The Decimation of Praag by Karl Kopinski
The Decimation of Praag showcases a vicious battle between a Warrior Priest and a Chaos Champion
as Empire troops rush to aid the besieged city of Praag. It was painted by Karl Kopinski, a former
Games Workshop staff painter (now freelance) with a long list of credits, including the covers of the
Ogre Kingdoms
army book and the Lustria
realm supplement.
The painting began as a series of concept sketches showing potential layouts and background action. Image “A” was chosen because we believed its layout would give us the greatest flexibility going forward and allow us to use the painting for a variety of purposes.
Once the initial concept sketch was approved, Karl did a more refined, full-sized version of the drawing in pencil on the actual canvas. This served as a guide as he began to paint.
Having worked on many paintings for Games Workshop in the past, we let Karl bring forth his vision of the Warrior Priest, the Chaos Champion, and the clashing armies in the background. Our only feedback was that the Chaos Champion did not look sinister enough. His armor was too pristine and his sword was a bit too common. He was also missing many of the “accessories” typically associated with Chaos – the eight pointed star, severed heads, etc. Karl’s next take on the Champion was much darker and the addition of the barded hooks was a great touch. If you look closely, you’ll also notice that the Champion’s left arm is actually a bird talon. (He is a Champion of Tzeentch after all!)
All that was left to do was apply the varnish and shoot the painting to create a high resolution digital version. Look for The Decimation of Praag to be used in future marketing and promotional materials, such as posters, wallpapers, packaging, etc. Thanks to Karl Kopinski for all his hard work. We hope you enjoy the painting as much as we do!
The painting began as a series of concept sketches showing potential layouts and background action. Image “A” was chosen because we believed its layout would give us the greatest flexibility going forward and allow us to use the painting for a variety of purposes.
Once the initial concept sketch was approved, Karl did a more refined, full-sized version of the drawing in pencil on the actual canvas. This served as a guide as he began to paint.
Having worked on many paintings for Games Workshop in the past, we let Karl bring forth his vision of the Warrior Priest, the Chaos Champion, and the clashing armies in the background. Our only feedback was that the Chaos Champion did not look sinister enough. His armor was too pristine and his sword was a bit too common. He was also missing many of the “accessories” typically associated with Chaos – the eight pointed star, severed heads, etc. Karl’s next take on the Champion was much darker and the addition of the barded hooks was a great touch. If you look closely, you’ll also notice that the Champion’s left arm is actually a bird talon. (He is a Champion of Tzeentch after all!)
All that was left to do was apply the varnish and shoot the painting to create a high resolution digital version. Look for The Decimation of Praag to be used in future marketing and promotional materials, such as posters, wallpapers, packaging, etc. Thanks to Karl Kopinski for all his hard work. We hope you enjoy the painting as much as we do!
