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Unrealistic Fantasy Art

LadyRhianLadyRhian Member Posts: 14,694
edited October 2013 in Off-Topic
When you go looking for a pic for your character for the game, you see a LOT of fantasy art. But some of the choices the artists make can be... curious. Armor with gaps and holes in places that would give foes easy access for a killing blow, armor that would need serious amounts of glue to stay on, and characters who are functionally naked. (Not ACTUALLY naked- this is a PG-13 forum, please). I'm not talking about artistic skill, but art that makes you do a double-take when it comes to what the characters are wearing.

Here are some pictures of bad fantasy art. Please post your own (But remember, no nudity!).

image by Anson7 "Yes, this G-string gives me real ease of movement!"
image "What do you mean, am I a dominatrix?"
image by Ilari "Because my arms and Legs are important! The rest of me- not so much."
image by Alikaspoglu "Three Words- Boob Window Armor."
image by LorenzoDiMauro "I dunno about you, man, but my Boobs need to breathe!"
image by Alikaspoglu "Most uncomfortable Bustier Ever! Or, "Why be groped by a man when your armor can do that for you?"
image by blizzard67 "No, armor only needs to cover the front of you!"
image by Velinov "How does my armor stay on? Magic and hope- and an endless vat of glue!"
image by Ketka "Three straps and done!"
image "I use mental power to hold my breast cups in place."
image by nathanrosario "Who Needs Armor? I have PAINT."
image by PierluigiAbbondanza "What keeps up my top? Wouldn't you like to know!"
image by o0magus "Filling your breasts with helium means never needing support!"
image by Xanditz "Are those underpants, or is she wearing a bathing suit with a abdomen window?"
Post edited by Dee on
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Comments

  • LadyRhianLadyRhian Member Posts: 14,694
    image by Feohria "The half-skirt: the most coverage you will ever need!"
    image by FlorindaZanetti "I buy my bustiers two sizes too tight for distraction reasons!"
    image by BrentWoodside "Charm Person didn't work? How about if I flash my bottom at you?"
    image by WhoAmI01 "So wrapped up in my battle, I barely notice I'm losing my clothes..."
    image by Ayyasap "When I went looking for mage robes, I saw bondage gear and never looked back!"
    image by Yuikami "Metal Boob caps make a comeback."
    image by 88grzes "Is it hot in here, or is it just me?"
    image by Smolin This has to be the least practical costume I have ever seen...
    image by blizzard67 "The Fur Bikini- because it's cold in the Underdark! But not THAT cold."
    image by Hyagami "Because a bikini and woad provide the best protection!"
    image by OnlyMilo "Maybe I should have sprung for armor after all!"
    image by LASAHIDO "Shells are just as strong as steel!"
    image by Almanegra "My horse is more important than me, so that's why it's more armored than me!"
    image also by Almanegra "Metal Bikini completely protects my stomach and abdomen... Oh, wait..."
    image by SicilianValkyrie "No, this metal embedded in my skin doesn't hurt at all. Not after the drugs kick in, anyway..."
    image by taman88 "A knitted drape to cover my chest and a half skirt are all the armor I need!" I mean seriously, dudette is functionally naked. WHY?!
    image by Krukof2 "Real barbarian women wear chainmail undies." (And as a woman, all I can say is "OUCH! Pulled hairs on my lady parts HURT!")
    image by AllenGeneta Another one of "How does this stay on?" Look at how slack the ties are. Really, dude? http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2013/264/7/a/coral_princess_by_allengeneta-d6n6r37.jpg
    image by Atma33 That piece of red fabric isn't covering her at all. It would have to be lower to cover ANYTHING. Makes me wonder WHY it's there...
    image by dleoblack That's metal. Not even spirit gum can hold THAT up. So how does it stay up? And how can it move with her?
    image by AndreiAugrai This is two straps and a drape. How does this survive any kind of combat?
    image by Cha4os Ugh. That looks *SO* uncomfortable to wear! Every time she moves, those spikes are gonna dig into her. Eesh!
  • LadyRhianLadyRhian Member Posts: 14,694
    edited October 2013
    image by noiprox Sensible clothes, but chest covered by knotted string. WHAT?!
    image by Cryptcrawler Even MORE impractical. How does that stay on at all?
    Thin cloth and cold weather DO NOT MIX. (removed by request)
    image by liarath Okay, I take it back. THIS has to be the least comfortable bustier EVER. And how many gallons of hairspray/Hairgel does she use to keep her hair like that? Are we up to 30 gallon drums yet?
    image by Debuhista No matter how good you are at magic, walking around in thigh-high boots and a bikini MAKES NO SENSE.
    image Is it just me, or is her neck broken? Seriously, one of the most impractical armors...
    image by Evren-ince Keyhole equals "Hit me here for max experience!"
    image by beonarri Seriously wonky anatomy. Check out her arm holding the apple.
    image by s0lnce Has this character spent time among the giraffe people of Africa? Swan-necked to the extreme!
    image by Dragonnick741 I just look at this and think "...NO."
    image by berezka Sharp pointy spikes on your armor should never be in a position where they can hurt YOU.
    Post edited by LadyRhian on
  • reedmilfamreedmilfam Member Posts: 2,808
    LadyRhian said:

    Sharp pointy spikes on your armor should never be in a position where they can hurt YOU.

    Also applies to spiked pauldrons, another fantasy trope. The gashes in the protagonist's cheeks would be amazing. Then there's the spiked gauntlets and greaves - more dangerous to the wielder than to any enemy, as arms go all over when you're using weapons. The femme armor trope is well-documented here (nicely done) but there's lots of other stuff wrong with many of the fantasy themes in art.
  • LadyRhianLadyRhian Member Posts: 14,694
    @Reedmilfam You're right. Another weird thing I encountered is pregnant, half or completely naked necromancers. (No pictures, sorry.) WTF is up with that? Is this some strange fetish thing I somehow bumped into? And the naked pictures alone could fill endless books. Characters who are fighters who are just... topless. Or other classes who seem to be naturists (but not druids). I think of bugs and dirt in sensitive places and it makes me cringe and squirm. Like Minsc says, "That's not right!" And guys (and gals), if you ride a horse, you are going to at least need chaps or pants. Horses have HAIR- strong, fairly wiry hair. Having that scraping over naked skin when you ride is going to be downright painful after a short while. And if you ride bareback, it's even worse.

    Tight metal bustiers for people who have to fight hand to hand in combat- will leave you unable to breathe. Good luck with that. Fainting during combat is never pretty. And female characters with huge breasts make my back ache in sympathy- but that's not a fantasy trope problem- it's a female character problem. (Superheroes especially!)
  • Kitteh_On_A_CloudKitteh_On_A_Cloud Member Posts: 1,629
    One word: Boobs. Should such an obvious thing really be pointed out anymore? It's fantasy art, which in itself is a weak excuse to reduce women to sexualized objects. Like half of the mainstream games have done and still do nowadays.
  • ajwzajwz Member Posts: 4,122
    My views:

    It is extremely short sighted to only highlight that females are objectified by fantasy art.

    It is extremely narrow minded to criticise women for want they want their character to wear or look like, and it is extremely narrow minded to criticise men for what they fantasize about.

    Surely cultural and artistic diversity should be celebrated rather than condemned?

    If we attack or criticise or laugh at pictures or artistic styles then that is a personal choice, but to want to rewrite an entire genre or to say that our personal view of fantasy is one that should be applied universally seems a little self-centred.
  • reedmilfamreedmilfam Member Posts: 2,808
    @ajwz - who's re-writing anything? I have an opinion that hasn't, to my knowledge, changed one book, picture, video game, or anything else. As for criticism of depictions or what women want characters to wear/look like, I have as much right to criticize this as anything else, especially given that I've lived my whole life being taught how wrong it is for men to objectify women and whatnot; total tripe, as women objectify themselves.

    No, diversity does not have to be celebrated, at least insofar as the beholder is not required to celebrate that which he/she finds riculous or a caricature. Diversity in art style is no more (or less) important than diversity in audience. The group that likes something has a right to like it, but that is no stronger than somebody else's right to aversion.

    Appreciating/standing for everything is the same as actually standing for nothing.
  • SionIVSionIV Member Posts: 2,689
    edited October 2013
    I think some people are taking this too seriously, it's just a thread that makes fun of some very interesting choices for protection and clothing in a dangerous world.

    1.) Look i have nothing but a strap of leather on me and a leaf down there. But do not fear, for the enemy shalt be stunned 2 whole rounds just from shock.

    2.) I'm going to stand here and be completely still, while that guy over there with spikes on his shoulders have about 10% chance to reach me before he impales himself.
  • MathsorcererMathsorcerer Member Posts: 3,044
    My wife in on Petals&Thorns and browses lots of fantasy pics via DeviantArt. Some of them are extremely well-done and the clothing/armor makes sense; however, she also finds many more where the the main theme appears to be a depiction of someone's over-the-top hyper-masculinity of the males (really? except for a handful of world-class body builders it isn't possible to be *that* barrel-chested) or over-the-top hyper-femininity of the females (breasts that large would throw you off balance and make it impossible to use a weapon correctly or hips/thighs so massive that she could snap a horse's back if riding it). All I can do is laugh when I see "art" that it is too anatomically incorrect to be believable.

    The other bad trope which bores me are elf ears. Who says elf ears are pointy? Who says they have to be? There are some where the poor elves could have weaponized ears if they were made of metal. Seriously, if you were nuzzling their neck you might get stabbed by the long, tapering points. It's just plain ridiculous.
  • Kitteh_On_A_CloudKitteh_On_A_Cloud Member Posts: 1,629
    reedmilfam said:

    @ajwz - who's re-writing anything? I have an opinion that hasn't, to my knowledge, changed one book, picture, video game, or anything else. As for criticism of depictions or what women want characters to wear/look like, I have as much right to criticize this as anything else, especially given that I've lived my whole life being taught how wrong it is for men to objectify women and whatnot; total tripe, as women objectify themselves.

    No, diversity does not have to be celebrated, at least insofar as the beholder is not required to celebrate that which he/she finds riculous or a caricature. Diversity in art style is no more (or less) important than diversity in audience. The group that likes something has a right to like it, but that is no stronger than somebody else's right to aversion.

    Appreciating/standing for everything is the same as actually standing for nothing.

    Thanks. You worded exactly at how I would reply at narrow-minded comments such as those coming from someone like @ajwz in this instance.

    I know that the portraying of 'sexy' women is ages old, yet, being a woman myself, I kind of pity that one's only argument for defending reducing a woman to her breasts and vagina, is 'a celebration of cultural and artistic liberty'.
  • ajwzajwz Member Posts: 4,122
    edited October 2013
    Kitteh_On_A_Cloud said:

    reedmilfam said:

    @ajwz - who's re-writing anything? I have an opinion that hasn't, to my knowledge, changed one book, picture, video game, or anything else. As for criticism of depictions or what women want characters to wear/look like, I have as much right to criticize this as anything else, especially given that I've lived my whole life being taught how wrong it is for men to objectify women and whatnot; total tripe, as women objectify themselves.

    No, diversity does not have to be celebrated, at least insofar as the beholder is not required to celebrate that which he/she finds riculous or a caricature. Diversity in art style is no more (or less) important than diversity in audience. The group that likes something has a right to like it, but that is no stronger than somebody else's right to aversion.

    Appreciating/standing for everything is the same as actually standing for nothing.

    Thanks. You worded exactly at how I would reply at narrow-minded comments such as those coming from someone like @ajwz in this instance.

    I know that the portraying of 'sexy' women is ages old, yet, being a woman myself, I kind of pity that one's only argument for defending reducing a woman to her breasts and vagina, is 'a celebration of cultural and artistic liberty'.
    So we shouldn't have "sexified" fantasy art then?
    The term you use "defending" implies suggestion of guilt, and thus I think my arguments hold.

    It's the same idea being addressed with protests about "slut shaming". A personal distaste for this art is fine, but to condemn it in it's entirety is anti-feminist.
  • reedmilfamreedmilfam Member Posts: 2,808
    Hrm. My point isn't whether we should or shouldn't. It's more that those that are bothered by it (or find it silly) are not wrong for that opinion, either.

    I see a very interesting definition for 'feminist' in @ajwz 's reply. Anyway, not going down that rabbit-hole.
  • BaldursCatBaldursCat Member Posts: 432
    This blog makes a very valid point about Barbarian armour (or lack thereof) and female fantasy armour:
    "To predict a counterpoint: There are men that wear next to nothing in fantasy art as well. Take Conan or He Man, for example. Neither of them are wearing much in the way of protection. This is true, but they aren’t meant to be armored. Both of the ladies above [linked in the blog] are wearing armor, not barbarian-style loin-cloths. Their metal garments describe access to real armor, but the decision not to wear it.
    & it's a point very well illustrated with this image...

    image

    It's utterly absurd, to the point of being laughable, so why on earth is it deemed acceptable to attire fantasy women in the same manner?

    Further reading around the subject can be found here and here
  • Kitteh_On_A_CloudKitteh_On_A_Cloud Member Posts: 1,629
    @Klonoa: Well said. I guess that words my thoughts on this too pretty well, and what I probably failed to word right to @ajwz. Many gamers might think the gaming scene changed once women also increasingly started to appear in the fanbase. But actually, nothing changed. The sexualised characters are still there, especially in mainstream games. There's nothing wrong with some fantasy, but as @Klonoa said, some women also get tired of being flooded by all of those pictures of half-exposed boobs. I am one of them. Because it's mainly still about the male fantasy. To me, a woman can look just as sexy in full armour, you know? And then I'm not talking about the cat suits in Mass Effect. Full steel body armour. Or a thief outfit made in leather. There has always been this tension in fantasy games between making an armour look both functional AND attractive, and usually devs choose for one of the two, not both. Drafon Age: Origins did this a tiny bit better, even though some of the rogue outfits still made me cringe a bit. But let's take the outfit for a thief in Baldur's Gate. Even though it's a small model hard to see on the screen, it still looked both functional (all of the body was covered in the most vital spots) and attractive to me. See what I mean? It's about a balance between the two. Seeing such a balance more often might be nice for me too. I understand the appeal of sexy outfits in fantasy art. But at the same time, it only rings 'male fantasy' (or lesbian fantasy nowadays, dunno) and 'sex sells' in my head. And that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, so to speak. Especially when having grown up in a society which constantly directly or indirectly reminds women having to look good to have people notice them or else to be judged one-dimensionally. To look good, to be attractive, to appear 'fresh' in the eyes of others...this pressure is still less heavy for men, which way you try to turn it, a woman will be criticized more heavily when she doesn't look good than when it's a man we're talking about. And I guess that just bothers me, as a woman.
  • O_BruceO_Bruce Member Posts: 2,790
    @LadyRhian
    It seems to me you want me to draw some fantasy drawings and show you what BAD fantasy drawing really are.
  • scriverscriver Member Posts: 2,072
    edited October 2013
    @Klonoa -

    Excellent post. Deserves all the praise.

    I'd give both an Insightful, Agree and Like if I could but unfortunately I can only choose one of them.
  • PeccaPecca Member Posts: 2,218
    I only wish I could draw like that.
  • SouthpawSouthpaw Member Posts: 2,026
    Well... because "Sex sells" is a fact, this is quite normal. And we haven't started with some commercial games too.
    I like these artworks. I find them pretty and attractive. But this is not an outfit I'd use when fighting.
    Especially those 2 girls in frozen tundra, only in bikinis.

    image
    Ashe from LoL
    image
    Sejuani from LoL (Truth be told, her other artwork/skin is much more sensible and she is fully clothed and armored.
    image
    LeBlanc from Lol. D&D sorcerer style! (How does that armor stay on?)
  • AutequiAutequi Member Posts: 403
    ajwz said:


    Criticising their pictures is fine, we all have an opinion, but criticising their subject, or applying our own values to them, and saying, whether they are man or women, that what they have done is somehow offensive or negative, or what some people in this thread seem to be saying, that they *shouldn't be doing it* is wrong.

    Why is it wrong? Are people allowed to express their opinions, or not? If I have certain moral values, am I expected to remain silent like a good girl (or boy) when they are offended?

    No one is advocating censoring these artists, and freedom of speech goes both ways.
  • etaglocetagloc Member Posts: 349
    the art is amazing because...... tits

    the end.
  • DancingBugbearDancingBugbear Member Posts: 118
    edited October 2013
    I thought LadyRhian's post got shut down, because the commentary on outfits wasn't needed. It gives me at least the chance to say that Rasaad will probably be wearing his blood for a breastplate. I guess that's what HP 1 means. And when Jaheira turn unto a totally unclad bear, that's absolutely scandalous. Were heavy armor might not be function for a typical sized woman, Select plates at certain points would be important to provide protection, while allowing mobility. OK, you can be in my party if you wear a chainmail bikini, and flying bolts of cloth.

    The poster of this thread doesn't seem to like bad drawers, as lack of clothing in pictures. I can't go through a woman's clothing catalogue without coming close to throwing up. (Don't flatter yourselves, fans of men's fashion, those catalogues aren't much better.) If a remake of Icewind Dale is made, maybe they can get rid of the barely recognizable smudges. A lot of these are very talented drawings. I particularly like the one by SicilianValkyrie. Putting metal in skin is common in a lot of places.

    There doesn't seem to be any horse riding in BG, but they'd surely be fully clothed, and not brightly hued.

    @Corvino That picture's not much different from the guy in the movie. And that's seem rather like rain. It doesn't turn to ice until it freezes. You can go through the snow without much cloths on if you used to it. Of course D&D characters, like Cernd freeze in the winter, and are inanimate stillframes on the screen.

    I don't see a lot of women carrying around a 100lb pack, more like 20 or 40 (40Kg, 8/16kg). And bikers trade in 5 times the standard bike's worth to reduce it 5oz (12.5g), and don't have much extension of covering. I've probably played BG2 most of the whole way through naked, and I can't go to much paper gatherings for having to get drunk so much to get over the clothes they're wearing.

    A rainbow to you @LadyRhian
  • BelgarathMTHBelgarathMTH Member Posts: 5,653
    @Klonoa, that comic you linked brought tears to my eyes. The guys at the cosplay conventions really treat the girls like that? I think that's terrible.

    We geeks need to stick together. We get enough disapproval thrown at us for our interests. The last thing we need is to turn on each other.

    Your essay was also very well-written and heartfelt. Thank you for giving me some new insight. I had always thought it took a lot of courage to put on a costume and go out to a public event, and that the cosplay people must surely support each other in enjoying the hobby. If this is how they treat each other, then, if I was ever tempted to try going to a convention, I'll remember this, and I will definitely never go to one.
  • ChildofBhaal599ChildofBhaal599 Member Posts: 1,781
    edited October 2013
    Kitteh_On_A_Cloud said:

    @Klonoa: Well said. I guess that words my thoughts on this too pretty well, and what I probably failed to word right to @ajwz. Many gamers might think the gaming scene changed once women also increasingly started to appear in the fanbase. But actually, nothing changed. The sexualised characters are still there, especially in mainstream games. There's nothing wrong with some fantasy, but as @Klonoa said, some women also get tired of being flooded by all of those pictures of half-exposed boobs. I am one of them. Because it's mainly still about the male fantasy. To me, a woman can look just as sexy in full armour, you know? And then I'm not talking about the cat suits in Mass Effect. Full steel body armour. Or a thief outfit made in leather. There has always been this tension in fantasy games between making an armour look both functional AND attractive, and usually devs choose for one of the two, not both. Drafon Age: Origins did this a tiny bit better, even though some of the rogue outfits still made me cringe a bit. But let's take the outfit for a thief in Baldur's Gate. Even though it's a small model hard to see on the screen, it still looked both functional (all of the body was covered in the most vital spots) and attractive to me. See what I mean? It's about a balance between the two. Seeing such a balance more often might be nice for me too. I understand the appeal of sexy outfits in fantasy art. But at the same time, it only rings 'male fantasy' (or lesbian fantasy nowadays, dunno) and 'sex sells' in my head. And that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, so to speak. Especially when having grown up in a society which constantly directly or indirectly reminds women having to look good to have people notice them or else to be judged one-dimensionally. To look good, to be attractive, to appear 'fresh' in the eyes of others...this pressure is still less heavy for men, which way you try to turn it, a woman will be criticized more heavily when she doesn't look good than when it's a man we're talking about. And I guess that just bothers me, as a woman.

    I personally just say that fans can do whatever they want, like with these pictures, but the devs had better give me something realistic. With Mass Effect I remember the first game was a lot better with the armor (the clothes, however, made many of the females like strippers and prostitutes) image

    I really hated it then when ME2 wanted ass shots of Miranda when I talk to her, or ME3 where they forgot that Ashley is a soldier and has appearance regulations as a soldier. I liked Tali best and it was awesome because her armor has zero skin showing, and it still looked really attractive. I always like seeing a badass female character in full plate compared to a character who shows off everything.
  • dibdib Member Posts: 384
    What's so bad about it? And if good fantasy is measured by how realistic it is, then I really don't see the point of fantasy at all...
  • Mrpenfold666Mrpenfold666 Member Posts: 428
    i have answers for two images (one male and one female) the male one being the "who needs armour i have PAINT" I believe that to be some sort of Pict or early celtic scottish warrior who in early iron ages the scots didn't use armor and in all forms of art and fantasy were depicted as wearing clothes, leather or simply paint when dressed for war.

    the naked woman in front of the wolves and small magical circle leads me to believe one of the few feral druids who literally lived with animals and thus thought her own skin / fur was enough. as for the///what i can only call a breast doily...*shrug* feral woman...shiny...if its on her breasts she doesnt have to carry it and can see it whenever she looks down? as for the skirt, ignoring the fact its there to say "this isnt porn honest" .....perhaps she gathered such cloth for winter to simulate a winter coat of fur like animals develop.....but the rest are silly, some looks good, some look stupid

    OH and for the mermaid is stays on despite the slack ties due to propulsion if she goes left, resistance pushes bra right and thus covers the breasts....and making it near impossible to go backwards otherwise it would be lost :P
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