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NicolasRGiacondino β€” GHOSTMAKER - Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt

Published: 2013-09-16 14:11:35 +0000 UTC; Views: 20151; Favourites: 383; Downloads: 0
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Description It's been a long while since I've visited the Dark Millenium of Warhammer 40,000. Luckily, my return to it is through some of my favorite characters from the great Dan Abnett: Tanith's First and Only, also known as Gaunt's Ghosts.

This set of illustrations is part of a big batch of images I was asked to do by the ever-patient and kind :devwolfravenwood:; so, for all of you fans of the Sabbat Worlds Crusade's stories, you'll find some very familiar faces popping up here in my Gallery.

First up is the Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt himself, whom I was asked to render in a quiet moment of reflection, as opposed to the usual action-driven imagery of him out there. Granted, there's not many quiet moments when you're an Imperial Guard Commissar, but I believe that's why they're so precious and interesting to illustrate.
I tried to give Gaunt both the battle scarred and hardened looks of someone who's constantly leading a handful of men into the worst situations, yet also bringing up his intellectual and deeply empathic side. One of the advantages of the Tanith when going into the battlefield is being commanded by Gaunt, who's brilliant strategies and bravery are unparalleled amongst Imperium officers.

As usual, I tried to be as thorough as I could with my research when working on these illustrations and I hope I've made Dan's characters justice. I'm sure many of you will point out any flaws and help me continue my improvement on this subject, though there's also a bit of :devwolfravenwood:'s own imaginings I can't overlook.

I hope you enjoy these and let me know what you think!

Nic.-

PS.. Although impossible to make visible, Gaunt's reading material here is 'The Spheres of Longing'. Anyone know the author of that piece of Imperial Literature?

Β© Games Workshop Ltd. 2013
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Comments: 85

NicolasRGiacondino In reply to ??? [2015-05-12 06:16:47 +0000 UTC]

Thank you very much, mate!

Indeed, all details in this image were planned, so I'm glad you noticed them

Nic.-

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Duneartist [2015-04-07 06:06:09 +0000 UTC]

Nice pic for the Colonel-Commissar.Β  The few quiet times for him in the books shows his human side. Excellent choice for a pic.

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to Duneartist [2015-04-13 15:29:05 +0000 UTC]

Thank you very much, my friend!Β 

Nic.-

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ezioauditore97 [2014-10-04 16:02:10 +0000 UTC]

He's certainly quite the thinker no doubt.Love how they made him so human to us ,yet his dogma still fits in the grim and dark 41st Millenium.

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to ezioauditore97 [2014-10-07 22:34:15 +0000 UTC]

Thank you for the compliments my friend! I think one of the best aspects of the Dark Millenium is its capacity to show us the good qualities of humanity through certain characters that don't quite fit the universe in spirit, but are a definitive product of their environment.

Nic.-

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ezioauditore97 In reply to NicolasRGiacondino [2014-10-07 23:06:42 +0000 UTC]

Trying times can oftentimes bring out the very best in humanity albeit typically at a horrific cost.The Black Library novels hit a nice happy spot in the middle while showing the advantages and disadvantages of following the dogmas of the different factions to that letter.

Seriously though,when the prices have me down for the models or I've lost inspiration in painting I always know the quality fiction of the Black Library will rectify that!(Can't wait until the reprint the Gaunt's Ghosts omnibuses since I finished the second before they went out of print and maybe they'll release a fourth one then?)

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CJohnson17 [2014-08-14 07:34:05 +0000 UTC]

Very nicely done; probably the most apt drawing of Gaunt out there. One thing I notice is the facial scars, however - I feel as if the amount of scars or the sharpness of them sort of draws attention away from the rest of the face. That being said, amazing work!

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to CJohnson17 [2014-08-19 01:01:34 +0000 UTC]

Thank you, Jonathan!

So many illustrators have drawn their interpretations of Gaunt, that your praise is very humbling indeed. I see what you mean about the scars and I will note your suggestion down for when I have to tackle the Commissar again; I think the small canvas may have played me a trick making it more difficult to get the proper sharpness for the marks.

Nic.-

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CougarJo [2014-07-12 16:25:33 +0000 UTC]

Very nice There is not enough Gaunt 's Ghosts art on the net

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to CougarJo [2014-07-30 04:43:18 +0000 UTC]

And I hope I can make more of it!

Nic.-

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Libra1010 [2014-03-21 20:33:35 +0000 UTC]

Β A beautiful rendition of one of the three most impressive Commissars in the entire Imperium; dare I hope that Commissars Cain and Yarrick are not far behind Colonel-Commissar Gaunt?Β 

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to Libra1010 [2014-03-25 13:36:14 +0000 UTC]

Oh, I wish! I sometimes feel I won't have enough time to illustrate all of the heroes of the Imperium.

Nic.-

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Libra1010 In reply to NicolasRGiacondino [2014-03-25 22:00:43 +0000 UTC]

Β I have every confidence that even if you don't manage them all, you'll still have produced the BEST images of all the rest!

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Xhalax [2014-02-07 16:30:30 +0000 UTC]

It could ONLY be Spheres for Longing. Nothing else would do!

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to Xhalax [2014-02-24 20:02:10 +0000 UTC]

It is, actually!

Nic.-

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Vlad311 [2014-02-07 16:06:54 +0000 UTC]

True Badass! Good job!

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to Vlad311 [2014-02-24 20:02:37 +0000 UTC]

Thank you, mate!

Nic.-

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Corporal-Yakob [2014-02-02 10:03:54 +0000 UTC]

:gasp: Is that a first-edition Ravenor he's reading!?


Fancy books: the greatest prize of all in the Imperium.

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to Corporal-Yakob [2014-02-04 12:32:30 +0000 UTC]

It IS a first-edition.

Nic.-

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Corporal-Yakob In reply to NicolasRGiacondino [2014-02-13 17:06:41 +0000 UTC]

Wow.... And suddenly, all the myriad horrors of war seem worthwhile!

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BrutalityInc [2013-10-28 11:43:12 +0000 UTC]

Ladies and gentlemen: Ibram Gaunt. IBRAM. MOTHER****ING. GAUNT!Β Β 

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to BrutalityInc [2013-10-28 22:07:42 +0000 UTC]



Nic.-

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BrutalityInc In reply to NicolasRGiacondino [2013-10-28 22:55:26 +0000 UTC]

"Men of Tanith! Do you want to live forever?"


--- Ibram Gaunt, "First and Only" by Dan Abnett, Chapter 1.

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SomeRandomMinion In reply to BrutalityInc [2013-10-29 02:12:17 +0000 UTC]

"Um, I'm already dead, can I go home?"

-- A nervous (and stupid) Imperial Guard recruit, in response to Commissar Gaunt's battle cry.

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BrutalityInc In reply to SomeRandomMinion [2013-10-29 08:13:55 +0000 UTC]

[Imperial Guard recruit's head is blown off by enemy sniper]

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SomeRandomMinion In reply to BrutalityInc [2013-10-29 15:16:10 +0000 UTC]

[Awkward pause....]

Enemy Sniper: *impatiently* "So, we gonna blow each other up, or what?"

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BrutalityInc In reply to SomeRandomMinion [2013-10-29 15:25:00 +0000 UTC]

Tanith guardsmen:

"FOR THE EMPEROR!"


[And thus, once more, the Imperial Guardsmen of the Tanith First (And Only) followed their Colonel-Commissar into battle, and with it, eternal glory]

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SomeRandomMinion In reply to BrutalityInc [2013-10-29 15:37:59 +0000 UTC]

Enemy Sniper: "That's more like it!"

---

Ghost of Cowardly Recruit: "...Damn, that looks like fun."

[An explosion, and the ghost of the sniper who killed him floats up]

Ghost of Enemy Sniper: "Heya, pal! How's the afterlife treating you?"

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BrutalityInc In reply to SomeRandomMinion [2013-10-29 16:28:23 +0000 UTC]

Ghost of Cowardly Recruit: "Bad, considering the fact that our souls are going to be eaten by Warp Daemons any minute now."


Ghost of Enemy Sniper: "... Hah! Sucks to be you! Fortunately for me, as a Chaos Worshipping renegade of the Sabbat Worlds' traitor armies I'm technically immune from this kind of thing."


Ghost of Cowardly Recruit: "Eh, no, it doesn't work that way, at least not for mooks like you and I."


Ghost of Enemy Sniper: "Really? What makes you think that?"


Ghost of Cowardly Recruit: "I asked him."


Random Chaos Daemon: "'Sup guys?"


Ghost of Enemy Sniper: "... F***."


[Both subsequently dragged screaming to their respective fates worse than death by chaos daemons]

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SomeRandomMinion In reply to BrutalityInc [2013-10-29 16:31:23 +0000 UTC]

[Ha, hilarious! ]

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BrutalityInc In reply to SomeRandomMinion [2013-10-29 16:33:21 +0000 UTC]

[Even in the grim darkness of the far future, there is still comedy - Black comedy, that isΒ Β ]

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SomeRandomMinion In reply to BrutalityInc [2013-10-29 16:42:15 +0000 UTC]

[Hey, when your whole universe is hell, gallows humor is all that can keep you sane. ]

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Hobbittzu [2013-10-09 09:17:15 +0000 UTC]

I like the fact that you made him blonde. It seems that most of the cover art for the books depicts him with darker hair, even though he is described as having blonde hair in said books. Very cool.

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to Hobbittzu [2013-10-09 12:41:11 +0000 UTC]

Thank you, mate!

His hair being blonde is one of the things that is first stated about him in the books as well as his pale complexion. I double-checked the description with Abnett himself, and Gaunt is indeed blonde. Which is why I never understand how come no one's ever bothered to do it right on the official artwork.

Nic.-

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EddyVance In reply to NicolasRGiacondino [2013-11-03 05:09:36 +0000 UTC]

Gaunt's appearance in the books is a reference to the Sharpe books, which influenced the Gaunt's Ghosts series. The main character Richard Sharpe had dark hair in the early books while Ibram Gaunt's appearance in the books evokes Sean Bean, who played Sharpe in the TV series of the same name.

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KreepingSpawn [2013-09-20 02:02:39 +0000 UTC]

Reading his Ravenor, I presume.Β 

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to KreepingSpawn [2013-09-20 02:40:46 +0000 UTC]

Exactly

Nic.-

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victortky [2013-09-18 04:09:51 +0000 UTC]

One of my favourite commissars EVER of all time. He's a brilliant commander.

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to victortky [2013-09-18 18:55:18 +0000 UTC]

That he is.

Nic.-

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victortky In reply to NicolasRGiacondino [2013-09-19 02:14:52 +0000 UTC]

I love the scenes whenever he appear!

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lysandros [2013-09-17 16:37:00 +0000 UTC]

Carrots to creds that's the Spheres of Longing or the Tactica Imperialis in his hands.

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to lysandros [2013-09-18 01:33:45 +0000 UTC]

You were right on the money with 'The Spheres...', Chris!

Nic.-

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winterfluss [2013-09-17 15:24:52 +0000 UTC]

I like your style. That looks really good

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to winterfluss [2013-09-18 01:34:43 +0000 UTC]

Thank you very much, mate!

Nic.-

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Wilson-Palacio [2013-09-17 02:49:51 +0000 UTC]

Genial Nic. tu arte de WH40k es de los que mas me facinan! buen trabajo

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to Wilson-Palacio [2013-09-17 13:01:49 +0000 UTC]

Gracias, Wilson.

Seguramente por estos dias, habrΓ‘ mΓ‘s del Milenio Oscuro para ver

Nico.-

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Wilson-Palacio In reply to NicolasRGiacondino [2013-09-17 15:14:36 +0000 UTC]

Lo esperare! Gracias Nic

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ColonelYeo [2013-09-17 00:17:25 +0000 UTC]

I have to agree with you. It's the quiet moments that really bring out a character's interesting side. Especially someone like Gaunt.


I really like how you did Guant's face. And for reasons I can't quite figure out myself, I love the way you did his uniform on back of the chair. I guess it's the way it frames him, and the way that kind of defines him a little.

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to ColonelYeo [2013-09-17 01:40:46 +0000 UTC]

Thank you as usual, Colonel. It is only fitting that a fellow ranking officer give his opinion on Gaunt's visage

I think the uniform at his back, framing him as you put it, kind of reminds you how war always engulfs everyone in the 41st Millenium. Even in the quiet moments.

Nic.-

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ColonelYeo In reply to NicolasRGiacondino [2013-09-17 03:25:42 +0000 UTC]

You're welcome.


That is a good way to put it. Maybe the same could also be said of his role as a Commissar too. How his rank defines him as an officer, and how he in turn defines it.

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