TD does DAT
About a month ago I posted a bunch of old Dungeons & Dragons art from the early part of my career on my facebook page, (which were well received to my utter delight). As I scanned the dingy drawings, I realized that some were pushing 20 years old already…yikes!
This was on the heels of my reminisce of breaking into the RPG industry for Wizards of the Coast’s creative director, Jon Schindehette. On top of that was a revisit to Planescape (sort of) for Black Gate magazine’s series on the history of gaming illustration.
The editor for Black Gate had asked me to create a new piece using the same mediums and tools I had used in my 90′s heyday. However, I was down in Florida at the time working away on the final art for WondLa and had very limited time and art supplies. Instead, I opted to create a piece that was a more modern approach. The result was a hybrid of both art styles found in WondLa and Planescape.
Despite the fact that the drawing style for WondLa was cleaner and tighter than Spiderwick, the inking process for the illustrations involved the usual warm-up exercises. Leading up to the Black Gate piece were a handful of old D&D and Planescape warm-up drawings (something I’ve done before).
Most of the warm-ups I do are a hodgepodge of doodles, usually focused on an aspect of the piece I am preparing to ink (like hair, buildings or plants). Sometimes, I will stick with the warm-up and complete an entire image. However, the drawing is then discarded as I slide right into inking the final art. Its sort of like stretching and jogging in place before beginning a morning run.
Many times these doodles are inconsequential to what I am working on. They can be favorite scenes from books, explorations for possible new characters for a story, life drawing and studies. So here’s an ink warm-up done last summer during the WondLa art session of a D&D goblin.
Recognize the pose? You old timers will, it’s after David Trampier’s goblin done for the AD&D Monster Manual back when boomboxes and Rubik’s cubes ruled. And as many remember, the enigmatic Trampier simply signed his work DAT.
As you can see, I’ve been a fan of this piece for many years.
…and wanted to do a new version 29 years later(!) I hope you like’em. (Click for a larger image)
As I came off of the Black Gate piece and returned to my work on WondLa I thought of the journey I had taken thusfar. Its a journey that I am happy to say I am still traveling on and sharing with my longtime fans.
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Oh man, YES. Planescape is how I found out about you, & seeing new DnD stuff– warm up or not– does my old ticker good.
I’m delighted to have joined you on that journey for the last… criminy, it *is* almost 20 years, isn’t it?
Keep up the excellent work, my friend.
Many thanks, Tony. I can’t get enough of you posting your D&D related illustrations: Here, FB, Black Gate, Kobold Quarterly, you name it — whether it’s yesterday’s doodle or something you dug up from 20 years ago! I just wish Paizo could afford you…
I second everything that Theodric has said. Your style has long been held by me as one of the three greatest fantasy artist. There is something both so innocent and fantastic about your work, and you have long been one of my artistic heroes. And another voice added to the strong desire to see you grace the works of Paizo’s Pathfinder RPG.
Thanks guys,
I am hoping to compile these unpublished drawings into some type of art sketchbook down the road. I just need to carve out the time to do it. In the meantime, I’ll keep sharing on the site:)
I remember looking through the Planescape Campaign Setting Box and thinking how the artwork really made the planes feel like something different. I need to go pick up a copy of The Spider and the Fly for my son (he is only 4 months old so I have some time). I would also love to see some of you work in a Paizo product.
Gotta say, I’ve loved this art for a long time. Your work makes me feel like I’m gaming again for the first time, especially since it was some of the first art I can recall in my gaming experience. Chalk up another vote for someone wanting to see your art in Pathfinder RPG.
I will add my voice to the many who miss your wonderful art in RPGs in general. Your artistic stylings were a big reason why I have a complete collection of TSR’s Planescape books. I still kick myself for not buying the original picture of the Sensate’s factol Erin Montgomery you had up for sale on your late-Nineties website (though at the time $400 and change seemed like a lot of dough). Seeing your art in Pathfinder would just about make my decade.
Keep up the great illustration work and I will continue to hope I win the Powerball and can commission some planar retrospectives from you!
cool, I like this.
Did you draw all the pictures in your books?
In most of them, yes, Taylor:)