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Nerdarchy > Creator Spotlight  > Fantasy Artist Spotlight – Daniel R. Horne

Fantasy Artist Spotlight – Daniel R. Horne

Fantastic Fantasy Art| Tony Diterlizzi
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Daniel R. HorneI have been enjoying fantasy art since I was a boy in the 1970s. Initially I grew to recognize and love the works of Brothers Hildebrandt, Frank Frazetta, Walter Valez and Darrell K. Sweet. Most of these artists drew my attention by their fantastic work on paperback book covers. During the 1980s, I found myself drawn to newer artists, those whose works were featured in role playing material, mostly Dungeons & Dragons products and Dragon magazine. Names like Erol Otus, Bill Willingham, Jeff Easley, Larry Elmore and Keith Parkinson became familiar to me, along with hosts of others.

Yet one artist stood out for me among all the others, that artist being Daniel R. Horne.

Fantasy Artist Spotlight – Daniel R. Horne


I first became aware of Horne in 1987 when his painting “Saving the Best For Last” appeared as the cover to Dragon Magazine issue 126.

Looking back, I had probably seen some of his artwork before, but “Saving the Best For Last” caught my attention like no other piece of fantasy art had ever done. To be honest, I’m not sure what exactly drew me to this painting, but if I had to take a guess I believe it would be a combination of factors.

For one, to me Horne’s style is one of the most realistic I’ve witnessed, and I appreciate that in artwork, especially fantasy artwork. For another thing, this painting doesn’t simply capture a solitary moment, but tells a story, though the viewer is left to figure out many of the details on their own.

Then there is the fact this painting is somewhat mundane compared to much fantasy art; no flashy spells or giant Fantasy Artistdragons here, just a lone ranger facing off against a believable undead foe. Some like a lot of flash and bang in their fantasy, but I’ve always been drawn more to simplicity.

I suppose I’m more of a Sword and Sorcery guy than a high fantasy fan. Give me a trusty piece of sharp steel over a powerful magic spell any day. This painting has much of that feel, in my opinion, sort of a gritty, down to earth naturalism lacking in much fantasy art, almost as if Norman Rockwell or even Francisco Goya had taken to fantasy, but lacking the truly dark or even existential elements of a Caravaggio.

Who is Your Favorite Fantasy Artist

“Saving the Best For Last” turned out to be only the beginning of my appreciation of this artist. From the mid-1980s until about the mid-1990s, Horne’s work graced the covers and inside pages of numerous role-playing books, including products from Troll Lord Games and Iron Crown Enterprises.

More recently this artist has turned to sculpture and classic horror monsters, but his work is as strong as ever and he continues to paint images which seem more than lifelike, as if they could climb off their canvasses. Fans of the old Hammer Films and the early movies of Roger Corman will find much to appreciate.

daniel R Horne
Fantasy ArtistSo thanks for reading and Until Next Time, Stay Nerdy!

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Ty Johnston

A former newspaper editor for two decades in Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky, Ty now earns his lunch money as a fiction writer, mostly in the fantasy and horror genres. He is vice president of Rogue Blades Foundation, a non-profit focused upon publishing heroic literature. In his free time he enjoys tabletop and video gaming, long swording, target shooting, reading, and bourbon. Find City of Rogues and other books and e-books by Ty Johnston at Amazon.

1 Comment

  • Mark
    April 8, 2017 at 5:10 am

    Saving the Best for Last is an amazing painting. I remember admiring that magazine cover for hours when I was a pre-teen. Even now I find it beautiful and impressive. And bless us for the internet. I’d lost my collection of Dragon magazines long ago.

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