Family Get Together

[ChrisMurray]

Neil Roberts has spoken about the artwork in the BL blog:
http://www.blacklibrary.com/Blog/Nei...uest-blog.html

Arch Imaginer Neil Roberts lays down his paintbrush and picks up pen today to write us a guest blog about his stunning primarchs artwork.


Okay, I happily admit it - I love Warhammer 40,000.


I have done since, with my own pocket money, I bought a copy of Rogue Trader at Beatties Toy Shop, Milton Keynes way back in 1987. I read, re-read and re-read over and over again that rulebook, months before I even bought a miniature to paint and play. The artwork and background was what immediately hooked me - all incredibly potent fuel to a fervent young imagination.


Nowadays I try to distil that knowledge and respect for the world of 40K (or should that be 30K?) into my book covers. With each cover I’m trying to produce an image as striking and jaw-dropping as John Sibbicks’ cover to that first rulebook.

And sometimes, that means I get to draw Primarchs for a living.



The cover brief for The Primarchs was to illustrate a key moment at the Parade of Ullanor where Horus has a quiet word with Fulgrim. So, knowing what I did about Ullanor, I had to have the parade in the image somewhere, but I didn’t want to have to paint millions of troops and thousand of craft. The Primarchs were to be the focus of the image and the parade would form the backdrop.

As a quick way of visualising it, I was thinking this would be like the Live Aid ’85 concert for Space Marines and an unseen Emperor was to be their Freddie Mercury.


My starting point was to have a classical feel to the piece, so I researched a lot of JW Waterhouse paintings. I like the soft light, architectural details and warm tones (a result of ageing varnish) in his classical pieces. Also, it would give the piece an aged look as if, even in context of the Heresy, this was an historical event.

The setting would be the viewing platform, so I knew I wanted to make it more Romanesque (pre-Gothic, rounded and ‘clean’) than Gothic (pointed arches, flying buttresses and heavy stone). Again, to reinforce the historical nature of the event. So I painted lot of white and black marble, red cloth and gold detailing in keeping with the theme.


Ullanor itself would be straightforward to paint, a flat and featureless landscape, covered in marching troops, Dreadnoughts, Speeders and Titans. Cool.

The Primarchs were based on John Blanche artworks where possible, as that’s the most accurate source of Warhammer information. What you see in the final image is my interpretation of the Primarchs, which may not be to all tastes, but I try to cover all the major details to keep the many readers and hobbyists (including myself) happy.


The key was to depict certain Primarchs and imbue each with their own character. Horus and Fulgrim were having their chat and the others would be cheering, conspiring, saluting or musing. I’ll let you make up your minds as to who is doing what…

Also I like to reference my own previous Horus Heresy covers, to keep consistency – Angron, Magnus and Fulgrim are basically the same designs and armour types as the on Tales of Heresy, Thousand Sons and Fulgrim covers respectively. I want to give the Heresy covers continuity; as much as the authors create a cohesive world, I’m aiming to do the same with the covers.


Hope you all enjoy it as much as I had fun painting it.

Now, I need to get into space, there’s a boarding action I need to paint…



N

On another note is it me or does Sanguinius look like he has his own version of the eye of horus all over his armour?

[shadowhawk2008]

It the Blood-drop that is seen on the Blood Angels gear.

[M'ichal]

Looks a bit like Final Fantasy artwork, not that that's a negative, it looks excellent.

It's a terrible thing. Please don't introduce any Anime style to 40k.
I don't mind Anime/Manga style but it should stay with Anime/Manga stuff.

The artwork is still cool. Horus seems to be really happy, I think he just told Fulgrim that he saw a cute bunny.

[502]

It appears Rogal Dorn is saluting.

Still my favorites in this picture are Horus and mostly Jaghatai Khan, whom we rarely see.

[shadowhawk2008]

@502

It's the old Unity salute if I am not mistaken.

[Doppleskanger]

for those who who say Angron looks small. You do realize he is bent over the railing as if looking down. For all we know he could be as tall as Magnus.

Meh he looks like a 3rd generation Genestealer Hybrid to me!

[SunTzu]

Should settle the 'Does Sanguinius have blonde or black hair' debate too.

Unlikely. He's repeatedly shown with both.

TBH he blatantly dyes his hair. I like to think he's a natural blond because he's supposed to be "perfect" which (as the Imperium are basically Nazis) means Aryan, but he's always struck me as a bit of a follower of fashion, and not above applying artificial colour when he likes it. Surprises me he's not got highlights, like David Beckham in his early Man Utd days. That's how I always envisioned him.

[Wyrmwood]

Since when has he been shown with black hair?

Not a fan of the artwork; I like Horus, Rogal Dorn and Jaghatai Khan. Robert's comments have dampened my opinion of it further by claiming that some are conspiring. Still, it is nice that his artwork is at least consistent.

[Fen]

But he should still be a giant and taller than the rest.
In this pic he must be sitting or something because, while huge, he isn't taller than anyone.

Leaving aside the fluctuating-height-power of Magnus (i dont have ATS so i dont know the details,i just know there is something about that)


Consider 2 things

1)he's not in the foreground,so he should look smaller than all the primarchs closer to the "camera"...And yet,maybe only the Khan is higher (and tbh i dont think we ever had an accurate description of the Scars' primarch...he could be a giant too as far as we know),while he's dwarfing Mortarion and Sanguinius (and from what i recall,Mortarion is described as quite tall too)

2)He seems to be slightly bent over the railing (less than Angron but still a little bit) to turn his gaze over to Horus (or at least,that's what he seems to be doing),and that could cut a bit of height too

[ChrisMurray]

It the Blood-drop that is seen on the Blood Angels gear.

Your right, can't believe I missed\forgot about that.

Any guesses on who is conspiring? Horus and Fulgrim look to be the obvious ones but the artist mentions them then says the others are conspiring, cheering, saluting etc.

[shadowhawk2008]

Sangy making the Aquila.
Morty observing.
Magnus wondering what the hell that git Angron is doing.
Angron yelling down at something.
Jagy standing proud.
Lorgar looking on unconcerned.
Rogal Dorn doing the Unity salute.
Horus/Fulgrim conspiring.

[Vivia]

My problem are the permanent scowls/squints they all have and I'm disappointed by Lorgar. Where is the golden skin? If Magnus the Red is red then we should get Lorgar the Golden Child.

[Wyrmwood]

Lorgar would be the most likely to 'conspire'. By the time of Ullanor, he had already fallen to Chaos. It seems that Fulgrim is proud that his brother received the honour of being named Warmaster, or of the great victory at Ullanor. Rogal Dorn is indeed performing the Unity salute before the parading Astartes; I can't tell if Sanguinius is making the Aquila or not. Angron's blood is up at the sight of so martial a gathering - it is a victory celebration, after all. Mortarion is observing; perhaps Magnus is communicating with someone, or he seems to be looking at Horus - maybe he knows what's coming, if this image is prior to the Emperor announcing his retreat to Terra. Jaghatai Khan is simply dignified, reserved.

Lorgar is not unconcerned, he has the darkest expression of them all.

[Caveritnicus Gracus]

My problem are the permanent scowls/squints they all have and I'm disappointed by Lorgar. Where is the golden skin? If Magnus the Red is red then we should get Lorgar the Golden Child.

Maybe its not lorgar. My choice was ferrus manus for that guy as lorgar had red or black armour.

I just had a nerdgasm jajajajaja Love the photo and the book shu}ould be even better

[Melchiah]

I'm loving Angron bellowing at the crowd.

I thought that was night haunter

[Londinium]

I thought that was night haunter

Night Haunter is pale with long black hair, think (http://www.slasherbob.com/wp-content...t-reznor-4.jpg) definitely not a small red midget bellowing at the crowd.

Having looked at the artwork a bit more I'm not really that impressed with Sanguinius either, he looks more like Fabio than the angelic Primarch he's supposed to be.

[502]

Maybe its not lorgar. My choice was ferrus manus for that guy as lorgar had red or black armour.

If I recall correctly, Lorgar (pre-heresy) had a relatively un-adorned grey armour, save for parchments hanging and some inscribed verses.

[Melchiah]

Night Haunter is pale with long black hair, think (http://www.slasherbob.com/wp-content...t-reznor-4.jpg) definitely not a small red midget bellowing at the crowd.

Having looked at the artwork a bit more I'm not really that impressed with Sanguinius either, he looks more like Fabio than the angelic Primarch he's supposed to be.

I know, but when i first saw this i didnt notice the crainuim implants. On closer inspection and damaging my already nearly blind eyes i see them.

[Vivia]

Having looked at the artwork a bit more I'm not really that impressed with Sanguinius either, he looks more like Fabio than the angelic Primarch he's supposed to be.

Sadly, he does remind me of Fabio. He is also non-existing in that corner of nothing. When will he get the spotlight?

[spetswalshe]

I like Lorgar, he actually looks a) sane (essential for seducing people to the utter craziness) and b) like he's disgusted with the way things are going. 'Sidelong glance' was a good look for him.

Horus and his chum do not impress me, though. For one, Horus must have shoulders literally twice the width of Fulgrim, and his head is pretty huge too. It'd odd to see him without a daemonface, but if I was imagining his face pre-all-going-to-hell I would not be imagining that of a Mexican police lieutenant, which is what he apparently has. Fulgrim also looks a bit odd, with a surprisingly old-looking face that really is reminiscent of one of the three faces that anime characters are allowed to wear.

Angron does look a bit small, but then all we can see is his head and hands (in thin-looking gauntlets), which are nevertheless the same size as the normals in the crowd (i.e. not Horus - who seems to be just taking the mickey with his shoulder-corpse - and not Magnus, who little Angray is unfortunately positioned next to) and his pose is going to shorten him considerably - notice the others are all standing up ramrod straight. I don't think he should be particularly tall in general, and he doesn't actually need to be a 'roided-up bodybuilder, but if you have a Furious Barbarian in your cast then people are going to make assumptions. And that's not mentioning previous artwork. Magnus, by the way, appears to be leaning forward too, again reducing height, and I like that he's apparently casting some kind of spell with his hand to get that buffoon Angron to shut his damn mouth.

Most of all, though, I like that Angron is so deeply angry that he gets a war-hard just looking at a military driveby, crushing the parapet with his hand and pumping his fist while screaming incoherently. Wouldn't you respect Prince Harry more if he did that every time there he watched a British Army parade?