David Sutherland dies at 56

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http://www.cbc.ca/story/arts/national/2005/06/15/Arts/s...

Dungeons and Dragons artist dies
Last Updated Wed, 15 Jun 2005 15:08:52 EDT
CBC Arts

David Sutherland, an artist whose work appeared in various Dungeons and
Dragons rule books, has died. He was 56 years old.
Sutherland passed away at his home in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., on June 6
from chronic liver failure.

Although he remained faceless to Dungeons and Dragons players, a generation
of gamers grew up with Sutherland's otherworldly images in the 1970s and
'80s.

Perhaps his best-known illustration is the one that appeared on the cover of
the first Dungeons and Dragons set.
A simple composition, it shows a wand-waving magic user and a knight, his
longbow drawn, squaring off against a dragon who sits - à la Smaug from The
Hobbit - atop a vast pile of gold coins and jewels.

Sutherland's clean, expressive artwork helped players picture their own
imaginary "campaigns," as the ongoing games of Dungeons and Dragons were
called.

Working at the company Tactical Studies Rules under the game's co-inventor,
Gary Gygax, Sutherland was part of a team of illustrators that produced
pictures of battles and monsters.

His fellow artists included Erol Otis, Darlene Pekul, David Trampier and
others.
Sutherland's work also appeared on the cover of the Dungeon Masters Guide,
the book used by the referee who would oversee each gaming session.

He also did the cover for the Monster Manual, the compendium of foes that
players fought for treasure. (see link for more)