It looks to be done in the same vein as the Space Hulk 3rd ed.'s box cover, which makes me wonder if the artist is the same dude/dudette.
Anyone with inside info?

I am not sure who the artist is for the HH cover, but it does not look at all like Adrian Smith's artwork, who is the artist that did the SH cover. In Adrian's art there is a difference in body proportions and I don't notice his usual "heavy brow" look to Horus's face.

Adrian Smith also uses a ton of yellows and golds.

It looks a bit like the Adrian Smith's hand. He is the author of the most popular Horus vs. Emperor scene, and the aromour of Horus looks exactly the same on the box cover. So my guess is it's him. Marvellous work.

Besides, Space Hulk cover is not the best examlpe of Smith's abilities. I lack his characteristic shiny metal there. I think the most characteristic rite of Adrian is the armour around the calves and his bolters. Alas neither can be seen on the HH box...

Marcin Przybyłek said:

It looks more like the artist was trying to copy Adrian's Horus vs. Emperor piece. To me the picture on the cover of HH looks nothing like any Adrian Smith piece I have ever seen. The picture of Horus lacks the brutal look and massive proportions that is usually present in his pieces. His work is usually instantly recognizible to me.

Yeah, maybe you are right. But, on the other hand, Space Hulk is not instantly reckognisable to me. Anyway, if not Smith, then who? Paul Dainton? Karl Kopinsky? Kev Walker?

Naaah. I say: Adrian Smith. I took a closer look to the fissures on the armour, the light on it and the characteristic brush marks. Adrian Smith I say . And if I am wrong? Well, it will be an interesting lesson :)

Marcin Przybyłek said:

Well, I could be wrong as well, it just doesn't strike me initially as one of Adrian Smith's. I also does not look like Dainton or Kopinsky. Also, I don't think I have seen a new piece of Kev Walker artwork since 3rd Edition, but I may be mistaken. Most of GWs internal artwork nowadays seems to be Smith, Dainton, Kopinsky, and Gallagher with maybe a few other random pieces thrown in. Oh, and Blanche of course.

As for the Space Hulk cover, the Terminator Sergeant's face, to me, gives it away as an Adrian Smith piece. I agree it isn't as immediately noticable compared to some of his other work though.

The picture of Horus on the HH cover looks like a piece of card artwork from the old Sabretooth CCG or at least similar in style. I have the Horus Heresy artbook and it has a lot of those types of pictures in it. I guess my main point is that it doesn't really look like it is from one of GW's internal artists, but possibly freelance or through someone at FFG.

Ah, yes, there is one more fine artist: Sam Wood. The one, whose art is on the cover of the Horus Heresy Collected Visions. He is good.

Have you looked at the marine further away? In the background? The manner in which he holds his firearm looks similar do the terminators on SH box. Still, he looks similar to Paul Dainton's pieces... Quite a narrow waist. Smith doesn't like narrow waists in marines .

Tough call...

Well, maybe it's them both? Dainton + Smith?

Oh, you are talking about the background. The maine in the background looks very much like on of Paul Dainton's pieces, I agree completely. Like you said the narrow waist of the marine makes it look like one of his. I don't think the foreground pictures of Horus and who I am assuming to be the Fabricator General (or maybe just a generic member of the Mechanicum) look similar to Dainton's work. Although they very well may be, its mainly something about the coloring that throws it off for me. Paul Dainton's work usually has a very subtle pallete IMO and this one is much more bold.

I dont' think it's Adrian Smith. Like I said, not enough emphasis on the yellows.

Allright. Here's my idea: FFG will present HH as a gift to the one / ones who will guess right .

My guess is: Adrian Smith . He did a lot of different pieces in many techniques. Here, just because it's a box art, he gave his best. FFG! Hello! Am I right? Will You post me one HH for free?

Karl & Stefan Kopinsky? Wayne Reynolds? I give up.

I say: Paul Dainton . Due to the background Marine. FFG help!

His name is Daarken and he is a fantastic artist who did about 50% of the concept art for Warhammer Online, he also did the Warhammer RP cover and some other works for FFG.

He now is here daarken.com/blog/ but a glimpse of his work you can see in his old blog here daarken.blogspot.com/ .

I am a geek ain't i?

Aximand , dear friend, thank you. It was really a nuisance not to know this artist. You are a geek, and a geek's son. My congratulations . Now I know - It's Daarken - and am starting collecting his visions.

Anyone know when "The art of Paul Dainton / Karl Kopinsky / Kev Walker / Daarken" will be released? I'm looking so inpatiently for anything concerning Wh 40 / Wh art...

http://www.daarken.com/

This is his official artwork site. How I found out who the artist was is by looking in the Warhammer invasion rulebook at the Cover Art credit. Just for future advice, this is how I find many great artist. Now if only I could figure out who does the art for the WoW TCG start box covers. If anyone knows please tell me. Thanks.