Clyde Caldwell
Encyclopedia
Clyde Caldwell is an American
artist
. Self described as a fantasy illustrator, he is best known for his portrayals of strong, sexy female characters.
books. I wanted to paint pictures like those covers. My parents had always encouraged me in my artwork, but they didn’t understand why I was painting science fiction. They wanted me to paint landscapes and still lifes.” Caldwell earned a fine arts degree at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
, then graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro
with a Masters of Fine Arts degree. “I thought I might become a teacher, so I figured the masters degree was a good idea. When I started doing some fanzine work, that idea was shot.”
covers for Heavy Metal
. He also did cover work for Dragon
, published by TSR
, publishers of the Dungeons & Dragons
role-playing game
. “I was offered a job three different times by TSR, Inc., when I was freelancing. Finally, the third time, I decided to come up to Wisconsin to meet the people I was working with long distance, whom I might eventually be working with face-to-face if I accepted the position. I really liked the company and the people, so I agreed that day to work for them.” Some of Caldwell's early work included the covers for the three paintings for the 1985 Greyhawk Adventures novels, and 1985's Dragonlance
Calendar, three paintings for the 1986 Amazing Stories
Calendar, plus the cover and three interior paintings for the 1987 Dragonlance Legends Calendar, as well as several Dragonlance module covers. Artist Larry Elmore
later commented that Caldwell's dragons, compared to those of other artists, appeared "more serpentine—slimmer and more snakeish."
Caldwell gained fame producing work for TSR from 1982 to 1992, illustrating many Dungeons & Dragons products at a time when the game was around the peak of its popularity. He was known in particular for his work on Ravenloft and Gazetteer gaming modules. Since 1992 he has again worked as a freelance artist.
His work was included as part of the 2002 collection Masters of Dragonlance Art. Caldwell has illustrated cards for the Magic: The Gathering
collectible card game.
titled Family Art Corner was released anonymous
ly, alleging that a woman named Jan McRae had plagiarized the work of many artists, including Caldwell, for reproduction in proselytization tracts
printed by the Children of God cult. After the slideshow was released, Karen Zerby
, leader of the Children of God acknowledged that McRae had copied the work of others, as did McRae herself, and McRae admitted wrongdoing.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
. Self described as a fantasy illustrator, he is best known for his portrayals of strong, sexy female characters.
Early life
Caldwell was interested in becoming an artist from an early age, “I became an artist sort of by default ... I couldn’t do anything else! I was into music for awhile. I played the guitar for a local band. I also enjoyed writing both stories and songs. But drawing and painting were the easiest for me.” Caldwell took up an interest in painting fantasy and science-fiction art while in junior high school. “My biggest influences back then were the covers of the Edgar Rice BurroughsEdgar Rice Burroughs
Edgar Rice Burroughs was an American author, best known for his creation of the jungle hero Tarzan and the heroic Mars adventurer John Carter, although he produced works in many genres.-Biography:...
books. I wanted to paint pictures like those covers. My parents had always encouraged me in my artwork, but they didn’t understand why I was painting science fiction. They wanted me to paint landscapes and still lifes.” Caldwell earned a fine arts degree at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte , also known as UNC Charlotte or simply Charlotte, is a public research university located in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States...
, then graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro , also known as UNC Greensboro, is a public university in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States and is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina system. The university offers more than 100 undergraduate, 61 master's and 26...
with a Masters of Fine Arts degree. “I thought I might become a teacher, so I figured the masters degree was a good idea. When I started doing some fanzine work, that idea was shot.”
Career
Caldwell worked as an illustrator for the Charlotte Observer newspaper as well as doing commercial work for an advertising agency, before doing freelance illustrations for magazines such as a series of BarsoomBarsoom
Barsoom is a fictional representation of the planet Mars created by American pulp fiction author Edgar Rice Burroughs, who wrote close to 100 action adventure stories in various genres in the first half of the 20th century, and is now best known as the creator of the character Tarzan...
covers for Heavy Metal
Heavy Metal (magazine)
Heavy Metal is an American science fiction and fantasy comics magazine, known primarily for its blend of dark fantasy/science fiction and erotica. In the mid-1970s, while publisher Leonard Mogel was in Paris to jump-start the French edition of National Lampoon, he discovered the French...
. He also did cover work for Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
, published by TSR
TSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
, publishers of the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
. “I was offered a job three different times by TSR, Inc., when I was freelancing. Finally, the third time, I decided to come up to Wisconsin to meet the people I was working with long distance, whom I might eventually be working with face-to-face if I accepted the position. I really liked the company and the people, so I agreed that day to work for them.” Some of Caldwell's early work included the covers for the three paintings for the 1985 Greyhawk Adventures novels, and 1985's Dragonlance
Dragonlance
Dragonlance is a shared universe created by Laura and Tracy Hickman, and expanded by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis under the direction of TSR, Inc. into a series of popular fantasy novels. The Hickmans conceived Dragonlance while driving in their car on the way to TSR for a job application...
Calendar, three paintings for the 1986 Amazing Stories
Amazing Stories
Amazing Stories was an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction...
Calendar, plus the cover and three interior paintings for the 1987 Dragonlance Legends Calendar, as well as several Dragonlance module covers. Artist Larry Elmore
Larry Elmore
Larry Elmore is an American fantasy artist whose work includes creating illustrations for video games, comics, magazines and fantasy books. His list of work includes illustrations for Dungeons & Dragons, Dragonlance, and the comic strip series SnarfQuest...
later commented that Caldwell's dragons, compared to those of other artists, appeared "more serpentine—slimmer and more snakeish."
Caldwell gained fame producing work for TSR from 1982 to 1992, illustrating many Dungeons & Dragons products at a time when the game was around the peak of its popularity. He was known in particular for his work on Ravenloft and Gazetteer gaming modules. Since 1992 he has again worked as a freelance artist.
His work was included as part of the 2002 collection Masters of Dragonlance Art. Caldwell has illustrated cards for the Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
collectible card game.
Alleged plagiarism of Caldwell's work
In 2003, a Flash animation slideshowSlideshow
A slide show is a display of a series of chosen information or pictures, done for artistic or instructional purposes. Slide shows are conducted by a presenter using an apparatus, such as a carousel slide projector, an overhead projector or in more recent years, a computer running presentation...
titled Family Art Corner was released anonymous
Anonymity
Anonymity is derived from the Greek word ἀνωνυμία, anonymia, meaning "without a name" or "namelessness". In colloquial use, anonymity typically refers to the state of an individual's personal identity, or personally identifiable information, being publicly unknown.There are many reasons why a...
ly, alleging that a woman named Jan McRae had plagiarized the work of many artists, including Caldwell, for reproduction in proselytization tracts
Tract (literature)
A tract is a literary work, and in current usage, usually religious in nature. The notion of what constitutes a tract has changed over time. By the early part of the 21st century, these meant small pamphlets used for religious and political purposes, though far more often the former. They are...
printed by the Children of God cult. After the slideshow was released, Karen Zerby
Karen Zerby
Karen Elva Zerby is the current leader of the group formerly called the Children of God, a new religious movement. The group is now called The Family International...
, leader of the Children of God acknowledged that McRae had copied the work of others, as did McRae herself, and McRae admitted wrongdoing.