The Download Munkey : Finder of Things …

Now before I started writing stuff for The Download Munkey, the first thing that came to mind when someone mentioned fantasy art to me, was the classic stuff from Wizards of the Coast’s Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (AD&D).

After discovering Paizo Publishing’s blog not too long ago, I think I now know much better Actually I read about Paizo Publishing after discovering Blue Moon Rising months ago, but it was only recently that I found the RSS link to the Paizo blog.

Now, I usually associate Wizards of the Coast stuff with the “classical” notions of fantasy brawny male warriors in full plate armour and busty female warriors and wizards in robes and female elves resembling human females with pointy ears. There’s nothing wrong with all these of course, but Paizo’s artworks have dispelled some of those stereotypical ideas of what and how fantasy beings should look like.

The fantasy art lovers among us are definitely in for a treat when visiting Paizo’s blog. Posts which explore the worlds that serve as the settings for Paizo’s games are usually accompanied by fantastic artworks. And they’re not just the tiny resized images like on this blog, but high-res, high quality pieces like this below if you bother to click on them (on the blog, not here ).

© Paizo Publishing

Taken from Pathfinder #7 as illustrated by Wayne Reynolds. More at the December 2007 archives.

© Paizo Publishing

Yet another artwork by Wayne Reynolds from the November 2007 archives, this time being the cover of Pathfinder #6.

© Paizo Publishing

And this illustration titled Harvester of Souls from the September 2007 archives and taken from the GameMastery Module : Gallery of Evil.

© Paizo Publishing

The half-elf Seltyiel who thirsts for revenge after a life of torment and misfortune at the hands of his father and stepfather. View the high res image and read his story from the above link.

© Paizo Publishing

From Carnival of Tears, an illustration of a Cold Rider, a fey prince warped by the corrupting magics of the Witch Queen of Irrisen. More about the Cold Riders from the November 2007 archives. If I’m not wrong, this piece is done by John Gravato, who also does illustrations for Warhammer 40,000.

© Paizo Publishing

An unfortunate victim of a dreaded torture device - The Iron Maiden - from the January 2008 archives. From the GameMastery Module : Hangman’s Noose.

© Paizo Publishing

This piece above illustrating the fantasy races in a different light from “Traditional Fantasy” as shown in the beta release of Paizo Pathfinder : Roleplaying Game. Download the beta release and buy the print edition if you like it enough

Check out the Paizo Publishing blog or susbcribe to their RSS feed.

MORE @ THE DOWNLOAD MUNKEY:
Blue Moon Rising - Fantasy Art Site
Paizo Pathfinder Wallpapers by Wayne Reynolds
John Gravato - Illustrator
Game Book Covers @ Mithrandir’s Gamebook Grotto
Cover Art & Wallpapers for Forgotten Realms Books
Magic: The Gathering Wallpaper of the Week Archive