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More specifically, do you remember the really GOOD ork artwork, the black and white pieces that showed orks in all kind of situations - at the trading outpost, firing a shock attack gun or kustomized shoota, building a Gargant, or Freebooter pirate orks swooping down from a rope, all showcased in the 80's Ork books like 'Ere We Go, and Freebooterz?

Well, those excellent characterful pieces (which, I think, is where Brian Nelson got a lot of his new-ork-look from) were done by an artist by the name of Paul Bonner. He does brilliant work, I really just cannot say enough nice things about his art. If you remember those pieces, or just have a hankerin' for really excellent fantasy artwork (some done for Fasa, and Rackham, and Wizards of the Coast, among others) then you should take a look here:

http://www.amazon.com/Out-Forests-Art-Paul-Bonner/dp/1845767055/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205173715&sr=8-1
Out of the Forests: The Art of Paul Bonner

I heartily recommend this book if you are a fan of the older ork artwork or just beautiful fantasy and sci-fi artwork in general. This book has quickly become a favorite in my artbook collection. Check it out, you won't be disappointed. (and no, I don't know Paul Bonner personally and he does not endorse his message)

Man, Paul Bonner was my favourite GW artist of all time. The character and life that he breathed into the smallest of gretchin in Waaagh the Orks and the sequels are just unbelievable. Cheers for the heads up!

Also, if you like this, you should go and have a squizzy at his website.

Yes! Thanks! I remember poring over Freebooterz and Waagh... he had a couple pieces in Siege as well that I remember. Man, he was definitely my favorite at the time I started playing.

You just made my day.

RZ

any scans or links of his art?

Kid_Kyoto wrote:any scans or links of his art?

His website has some stuff.

<3 Bonner's stuff - his works gave the Orks that "cheerful murderer" feel that made them so fun back then. He also did a lot of work for the Warzone books, but in a more serious vein.

Sadly, his website doesn't have any of the ork stuff he worked on, must be some kind of legal hangup with GW about that.

There are about 20 pages of the art book devoted to GW orks, and a lovely 20 pages they are too. Heck, the book is about 50% orc, ork, troll, or goblin when you look at it.

Was he the one that did the cover for WAAARGH!?

He also did some excellent stuff for the Imperial Guard and Squats in the Rogue Trader era Compendium. He is definitely one of my favorite artists.

I think his Mishima on Venus is my favorite.

Is the Freebooterz army book cover in the Out of the Forest book?

I love that image, if it's in there I'm buying the book straight away!

Love his stuff.

I have some big pieces of his work up on the walls of my shop. Came out of a GW store on South Street in Philly about 20 years ago.

Have the book kicking around somewhere, nice stuff, and all of the old ork books lurking in my shelves as well.


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Ok, why are all the copies from 279 to 900 dollars? I see this now and then on amazon where the prices are just stupid for a book that's not been out that long. I think I bought this book last year, through a regular book distributor.

It's about 180 on half.com.
I don't get it.

Eric

That's a big shame about the price, nuts in fact. I'm sure if you spent some time asking around regular book shops you could get it for a more sane amount.

Here is a nice thread in this section with a lot of the older artwork, some of it by Paul Bonner. To the OP, I had even started scanning some stuff of Waagh the Orcs further towards the end of the thread, think I got about halfway through if you are interested! http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/342983.page

Here is a small Paul Bonner montage from that thread



Les Edwards is probably my favourite of the artists of that era, he did the cover of Heroquest and some of the old Dark Future art, discounting some of the Mark Gibbons and Adrian Smith stuff that went into WD 127 (the Eldar issue).

Blimey, I'd sell one of you my Waaagh da Orks book (and a kidney) for half of some of those prices.

His work on 40K was always full of character. I too liked his Squat stuff.

As to why its not on his website, if it was produced working for GW then they own the output (remember this is a comapny that takes ownership of any info or article you send to them in their T&C).

Funny enough I have been reading old stuff and checkingout some random art from him, great stuff... couple examples:

http://mr-bugman.blogspot.com/2012/02/back-to-past-old-gw-magic.html

mikhaila wrote:Ok, why are all the copies from 279 to 900 dollars? I see this now and then on amazon where the prices are just stupid for a book that's not been out that long. I think I bought this book last year, through a regular book distributor.

That's crazy prices!

I just ordered one in the UK from WHSmith for £12.99