# Post your Top 20 D&D Illustrations of All Time!



## Klaus

As per Jon Schindehette's newest Dragon's Eye View column, let's hear (and see, so please provide links if possible) what are YOUR Top 20 D&D Illustrations of All Time!


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## steeldragons

[EDIT] AW MAN! I need to go find those all over again?! Why didn't they paste?! [/EDIT]

Well, these are in no particular order. Some are favorites for the "realism/detail", some for the "style", some for "drama/combat", "humor", "everyday/slice of life"...all of them are pure evocations of imagination and say "D&D" to me.

So...again, no particular order, but might as well start at the very beginning. Enjoy. 

[Also Note: I have no idea what/how many of these are actual/official "titles" of the work, just what I'm gonna call them.]

1 (and 1a  ). Character Classes.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CRrJaLMvOu4/TfASdNniZkI/AAAAAAAAAOo/wQ_VViST4K4/s1600/BX-Classes.png http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--iy7A9g1puc/TfASW9tfNAI/AAAAAAAAAOk/3_vLf8bhDHo/s1600/DCC-Classes.png

2. Keep on the Borderlands
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PWJ02w_NdGs/TtJfHkCUkJI/AAAAAAAAA98/LnRtfoypymE/s1600/orcs4.jpg

3. Drow...the original defining imagine of them for me.
http://www.canonfire.com/wiki/images/5/5e/Drow00.jpg

4. So, how big IS a dragon?
http://l.yimg.com/ck/image/A1363/1363350/300_1363350.jpg

5. THOR!
http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv119/test_pattern/ThorFinal.jpg

6. Descent to the Depths of the Earth
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ifxeTG59J0A/TYVnzRzygFI/AAAAAAAADDA/OpaeXnPhbdA/descent.jpg

7. ZARGON!!!
http://www.toplessrobot.com/Zargon.jpg

8. Gettim!
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iUTx-mLO9...K9VpI/s1600/Willingham+dragon+vs+party+90.jpg

9. Lightning bolts rule! a.k.a. The Secret of Bone Hill.
http://bp3.blogger.com/_lpL870wV2A4/SHybiwreefI/AAAAAAAACMg/EkWbDTQodjc/s400/willingham3.png

10. Oh $#!t.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qafB1HD7BWE/TrQFQyMo74I/AAAAAAAAA9k/bp88mfVqvhE/s1600/trampier+spider.JPG

11. Dragons of...something or other. But another 'Oh s--t moment.'
http://www.sffaudio.com/images10/DragonLanceIceBoats565.jpg

12. Halflings!
http://www.emeraldlich.com/blog/pics/1131/1131_2.jpg

13. "So, ya wanna help us out with..."
http://saveordie.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/demi-humans-by-Larry-Elmore.jpg

14-15: White Plume Mountain...and Blackrazor.
http://www.waynesbooks.net/files/S2 both covers.jpg

16. Dragons of Autumn Twilight. Gods I LOVED this cover.
http://dungeonsmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/larry-elmore-dragonlance-1.jpg

17. Cool elves in a cool place. Dragons of something-else-er-other.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h182/Olgola/dragon lance/larry_elmore_dragonsoflight.jpg

18. BAD Bullette!
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HSUWd-6FxcY/TZ3cCZVcX3I/AAAAAAAADHc/FsfX4BiVU6o/s1600/dee.jpg

19. Caverns of Tsojcanth.
http://minipainting-guild.net/eo/Image1.jpg

 20. That looks...unpleasant...?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/Tannhaeuser/ErolOtus-Lolth.jpg


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## kitsune9

Finding 20 illustrations is a little daunting, but I can name some of my favorites.

The cover illustrations for the Basic D&D, Expert D&D, and Companion D&D box sets by Larry Elmore.  All the covers he did for the Dragonlance novels can go here too.

Jeff Easley's cover of the Player's Handbook 2e (1st printing).

The cover illustration for the Forgotten Realms 1e box set by Keith Parkinson. Pretty much anything by Parkinson you can list here. His work really got me into FR.

The cover illustration and the interior illustrations by Wayne Reynolds for Pathfinder. 

The artist for Eberron work for me too.

Anything from Tony DiTerlizzi related to Planescape. He's another artist who captured the feel of the game just right for me.

The artists for Iron Kingdoms. Play like you got a pair.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 1st and 2nd edition. Truly a grim world of perilous adventure.


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## Savage Wombat

Tomb of Horrors, Illustration 33A.


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## Grazzt

Here ya go, in no particular order...

1 - Original 1e DMG cover with the efreeti
2 - Emirikol the Chaotic, 1e DMG
3 - A Paladin in Hell, 1e PHB
4 - Great Green Devil Face, 1e Tomb of Horrors
5 - Original 1e PHB cover with the idol statue
6 - Grazzt, 1e MM2
7 - Rakshasha, 1e MM1
8 - Queen of the Demonweb Pits cover
9 - Ned Shakeshaft, Sinister Secret of Salt Marsh
10 - This one (http://paratime.ca/v_and_v/pics/jeffdee/jdee_art_bw03.jpg) from Secret of the Slavers Stockade
11 - I6 Ravenloft cover
12 - Red Box cover, D&D circa 1983
13 - Dragon #72 cover (Dragon Magazine #72 April 1983 From TSR by abestreasurechest)
14 - 1e DMG, page 68, the flooding room picture
15 - Dragon #62 cover
16 - 1e DM Screen (http://www.waynesbooks.com/images/graphics/dmscreen1sideb.jpg)
17 - Blue box cover, Expert set (File:TSR2015 Dungeons & Dragons - Set 2 Expert Rules.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
18 - B4 The Lost City cover
19 - T1-4 Temple of Elemental Evil cover
20 - Eldritch Wizardry cover

Bonus....

21 - Wormy
22 - Snarfquest


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## Morrus

I dount I can think of 20 from the top of my head, but here are a few I remember well.


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## Aeolius




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## Kaodi

Klaus said:


> As per Jon Schindehette's newest Dragon's Eye View column, let's hear (and see, so please provide links if possible) what are YOUR Top 20 D&D *Illustrators* of All Time!




Fixed it for you,  .


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## Klaus

Kaodi said:


> Fixed it for you,  .



Not really. Look at his second-to-last paragraph: 



> In the same article, I asked folks to pass me their list of their Top 20 D&D *Images*.




So, the request remains: Top 20 D&D Images! Let's see them!


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## Yora

This may take a while... 

Number 1 is easy: AD&D 2nd Edition Player's Handbook.
And I never even had that book, nor have I ever seen a physical copy. I only known the image from the internet.

Number 2: The amazing image of Graz'zt and Iggwilv, two of my favorite characters. And about everything I know about the Greyhawk setting.

These two images from City of the Spiderqueen. (3, 4)

No idea what's actually on this image, but I love it. (5)

Though they combine the favored aspects of two races loved by obnoxious players, I love Fey'ri. I really love them! (6, 7)

Also Genasi, and the art has a lot to do with it. (8, 9)

These two majestic dragons by Vinod Rams. I want this guy back for 5th Edition! (10, 11)

Dragonlance elves, you know the drill. (12)


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## Kaodi

Klaus said:


> Not really. Look at his second-to-last paragraph:




Hmmm... Okay, let me try this again...



Klaus said:


> As per Jon Schindehette's newest Dragon's Eye View column, let's hear (and see, so please provide links if possible) what are YOUR Top 20 D&D Illustrations of All Time, *and your Top 20 D&D Illustrators too!*


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## MintMMs

Anything by Erol Otus.


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## TerraDave

Some more:

























































​


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## Morrus

Klaus said:


> As per Jon Schindehette's newest Dragon's Eye View column, let's hear (and see, so please provide links if possible) what are YOUR Top 20 D&D Illustrations of All Time!




So, Claudio, let's see yours! What is your top 20? (Discounting any of your own artwork!)


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## Klaus

Morrus said:


> So, Claudio, let's see yours! What is your top 20? (Discounting any of your own artwork!)



I'll cheat (because I'm a no-good cheater, nyah-nyah!) and post my Top 21 D&D Illustrators (same list I sent [MENTION=6689960]Jon Schindehette[/MENTION] when he asked about this in his blog:

[sblock]

Keith Parkinson – Temple of Elemental Evil






Dave Trampier – Magic Mouth






David C Sutherland III – Castle Ravenloft's maps





and

Paladin In Hell






Larry Elmore – Sword vs. Staff






Fred Fields – Red Wizard






Todd Lockwood – The Forge of Fury 






Tony DiTerlizzi – Planescape's Cat Lord






Gerald Brom – Dark Sun's Belgoi






Wayne Reynolds – cover for 4e Character Record Sheets






Craig J Spearing – cover for Dragon 388 (Paladin in Hell 4e?)






Sam Wood – Orcs illustration from Monster Vault (can't find a link on-line)






Jeff Easley – Greyhawk Adventures






Jeff Dee – Egyptian Pantheon in Deities & Demigods






Michael Komarck – The Binding Stone






Den Beauvais – cover to Dragon 92






William O'Connor – Alhandra Charges The Balor






Howard Lyon – Seldarine Dedicate






Clyde Caldwell – Dracolich






Stephen Fabian – Ravenlloft interior art






Jim Roslof – Thor and the Midgard Serpent






Steve Prescott - Drow of Xen'drik





[/sblock]


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## avin

Unfair request... there are tons of good artists on D&D, I'll give you a couple of shots tho:











What what?


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## Hussar

Great stuff, keep it coming.


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## Quickleaf

I'm not sure if this piece was done for a project, but it is one of the William O'Connor pieces I love and consider it worthy of the Top 20 of all time.





William O'Connor Studios: Flight of the Paladin

Oh, and maybe some of you recognize this one...as a piece of art it's OK, as an iconic image of D&D it's legendary.






2 + 0 pictures. No, that's not cheating.


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## Tom Servo

My absolute fave image has simply got to be the 2nd Ed Invisible Stalker:






Brilliant!

Honestly though, simply too many to narrow down for me.

Edit: My image seems to have disappeared?


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## Stormonu

It's so hard to draw down to 20...

1) Elmore's Dragonslayers





2) Red Box Cover






3) Strahd the Beast





4) Strahd Mourns Tatyana






5) The Companions of the Lance





6) Takahisis Victorius





7) Allegory by Denis Beauvais





8) Indy Homage





9) 1E Revised PHB





10) 1E Revised MM






11) Dragons of Dreams





12) Forgotten Realm's Gray Box





13) Keith Parkinson's Northwatch





14) Russ Nicholson's art from the Fiend Folio (all I could find was the gith picture, couldn't find the grell/dark stalker)





15) Warduke (though I can't find a clear shot of the original Elmore art)




And others that have been shown:

16) 1E's A Paladin in Hell
17) 1E's Emirikol the Chaotic
18) cover of I6 - Ravenloft
19) Morgan Ironwolf
20) The adventurers looking over the glowing, open treasure chest in the back of the 1E MM


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## Hussar

While it may be hard to draw down to 20, I'm having trouble thinking of 20 without actually referencing any books first.  So, these are the ones that come to mind when people ask me what I think of as great D&D art.  In no particular order:



























One of my all time fav's






One from 3e's Tome of Magic, but, really, I could probably get all 20 from that book alone


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## Morrus

This thread has made it clear to me that I definitely prefer the art to depict normal looking people rather than superheroes with 12-ft swords.  And they should wear clothes.  I love *Elmore's Dragonslayers*, above.  It evokes something in me, whereas a lot of the art over the last few years has left me cold.


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## Hussar

Morrus said:


> This thread has made it clear to me that I definitely prefer the art to depict normal looking people rather than superheroes with 12-ft swords.  And they should wear clothes.  I love *Elmore's Dragonslayers*, above.  It evokes something in me, whereas a lot of the art over the last few years has left me cold.




Well, normal is a bit tricky - what does a normal tiefling look like.    But, I do take your point.  One thing I dislike about Wayne Reynolds is his preponderance of 12 foot swords.

To be fair though, he does put lots and lots of clothes and other gew gaws on his characters.  

But, if you look at the pics in this thread, one thing that strikes me is that there are virtually no portraits (although I did post one) - almost all of them have scenery.  In many of them, there is something going on - there's a story being told.

That's what's been missing from WOTC D&D art for a while.


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## I'm A Banana

Husar said:
			
		

> what does a normal tiefling look like




To me, not like it has forehead tumors:




































Your overall point is well taken (few of those tieflings look like normal folk), but I wanted to correct the gross injustice of the lack of DiTerlizzi in this thread.


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## UngeheuerLich

I do like those old pictures. They jus look right and remember me of the good old times...

One outstanding picture... i don´t find the link... is in 4e presents races and classes:
the redhaired elven magic user performing a ritual in the forest, standing in a magic circle.


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## delericho

This



Stormonu said:


>




and this



TerraDave said:


>




Were the two that sprang immediately to mind. D&D has an enormous amount of great art over the years, but the Red Box is the one that sums up D&D for me (perhaps because it was my way in to the hobby). While that Caves of Chaos picture is probably my favourite picture from my favourite edition.


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## Klaus

UngeheuerLich said:


> I do like those old pictures. They jus look right and remember me of the good old times...
> 
> One outstanding picture... i don´t find the link... is in 4e presents races and classes:
> the redhaired elven magic user performing a ritual in the forest, standing in a magic circle.


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## Ant

It's taking me lot longer than I thought it would to find images of my "quintessential D&D" art but here's what I have so far, in no particular order.

Some of this art may not be "good" technically but for me they really capture the essence of D&D.

There's so much more I could add to this list.  I don't even have any Otus on there yet!  Blasphemy!

1. Dragonslayers and Proud of It! by Elmore.  Already posted but I love this so much because you just feel for how hard that party worked to earn that treasure.  I also like it because you could swear they're deliberately posing to get their picture painted.
2. Companion Box Cover by Elmore.  My favourite BECMI box set cover.  It's majestic, terrifying and hopeful.
3. Dragonfire by Todd Lockwood.  This is actually quite horrific but it grabbed me the instant I saw it.
4. Saving the Best for Last by Daniel R. Horne.  Full of energy and desparation.
5. Slave Pits of the Undercity by Jeff Dee.  To me this will always be _the_ piece showing how a D&D party works together.
6. Skeleton Trap by David S. La Force.  Still gives me the willies!


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## Mercurius

[MENTION=22260]TerraDave[/MENTION], where did that last image come from? Who is the artist? That is a lovely picture. I keep on trying to dislike digital art but then I see something like that (it looks digital, although it might not be).

I won't come up with twenty, and I'll stay away from the word "favorites," but here are some good ones:


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## UngeheuerLich

Klaus said:


>



Thanks a lot! I can´t give you xp right now.


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## Yora

I always loved that one picture of Demogorgon from the Dragon cover (or was it Dugeon?). The description of Demogorgon is as silly as almost all images made of him are. But in this one, he not only looks passable, but actually awsome and terrifying.
That image tells you it's the meanest and most savage demon in all of the abyss.


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## CasvalRemDeikun

In no particular order:

1. Caramon's Fear - http://larryelmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Z_CARAMO.jpg

2. Dragonblade - http://larryelmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/GREEN_DR.jpg

3. Mountain Conflict - http://larryelmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/MOUNTAIN.jpg

4. Dragonlance - http://larryelmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Z_DRAGON.jpg

5. Companions of the Lance - http://larryelmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/COMPANIO.jpg

6. The Death of Sturm - http://larryelmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/DEATH_OF-strom.jpg

7. Ice Boats - http://larryelmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/ICE-BOATS-17X22-copy.jpg

8. Unknown Matt Stawicki - http://www.mattstawicki.com/galleryimgs/dlcommission.jpg

9. Test of the Twins - http://www.mattstawicki.com/galleryimgs/twins3.jpg

10. Dragons of the Highlord Skies - http://www.mattstawicki.com/galleryimgs/dragonsofthehighlordskies.jpg

11. Lord Soth's Charge - http://www.keithparkinson.com/images/lordsothscharge.jpg

12. What do you mean we're lost? - http://www.smashingshowcase.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Keith-Parkinson-001.jpg

13. D&D Jam - http://www.toddlockwood.com/resources/images/galleries/dnd/01/tsr_jam.jpg

14. Chaos Spawn - http://www.toddlockwood.com/resources/images/galleries/dnd/01/chaos_spawn.jpg

15. Draconomicon (Even Red Dragons have hearts) - http://www.toddlockwood.com/resources/images/galleries/dnd/01/draconomicon.jpg

16. The Two Swords - http://www.toddlockwood.com/resources/images/galleries/books/02/two_swords.jpg

17. Bestiary of Krynn - http://www.greggmrowka.com/gallery_web/jeffeasley/images/art/color/lg_co_048.jpg

18. Githyanki - http://www.greggmrowka.com/gallery_web/jeffeasley/images/art/color/lg_co_018.jpg

19. Masters Vision - http://www.greggmrowka.com/gallery_web/jeffeasley/images/art/color/lg_co_057.jpg

20. Driz'zt - Jeff Easley's Official Web Page


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## Keefe the Thief

Redefining two of the most awesome races D&D ever had: please hire this man.


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## osprey126

I complied a list from memory, sorry no links.  As I saw other pictures I realized how much good art there was for D&D but I went with my gut and picked the pictures that first jumped into my mind.  As I have been a customer for around 30 years there is a bias towards those early images that first caught my interest.

1. Gas Spore exploding after being hit with a sword from 1st ed Monster Manual (I picked it up to look at in a Toys R US and it was the page I flipped to.  I still remembered that picture months later when I was looking again when I was thinking about what to buy to get into this complex but fun looking game)

2. The cover of the Holmes Basic Set - I still have a photocopy tacked to the wall in my computer room.

3.  The cover of Keep on the Borderlands - I still remember thinking about what I could afford to get off the equipment list that would make my charcter like the elf shooting orcs on that cover.


4. 1st edition Screen collage - It contains all of the images you would need to convey a great adventure.

5. Paladin In Hell

6 Emirikol the Chaotic

7. Green Dragon Breathing on a horde of kobolds

8. Party fighting an Owlbear from B2

9. Jeff Dee Cover for White Plume Mountain - I conveyed the rought and tumble of a fight, especially the shield spell and dodging the tail spike.

10 Cover of Slave Pits of the Undercity - Another Jeff Dee that really shows characters doing something

11. Cover to X1

12. Cover to PHB 1st ed

13. Dragonslayers by Elmore in 3rd ed PHB

14. Paladin by Elmore - a mounted knight fighting three orcs with a mountain backdrop - from a poster/product listing

15. Savage Frontiers for Forgotten Realms  by Elmore - I would love a poster of that or better yet the original

16. Intellect Devourer from Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

17. Cover of the Temple of Elemental Evil by Parkinson

18. Dragon Breathing fire on a group of fighters while a mage hides behind a pillar by Lockwood

19. Waterdeep cover with Xanathar and his lackeys

20. Ravenloft cover

Artists.
This was a little harder and again leans towards the 70s and 80s
Larry Elmore
Jeff Dee
Jim Holloway
Erol Otus
Jim Roslof
Trampier
Keith Parkinson
Jeff Easley
Brom
Willingham
Lockwood
WAR
O'Conner
Clyde Cauldwell
Fred Fields
Tom Baxa
RK Post
Sutherland
Darlene
Eva Widerman


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## NewJeffCT

The 1E succubus was always memorable to me.  Not sure why...


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## Scribble

Morrus said:


> This thread has made it clear to me that I definitely prefer the art to depict normal looking people rather than superheroes with 12-ft swords.  And they should wear clothes.  I love *Elmore's Dragonslayers*, above.  It evokes something in me, whereas a lot of the art over the last few years has left me cold.




I am right there with you on your entire statement.

Dragonslayers is on my top 20... I think it might be number 1.

For me:

It takes place in fall/winter. I've always for some reason though of fall/winter as being the "season" that most reminds me of D&D. I don't know if that's because a lot of Elmore stuff took place then, or that's why I like a lot of his stuff.

It's just a normal scene... Like you mentioned above. They aren't superheros and they aren't carrying outrageous exaggerated weapons, and they're not doing anything insane. They're just sitting around admiring the fact that they managed to slay a small dragon... I can identify with them.

It's also a complete scene... Care has been taken to detail the surroundings and the background. It feels like I could go there.


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## Stormonu

Ant said:


> 5. Slave Pits of the Undercity by Jeff Dee.  To me this will always be _the_ piece showing how a D&D party works together.
> !




It's also the only D&D picture I can remember that shows a female dwarf with a beard...


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## Ed_Laprade

Lots of good picks (or pics). But where's Iggwilv's (sp?) daughter, from The Lost Caverns, I believe? That one lept to mind at once for me. Not as storytelling as many here perhaps, but a great piece of artwork, IMO.


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## steeldragons

Ed_Laprade said:


> Lots of good picks (or pics). But where's Iggwilv's (sp?) daughter, from The Lost Caverns, I believe? That one lept to mind at once for me. Not as storytelling as many here perhaps, but a great piece of artwork, IMO.




TONS of great images from the Lost Caverns...
http://minipainting-guild.net/eo/Image2.jpg

http://www.munchkinpress.com/cpg149/albums/userpics/10145/S4_2.JPG

http://www.blackgate.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/lost-caverns-pic-550.png

But you're looking for this one...and yeah, it's a great one.
http://www.williammccarthy.com/aprilsale/easleycloseup.JPG


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## Klaus

steeldragons said:


> TONS of great images from the Lost Caverns...
> http://minipainting-guild.net/eo/Image2.jpg
> 
> http://www.munchkinpress.com/cpg149/albums/userpics/10145/S4_2.JPG
> 
> http://www.blackgate.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/lost-caverns-pic-550.png
> 
> But you're looking for this one...and yeah, it's a great one.
> http://www.williammccarthy.com/aprilsale/easleycloseup.JPG



She was re-used in the 2e PHB!


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## Upper_Krust

Hey Russ! 



			
				Morrus said:
			
		

> This thread has made it clear to me that I definitely prefer the art to depict normal looking people rather than superheroes with 12-ft swords.




Isn't that basically a textbook difference between say an Heroic Tier and an Epic Tier though?

For me the exaggerated style of someone like Wayne Reynolds is the perfect fit for epic campaigns whereas Jeff Easley at his bombastic best fits the Paragon tier while perhaps Larry Elmore's approach is perfect for a Heroic Tier illustration.

Incidently I'm compiling my own list but I'm only on 12 so far.


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## Scribble

Upper_Krust said:


> Hey Russ!
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't that basically a textbook difference between say an Heroic Tier and an Epic Tier though?
> 
> For me the exaggerated style of someone like Wayne Reynolds is the perfect fit for epic campaigns whereas Jeff Easley at his bombastic best fits the Paragon tier while perhaps Larry Elmore's approach is perfect for a Heroic Tier illustration.
> 
> Incidently I'm compiling my own list but I'm only on 12 so far.




I don't know if I agree... I think it's possible to portray "god like" abilities without it feeling hyper exaggerated.


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## Scribble

How can you be a teenage boy and NOT like this painting by Caldwell?


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## Upper_Krust

Hey there Scribble! 



			
				Scribble said:
			
		

> I don't know if I agree... I think it's possible to portray "god like" abilities without it feeling hyper exaggerated.




I agree with you that its possible (albeit tricky). I'm simply stating that the hyper-exaggerated style suits epic level play better than it suits lower level play.

For me, the most godlike portrayal within D&D happened on the cover of 1st Edition Legends & Lore. There was nothing exaggerated about that painting of Odin but it was intrinsically 'godly'.


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## JohnSnow

Full disclosure, I tend to favor Elmore and the older stuff over more recent. But I've liked some of WR's work a lot.

My list:

1. Elmore's Dragonslayers 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



2. Elmore's Deadlock 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



3. Elmore's Avalyne the Lifegiver 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



4. Emirikol the Chaotic (1e DMG)
5. A Paladin in Hell (1e PHB)
6. Komarck's The Caves of Chaos 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



7. Wayne Reynolds' City of Sharn 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



8. It was a Green Ronin piece, but I loved Reynolds' Freeport 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



9. Elmore's Dwarven Kingdoms of Krynn 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



10. Darkwalker on Moonshae 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



11. Strahd. 'nuff said.
12. Foster's Lidda 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



13. This one, although I don't know the artist. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



14. My favorite Jeff Easley piece 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




15. My second favorite of his: 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



16. The cover for Monster Manual II
17. Elmore's Dragon from the Red Box.
18. Cities of Mystery: another Elmore piece... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



19. The elf and dwarf in the tavern, from the 2e PHB.
20. And of course the 1e PHB cover.

And a couple that aren't from D&D, but which I like nonetheless.


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## KesselZero

Say what you want about the man, Wayne Reynolds does the BEST gnolls. The ones on the updated 4e DM's screen make me feel all tingly.


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## Invisible Stalker

In no order....

rust monster








DMG






papers and paychecks






backscratcher






Players Handbook cover






Paladin visits New Jersey











Basic box











MINE!






Acererak is going down!





maybe not...










































and the Invisible Stalker


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## I'm A Banana

Aasimar (she looks ready for adventure!):





Factol Darius (love the folds of that robe!):





Taking a short breath:





Something weird about her:





Is...is it alive?





<3 spikey armor:





A simple image of smoggy rooftops:





Wouldn't want to meet her in a dark alley:





She's so calm when she's crafting instruments of execution:





Sigil Style





A little scared, a little confused, but ready nonetheless!





"How do I get dressed in the morning? With magic, you simpleton."





"I am the wrath of nature."





I generally like the scenes better than the individual characters, but I do like these individual characters.


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## ExploderWizard

JohnSnow said:


> 13. This one, although I don't know the artist.




This a classic Dragon Magazine cover from the great Daniel R. Horne. 
I love his stuff.


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## Scribble

[MENTION=32164]JohnSnow[/MENTION] get out of my head man! I think the majority of what you posted is on my top 20!

I guess it doesn't hurt that I am also an Elmore fan...

I think this one in particular has always been one of my top favorites. It's an example of what I like in my D&D art. It's so simply, yet it gets my mind rolling about what's going on.







Who are the kids?  What happens next... Do they fall for the trick, like naive kids, or are they smart enough to avoid him? Is this their first trip to the big city? Are they destined to end up dead or penniless on their first day in town? What's the city around them sound like? Where does that road lead?


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## Klaus

For some reason, these picture resonates a lot with me. I loved all of Elmore's Endless Quest covers, but these two are the ones that stay with me to this day:


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## Yora

Say, does sblock work here with pictures?

[sblock]
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/sblock]

It does!
This has proven to be a very good way to handle picture threads in other forums, as the pictures can get quite annoying when you want to follow the discussion. Especially when people quote posts with pictures in them.

So I would appeal to everyone here to use the [sblock.][/sblock.] tags around the pictures you post. And if you are feeling especially generous, you may also add them to posts you already made. Thanks a lot for that.


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## Naszir

The cover art on Dragon Magazine was at times just awesome.

Some of my favorites:


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## Naszir

Klaus said:


> For some reason, these picture resonates a lot with me. I loved all of Elmore's Endless Quest covers, but these two are the ones that stay with me to this day:




I loved those chose your own adventure books!!!!


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## CleverNickName

I'm not really trying to be snarky, but I don't really have that many favorite artists and illustrators.  For me, only three of them really stand out.  Everything else is just, well, everything else.

Jeff Easley: by far my favorite artist.  His work will always embody "what D&D means to me."  Especially his pencil illustrations in "CM1: Test of the Warlords."  (check out Page 17 to see what I mean.)  Simply awesome.

Larry Elmore: my second-favorite.  A lot of people complain about his "cheesecake" style when drawing female portraits, and I can totally see that...but it has never bothered me any more or less than anyone else's work.  Fantasy art is exactly that: _fantasy_.

Jeremy Jarvis: his art brings a slightly more "modern" feel to the fantasy genre, without hijacking it and throwing it down some bizarre anime rabbit-hole.  Plus, I've actually met this fellow, and he's a stand-up guy.


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## steeldragons

Naszir said:


> I loved those chose your own adventure books!!!!




Seconded! 

I was going to post some of those as well...but thought my list of 20 already had enough Elmore in it. But yeah, he's a big fave and those covers pulled me in every time.

Just as a slight aside, that may or may not be relevant to this particular "importance of art" discussion, though I think it a point to keep in mind...

But these books, through their art sparking my interest/imagination, and D&D in general REALLY got me into reading when I was younger. Moreso than any class assignment or anything. Think I was 10 (?) or so when I first picked up Tolkien and dove through it. 8-12 years old and I was picking up every D&D (or other fantasy) book I could get my hands on.

B'anywho...here's some more of these fun fantastic images...
[sblock]















Elmore did like his White Dragons, din'te? Or, rather, guess it was the authors since he was just making images for what was in the story. 

And yes, for those who don't know, the Rainbow Dragons cover is by Easley, not Elmore. But that was the forst one I ever had/read. So it's got a special place in my nostalgic heart. 
[/sblock]


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## JohnSnow

CleverNickName said:


> I'm not really trying to be snarky, but I don't really have that many favorite artists and illustrators.  For me, only three of them really stand out.  Everything else is just, well, everything else.
> 
> Jeff Easley: by far my favorite artist.  His work will always embody "what D&D means to me."  Especially his pencil illustrations in "CM1: Test of the Warlords."  (check out Page 17 to see what I mean.)  Simply awesome.
> 
> Larry Elmore: my second-favorite.  A lot of people complain about his "cheesecake" style when drawing female portraits, and I can totally see that...but it has never bothered me any more or less than anyone else's work.  Fantasy art is exactly that: _fantasy_.




I can't say I disagree with you on these three being the standouts. Although, as I said, I really like that picture of Daniel Horne's I put up. It's very reminscent of Elmore though.

And I dunno about Elmore being cheesecake. I mean, sure, sometimes - there's a reason he was the artist tapped for "Chicks in Chainmail."

But Avalyne the Life-Giver is hardly cheesecake. Nor are any of the women in "Dragonslayers" in particularly skimpy outfits.

Part of the reason artists draw both women and men in less than full clothing is that it lets them show off their ability to draw musculature. It's the same reason superheroes wear tights. And I'm okay with that.


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## Klaus

That Daniel Horne image is great, and it reminds me a lot of Keith Parkinson.


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## Scribble

I posted this in another thread, but I think I figured out why I like a lot of the images I do. The ones I like best have a lot more attention to things like contrast/ and hightlights/shadows...

A lot of art these days feels "flat" to me, so it kind of feels a little weird.


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## steeldragons

JohnSnow said:


> And I dunno about Elmore being cheesecake. I mean, sure, sometimes - there's a reason he was the artist tapped for "Chicks in Chainmail."
> 
> But Avalyne the Life-Giver is hardly cheesecake. Nor are any of the women in "Dragonslayers" in particularly skimpy outfits.
> 
> Part of the reason artists draw both women and men in less than full clothing is that it lets them show off their ability to draw musculature. It's the same reason superheroes wear tights. And I'm okay with that.




I have to say, I've been wanting to say the same in a post since the art threads began. I mean, I've gone to the man's online gallery, and yeah, he can do skimpy. ANY good artist can do skimpy.

But when I think of Elmore, "cheesecake" is not what comes to mind. Tika from the Dragonlance, yeah ok, she was pictured as scantily clad. But she was also, in the books, described as being clad in "piecemeal armor" cuz she was basically taken form the home-village and thrust into the role of "warrior" with all of these "experienced adventurers." Goldmoon? Had breaches and a full covered chest from the Chronicles cover on down. Kitiara was always fully armored. Heck, in the first cover of "Dragons of Winter Night" I didn't even know/couldn't tell that was a female!

You want "cheesecake" look to Caldwell! I don't think he's painted a female adventurer with pants/without bare legs and low-cut thrusting bazooms EVER! Look, even, to Easley. Just about every female he's one, even fully clothed, seems to have a chest waiting to burst through the cloth covering it.

Not a problem. I mean, look at the history (nothing, even art, is made in a vacuum). They're coming from a time of the "pulp" novel/art. The woman was the "damsel in distress." Or, if she wasn't, she was a sexy-toy thing, a la Red Sonja. Did ANY of Franzetta's females ever have tops on?

But Elmore as the "Lord of Cheesecake"/getting all of the flack he does  just never made sense to me.


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## Klaus

steeldragons said:


> You want "cheesecake" look to Caldwell! I don't think he's painted a female adventurer with pants/without bare legs and low-cut thrusting bazooms EVER! Look, even, to Easley. Just about every female he's one, even fully clothed, seems to have a chest waiting to burst through the cloth covering it.



Caldwell did do some great covered females. This is my favorite:

[sblock]





[/sblock]

I also loved the ranger's outfit!


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## Yora

To be fair, the greek painted their contemporary soldiers in very ridiculous ways. Because it looks more cool!


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## Scribble

Klaus said:


> Caldwell did do some great covered females. This is my favorite:




She IS still suffering from the awkward pose to show off her "ASSets" thing... Like that Avengers poster that went around recently.

13 year old me LOVED this artwork... especially since it was pre-internet... 35 year old me can understand why some find it offensive. (While secretly still harboring a boyhood crush on some of the fantasy females of his youth...  )


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## steeldragons

Klaus said:


> Caldwell did do some great covered females. This is my favorite:
> 
> [sblock]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [/sblock]
> 
> I also loved the ranger's outfit!




True enough. I forgot about this one...and I HAVE that module! lol. But, ok, he gets credit for ONE covered female! lol. Who is, obviously, ready to burst out of her tabbard in the front and seems to have a scale-mail wedgey in the back. But still, yes, she is covered. I stand corrected. 

As for the "ranger's outfit" (and almost entire look) strikes me as an almost direct rip-off of Elmore's Tanis Half-Elven (though, yes, I know, Tanis was not, technically, a "ranger").


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## Savage Wombat

OK, clearly we need a separate thread for people to post pictures of cheesecake art, and we can debate in detail whether it qualifies.

That way we can definitively point to the thread to say how much is too much.

And not for any other reason.


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## I'm A Banana

steeldragons said:
			
		

> But when I think of Elmore, "cheesecake" is not what comes to mind.




Eh. Context is everything. For the era, he certainly wasn't any worse than 90% of the other fantasy artists (he DID do SOME women that WERN'T cheesecake!) but if I were to see that kind of art in a D&D book today, I would be really, really annoyed. There's plenty of women who hold poses that are entirely about exhibiting for adolescent males to drool over, and that's a problem now. 

Personally, dodging cheesecake is part of why I'm a fan of some of of DiTerlizzi's art. That Cat Lord picture, or the picture of the the Mercykiller Factol, is beautiful, but it's not exhibitionist (the mystery and secret in the character's eyes and smile are much more enticing than a bit of leg). Of course, that tiefling picture above is pretty effin' cheesecake, so it's not like he's immune. 

But I do like a lot of Elmore: the use of seasons, the sense of scope, the depiction of a _scene_, rather than just an isolated creature...all of that is really solid.


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## Klaus

Savage Wombat said:


> OK, clearly we need a separate thread for people to post pictures of cheesecake art, and we can debate in detail whether it qualifies.
> 
> That way we can definitively point to the thread to say how much is too much.
> 
> And not for any other reason.



Well said, SW!

Let's try and keep this one on-topic (your Top 20 D&D Illos!). If anyone wants to start a "D&D Cheesecake" thread, please go ahead so I can bookmark that!


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## steeldragons

Klaus said:


> Well said, SW!
> 
> Let's try and keep this one on-topic (your Top 20 D&D Illos!). If anyone wants to start a "D&D Cheesecake" thread, please go ahead so I can bookmark that!




Quite right. Apologies.

Here's some fun stuff...
[sblock]













































[/sblock]


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## Hussar

I note that DiTerlizzi has been mentioned a couple of times.  I don't know why, but, he's the primary reason why I never got into Planescape.  I just do not like his art.  It leaves me totally cold.  I once saw it described as "too twee" and I think that nails it pretty well.  I can't knock his technical skills, because he's got lots of them.  And, the images certainly are evocative.  But, wow, I look at them and they do absolutely nothing for me.   

Ah well, to each his own.  

I'm totally drawing a blank on a name of an artist though and I hope you guys can help me out.  Who did a number of the illos for the Savage Tide AP for Paizo - the guy that worked on Lord of the Rings?  

I really like his stuff, but, my brain is just not functioning.


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## Yora

Planescape Art is Planescape art. It looks quite different from the other stuff he does and you usually wouldn't notice that it's the same artist until someone points it out.

[sblock]
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





























[/sblock]

Planescape art is great, but I don't want it for 5th Edition. But less freaky pictures by him would certainly be welcome.


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## tuxgeo

Hussar said:


> Ah well, to each his own.
> 
> I'm totally drawing a blank on a name of an artist though and I hope you guys can help me out.  Who did a number of the illos for the Savage Tide AP for Paizo - the guy that worked on Lord of the Rings?
> 
> I really like his stuff, but, my brain is just not functioning.




Warren Mahy. 

WETA's Richard Taylor let Warren Mahy specialize on the bad guys -- anything that was nasty or spiky -- while Daniel Falconer specialized more on the good guys.


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## Hussar

Nope, not that guy.  The other one.  Grrr, my google fu is failing me.  He drew the picture of Farshore (not the map) and lots of other stuff...

Ahhh, Ben Wootten http://benwootten.deviantart.com/  There he is.  Fantastic stuff.


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## Stormonu

Hussar said:


> I note that DiTerlizzi has been mentioned a couple of times.  I don't know why, but, he's the primary reason why I never got into Planescape.  I just do not like his art.




You are not alone in this.


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## Hussar

Giving the Di Terlizzi thing a bit more cogitation and I think I understand why it's not to my taste.  The images, to me, look very reminiscent of Arthur Rackham's Grimm's Fairy Tales .  Now, that, in and of itself isn't a bad thing.  That's some classic art right there.  Love it to pieces.

But, to me, it never really fit with what I expected from Planescape.  I always thought PS was this sort of Machiavellian setting with lots of politics and ethical dillemas where angels team up with devils to beat the snot out of something that may or may not actually be evil.  Which Grimm Fairy Tales are not.  Grimm Fairy Tales are morality tales that are pretty black and white in their presentation of what is right or wrong.

So, to me, the art never really matched up with the subject.  If PS was a fairy tale setting, then I'd be right behind it.  Even the urban fantasy Spiderwick Chronicles make a lot of sense with Di Terlizzi's art - it's modern day fairy tales after all.

I just never really "got" the loving for DT's art.


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## mach1.9pants

What an awesome thread. Most of the things that leap to mind (for DnD specifically) have already been posted. But I love this one




BTW the Half-Orc in the seat is Garush, Ftr/Ass (my first _*A*_D&D PC)
This one makes me laugh




How Kobolds should look!




And for something different, White Dwarf mag covers (when it still covered DnD etc!)





EDIT: and more art less chat IMO


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## Wednesday Boy

I have my list ready and the pictures but I can't figure out how to upload pictures from my hard drive.  (Or can you only upload pictures from links?)  Sorry for getting technical.  As soon as I figure it out I'll post my list!


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## Klaus

Wednesday Boy said:


> I have my list ready and the pictures but I can't figure out how to upload pictures from my hard drive.  (Or can you only upload pictures from links?)  Sorry for getting technical.  As soon as I figure it out I'll post my list!



When you click "New Reply", there is a button below the main post window called "Manage Attachments". That will let you upload your picks.


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## Wednesday Boy

1. I love the Fleshwarper PrC so, so much and the illustration of the crazy, stiched together character and his mutated familiar is golden.
[sblock]
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/sblock]

2. This picture alone made me want to play a bugbear. And my GM let me!
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[/sblock]

3. The sinister and malevolent grin on the ogre's face tickles me.
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[/sblock]

4. Todd Lockwood is an incredible artist and I dig scenes with lots of little bits going on in them.
[sblock]
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/sblock]

5. Another great one from Lockwood. Dynamic fight scenes are always engaging to me and the Dark Elf trilogy helped usher me into D&D.
[sblock]
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/sblock]

6. This one has been on a number of other folks' list but it's a classic. I see it and I think about how I want my party to be in that situation at some point.
[sblock]
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/sblock]

7. Binders were my favorite 3.5 class and the symbolism and arcane tomish look to this picture clicks with me.
[sblock]
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/sblock]

8. A cool picture and one of the first modules I played in.
[sblock]
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/sblock]

9. I remember seeing this picture in an expanded form in the back of comic books that I read prior to getting into D&D.
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[/sblock]

10. I really should pick this up because this picture makes me want to play a sinister sideshow campaign.
[sblock]
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/sblock]

11. I used to see this module on the shelf at my comic book store and always wondered what was in that sewer...
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[/sblock]

12. Not much to say. I just like it.
[sblock]
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/sblock]

13. This one is funny and TNT at the same time.
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[/sblock]

14. I like the artwork a lot but I especially like the story that it tells.
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[/sblock]

15. Similar to Lockwoods bar brawl I like many of Reynolds' big scenes that have lots of action happening. This is just one of them.
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[/sblock]

16. The unique perspective of this picture is what makes it stand out for me.
[sblock]
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/sblock]

17. Tony DiTerlizzi's Planescape artwork is the greatest. The characters he draws for it reminds me of characters that could have populated the Labryinth, which is always a plus.
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[/sblock]

18. This was a character from Gates of Firestorm Peak that inspired me to make a spider Beastmaster Ranger.
[sblock]
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/sblock]

19. This guy just tickles me at how goofy he is. The best part was that I got to model a Shaman after him for a campaign. The worst part was that I got killed in the first session.
[sblock]
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/sblock]

20. My all time favorite D&D artist is my friend Tim, who used to draw the antics that our characters got into. This is our party who went through the old 2nd Ed. Silver Key module and a wereboar we fought in it. He wins hands down!
[sblock]
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/sblock]


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## Quickleaf

[MENTION=53678]Wednesday Boy[/MENTION] This is a test to see if just using IMG tags around the address the image is hosted at on ENWorld works to display the image.

Aaaand, yep it works


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## jbear

Tavern brawls?!? This is a tavern brawl! (Not D&D ... sorry, but I love this image and didn't think anyone would mind if I snuck it into the thread after tavern brawl was mentioned  )

http://www.totalwallpapers.com/wallpapers.asp?number_id=1278


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## jbear

Okay, I'm going to start to compile mine. Probably take a while, and will probably be heavily influenced by what I can find on line via google. I'm tempted to start another thread for top 20 Fantasy art images of all time, but I'll do my best to keep within the rules and do just D&D images here. 

So in no particular order, I'll start with a classic that I really like and resonates well with my nostalgia:







I think this is pretty awesome too though:






Nostalgia! The image of this guy has stuck in my head forever and was the first thing I thought of when 4e reintroduced Darksun.






Also when i think of D&D images this one keeps springing to mind:






Sturm's death. I could never forget that. Probably my favorite Elmore image.  






The renewed excitement of unwrapping 4e books that arrived in the post.






Sorry ... cheating ... I know ...






I'll finish up later


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