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A Brief History of Ruined Splash Arts

Uiru·2/14/2015, 1:15:23 AM·4 votes·2,288 views

The following 11 champs have had their default splash arts replaced by ones which are a step down in nearly all respects. Each of these received strong opposition when they were first revealed, and each of these is now in the game (Kat's broken knee pending), with their issues basically ignored (doctors are expensive). There are probably more; I don't feel like being here all night doing this because watching good stuff be replaced by bad stuff is kind of frustrating.

Here is an incomplete chronicle of what we've lost.

Ahri

Caitlyn

  • I'm not in love with this one... I'd just take it over one where her legs don't attach to her hips. Ignoring basic anatomy for reasons is a recurring theme and an easy way to get on this list.

Cassiopeia

  • Given the train wreck that was, is, and will continue to be the Cass rework, I suppose a tanked splash is the least of Cass mains' issues.

Janna

Katarina

  • Rip in piece, your death is inevitable

Kayle

LeBlanc

  • I had actually forgotten how good this one was.

Lux

  • ;_; why riot

Riven

  • Ruined by ACTION SHOT! The bane of League splash arts.

Sivir

  • Again, this could use an update. Just not a completely ridiculous joke. I'd be mad too.

Sona

And I'm not hating on new stuff just because it's new. Annie, Morgana, Miss Fortune, Nidalee, and Soraka have all received new splash arts that are not offensive. (You can nitpick Morgana's new splash (kidneys where?) but it's miiiiiiles better than the one it replaced.) I'm just curious as to why, far more often than not, it's a straight downgrade with criticisms ignored. I'd like to see some new splashes for Evelynn's base and skins but with these odds I'd much rather that nobody ever touch them.

Orianna, Shyvana, and Vayne are neutral (the new ones are okay; they're no better/worse than the old ones). I would probably take old Shyv and new Vayne, but either one would do. I don't like either of Ori's.

Some additional notes: -Tristana will soon receive ANOTHER new splash. It is the best one yet. The takeaway here is that Tristana has a lot of God awful splash arts (even the Chinese ones suck). Earnest Elf is basically the only good one. -Sejuani's old splash was fine. Her new one is fine for what it is (which is Riot stating that women are too weak to be in the cold without clothes on; at the time of her rework and visual upgrade Tryndamere already existed and we have since gained Braum- equality!). It's not like any of that armor helped with her early clear, hey? -I was going to mention Karma's new splash being crap but nobody would know what I was talking about. Ahh, old as shit jokes. -Some of the super old splashes are hilariously bad. Annie, Janna, Kayle, oh my God, hahahahaha.

Feel free to add any I've missed. ~Uiru

12 Comments

Sukishoo2/14/2015, 1:30:28 AM3 votes

The LB and Lux look like garbage compared to what we have now. I can't see in anyway possible why you think those are better.

Only Play Darius2/14/2015, 1:27:50 AM1 votes

I would prefer to see specific reasons as for why you dislike certain splashes.

I will agree, the new splashes forKayle Katarina are definitely a big step down, but honestly I don't see much wrong with Cassiopeia Lux Riven Sona especially Sona, that's probably one of my favorite splash arts/portraits.

Purodyuusaa2/14/2015, 1:58:05 AM1 votes

Eh... I disagree on all points. The splash arts improved the characters, the poses (except Sivir's flamingo stance and Lux's/Morgana's/Ashe's/etc lack of organs) are much more interesting and utilize negative space better than their old ones, and the quality of the colors and usage of light is worlds better than their previous arts.

Elphrihaim2/14/2015, 5:02:58 AM1 votes

The Caitlyn splash has correct anatomy.

It's just.. really hard to figure out.

Also, re: why old LB splash might be better than current?

Old LB is better compositionally but new LB is way better executed.

Old Sona art was AWFUL compositionally, and in my opinion the style of the old Sona art was better, more serene--which feels like Sona to me.

I have the honest opinion that Lux's splash change is almost completely neutral. Same with Riven.

Cassio's old splash was bloody perfect, it just needed to be retraced and re-done (amazing compositionally, and thematically fitting, but the detail work was pretty poor. :M)

I fail to see anything wrong or bad with Katarina's new splash art. I'm rather neutral to both.

I loved Sivir's old art, but I don't see anything wrong with the current one besides the brain-mucking that goes on with doing a still of an exaggerated action shot.

Janna's old art matches her in-game appearance more than her live one, so... yeah, that's kind of unacceptable. Also that face is just so wrong looking.

Ahri's old art, and if you care you can delve into my post history and see that I must say that her current splash is better compositionally in so many ways, but that her old one is better executed (the original of the live splash didn't have her bell. And had too-tiny ears) and suits her more. Also that face. It takes all of a millisecond to be able to see that her splash's face is not anywhere close to her model's face, and that is a HUGE issue.

For many of the pieces, I feel that they're better compositionally and better realize those compositions. However, those new compositions do not always (and from what I can tell, actually often do the opposite) feel like the sort of things that the characters depicted would be doing.

...Cassio is the best example of that. Her old splash was so perfectly 'Cassio', and her new one... isn't. But it's much more exciting visually and has many more details and shows off her strengths.

CaptainBigButt2/14/2015, 11:35:07 AM1 votes

I think the main problem is that they've set the bar so high for themselves. One splash page probably passes through at least couple of artists over the course of a couple of months. Instead of experimenting with new art, they're stuck with tediously adding so many fine details to the same image for the next few weeks or months. Then again if they enjoy it either way then who am I to complain?

As for the Katarina splash: it just isn't really done yet. It's only come up in the beta for not even a day and with everybody blowing up about it so quickly it's probably going to get some changes before heading to live, but we'll see.

ftftfftftftf2/14/2015, 11:54:00 AM1 votes

I made a post just like this one last night Lool. I actually like the old Annie and Kayle though :d http://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/story-art/jYkVvuKV-splash-arts

Duke Anax2/14/2015, 1:26:52 AM1 votes

Do you really think the new Tristana Splash for her new VU is the best one?

The previous version that was on the PBE felt like a step down from her current one, however it wasn't finished, so i'll hold by breath.

Fashion Mage2/14/2015, 7:40:13 PM1 votes

Agree with Janna, Ahri, and Riven. As for Lux and Leblanc? Their old splashes were horrible.