kbmcvay Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 The Artists of TSR Are there any fans of the artists at TSR, specifically the professional artists they hired starting from 1983 onwards? My favorites were: Jeff Easley, Larry Elmore, Keith Parkinson and Clyde Caldwell (special mention of Brom on the Dark Sun products in the later days of TSR). All of the covers these guys produced (Red Box, the AD&D hardcovers, Dragon Magazine, Dragonlance, etc.) were a great time for Fantasy art. Caldwell's art has probably aged the worst to my eyes, it really has a mid 1980's vibe to it that looks dated. Elmore's early 80's stuff has that too to some extent, but it still works for me in a way that Caldwell's doesn't. The Red Box by Elmore will always be my favorite piece from TSR with his Death of Sturm and Avalyne the Life Giver rounding out the top 3. Strangely, I actually prefer Easley slightly to Elmore, but he doesn't crack my top 3 pieces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comix4fun Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 I actually contacted Clyde Caldwell a few years back to recreate my favorite Dragon magazine cover that he had done decades earlier. The original had sold at auction a year earlier and I had just missed it and had no luck prying it from it's owner. So I contacted Clyde directly. It didn't work out as his commission rate was beyond my appreciation and desire to own a recreation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronty Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 (edited) I like all of them. My favorite Parkinsons are the few pinball backglasses he did: little clearer here: Edited May 10, 2017 by Bronty F For Fake and BCarter27 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HouseofComics.Com Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 I remember being surprised to see some cool Willingham art in a Top Secret module, the second one. the Dragon Magazine covers are the highlight for me. It's been a little too long for me to quite pick favorites, though all of us loved the three part chess series around issue 100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comix4fun Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 7 hours ago, HouseofComics.Com said: I remember being surprised to see some cool Willingham art in a Top Secret module, the second one. the Dragon Magazine covers are the highlight for me. It's been a little too long for me to quite pick favorites, though all of us loved the three part chess series around issue 100. This is the one that stuck with me the most for some reason... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronty Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 I like it, but the drawing on some of Clydes stuff bugs me at times. On that one the white-robed figure's stance just doesn't look quite right to me - the right leg esp. I know what he's going for but I think the knee comes out so low and far that it doesn't look right and if you think about extending that leg, implies the legs are two different lengths. The caldwell I used to have had a similar issue going on too, this time with a horses legs underneath the horses battle skirt, so I get the sense he'd just draw the skirt without really mapping out what the legs should look like underneath. Good artist and I'm nitpicking but it just bugged me personally Artboy99 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodou Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 Leg? Really. I had to fight to see that even being told. Looks like somebody is hiding (snacking?) under the tablecloth to me. Artboy99 and ESeffinga 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffro. Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 12 hours ago, Bill C said: Yeah, Bill Willingham (I assume those D and D comic ads were TSR?). But that might have been pre-1983? Yes, those ads were TSR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ESeffinga Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 Bahahaha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffro. Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 Denis Beauvias cover to Dragon Magazine # 92 J.Sid and F For Fake 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronty Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 Cool piece Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanfingh Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 Don't forget Erol Otus celluloidbuff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comix4fun Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 12 minutes ago, seanfingh said: Don't forget Erol Otus He's my #1 favorite, and most nostalgically well-remembered, artist but the OP mentioned pre-83 and the Otus work I love is all 78-81. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlowUpTheMoon Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 2 hours ago, seanfingh said: Don't forget Erol Otus Why does it say you joined late last year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HouseofComics.Com Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 2 hours ago, Jeffro. said: Denis Beauvias cover to Dragon Magazine # 92 Yeah, that one is definitely a favorite. I like Dragon 63 IIRC with the brigands in the woods coming upon our party. Did Erol Otus do the cover for #55? That one seems like classic Otus, again IIRC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanfingh Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 12 minutes ago, BlowUpTheMoon said: Why does it say you joined late last year? When they merged my accounts it happened like that. My custom is wrong too. It used to be "You earn it. It's like MMA for Nerds." But I remembered it wrong and told Arch wrong and now it is wrong. via Imgflip Meme Generator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlowUpTheMoon Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 5 minutes ago, seanfingh said: When they merged my accounts it happened like that. My custom is wrong too. It used to be "You earn it. It's like MMA for Nerds." But I remembered it wrong and told Arch wrong and now it is wrong. Gotcha. That makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanfingh Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 It really does, doesn't it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlowUpTheMoon Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 Sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlowUpTheMoon Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 On the other hand, it seems like your join date would be closer to the date of the merge, not months before the merge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
