# D&D miniature box cover art



## Ralph Horsley (Sep 5, 2008)

Hi All,

I have just found this forum, and wanted to share some of my artwork. Earlier this year I got to work on a set of D&D miniature boxes - as they are coming out soon I can now get to show the art. 

The images are going to wrap around a tetrapak-like design. Here is the template





As you can imagine this was a diffilcult template to work with, but here are my results;



Shadow MInd Flayer:







Drow Demon Binder:







Iron Dragon:




I look forward to any cooments.

cheers,

Ralph
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## Oni (Sep 5, 2008)

I like these, especially the mind flayer.   mmmm *slurp*


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## WhatGravitas (Sep 5, 2008)

Great artwork - cool to see them in large without trade dress! And the mind flayer is really cool.

Cheers, LT.


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## blobsticks (Sep 5, 2008)

Fantastic work Ralph!


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## Fenes (Sep 5, 2008)

Great pictures! I especially like the mind flayer and the dragon.


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## Silverblade The Ench (Sep 6, 2008)

Woo!! lovely, especially the mind flayer!
The "holes" in the slulls are a brilliant touch 
...always makes me think of being a kid, and using straws...muhaha!

Well done indeed!


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## Fenes (Sep 6, 2008)

I espeically like the Dragon and the mind flayer. Creepy.


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## Ralph Horsley (Sep 6, 2008)

Hi,

Thanks for your comments.

Oni; Thanks. the Mind Flayer is my favourite too. Sometiems one piece will come together like that 

Lord Tirian; yes, they look quite differenct on the box, especially with all the folds to the pack, and the way it wraps around.

Blobsticks; thanks very much 

Fenes; Thanks. I think the cave setting works best for me , and I would have liked to put the Drow in there too, but that wasn't the brief... Thanks.

Silverblade; Glad you picked up on the skull detail  Glad you like them - thanks.

thanks again everyone for your comments, much appreciated.

Ralph
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## Dalamar (Sep 9, 2008)

Darn, that is some good art. You wouldn't happen to have them in higher resolution for wallpaper?


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## Whitemouse (Sep 9, 2008)

That Iron Dragon rocks!! So cool.


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## frankthedm (Sep 9, 2008)

They are good, though all that pink/purple crystal fills me with the urge to kill something with the Halo Needler gun . 

I especially like the huggable looking drow girl.

BTW Does wotc specifically request the 4E underdark depictions to have ambient illumination?


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## Ralph Horsley (Sep 11, 2008)

Hi,

Dalamar; Glad you like them. Sorry I can't give them out at a higher resolution. I just hope WotC do domething in that vein with them 

Whitemouse; Pleased you like the Dragon. they are always fun to work on 

frankthedm; Sorry you don't like the crystals - but yes I was specifically asked to include them, with their ambient lighting.

Thanks for the comments.

Cheers,

Ralph
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## frankthedm (Sep 11, 2008)

Ralph Horsley said:


> frankthedm; Sorry you don't like the crystals - but yes I was specifically asked to include them, with their ambient lighting.



Oh, you misunderstand, I don't dislike the crystals. The crystals make me want to kill something with the needler gun because in the halo video games, the Needler FIRES pink crystals. . Wonderful pink crystals that pierce the foes flesh then explode in the wound causing massive trauma . Sadly the video game's graphics don't _show_ wounds on the victims, though it is the thought that counts.





{Needles stick out the top of the gun as an _in game_ ammo display] 







			
				United Nations Space Command Soldier said:
			
		

> “I caught three in the leg as I was diving behind a broken wall—they lodged right in there where the greave meets the boot. When they went off it damn near broke my ankle and flung like little splinters of glass or crystal or whatever all up my left side—the corpsman was pulling the shards outta me for the better part of two hours.”
> Type-33 Guided Munitions Launcher - Halopedia - Halo Wiki with Halo 3 Walkthroughs, Weapons, and more!


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## Ralph Horsley (Sep 12, 2008)

Doh!


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## Knightfall (Sep 13, 2008)

Whitemouse said:


> That Iron Dragon rocks!! So cool.



I must agree. Excellent.


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## Ralph Horsley (Sep 14, 2008)

Hi,

Thanks Knightfall1872, much appreciated 

cheers,

Ralph
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## Whitemouse (Sep 14, 2008)

Do you have anything more coming out of the pipe?


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## Ralph Horsley (Sep 15, 2008)

Hi



Whitemouse said:


> Do you have anything more coming out of the pipe?




I am currently working on a cover for D&D, and have some internal illustrations lined up - though i have mainly been kept busy with Magic and WoW.

Cheers,

Ralph
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## Whitemouse (Sep 15, 2008)

Ralph Horsley said:


> Hi
> 
> I am currently working on a cover for D&D, and have some internal illustrations lined up - though i have mainly been kept busy with Magic and WoW.



I have to admit, I really like your style. I look forward to seeing more of your work.


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## love.christine (Sep 16, 2008)

Whitemouse said:


> That Iron Dragon rocks!! So cool.






Knightfall1972 said:


> I must agree. Excellent.




Thirded.


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## mflayermonk (Sep 16, 2008)

*Nice*

Horsley is amazing! Thanks for posting.
Love the Pelgrane Press/Dying Earth stuff as well.

I wish they would have commissioned RH to do the covers of the new 4e books. The current art is too cartoonish for my personal tastes.


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## Fifth Element (Sep 16, 2008)

These are *very* nice. I would only ask why the drow has shoulder pads on all of her shoulders? The lower ones seem *really* impractical.


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## frankthedm (Sep 16, 2008)

Fifth Element said:


> These are *very* nice. I would only ask why the drow has shoulder pads on all of her shoulders? The lower ones seem *really* impractical.



 Well, I'd _suspect_ because attaching extra sets of arms to a humanoid torso can be tricky for an artist. The shoulder pads make the join area look more natural at first glance by covering up where the arms meet the body..


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## Fifth Element (Sep 16, 2008)

frankthedm said:


> Well, I'd _suspect_ because attaching extra sets of arms to a humanoid torso can be tricky for an artist. The shoulder pads make the join area look more natural at first glance by covering up where the arms meet the body..



I find it looks decidedly _less_ natural that way.


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## Fifth Element (Sep 17, 2008)

I see now it's because that's what the _mini _looks like.


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## Ralph Horsley (Sep 17, 2008)

Hi,

Thanks for the continuing ocmmenmts 

Whitemouse; Glad you like muy style, and thanks for saying so. I certainly hope to do lots more work on D&D 

love.christine; Great 

mflayermonk; The Dying Earth stuff was a long time ago, I enjoyed doing it, and am happy with what I did at the time, but like to think I have improved since then  

Yes I would have loved to do the 4e covers, but I got some Chapter Starts at least 

Fifth Element; You are spot on in working out that I had to tie in closely with the mini, and yes I am not sure I would have put hsoulder pads all the way down 

Thanks everyone.

Cheers,

Ralph
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## Cat Moon (Sep 27, 2008)

The Drow Demon Binder absolutely rocks! Very cool!


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## Ralph Horsley (Sep 30, 2008)

Cat Moon said:


> The Drow Demon Binder absolutely rocks! Very cool!




Thanks very much 

Cheers,

Ralph
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## Angel Tarragon (Sep 30, 2008)

The Flayer, Drow and Dragon are most awesome. 

Can't wait to see whats next.


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## Doug Sundseth (Oct 1, 2008)

Ralph Horsley said:


> Fifth Element; You are spot on in working out that I had to tie in closely with the mini, and yes I am not sure I would have put hsoulder pads all the way down
> =====




Shoulder pads all the way down? Heretic!

It's turtles, as any fule kno.


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## Ralph Horsley (Oct 1, 2008)

Hi,

Reveille; Thanks for saying so. I have just completed a D&D book cover - which I am excited about, but can't show yet 

Doug Sundseth; Indeed!

Cheers,

Ralph
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## Angel Tarragon (Oct 1, 2008)

Ralph Horsley said:


> Reveille; Thanks for saying so. I have just completed a D&D book cover - which I am excited about, but can't show yet




Just curious; is that what drow are supposed to llok like in 4E now? I wouldn't ask if I actually owned the MM, as I have yet to acquire it.


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## Ralph Horsley (Oct 1, 2008)

Reveille said:


> Just curious; is that what drow are supposed to llok like in 4E now? I wouldn't ask if I actually owned the MM, as I have yet to acquire it.




She is a special type of Drow - or so I understand. I don't think the standard ones have changed significantly.

cheers,

Ralph


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## Klaus (Oct 1, 2008)

Ralph,

Great work. You're doing some fine work there! You got a solid rendering that even some other WotC artists lack.

I hope we get to work on some project together.


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## Ralph Horsley (Oct 2, 2008)

Klaus said:


> Ralph,
> 
> Great work. You're doing some fine work there! You got a solid rendering that even some other WotC artists lack.
> 
> I hope we get to work on some project together.




Hi Klaus, 

Thanks for saying so. 

I hope so 

Thanks,

Ralph
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