# Clyde Caldwell

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Clyde_Caldwell
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Clyde_Caldwell.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clyde_Caldwell
> Source revision: 1341681206
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

American artist (born 1948)

Clyde Caldwell Born (1948-02-20) February 20, 1948 (age 78) Gastonia, North Carolina, U.S. Known for Fantasy art

**Clyde Caldwell** (born February 20, 1948)[1] is an American [artist](/source/Artist). Self-described as a fantasy illustrator, he is best known for his portrayals of strong, sexy female characters.

With his work at [TSR](/source/TSR%2C_Inc.) in the 1980s, he is considered one of the artists contributing to fantasy art's "golden age".[2]

## Early life

Born on February 20, 1948, in [Gastonia, North Carolina](/source/Gastonia%2C_North_Carolina),[1] 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."[1] 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 Burroughs](/source/Edgar_Rice_Burroughs) 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."[1] Caldwell earned a fine arts degree at the [University of North Carolina at Charlotte](/source/University_of_North_Carolina_at_Charlotte), then graduated from the [University of North Carolina at Greensboro](/source/University_of_North_Carolina_at_Greensboro) with a Masters of [Fine Arts](/source/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."[1]

## Career

Caldwell worked as an illustrator for *[The Charlotte Observer](/source/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 *[Barsoom](/source/Barsoom)* covers for *[Heavy Metal](/source/Heavy_Metal_(magazine))*. He also did cover work for *[Dragon](/source/Dragon_(magazine))*, published by [TSR](/source/TSR%2C_Inc.), publishers of the *[Dungeons & Dragons](/source/Dungeons_%26_Dragons)* [role-playing game](/source/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](/source/Dragonlance) Calendar, three paintings for the 1986 *[Amazing Stories](/source/Amazing_Stories)* Calendar, plus the cover and three interior paintings for the 1987 *Dragonlance Legends* Calendar, as well as several Dragonlance module covers.[1] He was also known for his work on *[Star Frontiers](/source/Star_Frontiers)*.[3] Artist [Larry Elmore](/source/Larry_Elmore) later commented that Caldwell's dragons, compared to those of other artists, appeared "more serpentine—slimmer and more snakeish."[4]

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](/source/Ravenloft_(module))* and *Gazetteer* gaming modules.[5] Since 1992 he has again worked as a freelance artist.

His work was included as part of the 2002 collection *Masters of Dragonlance Art*.[6] Caldwell has illustrated cards for the *[Magic: The Gathering](/source/Magic%3A_The_Gathering)* collectible card game.

In 2014, Scott Taylor of *[Black Gate](/source/Black_Gate_(magazine))*, named Clyde Caldwell as 9C in a list of The Top 10 RPG Artists of the Past 40 Years, saying "Clyde took great advantage of his place and offered up a great deal of sublime and lasting work, although he was never really one to go outside of TSR even after he left the company, although like many he went into covering novels."[7]

### Alleged plagiarism of Caldwell's work

In 2003, a [Flash animation](/source/Flash_animation) [slideshow](/source/Slideshow) titled [Family Art Corner](https://web.archive.org/web/20080309090413/http://www.geocities.com/familyartcorner/) at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) (archived March 9, 2008) was released [anonymously](/source/Anonymity), alleging that a woman named Jan McRae had [plagiarized](/source/Plagiarized) the work of many artists, including Caldwell, for reproduction in [proselytization](/source/Proselytization) [tracts](/source/Tract_(literature)) printed by the [Children of God](/source/Children_of_God_(cult)) cult.[8] After the slideshow was released, [Karen Zerby](/source/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.[9]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Dragon_#117_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Dragon_#117_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Dragon_#117_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Dragon_#117_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Dragon_#117_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Dragon_#117_1-5) "TSR Profiles". *[Dragon](/source/Dragon_(magazine))*. No. 117. TSR, Inc. January 1987. p. 84.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** (April 6, 2011). "Jim Roslof: Obituaries: Graphic artist who helped to create Dungeons & Dragons, which became part of 1980s youth subculture", *[The Daily Telegraph](/source/The_Daily_Telegraph)*, p. 27.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Art Evolution 18: Clyde Caldwell"](http://www.blackgate.com/2011/01/12/art-evolution-18-clyde-caldwell/). *Black Gate*. 12 January 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Phillips, Casey (February 19, 2010). "QandA with Larry Elmore", *[Chattanooga Times Free Press](/source/Chattanooga_Times_Free_Press)*. Distributed through [McClatchy-Tribune News Service](/source/McClatchy-Tribune_News_Service), February 19, 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Noles, Pam (September 7, 1995). "Tachycon 7", *[The Tampa Tribune](/source/The_Tampa_Tribune)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** D'Ammassa, Don (January 2003). "Masters of Dragonlance Art", *[Chronicle](/source/DNA_Publications)* **25** (1): 30.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Art of the Genre: The Top 10 RPG Artists of the Past 40 Years – Black Gate"](https://www.blackgate.com/2014/02/12/art-of-the-genre-the-top-10-rpg-artists-of-the-past-40-years-2/). 12 February 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [Plagiarized art](http://www.xfamily.org/index.php/Plagiarized_art) at xFamily.org

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** [Which Comes First: The Revelation or the Artwork?](http://www.xfamily.org/index.php/Which_Comes_First:_The_Revelation_or_the_Artwork%3F), xFamily.org

## External links

- [Official website](http://www.clydecaldwell.com)

- [Clyde Caldwell](http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?8807) at the [Internet Speculative Fiction Database](/source/Internet_Speculative_Fiction_Database)

- ["Clyde Caldwell at Pen & Paper"](https://web.archive.org/web/20050310235800/http://www.pen-paper.net/rpgdb.php?op=showcreator&creatorid=1059). Archived from [the original](http://www.pen-paper.net/rpgdb.php?op=showcreator&creatorid=1059) on March 10, 2005.

v t e Dungeons & Dragons Basics General Adventurers League Controversies Editions Gen Con Popular culture Film series Related products Retro-clones Sources and influences Gameplay Adventures Alignment Attribute Dungeon Master Game mechanics Magic Magic item Miniatures Psionics Creators Gary Gygax Dave Arneson Keith Baker Richard Baker David Cook Monte Cook Ed Greenwood Jeff Grubb Rob Heinsoo Tracy Hickman Harold Johnson Robert J. Kuntz Mike Mearls Frank Mentzer Tom Moldvay Chris Perkins Jon Pickens Jonathan Tweet Jim Ward Margaret Weis Skip Williams Steve Winter Companies TSR Wizards of the Coast Grenadier Models Judges Guild Paizo Ral Partha Strategic Simulations WizKids Licenses Open Game License Game System License System Reference Document Geography and cosmology Campaign settings Birthright Council of Wyrms Dark Sun Dragonlance Dragon Fist Eberron Exandria Forgotten Realms Faerûn Al-Qadim Kara-Tur Ghostwalk Greyhawk Jakandor Kingdoms of Kalamar Magic: The Gathering planes Ravnica Strixhaven Theros Mahasarpa Mystara Blackmoor Savage Coast Hollow World Nentir Vale Pelinore Planescape Ravenloft Masque of the Red Death Rokugan Spelljammer Planes of existence Material Plane Aebrynis Abeir-Toril Athas Krynn Eberron Mystara Oerth Underdark Inner Planes Outer Planes Sigil Characters and beings Races and lineages Dragonborn Dwarf Elf Drow Gnome Half-elf Halfling Human Kender Orcs Tiefling Warforged Classes Artificer Barbarian Bard Cleric Druid Fighter Monk Paladin Ranger Rogue Sorcerer Warlock Wizard List of alternative classes Character lists Dragonlance Greyhawk Ravenloft Notable characters Alias Catti-brie Drizzt Do'Urden Elminster Volothamp Geddarm Gord the Rogue Iggwilv Lord Soth Raistlin Majere Minsc Mordenkainen Tenser Strahd von Zarovich Wulfgar Creatures and monsters Beholders Centaur Devils Dragons Gelatinous cube Giants Goblins Illithid (mind flayer) Lich Mimic Owlbear Orcs Reptilian humanoids Kobolds Slaadi Trolls Vampires List of Dungeons & Dragons monsters (1974–76) List of Dungeons & Dragons monsters (1977–94) List of 2nd edition monsters List of 3rd edition monsters List of 4th edition monsters Deities and powers Bahamut Corellon Larethian Eilistraee Greyhawk deities Tharizdun Vecna Moradin Mystra Tiamat Publications Core rulebooks Player's Handbook Dungeon Master's Guide Monster Manual Classic boxed sets Dungeons & Dragons (original) Basic Expert Companion Master Immortals Rules Cyclopedia Supplements Arms and Equipment Guide Battlesystem Book of Exalted Deeds Book of Vile Darkness Deities & Demigods Draconomicon Fiend Folio Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting Libris Mortis Manual of the Planes Player's Option: Combat & Tactics Player's Option: Skills & Powers Player's Option: Spells & Magic Unearthed Arcana High-level rules Wrath of the Immortals Dungeon Master Option: High-Level Campaigns Epic Level Handbook Psionics Handbook AD&D 2nd edition D&D 3rd edition D&D v3.5 Expanded and Complete Notable modules List of Eberron modules and sourcebooks Against the Giants Dead Gods Desert of Desolation Dragonlance Expedition to the Barrier Peaks Expedition to the Demonweb Pits The Gates of Firestorm Peak The Isle of Dread The Keep on the Borderlands The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth Queen of the Spiders Ravenloft Red Hand of Doom The Ruins of Undermountain The Temple of Elemental Evil Tomb of Horrors White Plume Mountain Online tools D&D Insider D&D Beyond

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND National Czech Republic Other IdRef

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Clyde Caldwell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clyde_Caldwell) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clyde_Caldwell?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.