The Proper Use of Nudity in FRPG Art

[Rallek]

I have to agree with Reynard on this one...

no one does it quite like Frazetta.

 

[Gez]

Well, adventuring keeps you in good shape!

If countless scars and scratches and bruises and knocked-out teeth and burns and bad hygiene from camping outside and eating only dried old rations and the occasional mutilation count as "good shape" then yes. Yes they do.

 

[shilsen]

If countless scars and scratches and bruises and knocked-out teeth and burns and bad hygiene from camping outside and eating only dried old rations and the occasional mutilation count as "good shape" then yes. Yes they do.

In a world with easy magical healing, successful adventurers probably look amazing. And with low-level illusion magic, probably exactly as good as they want to.

 

[Aloïsius]

successful adventurers probably look amazing.

And what about losers ?

I have seen full nudity used in FRPG with good taste : if some of you have access to "Reve, the dream Ouroboros", just look at some picture of the iconic characters playing in the river, or the one where the "wizardess" is struck by a temporary madness and is dancing in the rain.

 

[Khuxan]

For me, adventurers and the world they live in are best depicted by Frank Frazetta.

I found the one gallery I looked at highly offensive in its portrayal of women. It's not the nudity or the outlandish proportions that annoy me. The women depicted are either submissive, or getting someone else to fight for them. I sincerely hope 4th Edition doesn't follow Frazetta's lead.

 

[Gez]

In a world with easy magical healing, successful adventurers probably look amazing.

If magical healing removes all cosmetic sequels of the wounds, yes. But it probably doesn't heal the pungent smell after the adventurers swam in the sewers and fought zombified otyughs.

And what about loosers ?

If they're too loose they get diseases as well. Should be more wary of these easy tavern wenches.

 

[shilsen]

And what about losers ?

They're the corpses in the background of the scene where the successful adventurers pose, silly!

If magical healing removes all cosmetic sequels of the wounds, yes. But it probably doesn't heal the pungent smell after the adventurers swam in the sewers and fought zombified otyughs.

Prestidigitation! Don't leave home without it!

 

[Hypersmurf]

The women depicted are either submissive, or getting someone else to fight for them.

Let's say you were dressed like that, and being attacked by some otherworldly demon, and had a big muscley guy with a sword on hand. Wouldn't you get him to fight for you?

Sign of intelligence, I'd say.

-Hyp.

 

[Thurbane]

I sincerely hope 4th Edition doesn't follow Frazetta's lead.

It won't. It'll probably all be androgynous spiky haired anime types.

For the record, I have no problem with nudity in fantasy art, and I love the artwork of the likes of Frank Frazetta, Simon Bisley, Hajime Sorayama and Olivia De Berardinis. Just remember that one person's "art" is another persons pornography. Art is quite possibly the most subjective topic in the world, and there is no mathematical right or wrong to what constitutes art - only what the individual likes...

 

[Khuxan]

Let's say you were dressed like that, and being attacked by some otherworldly demon, and had a big muscley guy with a sword on hand. Wouldn't you get him to fight for you?

Sign of intelligence, I'd say.

If Frazetta's women were really intelligent, they'd run away instead of dropping to their knees and coyly writhing about.

Why are they dressed like that? Why is it the guy that has big muscles and a sword? Why can't there be a man who gets a muscular woman to fight for him? Why isn't there even a man who gets a muscular man to fight for him? Or is every man a protector and every woman a trophy?

The point is not that the characters are behaving inappropriately based on the situation, but that the situation is inappropriate.