Art in the new book - the best yet?

[Disciple of Nagash]

Looking through the new book, I have loved the artwork inside. Most of the pieces are so well done and fit in fantastically themewise. I also really like the little almost doodle pictures between the block of text.

In fact the only thing that lets it down for me is the front cover - it is almost cartoonish

Other than that, I think this book is probably one of the best, if not the best for artwork.

 

[Belladamma Voltaire]

I like it except the Vargheist one, it looks a bit exaggerated.

 

[Zephyr]

The new artwork is definitely top notch and I do not dislike the return of the old beauties either. But Blanche's works and the cover by Callagher(which I also thought was Blanche at first) are just ugly. I'm a fan of Blanche as a concept artist with his crazy ideas but not his actual visual style. Callagher seems to copy his style but with a different color palette. He also doesn't seem to know his anatomy well and that is something Blanche does do well.

It was a pleasant surprise opening the book and seeing the new art. I like how they colored in the old inks; very minimalist and that's precisely what those pieces need.

So yeah definitely great visuals that fit the overall mood.

 

[Duke Danse Macabre]

The cover is horrid.....
Also some of the oldimage in the book deserve to be burned along side Matt Ward for his cheesyness in the past but things like the the image on GG etc, the new art work is amazing.

 

[Ice Junkie]

The cover is pretty awful.... it looks like the vampire is saying "and I wouldve gotten away with it too, if it werent for you meddling kids and that stupid dog!"
but overall I really like the artwork, my favorite picture is definitely the one on the banshee unit page! if the model was anything like that, wow. very creepy
overall i love love love that its in full color. I hadnt seen the new style yet in orcs & goblins, tomb kings, or whoever else has it so the change was very cool. I'd say best artwork yet!

 

[horrid]

The new book has some great new pieces and the recycling and colouring of some of the art from older books is impressive. I don't hate the cover but it is hokey and underwhelming. There are much better offerings inside. Maybe the lines are just too crisp or cartoony but it doesn't pack the "mood" that the other art does. The Banshee rocks but my favorite remains the vampire court that got coloured on page 9.

 

[HERO]

Cover art is terrible, but the inside is fantastic. Absolutely love it

 

[Nagashizzar]

I love everything... Even the cover

 

[Mosk]

I love the new art in the book. The cover is a bit different but I still think it looks awesome

 

[Dan_Lee]

I think the vampire on the cover is shouting "get this filthy bat off me! I don't know where it's been!"

 

[Belladamma Voltaire]

The problem for me with the front cover comes more from the pose trying to do two things at once. The poor vampire looks like he is about to take off and the little bat...thing...is about to stop flapping with all of his might only to see a Wylee Coyote moment as they both plummet down to the ground.

 

[kaiserjez]

I think to appreciate just how bad the cover for the VC book is you need to have a look at the cover for Storm of Magic. Now that is a fantastic piece of artwork.
I don't know why they don't get Adrian Smith to do all the covers!

 

[Kassill]

Eh, I like the front cover. Not at first, but it's growing on me.

As for the book it's great! My only complaint is the picture for the Blood Knights. Is that really the best they could find? Kind of a let down for such cool dudes imo.

But overall the book is awesome with art!

 

[Vampire bk]

the cover is not vampiric and is white....
CMON WHITE COVER ON DEAD ARMY

 

[maxtoreador]

Summed up in as few words as possible:

Art IN new book:
Art ON new book:

FOR THE.... Emo-Vamps!?!? :slapface:

 

[Pietr Von Carstein]

the cover is not vampiric and is white....
CMON WHITE COVER ON DEAD ARMY

Well vampires tend to be pale so its not that bad. I like the new cover, though I do prefer the old one.

 

[Duke Danse Macabre]

His stance and face is terrible though as is the army behind him... no detail at all on them.
Open the cover and get a double spread of our last books cover art in crimson..... It looks bloody great!

 

[Pietr Von Carstein]

Ooh I didnt know that. I shall pick up the book on the morrow and oggle the lovely art.

 

[Wargamer]

I think the cover is better than the previous one. Eye of the Beholder.

 

[Sception]

The cover is awful and awkward. The interior art is fantastic, even the Blanche stuff, imo. Literally every other picture in the book would have made a better cover image, imo. Especially the big panorama on pages 4-5. The cover of the new age of legends vlad book would also have been an awesome cover for the army book.

It's like the worst vampire picture they had access to. Why? Why did they make it the cover? It's my biggest complaint about this book, otherwise my favorite undead army book since the split between vamps and tomb kings.

 

[Zephyr]

My biggest gripe with the cover is not only about how awful and anatomically incorrect it is but that there is no continuation visual wise with the other 8th edition books.
Put them next to one another and it stands out like a sore spot. I would love to know their reasoning for going for this piece.
I've looked up Gallagher but can't seem to find a portfolio(maybe I'm looking wrong but eh) as I would love to see some other works. I'd hate condemning the man for just one piece. I had my fair share of mess ups, especially my first digital pieces for the Invocation weren't what I knew I could do after some practice.

 

[Disciple of Nagash]

I disagree Zephyr - the pic for the very first issue (my avatar) is still my favourite cover of the Invocation.

I do agree on the cover though. It looks almost amateurish compared to the rest of the book. But then to be honest, if that is the worst gripe in the book, then I think we have done pretty well

 

[Wargamer]

My biggest gripe with the cover is not only about how awful and anatomically incorrect it is but that there is no continuation visual wise with the other 8th edition books.
Put them next to one another and it stands out like a sore spot. I would love to know their reasoning for going for this piece.
I've looked up Gallagher but can't seem to find a portfolio(maybe I'm looking wrong but eh) as I would love to see some other works. I'd hate condemning the man for just one piece. I had my fair share of mess ups, especially my first digital pieces for the Invocation weren't what I knew I could do after some practice.

I think the new cover fits the 8th covers just fine.

 

[Guyzooip]

The cover art does seem to fit the 8th ed art styles. They center on a single hero with the army faded into the background. Looks like they're trying to mesh more painted look to the colorful and cartoony images of early books (4rth?) rather than going with the uber realistic vison of 6th/7th ed. Do I like it? Sortof. It's no 6th Ed Blood Dragon/Black knight epic charge, but I think it's WAY better than our last book's cover art. My two cents:

[Artsy criticky]
As opposed to the previous cover art's cluttered mess of troop exposition, this one's use of negative space lets the piece breathe and focus alot more. The light blue and greyish backdrop of bats and skeletons really makes that vivid red cape snap out at you(But is it just a cape? Or a torrent of blood!?).
This contrast in colour also leads the viewer/reader's eyes straight for the main object of focus: The Vampire Count. He looks very gothic, has a very commanding look about him, and he's just bloody enough without being excessively gory. Oh, and he's holding a bat. He summerizes the core of what it is to be a badass vampire.
The vampire's anatomy does seem off here and there, and this is probably caused by the rather peculiar pose(likely pushed to it's limits, or a tad beyond) while wearing very ornate heavy armor.

Overall? It was designed to convey the essential ideas about the vampire counts to a browsing customer in one glance, look nice alongside the other books, and sell! Sell! Sell!
[Artsy criticky/]

The art inside? Full Color book with new art and older images that got colorized. Awesome.

 

[Silic]

All of the 8th edition books have similar styles with their covers; vivid colors and faded lines. I can't say I like any of them in particular, but opening the book solves that problem. The recycling of the old artwork was done well (not like some other attempts in previous editions) and the new stuff is fantastic. The necromancer and mortis engine entries are my favorites.