Generalization of Fantasy 'Art'

What are the factors that lead to generalization of Fantasy Art?

I'll be updating this post (if I manage to work...can't seem to concentrate on anything)

Computer as a medium
Computer is a tool. It means that artist can work faster and it gives them the possibility to create something that wasn't possible with the use of traditional media. Many artist now try to figure out where the limits of a computer are. Those who try this produce work that looks relatively similar.

Influences/Closed community
Many Fantasy Artists know each other and meet at conventions, fairs, tournaments or at work. This also plays a big role as we are influenced by what we see. This can also lead to some kind of generalization in design.

Many new artist emerge and they are influenced and motivated by the well established artists already. As they see themselves in them, their style becomes oftentimes similar no matter if they like it or not. Only few artist develop a style that is really striking and a lot different.

Art Directors
Fantasy Artists work for different companies. Many of them do work for trading card games, role playing games, book covers or other illustrations that show what's in a story. Now if I take card games as an example.

How does it change the style and design of the final piece? It does change the design. Not only you have to know how for example Elf looks in this or that game but you also have to follow certain 'art rules' to keep the whole set/game cohesive.

For example if we look at Pete Venter's work. He's been drawing Goblins for years. He's doing illustrations for both Wizards of the Coast and Blizzard and you can easily distinguish what illustration was done for what company. But if you look at Venter's work that is not influenced by the client it is different in style.

Even artist with really distinct style have variances in the style according to the 'topic'. For example Terese Nielsen who is known for her ethereal and spiritual look of her paintings does illustration for Magic: The Gathering or Star Wars. But if you look her Angels where she does not really have much constraints her style is much more expressive and different to the ones I mentioned earlier.

Why is that so? Is it because someone says to the artist how it should be done? Or is it because of lack of time or there something else?

Fine Art
Fantasy Artists nowadays do a distinction between Fantasy Art - which is the one that illustrates something from something (for example certain character from World Of Warcraft) and Fantasy Fine Art that just ... is ...Something were someone did not dictate the author what should be on the painting. If these artist create such work or any other work in which there aren't constraints the work is usually quite a lot different to the one you are used to. Is it more about time spend on it or is it more about the fact that under such circumstances you can create a work that truly reflects your style and intention?

Aim
This is related to the commercial aspect as well. Fantasy Art actually has a function. It needs to attract the viewer. What the viewer wants actually changes with time. For example in pre-2008 females were usually depicted as 'damsels in distress' but from 2009 they have a completely different role. They are more like the 'bad-ass' woman.

"Most commercial art does this by relating to a target audience and making them recognize something familiar-it's about the art coming to meet the viewer. The purpose of a great work of SFF Art is almost exactly the opposite: it is to depict something alien, and then drag the viewer away from their world into the imagined world of the book, movie, or video game." [Panepinto, 2010]