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Arion Elenim
Senior Scribe
933 Posts |
 Posted - 28 Nov 2002 : 05:00:54
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I started reading the Drizzt series right as Legacy was released...and have a question which has boggled my mind for years.....
What moron decided that Drizzt Do'Urden should appear to have pink skin on the cover? And then what moron decided to do it again? Did the artist bother to read the book at all? And what is worse, Drizzt appears monstrously old and ugly.....at first I didn't think it was him at all...
Any thoughts?
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My latest Realms-based short story, about a bard, a paladin of Lathander and the letter of the law, Debts Repaid. It takes place before the "shattering" and gives the bard Arion a last gasp before he plunges into the present.http://candlekeep.com/campaign/logs/log-debts.htm |
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Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2002 : 09:06:08
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I agree! I didnt think that the picture on the front of the old drow was Drizzt! Maybe i tried to fool myself into believing it was another drow beacuse it didnt resemble Drizzt in the slightest and burst any bubble I had of his image!
So what IS the best picture of Drizzt throughout all FR products and novels?! |
Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
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Thomas M. Reid
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author
334 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2002 : 13:50:42
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Check out the following feature on WotC's website:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=books/fr/drizzt2
I've sat in on more than one discussion with the authors about their depictions of drow. All of them have always said it's terribly difficult to paint someone who's utterly black (not various shades of brown, like someone of African origin, but someone who's pitch black) and then set that figure in a dark, gloomy background (like the Underdark). There just wouldn't be any detail at all in the painting. They've experiemented with shades of gray, going a blue-black route, and even using purple tones to try to capture what a drow's black skin looks like. And they've never been completely happy with the results.
As for the old part, I can't help you as much. Part of it is just those particular artist's styles (all of Jeff Easley's characters tend to look like that, and Robh Ruppel always paints from real models, and he picked a more mature fellow who worked in the cartography dept. for that image on Starless Night.), and part of it undoubtedly was the result of some confusion during the art order ("Drizzt is older, more mature" became "Drizzt is old").
Incidentally, I've always been partial to the Elmore depiction of him on The Crystal Shard. Not only is he a cool-looking drow, but he's a cool ranger as well--nice and mysterious. In fact, it's one of my favorite depictions of fantasy characters. It captures so many things--their heroism, their skill and experience, how cold it must be, and how serious they are. And they're not doing anything except staring at something off-page! That also happens to be Bob's favorite. 
Thomas |
"A knight is not truly virtuous, only truly resolved to be so."
www.thomasmreid.com |
Edited by - Thomas M. Reid on 28 Nov 2002 14:11:50 |
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Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2002 : 14:35:20
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Thanks for the info Thomas 
I agree, my favorite picture of Drizzt is the one on The Crystal Shard. Although looking at him you probably wouldnt think that he is a drow but its a very good picture anyway and definately depicts a ranger.
I never really thought of drow as being totally pitch black. I always thought of more of a blue-black color or deep grey\charcoal. |
Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
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ArcticKnight
Learned Scribe
USA
169 Posts |
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Drummer Boy
Senior Scribe
USA
395 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2002 : 21:39:54
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quote:
Originally posted by Rad
Thanks for the info Thomas
I agree, my favorite picture of Drizzt is the one on The Crystal Shard. Although looking at him you probably wouldnt think that he is a drow but its a very good picture anyway and definately depicts a ranger.
I never really thought of drow as being totally pitch black. I always thought of more of a blue-black color or deep grey\charcoal.
Yes, I'd have to agree. The picture on the Crystal Shard makes him look mysterious, and it is a very good picture. BTW, has anyone noticed that on some books he appears to have a gold plate thing on his head? I've never heard any of the books mention it but there it is on some of the books. |
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Arion Elenim
Senior Scribe
933 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2002 : 21:55:48
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Personally, I thought his appearance on Sojourn was fine....as well as the image on the cover of Realms of Valor (also appearing on this sites Home Page)...it shouldn't be as difficult as the former authors have made it seem...and it CERTAINLY shouldn't result in the simply atrocious Clint-Eastwood image on Starless Night......
In my opinion, the drow probably come in many shades (like all races), including a charcoal-grey color as well as a so-black-as-to-be-blue shade (ala Superman's hair, etc.) that could even border on purlple.
As to where in the Nine Hells we got the idea for baby-butt pink I have NO clue.....especially if lighting was a problem....I don't see why that color was chosen if we simply HAD to change colors - if there was a more extreme opposite to drow skin we couldn't find it.... and what is more, many artists have been able to rectify and draw poor Drizzt correctly......I really like Thousand Orc artist Todd Lockwood - very young, intense, handsome....that's the drow I wanna see....
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My latest Realms-based short story, about a bard, a paladin of Lathander and the letter of the law, Debts Repaid. It takes place before the "shattering" and gives the bard Arion a last gasp before he plunges into the present.http://candlekeep.com/campaign/logs/log-debts.htm |
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Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2002 : 22:45:52
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quote:
Originally posted by ArcticKnight
my favorite Drizzt
http://bromart.com/gallery/DarkPast/images/Dritz.jpg
also if u look in the bottom left corner u can see Guens eyes.
This really is a very good picture of Drizzt. What product is it from? Although he is a good drow, you can still see the menace and fierceness in his chiseled face. The armor is fantastic too! I congratuate the artist, THIS is now my favorite Drizzt picture by far! |
Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
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Mumadar Ibn Huzal
Master of Realmslore
1338 Posts |
Posted - 29 Nov 2002 : 09:16:57
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quote:
Originally posted by Thomas M. Reid
As for the old part, I can't help you as much. Part of it is just those particular artist's styles (all of Jeff Easley's characters tend to look like that, and Robh Ruppel always paints from real models, and he picked a more mature fellow who worked in the cartography dept. for that image on Starless Night.), and part of it undoubtedly was the result of some confusion during the art order ("Drizzt is older, more mature" became "Drizzt is old").
Thomas
I'm not so familiar with all the artists behind the artwork, but what I have noticed is that on a couple of covers elves (including drow) have more the appearance of almost chubby cheeked humans then what one would expect an elf to look like. One of the covers that comes to mind is from the hard cover of the book that deals with Fyodor and Liriel (can't recall the title). The girl that probably depicts Liriel is definitely way too human to be considered and elf let alone drow.
Something in defense of the artists, going only from descriptions and then trying to paint a lifelike looking person might be quite daunting, I know I can't (yet... ) |
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briar37
Acolyte
USA
13 Posts |
Posted - 30 Nov 2002 : 01:25:03
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I think that most of all of the pictures arent that well drawn with the Drizzt i have in my mind. I guess everyone's perception of Drizzt's picture or face is diffrent. I think they best pictures of Drizzt have to be the pictures off of "A Thousand Orcs" and " A Sea Of Swords." I think the picture on the book "The Crystal Shard" he doesn't look like a Drow at all but a dark colored African American. Also that picture at your link has to be one of the best pictures i have evern seen of him but my only complaint has to be that he looks abit feminine for such a masculine character. |
Currently Reading:
"Sojourn" by R.A Salvatore
Next Book:
Don't Know yet |
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briar37
Acolyte
USA
13 Posts |
Posted - 30 Nov 2002 : 01:27:27
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Also i forgot to add.. On the cover of the Dark elf Trilogy Drizzt looks old and burly. He looks wide and bloated under all of that armor.
Also, honestly what is the metal headpiece he wears? |
Currently Reading:
"Sojourn" by R.A Salvatore
Next Book:
Don't Know yet |
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Baron Sengir
Acolyte
Turkey
28 Posts |
Posted - 15 Dec 2002 : 18:27:21
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quote:
Originally posted by Rad
quote:
Originally posted by ArcticKnight
my favorite Drizzt
http://bromart.com/gallery/DarkPast/images/Dritz.jpg
also if u look in the bottom left corner u can see Guens eyes.
This really is a very good picture of Drizzt. What product is it from? Although he is a good drow, you can still see the menace and fierceness in his chiseled face. The armor is fantastic too! I congratuate the artist, THIS is now my favorite Drizzt picture by far!
I must say that this is indeed the best Drizzt picture.But isn't the armor look like it is metallic,much like a plate mail???And he does not have the "golden thing"(I don't know its name :))on his forehead.Did he take it out on the surface??But I must say that his features are perfect... |
If you were a dream,I would sleep forever... |
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kellinjar
Acolyte
Canada
23 Posts |
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briar37
Acolyte
USA
13 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jan 2003 : 02:45:54
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| Hey, does anyone have a link to the sequel to "A Thousand Orcs"? I just want to know what the cover looks like, it better be as good as ATO. |
Currently Reading:
"Sojourn" by R.A Salvatore
Next Book:
Don't Know yet |
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Lost Elph
Seeker
USA
61 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jan 2003 : 04:44:52
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My fav Drizzt pic is the one on Thousand Orcs.  hehehe when Sadonayerah got that book and broght it to school I took it from her and wouldn`t give it back cause I wanted the pic!
Drawing and coloring drow pics, for me anyways, isn`t that hard but I guess thats because I draw in anime style. |
I`m not lost, my dreams are.
I am one of those people who go through life unseen, but I don`t think of it as a bad thing, no I think of it as an opportunity |
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Sadonayerah Odrydin
Learned Scribe
USA
210 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jan 2003 : 05:02:25
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In my opinion (and I'm agreeing with all who said this) I think that the pics of Drizzt on the covers of the Dark Elf Trilogy and the Legacy series depict him as being waaaay to old. And seriously, what *is* with that head piece? It's kinda pointless really. (my opinion)
the pics of Drizzt I like the most are the ones drawn like the one on "A Thousand Orcs." That was well drawn and I think it gave a better picture of what Drizzt looks like. (Don't get me wrong, the one fanart I looked at was *really* good. that would suit Drizzt better too.)
To Elph: I remember that...I practically had to pry your hands off it with a crow bar, you had such a strong grip!  (Lol!) |
"What's that," asked Mogget.
"Sardines," said Sam. "I knew they were standard rations, so I got a few tins for you."
"What are sardines?" Moggest asked suspiciously. "And why is there a key? Is this some sort of Abhorsen joke?"
Abhorsen by Garth Nix
"What you made a vampire...Pomeranian?!" --Hannibal King from Blade Trinity
~Sadie |
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Ranaghar Tsaran
Learned Scribe
Poland
133 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2003 : 15:53:01
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quote:
Originally posted by Lost Elph
My fav Drizzt pic is the one on Thousand Orcs.
Yes, indeed. I think, that it is the best, too. But the Drizzt's picture on "The Crystal Shard" is very good too. |
"Do not be afraid of greatness. Some achieve greatness, some are born great, and some have greatness thrust upon them..." |
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DrizzitFan
Acolyte
Singapore
26 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2003 : 06:52:56
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If you check out rasalvatore.com, there's an interactive thread with salvatore which touches on how Drizzt looks.
Apparently RAS mentioned that (then) publishers had the final say on the artist for the cover n the authors had no control, there was further discussion on the characterization of the drow, why the slant towards gray/grey instead of black etc, but i cannot remember the gist of it. 
But RAS does state that his Drizzt is the Crystal Shard one. |
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Mythander
Learned Scribe
USA
121 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2003 : 15:53:37
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quote:
Originally posted by briar37
Hey, does anyone have a link to the sequel to "A Thousand Orcs"? I just want to know what the cover looks like, it better be as good as ATO.
Here you are my Freind.
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/frnovel/179860000
Behold the Glory. |
Wow! That has no saving throw written all over it. |
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Mournblade
Master of Realmslore
USA
1287 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2003 : 00:53:53
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Before Todd Lockwood, my favourite drawing of Drizzt was larry Elmore/
As for Daughter of the Drow, which I have ranted about before, I think they replaced Liriel's head with the head of the COW that was running TSR at the time as a type of inside JOKE that upset jsut about every reader I talked too...
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A wizard is Never late Frodo Baggins. Nor is he Early. A wizard arrives precisely when he means to... |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31777 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2003 : 07:08:24
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Mournblade said -
quote:
Before Todd Lockwood, my favourite drawing of Drizzt was larry Elmore
Actually, I still find myself preferring Elmore's very unique renditions of Drizzt, even though Lockwood's own images of Drizzt are exceptional, to say the least.
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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MuadDib
Senior Scribe
South Africa
442 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2003 : 08:32:56
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I like the Drzzt from the Thousand... book, he just seems more cool there
I guess it is difficult to capture a picture of what a dark elf looks like and at the same time capture his morality and all the other things we love about him... |
MuadDib - Candlekeep Inn Barhand |
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Dantrag
Learned Scribe
USA
141 Posts |
Posted - 01 Aug 2003 : 21:16:12
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| In the books Drizzt was said to be very handsome. Shoudra Stargleam said and i quote"Was he as handsome as they say". There the verdict is that the artists don't study the character the draw... |
" The truth comes out only in bold and underlined" |
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Dantrag
Learned Scribe
USA
141 Posts |
Posted - 01 Aug 2003 : 21:22:08
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quote:
Originally posted by Mythander
quote:
Originally posted by briar37
Hey, does anyone have a link to the sequel to "A Thousand Orcs"? I just want to know what the cover looks like, it better be as good as ATO.
Here you are my Freind.
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/frnovel/179860000
Behold the Glory.
This is a great cover...it really gives a mature edge to Drizzt that we don't normally see. The Hunters side is done niceley... |
" The truth comes out only in bold and underlined" |
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Drizzt's appearance
