Artist
Name
Artist
Skill Attribute & Difficulty
Int - Hard
Defaults
4+Int, Architecture-3 (Interior Decoration), Carpentry-3 (Woodworking)
Prerequisites
None.
Description
This skill represents talent at a visual art. A successful roll might let you create a recognizable likeness of a person or an object, or a work beautiful enough to sell (the GM should not allow a default roll for this use!).
Time required is up to the GM.
Artist is based on IQ, but there are many situations in which the GM could logically ask for a Dex-based roll. In rare cases, even a Str-based Artist roll might make sense – for instance, to work with a physically tough material.
You must specialize in an art form.
Specializations
Body Art
Tattooing, piercing, and scarification. Both this specialty and Painting suffice for henna or temporary tattoos, but cosmetic surgery requires the Surgery skill.
Calligraphy
Beautiful and decorative handwriting. You need not be literate!
Drawing
All forms of charcoal, ink, pastel, and pencil work.
Illumination
Decorating written text with miniature paintings and pictures.
Illusion
Creating believable or evocative illusions.
Prerequisite: magical or psionic illusion ability of somekind.
Interior Decorating
Creating pleasing building interiors by selecting appropriate paints, fixtures, and furniture.
Default: Architecture-3.
Painting
All forms of painting, whether on paper, canvas, or a wall, and whether with tempera, oil-based paint, or something more exotic (like blood).
Pottery
Working with various sorts of ceramics – especially clay.
Scene Design
Designing sets for the stage.
Default: Architecture-3
Sculpting
Creating three-dimensional art from ivory, stone, metal, etc.
Woodworking
All forms of fine woodwork, including cabinet-making and decorative carving.
Default: Carpentry-3
Modifiers
Note:
Calligraphy, Drawing, Illumination, and Painting default to one another at -2, and to or from Body Art at -4.
Interior Decorating, Scene Design, and Woodworking default among themselves at -4.
All other Artist specialties default to one another at -6.
An artist of any kind can take a further optional specialty in a
particular medium or technique.
Many Artist specialties are used to earn a living rather than to create fine art, and some people regard them as “craft” skills, not “art” skills. It is up to you whether you focus on beauty, realism, or functionality.
Equipment modifiers, -2 if the medium is unfamiliar (e.g., tempera when you are used to oils -5 if the medium is difficult (e.g., marble, for a sculptor).