On RPG Art: Keep on Drawing (or painting, or digitizing, or printmaking) in the Free world
The topic of the moment in the blogosphere seems to be on the role of art in gamebooks. This topic tends to come up from time to time on the forums and on the blogs. This latest wave originated with James M. over at Grognardia and you can read it here. Stefan Poag offers further commentary on his blog here, Matt Finch also further expounds upon this topic in his blog here, along with N. Wright at Lawful Indiferent and most recently James Raggi.
As an artist that pretty much solely works for small press gamebook companies, I felt that it was only fitting that I chimed in. I think some very interesting points have been made on the topic, especially by Stefan Poag and Matt Finch. It is funny to me how many folks claim that they like low art/no art game books or prefer B&W over color as it help them fill in the details themselves. Frankly, as we should all know, it is really a matter of taste. The role of an RPG book is to convey rules or a setting. Art should complement that and not intrude on the function of the book. By that, I mean that the art shouldn't overwhelm the text on a page from a layout perspective. One should be able to read the text easily without having to strain due to the text being placed over a highly detailed artistic background. Pretty common sense I think. Some people even hold up the 3e era WotC rule books as being the biggest offenders. I don't find that in most cases that I have problems trying to read the text in the 3x game books (except that I find in the PHB and DMG the first page of a new chapter seems to be too graphic heavy and I can see those instances for a support of that argument). For me, the problem with the new stuff being put out by the larger companies isn't so much poor layout or too much color work, but more of a problem or aesthetics. I'm not quite sure where or when it became fashionable for artists to depict characters with impossibly sized weapons and armor. I'm not a big fan of the style, but unfortunately, it seems that it has permeated not just RPG books as the "in" thing, but comics, movies, video games, and indeed the very public consciousness as the way that fantasy art should be done.
I like Matt's inquest as to whether the OSR artists are evolving more along the lines of underground comic artists did and Stefan Poag's comment that 1) he can't draw like Lockwood 2) he probably wouldn't even if he could. I feel much the same. I don't disdain art heavy game books – I LOVE them. However, that being said, I have a particular taste and if there is a lack of verisimilitude, I tend to get turned off. I don't want to see guys with tiny heads and huge bodies wielding 10' swords – I'm just not willing to suspend my disbelief that much. It is funny considering that we are talking about fantasy here, but I think a touch of realism makes fantasy seem to be all the more – well, fantastic. Seeing a person outfitted in armor that resembles something from our historical past and accoutrements of a more human scale, transports me more into the scene. Well, that's why I suppose I find the OSR more my speed.
Now having said all of that, I have to say that I'm really applauding the efforts of guys like James Raggi pushing the envelope on what can be done with game books and even putting lots of art in his books. I'd like to see more color work in OSR game books. I mean, who wouldn't want to see a book that had work by say the likes of the Brothers Hildebrandt?
Or Frank Frazetta?
Or P. Craig Russel?
Even Wayne A. Reynolds, whom seems to be the bane of many art enthusiasts in the OSR has some pretty sweet work out there when he isn't being told to fit the corporate style of WotC or Paizo's art directors.
Do I think that the other guys like Stefan, ATOM, Glad, McDevitt, Scadgrad, Peter Mullen, Felt, AOS, or myself should not still continue to do art? Hell no I don't think that. I don't think that Frazetta's work invalidates my work – we have different styles, different techniques, different back grounds, different things to offer. Did I just dare to compare myself to Frazetta? Yeah, I did. We're both artists. Art is about exploring a vision. Everyone approaches it differently and the end results vary greatly. That is what is so awesome about it.
Finally, to get back on topic, I heartily encourage art in RPG books. I'd like to see more. I'd like to see B&W and color. I'd like to see wildly different and divergent stuff. I'd like to see more verisimilitude. I'd like to see stuff by guys I've never heard of. That's what's cool about this crazy quilt DIY kit-bash that we've involved in. Show me your rough strokes and finely polished finished results (after all Robert Crumb and Norman Rockwell are worlds apart but still respected masters of their own form of illustration – neither invalidates the other). Show me your crazy visions and I'll keep showing you mine ;).
As an artist that pretty much solely works for small press gamebook companies, I felt that it was only fitting that I chimed in. I think some very interesting points have been made on the topic, especially by Stefan Poag and Matt Finch. It is funny to me how many folks claim that they like low art/no art game books or prefer B&W over color as it help them fill in the details themselves. Frankly, as we should all know, it is really a matter of taste. The role of an RPG book is to convey rules or a setting. Art should complement that and not intrude on the function of the book. By that, I mean that the art shouldn't overwhelm the text on a page from a layout perspective. One should be able to read the text easily without having to strain due to the text being placed over a highly detailed artistic background. Pretty common sense I think. Some people even hold up the 3e era WotC rule books as being the biggest offenders. I don't find that in most cases that I have problems trying to read the text in the 3x game books (except that I find in the PHB and DMG the first page of a new chapter seems to be too graphic heavy and I can see those instances for a support of that argument). For me, the problem with the new stuff being put out by the larger companies isn't so much poor layout or too much color work, but more of a problem or aesthetics. I'm not quite sure where or when it became fashionable for artists to depict characters with impossibly sized weapons and armor. I'm not a big fan of the style, but unfortunately, it seems that it has permeated not just RPG books as the "in" thing, but comics, movies, video games, and indeed the very public consciousness as the way that fantasy art should be done.
I like Matt's inquest as to whether the OSR artists are evolving more along the lines of underground comic artists did and Stefan Poag's comment that 1) he can't draw like Lockwood 2) he probably wouldn't even if he could. I feel much the same. I don't disdain art heavy game books – I LOVE them. However, that being said, I have a particular taste and if there is a lack of verisimilitude, I tend to get turned off. I don't want to see guys with tiny heads and huge bodies wielding 10' swords – I'm just not willing to suspend my disbelief that much. It is funny considering that we are talking about fantasy here, but I think a touch of realism makes fantasy seem to be all the more – well, fantastic. Seeing a person outfitted in armor that resembles something from our historical past and accoutrements of a more human scale, transports me more into the scene. Well, that's why I suppose I find the OSR more my speed.
Now having said all of that, I have to say that I'm really applauding the efforts of guys like James Raggi pushing the envelope on what can be done with game books and even putting lots of art in his books. I'd like to see more color work in OSR game books. I mean, who wouldn't want to see a book that had work by say the likes of the Brothers Hildebrandt?
Or Frank Frazetta?
Or P. Craig Russel?
Even Wayne A. Reynolds, whom seems to be the bane of many art enthusiasts in the OSR has some pretty sweet work out there when he isn't being told to fit the corporate style of WotC or Paizo's art directors.
Do I think that the other guys like Stefan, ATOM, Glad, McDevitt, Scadgrad, Peter Mullen, Felt, AOS, or myself should not still continue to do art? Hell no I don't think that. I don't think that Frazetta's work invalidates my work – we have different styles, different techniques, different back grounds, different things to offer. Did I just dare to compare myself to Frazetta? Yeah, I did. We're both artists. Art is about exploring a vision. Everyone approaches it differently and the end results vary greatly. That is what is so awesome about it.
Finally, to get back on topic, I heartily encourage art in RPG books. I'd like to see more. I'd like to see B&W and color. I'd like to see wildly different and divergent stuff. I'd like to see more verisimilitude. I'd like to see stuff by guys I've never heard of. That's what's cool about this crazy quilt DIY kit-bash that we've involved in. Show me your rough strokes and finely polished finished results (after all Robert Crumb and Norman Rockwell are worlds apart but still respected masters of their own form of illustration – neither invalidates the other). Show me your crazy visions and I'll keep showing you mine ;).
Okay, you need to write up that Necromancer's Lab as a room, complete with stats for the potions and animate hands.
ReplyDeleteCapcha: Yoscrote. Perhaps he's the Necromancer in question?
Do you feel that in the 'PDF era', tastes and expectations of art in game materials have shifted?
ReplyDeleteExample: having background art on the pages of a printed book is great. I look at a lot of tabletop game materials and it always breaks my heart to have to wait a few seconds for a page with background elements to load on my computer screen in PDF format.
Art is indeed awesome.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that I absolutely hate most gamebook art, especially of the huge-ass sword variety. Even the best of that kind of art makes me think that the particular project feels like a comic book aimed at adolescents who don't feel comfortable merely reading something.
ReplyDeleteThe art and graphics splash (mast and column heads; super-busy margins and background elements) over-dominate and begin to feel more important than the text itself.
IMO the two need to balance and reinforce.
1. I can go either way, really, well done art can really bring a game alive for me and kick start my imagination. On the other hand, bad art has to be really, really, really bad to turn me off from an otherwise good game.
ReplyDelete2. I had no idea there was another dude in the community with a handle so similar to mine. apparently it's his initials, whereas in my case it's just a silly name I made up. He also draws better than I. Errg! Ego whiplash!
"Nods in agreement..."
ReplyDeleteI love the Necromancer's lab with the severed hands scampering around doing stuff.
I too long for the days when the RPG artwork wasn't apparently promoting steroids overdosing and Humans wielding Giantkin weapons. I also dislike armor that is so asymmetrical and gaudy as to look like an acid trip.
ReplyDeleteReally enjoying everyone riffing about art; thought about writing something myself, then reconsidered- I'm better off drawing. Thanks for including me in your example, too. I've stumbled across quite a few interesting talents in the OSR circle. Game books absolutely need art- I often buy books solely on the quality/ quantity of illustrations included. Raggi impressed the hell out of me when he announced Ernie Chan was doing a piece for his Grindhouse edition.
ReplyDelete@C'Nor and Limpey - The necromancer's lab actually was publishe in an Expeditious Retreat Advenced Adventures module and the hands were statted out. I believe it was Barrow Mound of Gravemoor (I need to get better at sorting my art).
ReplyDelete@Scottz - I'm not sure exactly what impact self publishing and pdf have had but I know it has had some impact. I think the current trend in RPG art is a carry over from comic books and viedo games. It seems that people need to have this "extreme" fix that is just so totally unappealing to me.
@Whisk - yes it is!
@Ckutalik- I like good fantasy art with a sense of verisimilitude. I do think folks have gone overboard a bit on the page borders and the like.
@Aos - It's all good. Keep on keepin on!
@Spiralbound - Exactly.
@Felt - Keep up the drawing. It keeps getting better and better. And yes, there are some GREAT tallents in the OSR. I just named but a tiny fraction.
Where is that Elric "Chaos Shield" picture from?
ReplyDelete@Akrasia- from the Tops Comics Elric series. I haven't read it, but I'm a huge fan of P. Craig Russell and his other Elric work.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
ReplyDelete