Warriors & Warlords, The Art of Angus McBride

Foreword by Martin Windrow
Osprey Publishing Ltd, 2002
ISBN 1-84176-640-2
144 pages, hardbound

Reviewed by John Prigent

Is there an Osprey reader who doesn’t know the inimitable McBride style of illustration? Here is a collection of some of his best work for Osprey and other publishers, and even some unpublished illustrations. All of it comes with his own comments, and in some cases even with working sketches to show how he got to the finished artwork!

Martin Windrow’s foreword is well worth reading for itself – not just a brief introduction to the book, like some forewords, but an introduction to how an illustrator works as well as the tale of how Angus McBride came to work on Osprey books. It also contains a long interview with him, with his thoughts on publishers, materials, and how he approaches the work.

Then come all those sumptuous colour plates, all reproduced to large size and some even as double-page spreads. The whole range of periods is here from Rameses II in Egypt to servicewomen in World War 2. Mr McBride’s text is a worthy accompaniment to each of them!

Very highly recommended to any fan of his work – this is a hardcover book to keep and treasure.

Full ordering details, for those without a local bookshop, are on the Osprey website.