The art of Dungeons & Dragons has changed considerably over the years, and every edition has its staunch defenders. The question now is: What sort of art will grace the covers and pages of D&D Next?
I will make no apologies for my own preferences. I started role-playing in the era of Moldvay’s Basic Set, Cook’s Expert Set, and 1st edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (with the original covers). The illustrations that fire my imagination when I think of D&D — the illustrations that allow me to effortlessly slip the shackles of reality and enable me to be there — are those of Dave Trampier, Erol Otus, Jim Roslof, Darlene Pekul, and Russ Nicholson. Whereas later editions were increasingly dominated by commercial art and comic book art, the classic editions were populated with art that was original and even visionary. It was art that was as creative and liberating as the game it depicted. The artists I mentioned above were responsible for the look of D&D when it was at the pinnacle of its popularity. This is something worth considering.
If Wizards of the Coast really wants to recapture the true spirit of D&D, they would be well advised to choose their artists carefully from amongst those who have a personal interest in fantasy art, and not merely a financial one. This is an excellent opportunity to provide work for many artists who may be outside the mainstream, but who are exactly right for this frankly eccentric hobby. Another option would be to select illustrations from every edition to represent the D&D that encompasses all previous editions (with perhaps some new illustrations as well). And if neither of those options are acceptable, then I would plead for an edition with no illustrations rather than the soulless corporate hackwork that characterized the last two editions.
(It is worth mentioning that, according to EN World, “The Forgotten Realms will be supported from the start, and a video game art studio from China has been hired to fully detail the Realms.” If outsourcing the art to sweatshops in totalitarian nations is to be the strategy for D&D Next in general, then Wizards of the Coast doesn’t deserve custodianship of D&D. Human rights matter.)