Warhammer 40K Artist John Blanche Gets New Biography

When it comes to Warhammer 40K, legendary British fantasy artist John Blanche remains one of the most instrumental creative forces in terms of shaping the overall look and feel of the game. With his iconic and instantly recognizable style, Blanche helped establish the overall “grimdark” aesthetic that Games Workshop would become famous for, eventually even inspiring the term “Blanchitsu” to describe his unique visual tone.

Now, Blanche is getting the credit he deserves in the form of a new biography and art book entitled Blanche: The Rise of Grimdark, which offers a detailed look at the life and art of the legendary illustrator.

What is Blanche: The Rise of Grimdark ABOUT?

Published by Wombat Wargames (who is perhaps best known for their old school miniatures rules and popular Shadows of Centralis system), the 218 page, full-color book is an official, authorized biography of John Blanche, covering his 50-year career, with a particular emphasis on the four decades he spent working with Games Workshop.

Notably, Blanche himself was heavily involved in the project, helping to choose the covers and interior artwork and opening up his archives to include previously unpublished illustrations, pictures of his miniatures collection and personal photos.

The book also features additional contributions from artists including Paul Bonner and Ian Miller, as well as sculptors such as Jes Goodwin and Trish Carden.

Who is John Blanche?

Born in England in 1948, John Blanche’s career as an artist started in the early 1970s when we relocated to London and began to work with artist and publisher Roger Dean. In the subsequent decade, Blanche would go on to illustrate a number of popular fantasy book covers, including several JRR Tolkien publications.

During the late 1970s, Blanche became an avid collector of metal miniatures, eventually leading him to Games Workshop, where he created numerous covers for White Dwarf magazine in addition to designing several miniatures. Notably, Blanche was also responsible for producing the cover art for the first British edition of Dungeons & Dragons, for which Games Workshop possessed the UK licence at the time.

By the late 1980s, Blanche eventually became Art Director of Games Workshop, with his work appearing in numerous products across the Warhammer and Warhammer 40K lines. Over the next four decades, Blanche would continue to work with GW before poor health eventually lead to his retirement from the company in May 2023.

What is Blanchitsu?

“Blanchitsu” is a term that encapsulates the unique artistic style of John Blanche, particularly within the Warhammer 40K universe. The style is characterized by its grim and gothic aesthetic, gritty and textured look, and unique blend of medieval, post-apocalyptic and science fiction visual elements.

Since its inception, the Blanchitsu style has not only influenced miniature painting and modeling within the Warhammer community but has also become a genre within itself, inspiring countless other artists and hobbyists to adopt and adapt Blanche’s unique visual tone.

FINAL THOUGHTS

As an artist whose work has been a key part of the evolution of the Warhammer 40K, it’s fantastic to see John Blanche given the credit he deserves. Fans of his work will likely find a lot to love with this new biographical look into one of the all-time greats of fantasy illustration.

You can order Blanche: The Rise of Grimdark now directly from Amazon.

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