What does the Emperor look like?

[Impactor]

Hi everyone, I’m an 3D artist working on an image of the Emperor - 30K era before his fight with Horus.

There are not too many reference images of the Emp going around, the most highly detailed work I can find is the image below by Adrian Smith:

[url]http://gamingtp.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/fullview_emperor-horus.jpg[/url]

And there are a few other bits from the Horus Heresy illustrated books.

As a 40K fan since RT and owning every single codex and BL novel printed, I have painted an image of the Emperor in my own mind, but...
What I am interested in is what other people visualise the Emperor looking like, perhaps a famous person is what you see when you read about him?

With your help I was hoping to build an image that everyone (or perhaps the majority at least) feel is a good likeness and represents the master of mankind.

Any help is much appreciated


Impy

[Denzark]

I see this:

[Grailkeeper]

He is from the area that is modern turkey, that could show up. There was a model of him in the 3rd ed marine codex in a pose similar to the one you supplied.

(possible spoiler ahead)

I have heard that one of the things that will be revealed when the Heresy (finally) reaches terra is that He actually looks his age (about ten thousand years old) or like he does when hooked up to the golden throne.his heroic golden image is a pyschic projection. Horus supposidly strikes him down and is about to kill him when he lets his true image show. This startles horus so much that the emperor is able to strike back and kill him.

That rumour is not confirmed btw so I'm not saying its necessarily true.

[Impactor]

Jes Goodwin and Gav Thorpe created a diroma based on this Image:



Which became this for Games Day circa 199X:




But the models were never released they were just conversions of existing terminator models.

[DarkAngelHopeful]

From the art work I've seen from GW he looks a lot like modern day (last century and this century) Christ art work that I've seen. At least the his facial features and beard does.

P.S. I don't intend to start a religious flamewar or any negative comments about any religion with this post. The art with the Emperor in it simply brings to mind modern day Christ art work to my mind.

Respectfully,
DarkAngelHopeful

Afterthought: I must have superimposed the beard on the pictures of the Emperor in my mind. But never the less, he still reminds me of a Christ archetype.

[Vaddok Sek]

It's hard to say, in any of the Horus Heresy novels in which he is described he is the epitome of human perfection and leadership, such that in "The Last Church" a Uriah meets him in his youth and believes him to be God. Many mortals cannot look upon him as whenever he sheds his diquises such as when he fought Leman Russ or stepped onto Nostramo they all had to look away, Zahariel in "Descent of Angels" felt unworthy to look upon his features.. He is described as being youthful in body, but his eyes carry the experience and wisdom of a being trancendent of time. His physical appearance as far as features shift as well, both he and Magnus can alter thier appearances slightly in terms of thier height and he can even veil his magnificent presence as also demsonstrated in "Last Church", in "Raven's Flight" Corax himself can't seem to recall it, his physical appearance may be on a comprehend and percieve basis, ie what a person comprehends to be perfection, then that is what they percieve as everything from his skin and hair colour change throughout the material, however his blue eyes and the commanding pressence and power of his features remain a constant. His facial expressions are as such that everyone can tell that he really means what he says. All in all he is described as being regal in that you only needed to look up on him to know that he was the Emperor and that no other name would suit him. All other descriptions seem to focus on his resplendant armour and his expressions, Psychers who get a glympse of him on the psychic plane describe him as being pure light, wisdom, and power, such that its possible that only Magnus can look upon him in this plane.

[Divergent Reality]

He looks pretty messed up.

[eldargal]

The only known surviving portrait of the Emperor from before the Dark Age of Technology:

[AirHorse]

I dont think i even need to say anything....

[Porty1119]

Nice Photoshop work...