John Blanche?

lenihan said:
The man was clearly a genius. I love his early fantasy impressionism especially...
Click to expand...
I see so much historical influence in his work: Arthur Rackham to Aubrey Beardsley, MC Escher, Albrecht Durer, Rembrandt, and of course, H Bosch & P Brueghel the elder. Yes some of its grim(dark), but there is an otherworldiness and soem sort of satire in there for me, a pioneering spirit and prolific by the man.
 
Fighelm said:
otherworldiness and some sort of satire in there
Click to expand...
This was the key to so much of the older Warhammer art for me. My WFRP worlds probably didn't literally look like Blanche and Miller's illustrations, but that whimsy and grotesque feel they created is what I always wanted to impart in the games and just lodged deeply in my psyche forever influencing my view of fantasy worlds.
symphonicpoet said:
I feel like there are several threads going on in Rogue Trader, of which the "grimdark" is only one.
Click to expand...
Very much agree with this and the preceding comment it was in reply to. I think in many ways it's why we got to enjoy a special moment - that genesis of the game when it was finding its footing and had more space for variations and experiments. I don't begrudge it maturing into a more focused IP as it became more popular (and indeed John's art direction in treading that dark and grim path!), but it lost some of that fun which was in both the text and varied artwork at the start.
 
Eric said:
This was the key to so much of the older Warhammer art for me. My WFRP worlds probably didn't literally look like Blanche and Miller's illustrations, but that whimsy and grotesque feel they created is what I always wanted to impart in the games and just lodged deeply in my psyche forever influencing my view of fantasy worlds.

Very much agree with this and the preceding comment it was in reply to. I think in many ways it's why we got to enjoy a special moment - that genesis of the game when it was finding its footing and had more space for variations and experiments. I don't begrudge it maturing into a more focused IP as it became more popular (and indeed John's art direction in treading that dark and grim path!), but it lost some of that fun which was in both the text and varied artwork at the start.
Click to expand...
Just as an aside, remember in "Rogue Trader" how Space Marines are psychotic gangers and such brainwashed into the Emperor's Service? To me, they still are and all the "Angels of Death" stuffs are just Imperial propaganda. I enjoy the parody aspects of the settings.

I still buy brand new minis but I do more my own thing with 40K and WFB. I do think some of the charm and the fun has been lost in the official lore and rules.
 
Knight Girl said:
I do think some of the charm and the fun has been lost in the official lore and rules.
Click to expand...
TOTALLY. And it's telling when you read (or see) interviews with some of the 'old guard' how they have disavowed and disowned this approach, often having left GW to do their own 'thing.' I agree with Gary Chalks sentiments (see Orlygg' s blog- 'Realm of Chaos'- interview) when he said, quote:

"I didn’t much like the ever increasing rules either. Chaos seemed to need an enormous number of rules. Think about that for a moment… and the background was getting so detailed that there was very little room for the gamer to be inventive. I actually enjoy making up scenarios, war-engines, uniforms and, so on that, bolt on to the rules for my own games. "

It's strangled any world building and creativity. It's prescriptive, coercive and I find it the total antithesis of (early) warhammer, where they wrote and included incorporated some of the minis.

My thoughts - enjoy the game, the craft, the social element, the banter. Just don't be a stickler for the 'rules' as in the end (bit like a contract), it's just a starting point - a foundation for collobaration! 🤔
 
Yes! I mean, we can each make our own universe in the far future or on a planet much like Medieval Europe. I want to use my imagination and also incorporate the lore that appeals, but not feel bound to it all.

I do historicals, like WW2, and I try to paint my models accurately and use plausible lists, but at times I'll add Super Soldiers, German Zombies, etc. for fun and a break.
 
... Also, thinking on John Blanche, he can't have taken the grimdark label/ moniker too seriously. I read a response to a jibe to him, something along the lines of painting Ultramarines brown so they couldn't be Ultramarines... Can't argue with the sensibilties of a well rounded (& humorous) human being :D
 
Knight Girl said:
I want to use my imagination and also incorporate the lore that appeals, but not feel bound to it all.
Click to expand...
Exactamundo! As this thread is about John, I'm loving the stories (especially the personal ones) of gamers/model makers being invited to his flat for sessions. One wrote he (John) made up or ignored rules as they went along and added his own noise affects during gameplay. :D
 
Fighelm said:
Exactamundo! As this thread is about John, I'm loving the stories (especially the personal ones) of gamers/model makers being invited to his flat for sessions. One wrote he (John) made up or ignored rules as they went along and added his own noise affects during gameplay. :D
Click to expand...
How fun! :) John Blanche continues to inspire me!
 
There are still plenty of fun and silly aspects to the current Warhammer lores… Warhammer Community literally just released a video talking through the design of the new 40k orcs and the designer extolled the silliness of the hidden squiggly bits and creatures he puts on his model designs. 😉
I think the real open sandbox of their backgrounds intentionally allows for a multitude of opportunities, players of the games can pick and choose whatever aspects they prefer.
 
symphonicpoet said:
It's funny that you should say that. I feel like there are several threads going on in Rogue Trader, of which the "grimdark" is only one. The gritty "Space Western" of Logansworld feels very, very different to me. And there's also a thread of humor that cuts through everything, maybe joining together dissimilar pieces.
Click to expand...
You've hit the literal nail on the head. If you read into Rick Priestly's interview, he brought RT as a 'spaceship game' to GW when employed and then while everyone was busy on other fantasy stuff, exTSR staffers, Nigel Stillman et al, he developed it (simultaneously being told Sci-fi didn't sell!). :D The truth about Rogue Trader, Grim & Dark, pubs and humour...
 

Attachments

  • CitadelCompendium159.jpg
    CitadelCompendium159.jpg
    371.8 KB · Views: 6
lenihan said:
Very fine post overall. On Blanchitsu, you may well be right... I guess we'll learn a lot more about all this in the days ahead, I'm not necessarily accurate with my terminology.
Click to expand...

You may well be right. I claim no special knowledge. But . . . I look forward to learning. And however you slice it, I learned a lot from the great illustrator's art.
 
Forgot to say in the RT rulebook & Logans world, the art of Carl Critchlow helps alleviate the 'hopelessness' /space marine madmax pulp of it all, mainly as his style Immediately associates with his satirical fantasy Thrud the Barbarian in WD, binding it all together with gallows humour. Assuming it would've been John Blanche who introduced Carl to the game and, come on, beakies in Thrud in WD93 :D! #grimdarkpisstake
 

Attachments

  • Thrud wd93sep87.JPG
    Thrud wd93sep87.JPG
    638 KB · Views: 8
Knight Girl said:
Yes! I mean, we can each make our own universe in the far future or on a planet much like Medieval Europe. I want to use my imagination and also incorporate the lore that appeals, but not feel bound to it all.

I do historicals, like WW2, and I try to paint my models accurately and use plausible lists, but at times I'll add Super Soldiers, German Zombies, etc. for fun and a break.
Click to expand...

A couple of years ago I played a wonderful game of . . . Flames of War? A WWII game, anyway. Early war Germans vs. Polish partisans, vs. NPC zombies in the woods. The zombies won and it was hilarious! I don't think any of us quit laughing during that game. :-)
 
Fighelm said:
Forgot to say in the RT rulebook & Logans world, the art of Carl Critchlow helps alleviate the 'hopelessness' /space marine madmax pulp of it all, mainly as his style Immediately associates with his satirical fantasy Thrud the Barbarian in WD, binding it all together with gallows humour. Assuming it would've been John Blanche who introduced Carl to the game and, come on, beakies in Thrud in WD93 :D! #grimdarkpisstake
Click to expand...

Critchlow is one of my favourite GW illustrators.
 
Fighelm said:
Forgot to say in the RT rulebook & Logans world, the art of Carl Critchlow helps alleviate the 'hopelessness' /space marine madmax pulp of it all, mainly as his style Immediately associates with his satirical fantasy Thrud the Barbarian in WD, binding it all together with gallows humour. Assuming it would've been John Blanche who introduced Carl to the game and, come on, beakies in Thrud in WD93 :D! #grimdarkpisstake
Click to expand...

Oh my god, that's great!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top