Old Blood

Capt'n Flowered Beard

He was bigger than life.

 A great ork painter has left us this year. It's Bruno Grelier, better known under the nickname of "Old Blood". If he painted many minis, Orks remained his favourite. Today, wild orks have lost their greatest Big Boss.

   Even if he had many rewards and was full of talent, first contact was warm and easy. He always had a word of encouragement for those who asked his opinion on a mini, and his advice was always welcome. His painting sessions during the French Waaagh Days were a true happiness.

  He wasn't painting a figurine. He gave it life. And if you exposed him an idea that he founded good, then he offered you a mini which you wouldn't have dared to dream. Each participation in a project, each mini offered was a paint and creativity jewel.

  He had a very specific vision of the Hobby. Although his armies were worthy of a Golden Demon, he dealt with it with a minimum of care. You had to see of the players' head discovering Old Blood minis decompose when he loaded them at full grips in his t-shirt to go and unload them on another table. (Priceless) "It's only toy soldiers, I can glue and fix it in any case." such was his philosophy.

A French Waaagh member, which he was too, wrote this tribute, based on the poem by w. h. Auden.  

 I reproduce it here:

Stop the computers, cut the phones,

Prevent the squig from shouting with a disposable snot.

Stop the flamewars, at least make a pause.

Incinerate the body, before the end of the day.

Let Krama-bombas circle moaning overhead.

Draw in the sky these four words Old Blood is dead.

Add black sails to the squiggoths' howdahs,

And paint da grotz gunz in black .

He was my guide, my inspiration, my example, my neurosis.

My week of painting, my Sunday of kloze

My noon, my midnight, my light, my mentor.

I thought that his wildz, never finish he would, I was wrong.

French Slayer Sword winners kneel, or be changed in resin.

Stop manufacture chains in Lenton, Memphis, and China.

Empty pots, tear off hair brushes,

Because nothing good can happen now.

Bruno.

And the picture is taken from the Ze List gallery.