Dungeons and Dragons Art and Arcana

An 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, evolution, and continued popularity.

An 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, evolution, and continued popularity.

Dungeons and Dragons is the most iconic and pervasive gaming franchise in the world. It is a seminal RPG (role-playing game) and the inspiration for video games like World of Warcraft and Zelda, fantasy art, and countless other facets of “geek culture.” This officially licensed illustrated history provides an unprecedented look at the visual evolution of the game, showing its continued influence on the worlds of pop culture and fantasy. It features more than 700 pieces of artwork—from each edition of the game’s core books, supplements, and modules; decades of Dragon and Dungeon magazines; classic advertisements and merchandise; and 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 the game. 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.

Author Biography

Michael Witwer is a bestselling author known for his work on the Hugo-nominated Dungeons & Dragons- Art & Arcana, the critically acclaimed Empire of Imagination- Gary Gygax and the Birth of Dungeons & Dragons, and Heroes’ Feast- The Official Dungeons & Dragons Cookbook. Widely considered an expert on D&D history, Michael has spoken on the topic at a variety of venues such as Google, Pixar, Lucasfilm, top gaming conventions and book festivals, and on NPR’s All Things Considered. His books have won many honors, including being selected as a Hugo Award finalist, an Amazon “Best Book of the Month,” a Diana Jones Award nominee, a Locus Award finalist, and a GeekDad “Best Book of the Year.”

Kyle Newman is a writer/director whose directorial work includes Fanboys written by Ernie Cline, starring Kristen Bell and Seth Rogen; Barely Lethal, starring Samuel L. Jackson, Hailee Steinfeld, and Jessica Alba; and music videos for artists including Lana Del Rey and Taylor Swift. Newman also produced the critically acclaimed documentary Raiders- The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made. His clients include Microsoft, Interscope Records, Starz, Coca Cola, Entertainment Weekly, and Lucasfilm.

Jon Peterson is a widely recognized authority on the history of games. His book Playing at the World was called “the first serious history of the development of Dungeons & Dragons” by The Village Voice. He has contributed to academic anthologies on games including Zones of Control and the forthcoming Role-playing Game Studies- Transmedia Foundations. Jon also writes for gaming and geek culture websites including BoingBoing, the Escapist, and GamaSutra, as well as his popular RPG history blog, playingattheworld.blogspot.com.

Sam Witwer is an actor whose work includes leading roles in the SyFy series Being Human, for which he was nominated for a Gemini Award, and the Star Wars Saga, where he brings various characters to life in video games, film, and television-including an Emmy-nominated performance as the voice of Darth Maul. He has also been featured on Once Upon a Time, Smallville, Battlestar Galactica, Stephen King’s The Mist, and Dexter. He has been an avid Dungeons & Dragons player since age 11.