Games Workshop (Inquis Exterminatus)
David Gallagher is just one of the latest great artists to
part ways with Games Workshop, the company responsible for the iconic wargames Warhammer 40,000, Warhammer Fantasy, and
their countless other offshoots. Those games owed much of their success to their compelling, dark settings, which were fleshed out by the stunning,
unique work provided by dozens of artists. David Gallagher did art for Games Workshop since the earliest editions of both Warhammer
systems and left a lasting impact on each one. Games Workshop has never had a shortage
of talented artists, but Gallagher offered a human image of distinctly
dehumanized settings, presenting work at a level that few other tabletop game
artists have managed.
As fond as I am of Warhammer
in both its iterations, I’ll admit the art can blend together. It’s gothic,
oppressive visions of hostile worlds lends itself to a certain level of
monotony. The increasing focus on depicting the miniature kits sold by Games
Workshop didn’t help matters, especially when it came to variety. This approach
did give Warhammer some much needed
consistency, as the settings managed to establish themselves with their
signature rough, harsh artwork. Gallagher’s pieces stood out from this paradigm
with his more organic, softer designs and a middle ground between the more
realistic and abstract styles of his Warhammer
peers.
