I can't find an official site on this artist, but I have to showcase him here, I grew up reading fantasy novels and with TSR/D&D role playing games and video games all around me in junior high school, Easley's work was everywhere. Here's some of his works.
Some names can bring back a lot of memories to people, and can make your brain and imagination explode. Jeff Easley, to me, is one of those names. For those who don’t know him, the guy can be named « Sir Dungeons & Dragons », and drew an incredible amount of D&D book covers and illustrations, such as Player’s Handbooks, Master’s Manuals, Monstrous Manuals…
Born in 1954 in the Kentucky, graduated from an Art School, his artist career takes an important move when he meets Lary Elmore (an other awesome fantasy artist, we’ll talk about him later). When Elmore is hired by TSR (D&D’s editor), Jeff Easley follows him. The legend begins in 1982, with mythical books covers for the Advanced Rules of Dungeons & Dragons.
He then took an important part in the D&D legend, drawing illustrations for different D&D universes such as the Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Al Qadim, Oriental Adventures… Believe me when I say that this guy made my days, back when I was an acneic teenager, playing rôle playing games all night long in my parents’ basements, rolling dices and killing trolls… Those were the good days…
I let you admire a little part of his work here, such as one of his more famous illustrations : « Red Dragon », who definitly entered the fantasy legend.
Now is the time for me to salute the Master, to bow in front of his awesome talent, and to thank him for all the good things he brought to thousand of players in the world for now 30 years… Jeff Easley FTW !!!
Sources : Wikipedia, and my memories…
PS : my apologizes if some of those illustrations are « cut », it is strangely quite difficult to get some full illustrations (and of good quality) of the artist on the web.
