Horus Heresy: Know No Fear

It's out.

Go here to get your copy...

...and Black Library are selling wallpapers of it as well, if you like that sort of thing.

Check out my previous post about the cover.

Coming up - Cardiff International Comic Expo and Black Library Live...

Reminder: Games Day 2011

Hello All,

Just a quick reminder to say I shall be attending Games Day 2011 with those lovely folk from The Black Library this coming Sunday the 25th September, 2011 at the Birmingham NEC LG Arena!

So, if you have any of you have copies of my Black Library covered books, Horus Heresy books or posters (there may also be numbered and signed limited edition prints available on the day), feel free to bring them along to get signed. I believe I'll also be taking part in a seminar about the Art of Black Library!

Oh, and there'll be a bunch of people who write words as well, so you can talk to them about sentences and paragraphs or something... ;)

There may even have a special sneak preview of upcoming artworks on my iphone for anyone who asks very, very nicely...

Tickets available here: Games Day UK 2011


UPDATE - it looks like all tickets are sold out, see you all there!

First Look: Cover: Aurelian

Hello All,

So, we've had the Pledge, The Turn and now, the Prestige moment...
Those nice folk at Black Library have now revealed my artwork (in their newsletter) for the new Horus Heresy novella by the über-cool Aaron Dembski-Bowden, titled: Aurelian

(Above)
Intense!
The result of a lot of
Hans Zimmer soundtracks
and a well outlined brief...

Needless to say the messageboards have been getting a lot of heat, people seem to like it, which is always nice to know.

Either way, I'm proud of it. Aaron has a knack of pushing the boundaries of what to expect in a cover and this one didn't fail to push against that. Check out his 'blog for a far wittier take on the cover art.

Sheesh, that boy's a GREAT writer... Cheers Aaron - you wonderful bundle of talent!

Next up on my drawing board, assassins and aliens...

Music To Paint By...

Hello all,

I just finished a nice big cover for my brothers and battle-sisters at Black Library and, by way of a teaser (kind of), I wanted to share the musical inspiration for the piece (the best bit comes in at 2:50 in):



YEEEAAAHHH!

Without giving too much away, this summed up perfectly the mood I wanted to achieve with the piece.

More often than not, I listen to soundtracks when working, mostly Hans Zimmer. Or have my iPhone on shuffle, so it'll keep me amused when it bounces from Lady Gaga to Dragonforce to Ennio Morricone ;)

So, anyone else use particular pieces of music to get them fired up?

First look: Cover: Path of the Renegade

What a week! First off, space marines actually in space; now I introduce you to my new Dark Eldar cover for Andy Chambers' new novel "Path of the Renegade", from Black Library - out early next year.

(Above)
Like the Eldar novels,
I lavished little details on
this image - not immediately
visible in this preview...

And here's the piece in it's front cover glory:

(Above)
The design and type always
sets off the image to a tee!

I'll do a proper post with process, as and when the book comes out - Excellent!

First look: Cover: Know No Fear

Hello one and all!

So, Black Library have put the final (lo-res) image up for the new Dan Abnett Horus Heresy novel, "Know No Fear" and here it is for your perusal:

(Above)
Zero-G punchup!
Ultramarine Primarch, Roboute Guilliman
PUNCHING THE HEAD OFF
a heretic WordBearer

(Above, detail)

The face was inspired
by the previous Ultramarine I painted
for 'Battle for the Abyss'

(Above)

I LOVED adding the details
on this one, the blood globules hanging in space,
the ship detailing and all the rest.

The idea for this image was to have a true 360 degree punch up, so the cover was designed to show some combat if you turned the image round to any angle.

I added a harsh lens-flare with lens dust, the kind of which you see on the NASA Apollo Moon-landing photographs (a great inspiration for this piece)

Well ,that's all for this time, when the book's out I'll do a full process post - sketches and reference. But for now, enjoy the hard vacuum of space...!

Cover: Path of the Warrior

Quick note, Gav Thorpes' excellent "Path of the Warrior" is OUT SOON!

Go buy/ pre-order - and then tell all your friends to do the same.


"The ancient eldar are a mysterious race, each devoting their life to a chosen path which will guide their actions and decide their fate. Korlandril abandons peace for the Path of the Warrior. He becomes a Striking Scorpion, a deadly fighter skilled in the art of close-quarter combat. But the further Korlandril travels down this path, the closer he gets to losing his identity and becoming an avatar of war."

Order/ buy it here , here or go into an ACTUAL BOOKSHOP and buy it from a real person *shudders*.

Here's the full artwork, in all its highly-detailed and ornate Xenos glory:



I'll do a proper making of post sometime, the detail I put into this was ridiculous.

See you soon.