Besieging Goblins by Paul Bonner
Title: Besieging Goblins
Artist: Paul Bonner
Created: 1987
Medium: Water colour
Publication(s):
Warhammer Siege 1st edition, 1988, pg.33
Blood in Darkness (WHFRP Darkstone Campaign), 1990, Front Cover
Out of the Forest * see comments
Purchased: Feb 2020
Size: TBC
Insights:
1) The painting is a limited number of Paul's works in colour during his period at Games Workshop. Paul became frustrated as he wasn’t allowed to create colour artwork and was one factor in leaving Games Workshop.
2) Paul’s own memories about this illustration :
“Way back in time - 80's - I guess, I got a great commission from Games Workshop as a freelancer to paint some besieging goblins. I was not so familiar with their world (GW - I knew all about besieging goblins) - and as everyone knows; goblins are lots of earthy colours, brownish based - not green.
Alas - GW goblins were - and are - green. They loved the first painting - apart from the goblins not being green, so I repainted the whole thing rather than try and alter it as I was very happy with it. If they wanted green goblins they could have them, but I was not losing my brown goblins. Sat up over a few nights and painted the whole thing again - and so we were all happy bunnies. Well, maybe not the green ones, I still think they would rather have been Brown.”
Source:
i) Paul Bonner’s official FB page, https://www.facebook.com/257860907742151/posts/995448153983419/
ii) Realm of Chaos, http://nico-realmsofchaos.blogspot.com/…/o-illustrations-pa…
*see comments for images of first unused version.
Our thoughts:
My jaw literally hit the floor when I saw the PM of the image. I was in an Agile refinement session where you essentially plan the work of a digital team for a 2 week period. My head went side ways and thoughts of OMFG!!! How can this be still available. I instantly knew and loved the piece.
Bonner along with Adams created and set the goblinoid theme for the Oldhammer world. The image composition considering it is hastily done is masterful. The expression and nature of the goblins are menacingly wonderful and the attention to detail such as the shield design add extra imagined layers of narrative.
8 years ago a missed I out on the opportunity to buy colour plates of shield designs used in Warhammer armies. I regretted it to this day. I was sure I wasn’t going to let this opportunity slip through my fingers.
