RIP Bob Wakelin - spectacular videogame artist of the 80s and 90s

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jawafour
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PostRIP Bob Wakelin - spectacular videogame artist of the 80s and 90s
by jawafour » Sun Jan 21, 2018 11:53 pm

twitter.com/Retrob8/status/955006428472922113



twitter.com/bobwakelin/status/955031329418108928



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Bob Wakelin produced brilliant videogame box artwork for Ocean and Imagine software publishers. For me, their colour, vibrancy and structure always caught the eye. Today I was sad to hear that this legendary artist had passed away.

Thanks for helping to make videogaming that bit more exciting, Bob :wub: .

Gemini73

PostRe: RIP Bob Wakelin - spectacular videogame artist of the 80s and 90s
by Gemini73 » Mon Jan 22, 2018 7:35 am

Not heard the name before, but the artwork is very recognisable.

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Saint of Killers
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PostRe: RIP Bob Wakelin - spectacular videogame artist of the 80s and 90s
by Saint of Killers » Mon Jan 22, 2018 8:05 am

Yeah, I didn't know the man behind the art but his art is often what drew me to a game in the first place. I think the Mikie art is my favourite. (Wasn't a bad game either!)

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Rex Kramer
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PostRe: RIP Bob Wakelin - spectacular videogame artist of the 80s and 90s
by Rex Kramer » Mon Jan 22, 2018 8:14 am

The man directly responsible for me buying so many half arsed movie tie in games in the 80s. Yeah, thanks Bob.

RIP really. :wub:

Like his comment here (https://www.exotica.org.uk/wiki/Bob_Wakelin) on Mikie

A generic cartoon banged out as quickly as possible.

My mate Floyd was visiting again, so I got him to draw the background characters for me to paint, thus enabling us to spend more time in the pub.

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Johnny Jalfrezi
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PostRe: RIP Bob Wakelin - spectacular videogame artist of the 80s and 90s
by Johnny Jalfrezi » Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:14 am

The guy responsible for painting the landscape of my youth and a phenomenal artist in his own right. A genuine icon and legend.

jawafour
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PostRe: RIP Bob Wakelin - spectacular videogame artist of the 80s and 90s
by jawafour » Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:46 am

Image

Bob always made the covers exciting; I love the action and detailing that he put into the Renegade artwork!

Gemini73

PostRe: RIP Bob Wakelin - spectacular videogame artist of the 80s and 90s
by Gemini73 » Mon Jan 22, 2018 11:30 am

jawafour wrote:Image

Bob always made the covers exciting; I love the action and detailing that he put into the Renegade artwork!


Yes, remember seeing the Renegade pic on the back of Crash magazine. Sold me the game completely.

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Moggy
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PostRe: RIP Bob Wakelin - spectacular videogame artist of the 80s and 90s
by Moggy » Mon Jan 22, 2018 12:23 pm

I never knew he was behind them, but I remember those covers well. If anything they were too good, the games rarely lived up to the awesome artwork!

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Dual
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PostRe: RIP Bob Wakelin - spectacular videogame artist of the 80s and 90s
by Dual » Mon Jan 22, 2018 2:03 pm

Is the game bottom right of the OP called GAYZOR?

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andythevillan
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PostRe: RIP Bob Wakelin - spectacular videogame artist of the 80s and 90s
by andythevillan » Mon Jan 22, 2018 6:47 pm

Oh no that's really sad as he was so talented. Him and Oliver Frey from the Newsfield mags were a huge part of people's memories of 80's gaming in the UK for due to their fantastic illustrations. RIP

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KjGarly
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PostRe: RIP Bob Wakelin - spectacular videogame artist of the 80s and 90s
by KjGarly » Mon Jan 22, 2018 6:49 pm

Dual wrote:Is the game bottom right of the OP called GAYZOR?


It's basically the Predator poster/cover with Arnie's face changed :slol:

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Depredator mon.

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Victor Mildew
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PostRe: RIP Bob Wakelin - spectacular videogame artist of the 80s and 90s
by Victor Mildew » Mon Jan 22, 2018 6:58 pm

I love those old covers, there's something so evocative about them, like a real sense of the world and characters.

Hexx wrote:Ad7 is older and balder than I thought.
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Rex Kramer
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PostRe: RIP Bob Wakelin - spectacular videogame artist of the 80s and 90s
by Rex Kramer » Mon Jan 22, 2018 7:11 pm

Ad7 wrote:I love those old covers, there's something so evocative about them, like a real sense of the world and characters.

Which was good because the games very rarely managed to convey that.

Gemini73

PostRe: RIP Bob Wakelin - spectacular videogame artist of the 80s and 90s
by Gemini73 » Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:11 pm

KjGarly wrote:
Dual wrote:Is the game bottom right of the OP called GAYZOR?


It's basically the Predator poster/cover with Arnie's face changed :slol:

Image

Image

Depredator mon.


It's not uncommon for an artist to use another pic as a template. The Renegade one, for example, is clearly based on a selection of Bruce Lee poses, right down to the finger placement.

Image

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Venom
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PostRe: RIP Bob Wakelin - spectacular videogame artist of the 80s and 90s
by Venom » Tue Jan 23, 2018 11:22 am

Johnny Jalfrezi wrote:The guy responsible for painting the landscape of my youth and a phenomenal artist in his own right. A genuine icon and legend.


Ad7 wrote:I love those old covers, there's something so evocative about them, like a real sense of the world and characters.


I agree with so many of the comments in this thread! Back in the day I bought so many computer and video game magazines and used to gaze adoringly at pictures for games I knew I would never be able to play - one cover would promise so much! All this great artwork brings back so many memories. I didn't realise they were the work of one man but looking at them now there seems to be some kind of commonality. RIP Bob Wakelin.


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