paper could be used as is on some types of printers rather than making plates, but most often, it went back to the paste-up table. Nowadays, it's just scanned and droped into a layout program like InDesign.
I thought of that but I could't see why the artist would specify the sizes themselves, or why do it at all on a sketch, or why specify two. Of course, it might not have been Larry who wrote that. And I guess the sizes might be for a box mock up and, er... something else.
There are a lot of possibilities, and you mentioned a few. If Larry were designing the entire basic box, for instance, then it stands to reason that he had the necessary measurements to tell the person running the camera (or whatever they used) the required size. Having two sizes specified implies at least two different designs, possibly one being with the full party, and one just the area that made the cut, which would be very normal. Just take a look at all the attempts Darlene had for the TSR logo as an example of the process. https://acaeum.com/library/darlene.html
As far as the sizes being on the piece itself? What better place? That was SOP when I did that years ago. The stuff out of the art gets cut off anyway on the final, and it can't get lost until then.
But, without the participants stating who did what, we won't know for certain. Just possibilities based on what we do know.
Art of dragons doing what dragons do. Site of a friend. Dragonstuff
I have to say I like his art too. Yes, the figures always look like they're posing rather than in the midst of actual action
+1. Technically, Elmore is a master, but the "posy" figures deduct a star IMO.
*Tiptoes off to look over his Frazetta collection...*
Larry is a talented artist. His style rather suggests a high-fantasy vibe, whereas I prefer a more gritty approach for D&D, like much of Angus McBride's work when he was doing covers for ICEs Middle-earth material.
For me, it's a matter of matching the artist to the material they are attempting to portray. Larry was a good match for Dragonlance, but I would use someone like a Trampier or a McBride for my own D&D if'n I had the call to make.
Art of dragons doing what dragons do. Site of a friend. Dragonstuff
Smon wrote:Here's a good fight scene I don't think has come up yet, with dragon & snow:
That is just such an inspirational image. If you don't have stat blocks dancing in your head when you look at that then you're not a DM.
If you're familiar with Dragonlance stat blocks certainly pop up in your head - female elf F5 with Cha 16, human F6, human F7, probably an Ice Folk captain and an Ice Folk Shaman...a huge ancient white dragon named Sleet...
"Let's go back to the abyss where it's safe." - Wylo the Traveler
MWWG was quite a clever little system. Favourite rule (aside from "top-heavy"): hit location determines damage dice size; weapon determines number of dice. Neat.
Je Suis Charlie
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Cut-back links while server sick:
Found this on the web. Thought it was short and interesting.
Well known fantasy artist Larry Elmore has been perfecting his craft for over two decades. As a staff artist with TSR from 1981 - 1987 he worked on many Dungeons and Dragons products including the covers of the well known Dragonlance series. Since leaving TSR he has worked as a freelance artist with numerous publishers, illustrating books, magazines and gaming products as well as creating the Sovereign Stone series.
Winterwind: What's new? Are you working on any particular projects at the moment that you can tell us about?
Larry Elmore: I am finally able to work on some of my own projects. This year I'm transitioning from mostly publishing work to more of my own work. Here is the full announcement.
WW: Where do you draw your inspiration from?
LE: Everyday life, my own imagination, seasons, and my mood. If the art is for a particular project, then the idea comes from the book or the product. If it is a book, I read the book and pick a scene. This scene is what
represents the total feeling I get from the book.
WW: What do you feel was most influential on your style when you were starting out as an artist?
LE: Realist painters in Europe and America in the late 1800's and early 1900's. These include the Pre-Raphaelites, N.C. Wyeth, Maxfield Parrish and other early American artists and illustrators. I was most influenced by Frank Frazetta and have always loved the work of Jeff Jones. The Hilderbrant Bros was also a big influence.
WW: You worked for TSR for several years. What was it like to work for them in the "early days" when the mainstream media hadn't yet discovered the fantasy genre?
LE: It was great. We had a great time!
WW: Was your art of a similar style/feel before you were exposed to fantasy?
LE: Yes, for as long as I can remember, I have always drawn and painted in the style of fantasy.
“Afraid? I can dodge folly without backing into fear.”
Nero Wolfe (The Doorbell Rang)
Founding member of <GAG>, Rizak the Really Horrible's shotgun/axe, Doctor Doom enthusiast, winner of Theslo’s Most Groggiest Post Ever Award.
Smon wrote: ↑Fri Apr 26, 2019 1:46 pm
I have this one on my bedroom wall: - I have a bunch of Elmore colour printouts on the wall, along with a couple Frazettas.
Was just reading this and thinking
"What kind of loser boasts of having a Larry Elmore poster on his bedroom wall?
....Oh."
IluvHalfOrcs wrote: ↑Mon Mar 21, 2022 1:15 am
]This one has always been my favorite. I only ever saw it on the boxed set of miniatures, all made from this scene.
I've actually made a few PC's from this picture.
cool...I used to do that all the time; make up stats/characters/npcs from artwork
Dalor Darden wrote: ↑Sun Mar 20, 2022 11:05 pm
This has always been one of my favorite pieces of Elmore's work. It isn't complicated, it isn't flashy...but it is screaming adventure.
Dalor Darden wrote: ↑Sun Mar 20, 2022 11:05 pm
This has always been one of my favorite pieces of Elmore's work. It isn't complicated, it isn't flashy...but it is screaming adventure.
Agreed! Another one of my favs, too. So many!
I like this in terms of composition and lines - quite nice.
I'd forgive the oars as a bit of license. . .but I started to consider the wind and water, and I realized I have no idea what's going on from an actual sailing perspective. The wind blows from astern (port quarter), filling the sail, because that's dramatic. The wind also blows from the opposite direction, filling the fighters cape and liting the second figure's hair, because that's dramatic. The spray and waves are. . .something else that's dramatic.
That's marvelous.
- I have a bunch of Elmore colour printouts on the wall, along with a couple Frazettas.
