2019 - On My Shelf - Art and Arcana

For Christmas this year, my daughters joined forces and gifted me an amazing book – Dungeons & Dragons: Art & Arcana – A Visual History. As I have stated many times previously on this blog, Dungeons & Dragons has been a large part of my life. From growing up watching the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon, to running & playing AD&D in high school and college, to reading the various D&D inspired fiction and magazines, to getting into the Gold Box fantasy games like Pool of Radiance then later Neverwinter Nights, to watching the disappointing but funny D&D movies, to playing DDO with friends, and now running D&D 5e campaigns. Thus, the visuals of Dungeons & Dragons have been a huge part of my life. This massive tome pulls so much of the amazing art and history of the creative aspects of D&D into one nostalgic read. I have just scratched the surface of this book so far and am already in awe of its beauty and information.

D&D Art and Arcana CoverAn illustrated guide to the history and evolution of the beloved role-playing game told through the paintings, sketches, illustrations, and visual ephemera behind its creation, growth, and continued popularity.

From one of the most iconic game brands in the world, this official Dungeons & Dragons illustrated history provides an unprecedented look at the visual evolution of the brand, showing its continued influence on the worlds of pop culture and fantasy. Inside the book, you’ll find more than seven hundred pieces of artwork—from each edition of the core role-playing books, supplements, and adventures; as well as Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance novels; decades of Dragon and Dungeon magazines; and classic advertisements and merchandise; plus never-before-seen sketches, large-format canvases, rare photographs, one-of-a-kind drafts, and more from the now-famous designers and artists associated with Dungeons & Dragons.

The superstar author team gained unparalleled access to the archives of Wizards of the Coast and the personal collections of top collectors, as well as the designers and illustrators who created the distinctive characters, concepts, and visuals that have defined fantasy art and gameplay for generations. This is the most comprehensive collection of D&D imagery ever assembled, making this the ultimate collectible for the game’s millions of fans around the world.

Did you grow up on D&D or are a newcomer fascinated by its visuals? Then I highly recommend picking up a copy of this book and spend hours upon hours perusing its amazing pages.

On My Shelf: D&D Art & Arcana – A Visual History

Post navigation


2 thoughts on “On My Shelf: D&D Art & Arcana – A Visual History

  1. I bought this book a few weeks before Christmas, assuming that the ridiculously positive reviews were over selling it. Nope — Art & Arcana is every bit as good as everyone says, maybe better.

    I started playing D&d around 1981 or so, and this book captures the look and feel of that era wonderfully.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.