John Blanche is a science fiction and fantasy artist whose artwork has appeared in a number of Fighting Fantasy publications, most notably the portrayal of Kharé in the inside cover of the original 1986 A4 edition of Titan - The Fighting Fantasy World.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
John Blanche was born into a working class family in England. At art college he was told that he had a romantic spirit, but that fantasy art would never earn him a living.[1]
Career[]
Emergence into the Mainstream[]
John Blanche gained fame in the fantasy gaming world when his work appeared as the first full-colour cover of White Dwarf in 1978. From there he continued to ply his distinctive "punk fantasy" style onto the covers of many games, books and record sleeves, notably the Talisman boardgame series and of course Fighting Fantasy.[2]
Games Workshop[]
Much of John's early work was for the Games Workshop, founded by the creators of Fighting Fantasy, Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson. Thus the work for Fighting Fantasy was a logical process. John has retained close links with Games Workshop throughout his career and was made the Art Director of Games Workshop.[3]
Punk Fantasy Style[]
His style is characterised by sharp, angular characters and hideous demonic creatures locked together in the eternal struggle between good and evil. It has been pointed out that his early work the aggressiveness is forsaken and a more visionary fantasy emerges.[2]
Miniatures[]
Blanche has won several Games Day Awards for his individual figures and dioramas making him one of the world's finest fantasy miniatures painters. He now regularly edits a miniatures column in White Dwarf magazine.[2]
Bibliography[]
Cover Illustrator
Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks[]
- Also the original slipcase that contained The Shamutanti Hills and The Sorcery Spell Book (Penguin, 1983)
- Kharé - Cityport of Traps (Penguin, 1984)
- The Seven Serpents (Puffin, 1984)
- The Crown of Kings (Puffin, 1985)
- The Warlock's Way (Puffin, 1986)
- The Warrior's Way (Puffin, 1986)
Warlock Magazine[]
Interior Illustrator
Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks[]
- The Sorcery Spell Book
- The Shamutanti Hills
- Kharé - Cityport of Traps
- The Seven Serpents
- The Crown of Kings
- The Warlock's Way
- The Warrior's Way
Other Fighting Fantasy[]
- Out of the Pit (Puffin, 1985)
- Titan - The Fighting Fantasy World (Puffin, 1986)
Warlock Magazine[]
- Issue 4 (Puffin, 1985)
- Issue 5 (Puffin, 1985)
- Issue 7
- Issue 11 (Games Workshop, 1986) (Art Director for Issues 11 to 13)
- Issue 12 (Games Workshop, 1986) (Art Director for Issues 11 to 13)
Map Illustrator
Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks[]
- The Shamutanti Hills
- Kharé - Cityport of Traps
- The Seven Serpents
- The Crown of Kings
- The colour map of Kakhabad on the back of Warlock Issue 5 and the Sorcery! box set.
Outside of Fighting Fantasy[]
- The Prince and the Woodcutter
- Ratspike (which also featured Ian Miller)
- The Tolkien Bestiary
- Games Workshop
- White Dwarf