I really miss stuff like this and this.

I know it's another "back in my day everything was better" thread, but hey- if not here, then where are we to talk about such stuff? I just feel that nowadays one you enter a bookstore or a gamestore the cover art, or posters or what have just don't look nearly as good. Book covers are often either photos from movies or video games or some generic picture of a sword or something photoshopped in three minutes.

Over at the game side of things everything is also much more... I don't know, comic book-ish like this or this (although to be fair D&D 5th ed seems to be trying to go for something more old-school).

And video games- it seems that fantasy titles usually go for either Blizzard-like cartoonish graphics or a as realistic as possible Witcher style.

Now, some of that can be ok, some can be quite good. But I do miss the way that old-school art felt. More like something really outlandish and fantastic and not just a product.

I agree with how much more interesting the interpretations were.

I think you would like Frank Frazetta's work: http://frankfrazetta.org/

Katsuya Terada: https://www.instagram.com/katsuyaterada/

Terada also has done some awesome artwork for the original Legend of Zelda and Dragon Warrior (The Dragon Quest series, but his work was done back in the day when it was DW in North America). Just do a google or yahoo! search and check out his amazing work in images

Also, Yoshitaka Amano: http://www.elevenland.com/amano/amano.php3

Amano is famous for his work for the design and look of the early Final Fantasy Games and Vampire Hunter D.

He still does work for the collector's editions.

I like Frazetta's work a lot, he's work (or at least this style) is [retty much what comes first to my mind when I think of classic sword & sorcery type stuff.

And Amano is actually one of the very, very few japanese artists whose work I can stand. And the only one whose name I remember, thanks to his work on Neil Gaiman's Dream Hunters.

That first pic immediately made me think of Heavy Metal (nsfw trailer).

An agreed, it's a really cool theme. Thankfully there doesn't seem to be any shortage of artwork like it. If only there were more games and movies like it.

god I love that movie

I need to watch that again.

The whole beginning bit with Sammy rocking and the car in space. It doesn't get any better.

Here is some art from soviet magazine Tekhnika Molodezhi, enjoy!
Old sci-fy / fantasy art has it's style.

Can't say I ever enjoyed that era of sci-fi art (I have more modern artists I can relate to), but the fantasy art, man, that was quite something and I agree with you, is sorely missed.

I see some links were posted already, so I won't be redundant but add to that.

Don't miss out on Boris Vallejo or Larry Elmore.

From the "new school" of fantasy art I tend to enjoy most of Luis Royo's work, but I won't post any links with his work here since he sometimes goes fully 18+, and there's talk of impending forum moderation :).

My favorite part:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZlBre8lOeQ

On Boris' page, second row, third pain over, the one titled Swords and Magic: That is Golden Axe.


Not that it is surprising as he did the box art for Golden Axe II,

When I'm in a nostalgic mood I find myself doing searches for Larry Elmore, DragonLance, the Brothers Hildebrandt, "old school fantasy art," etc.

I can't argue with anything you said. Not that I wanted to.

That's good stuff, but it takes years to get good at it (like most things, admittedly) and I assume it's hard to make a living these days off art.

Its a style of art I have always enjoyed. I believe it expresses wonder in a far superior way than others. In many ways it was continued in to the 80's but then we started to see a shift into other directions, which arguably is fine.

I hope to draw into the style in time, though I admit personal failings giving rise to excuses, that assuage my mind when I am not practicing. But honestly that's all it comes down to, practice. Never put faith into the Idea that some people were more special then the rest of us. If you have the passion to enjoy the style, you already have it in you to add to it.

Yeah the best, though on the fantasy side Fire and Ice comes close.

Favorite scene is the bit with the pentagon and that music that plays as they get sucked through the roof, but I can't find a clip of it with the original music.

I love that red dragon one. Classic D&D stuff. I have my issues with D&D as a game, always had, but I do love the classic D&D art and the high fantasy adventure feel it radiated.

Trust me, you need to have some baisic talent for the thing first. I could never draw like that, not well at least. Maybe after a decade or two of practice I could be mediocre at it, but there's little point in that. I like to draw, but I'm not very good at it, and I have to be happy with the kinda style that comes naturally to me.

Fire and Ice was fun, though the Caveman Batman distracted the hell out of me.