Iron Claw Black Orcs - complete collection

[matthewjksullivan]

Recently finding the last of the 12 original 1988 Iron Claw Black Orcs sculpted by Bob Olley, I was inspired to paint them all up. Here are the results.
I tried to make the paint job as strange as the miniatures themselves, which are plenty strange.

If you're interested, here's the advert from Citadel's March 1988 Mail Order Flyer (care of Stuff of Legends):

http://www.solegends.com/ironclaw/ic601blackorcs.htm

I loves me some Bob Olley. If you're keen for more pics, I've got loads at my website: http://www.oldenhammer.com/2014/12/bob-olleys-black-orcs-best-of-iron-claw.html

Incidentally, I have a question for those who know more about these things than I do. In later Citadel catalogues (like the blue 1986-1991 Citadel Miniatures omnibus), Bob Olley never gets any credit for sculpts (he's always anonymized as "Citadel Design Team") -- whereas Jes Goodwin, Kev Adams or the Perry Twins are all cited by name. I just find this strange.

In any case, thanks for looking!

 

[Golgfag1]

Well done sir,

A very nice job you've made of those, hitting the nail on the head in my opinion; as for your question - sorry can't help you there.

Paul / Golgfag1

 

[axiom]

Stunning! I love the contrast between the dark grey-green flesh and the psychedelic colours on the shields and armour.

Do you plan to add in the later Black Orcs (as per 1991 catalogue)?

 

[Skarsnik]

I would guess that Olley stopped getting credit after he left GW, whereas all of the others you mentioned were still there at the time.

 

[treps]

Incidentally, I have a question for those who know more about these things than I do. In later Citadel catalogues (like the blue 1986-1991 Citadel Miniatures omnibus), Bob Olley never gets any credit for sculpts (he's always anonymized as "Citadel Design Team") -- whereas Jes Goodwin, Kev Adams or the Perry Twins are all cited by name. I just find this strange.

Until the end of the 2000's only people still working at GW were credited on any new publication, the one who had left were always credited as "Citadel Design Team" like they never existed before... GW had a problem with the turn over of the designers for a long time, like the fact that they were quitting GW was a problem...

It's from the late 2000 that GW did accept to give credit to the old sculptors when they are credited (in articles as they are no more credits in the last catalogues I saw)...

 

[Piers B]

Superb painting fella!

 

[matthewjksullivan]

Thanks all for the feedback - and for the explanation about why Olley wasn't credited. It makes sense from what I know of GW in its decadent period (Sort of reminds me of Stalin changing old photographs to remove comrades who "fell" out of favour - but maybe that is an extreme example).

With respect to the additional Giant Black Orcs... I always had reservations about whether these were Olley's, until I just read this very useful thread:
http://forum.oldhammer.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1645

And especially this link establishes their provenance:
http://www.solegends.com/citcat1990winter/TradeCatWinter1990Pg28-02.htm

[By Crom I love this forum]

Anyway, I'm thinking about trying to get those later Olley Black Orcs. As people like Naagruz have already noted, the sculpting styles are very different... with the later Black Orcs having bald heads, smoother features, broader underlips, fewer teeth. Frankly, I find them less interesting and less weird than the 1988 originals. But I am an insane completionist, so we'll have to see where my mania takes me.

 

[axiom]

Those 'newer' Black Orcs are actually similar in style to Bob's Blood Bowl Ogres (and, to a lesser degree, Ogryns) than the original 12, but they're classic Olley in terms of features like nostrils, boot tops and gloves in my view

I look forward to seeing the expanded collection!

 

[Niko]

I love your Orcs !!! I'm a big fan of Bob Olley ! Great work !!!

 

[pea]

Magnificent work. Its color scheme is very cromatic.

 

[Subedai]

Over the top paint job for over the top miniatures, great!

 

[daddyorchips]

wow, those are a bit much! but you're a great painter!

 

[Zhu Bajie]

Yeah, these look great!

 

[phreedh]

Lovely paintjobs matthew! Worked out very well!

 

[matthewjksullivan]

Thanks guys for the awesome feedback!

 

[mbh]

Wonderful paint jobs

 

[Orjetax]

Bizarre and wonderful models, and superb painting.

But the best part of your post is that it lead me to your excellent blog, and I've now read every post.

 

[Bane]

I remember painting these when I first started into the hobby back in the 80's and found the details and textures quite bemusing back then! They are still strange and characterful especially with the wonderful paint job you've given them. Well done!

 

[matthewjksullivan]

Do you plan to add in the later Black Orcs (as per 1991 catalogue?

Well, Axiom planted a seed in my obsessive nature (it never takes much!) and I went out and found (and painted) those later Bob Olley Orcs:

http://www.oldenhammer.com/2015/10/orctober-bob-olleys-later-giant-black.html


Thanks Axiom!

 

[axiom]

Great new additions. I love the paint again, they're well worth including with the Iron Claw ones.