There has been a ton of amazing Warhammer 40k art over the last four decades, but GW revealed their best of the last 40 years!
Updated on April 16th, 2025, by Rob Baer with new information and links to relevant content.
Warhammer 40K isn’t just grimdark lore and bolter fire—it’s also packed with jaw-dropping art that’s defined the vibe of the galaxy for decades. Now, Games Workshop has pulled back the curtain and revealed what they think is the best Warhammer art from the last 40 years.
That’s right—four decades of chainswords, xenos, and gothic sci-fi madness distilled into a greatest hits collection. If you’ve spent hours admiring box art more than reading the codex inside, this one’s for you. Let’s break down what made the cut—and why it still slaps.
We’ve also seen the best Games Workshop miniatures of the last 40 years, but let’s jump into the art!
Best Warhammer 40k Art
Just like how miniature painting styles change over time, Warhammer art totally reflects the vibe of each era. Those old-school army books, Codexes, and boxed sets? Bursting with color and personality, especially the cover art from the fifth through eighth editions of Warhammer Fantasy Battle. Pure nostalgia fuel.
Some of the old-school fantasy art is so amazing and really got a lot of people into the hobby!
The Blood Angels stole the spotlight on the cover of the second edition Warhammer 40,000 boxed set, just as bold and brilliantly painted by John Blanche. Then you’ve got gems like Dave Gallagher’s cover for Warhammer Armies: Dogs of War, which stands out with its punchy layout and in-your-face primary colors.
If you’ve ever laid eyes on that 2nd Edition 40k box, you know it’s iconic. No way it wasn’t making the list.
John Blanche Art
One of the most unforgettable Warhammer 40,000 images has to be John Blanche’s depiction of the God-Emperor, chilling on the Golden Throne—or, depending on who you ask, just a creepy stage prop for starry-eyed pilgrims, hiding the real horror show behind the curtain. There’ve been plenty of takes on this scene over the years, but that first sepia-soaked mix of gothic flair and pure nightmare fuel? Untouchable.
John Blanche isn’t just any artist—he basically bottled the grimdark vibe and poured it all over the game’s identity.
The Emperor of Mankind Art
The Emperor—no shocker here—is front and center in some of the most striking pieces out there. One of the first big looks we got was Adrian Smith’s take on his legendary throwdown with Horus. It’s such a massive moment in Warhammer lore that multiple versions have popped up over the years, including Neil Roberts’ epic cover for Visions of Heresy.
Let’s be real—when the whole saga basically spins around him, it’s no wonder the guy’s got a killer art portfolio.
Early Codexes
Not all the old Warhammer art was grimdark and brooding, though. Codex: Eldar lit up the scene with a chaotic burst of colour, thanks to Geoff Taylor’s insanely detailed work—bold blues, blazing yellows, and all the glorious xenos flair you could want. Taylor cranked out a ton of classics during that time, and yes, his iconic legs-akimbo hero pose basically defined the golden age of “Herohammer.”
If you played any of those armies back then, you know half the joy was just staring at the codex cover like it was your band’s album art.
Best Warhammer Art- Wayne England
Wayne England was another big name from that era, known for his bold, saturated style, complete with oversized heads and chunky hands that practically jumped off the page.
These pieces were gloriously over the top, and honestly, isn’t that exactly what makes the art of Warhammer 40k so fun in the first place?
Karl Kopinski
Karl Kopinski picked things up a bit later, cranking out a ton of iconic pieces in the 2000s with his gritty, hyper-detailed style. His art showed up everywhere—book covers, box art, and those awesome little sketches tucked into the margins of codexes and army books.
His work totally helped usher in a new era of Warhammer, and honestly, so much of it is just flat-out stunning. You’ve probably seen loads of it without even realizing—and yep, that new Warhammer+ miniature? Straight-up based on one of his classics.
Alex Boyd
Alex Boyd, meanwhile, was behind loads of codex and Warhammer Armies covers. His epic showdown between Valten and Archaon is still one of the most iconic Warhammer Fantasy Battle scenes—though yeah, we all know it’s missing Grimgor Ironhide barging in to steal the win.
Those older army books had some seriously hype artwork that got you fired up to absolutely wreck face on the tabletop.
The Rise of AoS
While the art stayed dark and broody through the End Times—because, well, the world was literally ending—Warhammer Age of Sigmar kicked things off with a shiny new vibe. The first box cover was practically glowing, thanks to the Stormcast Eternals’ gold-plated everything, and Raymond Swanland’s dramatic, high-contrast style soon made waves in Warhammer 40,000 with some seriously bold Codex covers for 6th and 7th edition.
Alessandro Baldasseroni’s portrait of a Stormcast Eternals Liberator really set the tone for AoS—it looked next-level good. Sure, 6th and 7th edition weren’t exactly 40k’s glory days, but the art? Absolute fire. And with AoS bursting onto the scene, there was suddenly a whole new canvas to fill.
Bringing it to the Modern Day
Warhammer Age of Sigmar brought a tidal wave of wild, imaginative art to help nail down the vibe of the fresh-out-the-forge Mortal Realms. Kevin Chin lit things up with the fiery core of a magmahold, Catherine O’Connor absolutely nailed the eerie, ghost-soaked gloom of Nagash’s court, and Mark Holmes threw us into full-on madness with a moonlit brawl that screams Gloomspite Gitz chaos.
AoS really cranked things up visually—there’s a ton of amazing art out there that captures just how gloriously weird and intense the world is.
These days, we’re still getting absolutely stunning pieces—like the epic coronation of Roboute Guilliman, surrounded by a who’s who of modern Warhammer 40k’s heavy hitters. In a time where the Imperium is basically falling apart at the seams—thanks, Great Rift—Pedro Nunez’s artwork brings a rare flash of hope.
We mean, a living Primarch back in action? That’s a pretty big deal, and the art totally captures that moment of “okay, maybe we’ve got a shot.”
Final Thoughts on the Best 40k Art
Warhammer’s art history is just as rich as its lore, packed with drama, grit, gold armor, and enough mood lighting to make a vampire jealous. From the wild colors of the old codex covers to the gritty masterpieces of the modern era, Games Workshop’s picks for the best art of the last 40 years hit hard.
Whether you’re in it for the nostalgia or just want to see how far the style has come, it’s worth taking the time to appreciate how much these artists shaped the game’s vibe.
See the Best Miniatures Over the Past 40 Years!
What piece of Warhammer 40k, old, or AoS art is your favorite? Was it on the list?
