Commissioned Art Gallery
The Art of Unknown Shores
“Art is the record of how a mind touched the world and left evidence that it had been there. Long after names fade and borders shift, what was made by hand remains as proof that someone once cared enough to shape meaning out of silence.”
I have been commissioning and collecting artwork related to Unknown Shores since roughly 2003, spanning more than two decades of collaboration with artists across different styles and periods of my own life. My appreciation for art predates the setting itself and runs wide, from antiquity and classical works through traditional fine art and into modern pop culture, comic, and genre illustration. I am unapologetically fond of museums and galleries of all kinds, and that long exposure has shaped how I think about visual storytelling and preservation.
This gallery exists to present human made artwork with care, context, and proper credit. Every piece shown here represents time, skill, and labor, as well as a financial commitment made in support of artists whose work mattered to me. This is not about spectacle or completeness, but about acknowledging the people who helped give the world visual form and celebrating the creative exchange that made that possible.
AI Generated Imagery
Before we begin, I want to address the elephant in the room. If you're familiar with my work or have spent any time talking with me, you'll know that I have a deep appreciation for art and the people who create it. I have been commissioning artists to bring the world of Unknown Shores to life since 2003, and if it were within my budget, my lifespan, and the practical realities of producing a project of this scale, every single piece of artwork associated with this setting would be created by human hands. It isn't. I am fully aware of the irony that someone who openly dislikes AI-generated artwork has spent considerable effort learning how to produce it. There is no need to point it out. I understand the contradiction better than anyone. The choice was never between AI art and commissioned artwork. The choice was between AI art and page after page of uninterrupted text. As much as I dislike AI-generated imagery, I dislike walls of text even more, especially in a project intended to welcome new readers into a world that has occupied more than three decades of my life. Every AI-generated image in this project exists for one reason: to make the setting more approachable until it can be replaced. As Team Unknown Shores continues bringing this world to the public, it is my intention that any revenue generated through future commercial releases, Patreon support, or other community funding will be directed toward commissioning professional human artists. My goal is for published editions of Unknown Shores for 5e and the 2024 revision of Dungeons & Dragons to feature artwork created by real artists whose talent, experience, and imagination deserve to be celebrated and supported. The internet already has more than enough AI-generated images. I would much rather see physical books filled with work created by artists who devoted years to mastering their craft. Human creativity possesses a soul that cannot be manufactured, and in a world becoming increasingly digital, that authenticity feels more valuable than ever. The human desire to create is not a problem to be solved, nor is it a resource to be automated away. It is one of the defining qualities of our species. Team Unknown Shores remains committed to celebrating that spirit by supporting artists whenever we are able, and by ensuring that the future of this setting is built not only upon imagination, but upon the work of imaginative people.
Commissions
I continue to commission artwork of all kinds for Unknown Shores. Visual interpretation has always been an important part of how the setting grows, particularly in a tabletop roleplaying context where each participant brings their own experiences and imagination to the table. Commissioned art captures those interpretations and preserves moments that might otherwise exist only in memory.
At this time, I am not accepting unsolicited commission inquiries. When new commissioned work is planned, artists are contacted directly. This gallery reflects past and ongoing collaborations rather than an open call for submissions.
Fan Art and Community Creations
Unknown Shores exists because people choose to spend their time imagining things within it. When someone takes the time to create fan art inspired by the setting, that work deserves to be seen. This section exists to showcase art made by readers, players, and fans who felt compelled to put their own mark on the world.
If you've created artwork related to Unknown Shores and would like to have it shared here with proper credit, it is always welcome. Fan made pieces will be presented as part of the broader creative conversation surrounding the setting, distinct from commissioned work but valued just as highly for the care and effort that went into them.
Michael Lee Lunsford
REIQ
And of course some random follower he had decided to color it. God help me.
“To depict a thing is not to diminish it, but to engage it. Every artist sees a different truth, and it is in the overlap of those truths that understanding grows. A single image cannot define the world, but many together can illuminate it.”
Art Commissions
“Creation is an act of witness. Whether carved in stone, painted in pigment, or sketched in haste, art declares that a moment mattered. That declaration is as important to history as any battle or crown.”
Looking through all those images was mighty inspirational for me. Especially as some of those artists use cel shading, which is exactly the style I want to use for my world's images :) Thank you for sharing this collection.
Thank you! So happy you enjoyed it. I've been excited to share this one.