Janet Aulisio | |
|---|---|
 Obsidiman Merchant, 1992 | |
| Born | |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Fantasy and sf art |
| Awards | Chesley Award, 1988 |
Janet Elizabeth Aulisio-Dannheiser is an artist whose work has appeared in role-playing games. From 1981 to 1995, she created the cover artwork for 24 books and magazines, and during the same period, her interior work appeared in over 100 publications. [1]
Janet Aulisio was born in Hackensack, New Jersey. [1] Her work has primarily appeared in publications for FASA, Game Designers' Workshop and White Wolf Publishing — she is especially known for her work on Shadowrun and Earthdawn books [2] — but she has also illustrated cards for Magic: The Gathering , On the Edge and BattleTech TCG, created several covers for Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact and Amazing Stories . [1] and illustrated nine novels. [3]
Writing for Black Gate, Scott Taylor commented on her work for Shadowrun, saying, "Her work on Shadowrun's 2nd Edition defined the system's reboot, and her color work gives an almost rhythmic club feel to any interaction within the pages. She creates characters, storylines, and a feeling of heat and shade that whispers of sex, drugs, and magic deep in the alleys of a hard-boiled subculture. ... Although Janet was already doing limited work in color, her vibrant acrylics came to life as she explored the apocalyptic pre-history spun in this gaming system. It was here also that one of her most famous works, "Obsidiman Merchant", came into being. With him we see all the emotion and depth Janet wields with her brush, the tiles behind him helping create a vision of detail that is definitive in everything she creates." [2]
In his 2023 book Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground, RPG historian Stu Horvath reviewed Shadowrun and noted, "Janet Aulisio comes on board for the second edition, providing deep shadows through which to skulk." In his examination of Earth Dawn, Horvath commented, "[Janet] Aulisio, an enigmatic figure who largely vanished from the industry later in the decade, delivers some sublime work for the setting. In previous games, her work is characterized by deep shadows. This is true here, but she also showcases an astounding sense of color and pattern — her portrait of the Obsidiman merchant, in striped pants and patterned textiles, lounging against a mosaic wall, in many ways, sums up the complex visual language of the entire line." [4]
Frank Kelly Freas was an American artist known for his work in science fiction and fantasy, with a career spanning more than 50 years. He was known as the "Dean of Science Fiction Artists" and he was the second artist inducted by the Science Fiction Hall of Fame.
David Cherry is an American artist, author, and illustrator of science fiction and fantasy and has also done substantial work as a marketing artist, concept artist, and 3D modeler in the game production industry. Cherry served as Lecturer and Head of the Art Department as well as Head of the master's degree Program for artists at The Guildhall at SMU, a graduate college dedicated to studies for people who want to work in the game production industry. Cherry was also an attorney, as well as a past president of the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists (1988–1990). He has been nominated eleven times for Hugo Awards, and 18 times for Chesley Awards.
Joan D. Vinge is an American science fiction author. She is known for her Hugo Award–winning novel The Snow Queen and its sequels, her series about the telepath named Cat, and her Heaven's Chronicles books. She also is the author of The Random House Book of Greek Myths (1999).
Janet Inglis "Janny" Wurts is an American fantasy novelist and illustrator. She has written several standalone novels and series, including the Wars of Light and Shadow, The Cycle of Fire trilogy and the internationally best-selling Empire trilogy that she co-authored with Raymond E. Feist. Her short story collection That Way Lies Camelot was nominated for the British Fantasy Award in 1995. She often illustrates her own books, and has won Chesley Awards for her artwork.
Tim Bradstreet is an American artist and illustrator.
James Henry Schmitz was a German-American science fiction writer.
Keith A. Parkinson was an American fantasy artist and illustrator known for book covers and artwork for games such as EverQuest, Guardians, Magic: The Gathering, and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. After designing book and magazine covers for TSR, Parkinson moved into game design in the 1990s, and co-designed the collectible card game Guardians. Parkinson died of leukemia in 2005, just four days after his 47th birthday.
Thomas A. Easton is a teacher and well-known science fiction critic and author. He retired as a professor from Thomas College of Maine in 2014 and now teaches part-time at Mount Ida College in Newton, MA.
Drow of the Underdark is the name of two supplemental rules books for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, providing supplementary game rules focusing on drow culture, equipment and folklore for both players and Dungeon Masters.
Mark Zug is an artist and illustrator, who worked with the Septimus Heap series and Harlan Ellison's adaptation of I, Robot. Zug has illustrated many collectible card games, including Magic: The Gathering and Dune, books, and magazines. He lives in Pennsylvania.
Dana Knutson is an artist best known for his work on role-playing game products.
Thomas M. Baxa is an artist whose work has appeared in role-playing games.
Eric Hotz is a graphic artist and illustrator.
John T. Snyder is an American artist whose work has appeared in role-playing games.
Jim Nelson is an artist whose work has appeared in role-playing games.
Dread is a indie horror role-playing game published by The Impossible Dream in 2006. The game is unusual in that it uses a Jenga tower for action resolution.
Jeff Laubenstein is a fantasy artist.
The Bullwinkle and Rocky Role-Playing Party Game is a role-playing game published by TSR in 1988. It is based on characters and settings from The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.
Gary Freeman is an American commercial artist, who is involved in the publishing, advertising and video game industries. He has received multiple awards for his work in illustration and advertising. He has also been a lead concept designer for several notable video game franchises. Freeman currently lives with his wife in upstate New Hampshire.
Borderlands is a boxed tabletop role-playing game adventure for RuneQuest. Originally published by Chaosium in 1982, this edition was republished in 2018 in PDF format as part of Chaosium's RuneQuest: Classic Edition Kickstarter.
