Ratspike

by John Blanche (Illustrator), Ian Miller (Illustrator)

A journey through the fantastic imagery contained in the paintings and drawings of artists, John Blanche and Ian Miller.

Genres: Art, Fantasy

136 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1989

Reviews

[Roy Cowing · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been searching for this book for a decade or more (for a reasonable price) and this week I found it. I was driving to a Imax show and saw a Half Price Books that I had not visited and took a stroll through the stacks. I could not believe they had a copy for cover price in the Art book section. John Blanche and Ian Millers art is well presented in this book printed almost 30 years ago. I played 40K on and off since it was released in the 80's and it was nice to be transported back, seeing a good deal of key art from the games at a large size and excellent print quality. I am glad that John Blanche has continued his relationship with GW over the years and the world building has benefited from it. These early raw images are an amazing beginning, built upon by the many artists that followed and expanded on this bleak scarred vision of life in the Empire. The book has both 40K and traditional Warhammer art presentations.

[RatGrrrl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the weirdest, grimiest, inspiring, glorious collections of art I've had the pleasure of drooling over.

There's a bunch of Warhammer Fantasy and 40K art in here, but more than that, this is Blanche and Miller unleashed in all their disgusting beauty.

While they share a sensibility and sources, these two artists are incredibly unique and seriously varied within themselves, showing some less familiar side, at least to me. Taking inspiration from iconic fantasy art of yore and the classical painting masters, each in their own way, processes this through their absurd imagination warping familiar figures and techniques into dark, surreal, and grubbily whimsical wonders, as well as their purely original nightmares.

There's none of the ink and wash Warhammer sketches that are quintessentially Blanche in my mind, but there are some of the classic paintings I wasn't previously aware were his. So much of Miller's art I was entirely unaware of, including visions of the Warhammer universes that add a whole new perspective. His art of the Warp is truly horrifyingly gorgeous and there is an image of amassed Space Marines that captures the brutal fascistic nature of the Imperium better than any other piece I have ever seen! His original works are filled with a certain bleak fun I really enjoy.

Genuinely one of the greatest art books I've ever seen! I would heartily recommend this for anyone who enjoys strange, fantasy, science fiction, or any other kind of bizarre art, regardless of any interest in Warhammer. For Warhammer fans, this is like discovering a long lost STC. IYKYK.

[Synchro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Artwork from John Blanche and Ian Miller.

[E. G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Foreword

--Ratspike: A journey through the fantastic imagery contained in the paintings & drawings of artists John Blanche and Ian Miller