But for fantasy art, its appeal dwindled shortly after The Great War. Narrative art is not a new concept. We can see its origins as far back as primitive cave and renaissance paintings. Whereas Larry Elmore talked about bringing out emotion from his subjects before or after combat-using foreshadowing or other suggested imagery. Although each artists’ approach was different, each was successful in creatively and effectively connecting with the viewer. Erol Otis relays in his interview how he would frame his scene with heroes triumphing while others in the party were struggling to survive combat with a strong show of emotion. As the documentary points out, the secret behind TSR’s art was its narrative suggestions–capturing a moment in time that stimulates the viewer to wonder about the events before, during, and after. For Dungeons and Dragons art to be more than its sum, it needed to do more. It’s a core element of Dungeons and Dragons and a logical beginning for this documentary.Ī stunning visual image is only as good as its ability to elicit a response or inspire the viewer. A visual representation of a place or thing aids a group, giving them a unifying perception on which to build on. A Dungeon Master can describe a scene or a creature for hours, but unless there is a constant unifying element, each listener will likely have a completely different visual image in their head. It’s a celebration of the art of Dungeons and Dragons.Īrt is a necessary tool for a collaborative game that is played essentially in your head. Eye of the Beholder: The Art of Dungeons and Dragons documentary examines the evolution of TSR’s art through interviews with the artists who create it and those it touched. It is most effective when it connects with the viewer and elicits an emotional response-for commercial art, a sale. Art is pivotal to visually expressing oneself, beginning with simple cave paintings depicting daily life to a commercially driven marketing tool. One of the first questions roleplayers inevitably ask of each other is where did you start in the hobby and why? What drew you to the hobby? What caught your eye? These questions are purely subjective, but I’m willing to bet art played a large part even if it is not acknowledged.