I'm a big fan of well visualised rpg art. Huge in fact. Nothing gets me into a game more than a fully realised and coherent depiction of characters and setting. A picture is worth a thousand words, often ten thousand given the paucity of evocative background fluff in some rpg's.

Often, when short on ideas for scenarios I reach for nearest game book, select a picture and build a situation or micro-setting around it. Sometimes I'll take a dynamic, action filled illustration and use that as an in media res kickstart to a game, figuring out the backround details as I go along. Other times I'll imagine the picture as a possible finale, and try to create an environment with hooks that can lead to a situation where what's depicted becomes an in-game reality. Or anything in between. Monsters, NPC's, little bits of setting detail that help bring the game to life are all up for grabs.

So now I'm wondering "how common is this?" Are other players and GM's as visually led as I am? Has anyone created a setting entirely from the inspirational qualities of a strong artist or artists? I've often toyed with the idea of creating an entire world based purely upon artwork, just to see how it would pan out.

Thoughts? Opinion? Links to the artists whom fire up your imagination?

Well, for Rifts/Palladium, I love John Zeleznik, who just got his own art book, and Ramon Perez (love those inks!).  Also loved Kevin Eastman's work.

Aside from that, Elmore's stuff was iconic for me when I was starting out in
gaming.  Let's see, Mark Evans, Christine Griffin, Matt Wilson, Toren Atkinson, and yep, Brom, would all make my list, as well as about a dozen more I can't think of offhand.

I get a lot of inspiration from maps as well, so folks like Pete Fenlon and Rob Lazarretti were/are huge to me.

That's some fine artwork there, Zachary. I particularly like the b&w illustrations by Ramon Perez, didn't he do work for White Wolf once upon a time?

Also, a request. Does anyone know the name of the artist(s) responsible for Cadwallon? The cover pictures are superb, and I'd love to be able to view their homepage (if such a thing exists). The tone of the paintings look ideal for my forthcomiing Wilderlands campaign.

This might be what you're looking for.  The gallery and such are fantastic.

Quote from: Zachary The FirstThis might be what you're looking for.  The gallery and such are fantastic.

Niiiiiice. There's plenty of stuff in there I can use. Thanks a lot.

Shadowrun First Edition was filled with pieces that fueled our games, as were a lot of the early source books. At the time it was like nothing else we'd ever seen.

I'm still coming up with adventures based on Gamma World 1e art.
My favorite game art, though, is probably from the V&V book; some SHRPG have had better art in a technicle sense, but I don't think anyone captured the over the top possibility of playing supers better than Jeff Dee, although Bill willingham (v&V modules) might tie him.

Quote from: DrewOften, when short on ideas for scenarios I reach for nearest game book, select a picture and build a situation or micro-setting around it.

This is my default way of filling that blank page. Only I use my little collection of a couple hundred jpgs/pngs, neatly organized into NPCs (by class, race, and occupation if civilian), landscapes (forests, seaside, mountains, lakes...), monsters (lots of conceptart.org badasses), buildings, cities/villages...

I use them both for inspiration and as props. I lament the decline of the GM screen. I need to clip my little pics to something!

(No, I'm NOT showing them on a notebook screen. Total mood killer.)

Quote from: Pierce InverarityI use them both for inspiration and as props.

I do this.  The props thing is very handy.  Instead of describing an NPC/monster/location, I show them the picture.  Instead of trying to see if there is hidden meaning in my words on what's important, they can decide themselves what's important.
 
When I had more time, I'd browse Epilogue - it has tons of art at or near professional level.

Quote from: Pierce InverarityThis is my default way of filling that blank page. Only I use my little collection of a couple hundred jpgs/pngs, neatly organized into NPCs (by class, race, and occupation if civilian), landscapes (forests, seaside, mountains, lakes...), monsters (lots of conceptart.org badasses), buildings, cities/villages...

I use them both for inspiration and as props. I lament the decline of the GM screen. I need to clip my little pics to something!

(No, I'm NOT showing them on a notebook screen. Total mood killer.)

Have you seen the Savage Worlds GM shield? It's completely blank-- a sturdy black screen, each side covered a transparent plastic insert sleeve. Just print out your rules and artwork, slip them in the sleeves and away you go. I use it all the time.

Quote from: DrewSo now I'm wondering "how common is this?" Are other players and GM's as visually led as I am?

Our group definitely is. We take the cover illustration of an RPG book as one of the biggest inspirations to play. I still use old TSR module covers like Hall of the Fire Giant King and Village of Hommlet as my DM screen. And my players are even more visually-inspired than I am. My two main players spend most of each session working on character illustrations or sketching out the key scenes in our current session - kinda like that guy in that old kids show from the 70s-80s who would draw a story as the narrator read it out loud.

Quote from: DrewHave you seen the Savage Worlds GM shield? It's completely blank-- a sturdy black screen, each side covered a transparent plastic insert sleeve. Just print out your rules and artwork, slip them in the sleeves and away you go. I use it all the time.

That's genius. I gotta get one.

When we were kids we made homemade GM screens out of sheets of cardboard with xeroxed pictures from the 1E DMG and MM taped to the front. Trampier all the way, baby.

Huh! Funny, for an illustrator I'm pretty meh about illos myself - I'm much more word oriented. This may explain the reaction some folks have to my illos...

-clash

Quote from: flyingmiceHuh! Funny, for an illustrator I'm pretty meh about illos myself - I'm much more word oriented. This may explain the reaction some folks have to my illos...

-clash

Yeah, i'm not that bothered with art at all. It does, if done properly, give an idea of the tone and scope of the game, but i'm quite happy with the odd line sketch drawing and having the emphasis on the game and its text.

I'm out of fashion in this apparantly...

I'm running a Star Wars Saga game and I'm finding Ralph McQuarrie's concept art for Star Wars to be incredibly evocative.

I mean, this

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=6111086&context=set-152728&size=o

is great.  Sure, the Star Wars concept evolved after that - but still, this painting has such a wonderful, 70's-sci-fi feel that it brings me into a mindset where I want to think about making new stuff.

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=5804028&context=set-152728&size=l

and

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=6111081&context=set-152728&size=o

also rock.

-O