And this cover rocks...in fact, your art is changing my opinion on the importance of art in RPG materials. LotFP is rapidly becoming the most distinctive of the retro-clones because it very much has a distinctive feel. The art is no small part of this.
It definitely draws the audience in, with the dead(?) body, cringing woman with baby, off-panel antagonist(s)(perhaps the buyer who will put these fictional people through so much misery in the name of adventure :-)) and the sorrowful but defiant sword wielding lady. This doesn't evoke the 'weird'(though perhaps in the archaic sense...) and 'haunting'(though the protagonists of the picture would disagree, I'm sure!) of a Fantastical World to me, like the previous cover did, though; rather the mysterious and menacing of a Historical Past Earth, but I'd say that's what you were looking for, correct? I find it evocative it, with the minor rankling of my dislike for the attire of the 'Age of Sail'. LotFP just keeps looking better and better! Looking forward to it!
Wow, I tried to do a piece not too far from this with my daughter as the sword wielding girl a couple years ago. It was more 12th century fantasy-land clothing instead of the period of dress here, the uncanny part is really the heroine in the middle.
The clothing and armor here are taken from the early 17th century, actually (as was the basic fashions for the box cover, with the coat being more a variation on 18th century design).
This isn't a new development - remember the criticism of No Dignity in Death that the feel wasn't medieval and out of sorts with most campaigns.
I've always thought that common campaign assumptions (freedom of movement, little in the way of feudalism or serfs, how economics worked with coin and trade) weren't very medieval anyway, so my games in the past half-decade have been a bit more explicit about getting away from the look as well.
Anyway, thanks for the comments everyone. Good to know I wasn't completely full-o-shit with the hype a few days back. :D
Still one more new cover to go. (no, the box cover is not changing)
Truly excellent! Something about this period of clothing puts me more in mind of horror/weird than the usual faux medieval (Renaissance Faire) stylings.
I've always thought that common campaign assumptions (freedom of movement, little in the way of feudalism or serfs, how economics worked with coin and trade) weren't very medieval anyway
FWIW, Gary Gygax agreed with you in his later days, which is why his Castle Zagyg, particularly the Yggsburgh book has a decidedly early modern feel to it, right down to powdered wigs. Me, I've always felt that the best analogy to the prototypical D&D was the Old West, but I'm not sure I'd want to emulate its fashions just because there's some commonality with its social structure.
Origin of the Flame Princess?
ReplyDeleteAnd this cover rocks...in fact, your art is changing my opinion on the importance of art in RPG materials. LotFP is rapidly becoming the most distinctive of the retro-clones because it very much has a distinctive feel. The art is no small part of this.
Very nice!
ReplyDeleteYeah, is this the Flame Princess before she turned Metal? Great piece.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE it.
ReplyDeleteI like that she is actually lamenting. You would think she would do that more, what with the title and all...
ReplyDeleteNice piece - I like it very much.
ReplyDeleteVery nice indeed. You are setting the bar high.
ReplyDeleteLove it. I am looking forward to this set coming out. How do you pre-order a copy?
ReplyDeleteWow! Can't wait for Grindhouse!
ReplyDeleteIt definitely draws the audience in, with the dead(?) body, cringing woman with baby, off-panel antagonist(s)(perhaps the buyer who will put these fictional people through so much misery in the name of adventure :-)) and the sorrowful but defiant sword wielding lady. This doesn't evoke the 'weird'(though perhaps in the archaic sense...) and 'haunting'(though the protagonists of the picture would disagree, I'm sure!) of a Fantastical World to me, like the previous cover did, though; rather the mysterious and menacing of a Historical Past Earth, but I'd say that's what you were looking for, correct? I find it evocative it, with the minor rankling of my dislike for the attire of the 'Age of Sail'. LotFP just keeps looking better and better! Looking forward to it!
ReplyDeleteWow, I tried to do a piece not too far from this with my daughter as the sword wielding girl a couple years ago. It was more 12th century fantasy-land clothing instead of the period of dress here, the uncanny part is really the heroine in the middle.
ReplyDeleteThat is a beautiful and moving painting. Congratulations to Jason Rainville!
ReplyDeleteKeep in mind, folks, this is just the cover to the Rules Book; not the cover to the box.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, my favorite piece of LotFP art to date. And I love how that's saying a lot.
Nice, but I hope the cover to the box remains the same.
ReplyDelete**Swoon**
ReplyDelete:)
ReplyDeleteIt elicits an emotional reaction and tells a story; I love how she's struggling to swing the heavy sword!
ReplyDeletePowerful! Awesome!
ReplyDeleteI'd *love* a print of this to accompany the one that we Gardening Society members received!
!!!
I like how it's not heroic in the standard sense but conveys a sense of desperate heroism in and of itself.
ReplyDeleteIt's awesome but does this mean that LotFP has shaken off the faux-medieval 'feel' in favour of 15-16th century?
ReplyDeleteThe clothing and armor here are taken from the early 17th century, actually (as was the basic fashions for the box cover, with the coat being more a variation on 18th century design).
ReplyDeleteThis isn't a new development - remember the criticism of No Dignity in Death that the feel wasn't medieval and out of sorts with most campaigns.
I've always thought that common campaign assumptions (freedom of movement, little in the way of feudalism or serfs, how economics worked with coin and trade) weren't very medieval anyway, so my games in the past half-decade have been a bit more explicit about getting away from the look as well.
Anyway, thanks for the comments everyone. Good to know I wasn't completely full-o-shit with the hype a few days back. :D
Still one more new cover to go. (no, the box cover is not changing)
Truly excellent!
ReplyDeleteSomething about this period of clothing puts me more in mind of horror/weird than the usual faux medieval (Renaissance Faire) stylings.
I've always thought that common campaign assumptions (freedom of movement, little in the way of feudalism or serfs, how economics worked with coin and trade) weren't very medieval anyway
ReplyDeleteFWIW, Gary Gygax agreed with you in his later days, which is why his Castle Zagyg, particularly the Yggsburgh book has a decidedly early modern feel to it, right down to powdered wigs. Me, I've always felt that the best analogy to the prototypical D&D was the Old West, but I'm not sure I'd want to emulate its fashions just because there's some commonality with its social structure.
Wonderfully evocative.
ReplyDeleteThis I like a lot.
ReplyDelete