40K Deep Thought: In Defense of Artwork
The latest GW codices are all about the miniatures photos – here’s why that’s a terrible idea.
I’m sure you’ve noticed it. For decades, GW codices looked something like this:
Or even this:
Now they look like this:
I can understand the rationale for why GW is doing this. Artwork is vague and nebulous and it doesn’t SELL THE PRODUCT you are making (in theory). Or some line of reasoning like that. I’m certain at least a part of the memory-holing of the unit artwork had something to to with the entire Mycetic Spore – CHS lawsuit debacle. I mean if you don’t show pictures of upcoming characters and units and instead just remove them (I propose the verb “to Vect then”) – then those pesky aftermarket accessory makers can’t crank out exactly the unit you envisioned but never bothered to make – or something like that.
I want you to look at these two images of Wracks.
Now ask yourself:
– Which one makes you WANT to get more into the Warhammer 40,000 universe?
– Which one pulls you into the game and fires off your imagination?
– Which one makes you want to invent a campaign with your friends?
– Which one really makes you want to go buy a unit of Wracks for your Dark Eldar army?
Models are fantastic and let’s be honest, they are GW’s bread and butter. But they are also exactly what they are – little pieces of plastic – toys.
Even with the best painter in the world, they can only be what they are. Also note that what is top-of-the-industry miniatures today will often look lumpen and ridiculous in 10 years…
But quality artwork – for thousands of years it has been taking humankind to vistas and places limited only by our imaginations.
So my advice for GW is – sell the minis, but push the art. In the long run, artwork will never let you down!
~How about you guys? Like the new direction in codex design?
