Star Wars - Reinterpretation of A New Hope

When Topps contacted me about this project, Part of me was screaming YES while the other was hesitant about even trying to reinterpretate this CLASSIC film poster... I was swayed by Mr Waldeck to go for it using my style of illustration... Along with 8 other selected artists who have each contributed their re-imagining of what is possibly one of the most well known film posters in history.

Original Illustration

For a bit of fun I wanted to see how the artwork would look with added Billing Block, Titles, with a little weathering and creases as though it had been folded up and been in storage for a number of years :)

The Original Star Wars Release Posters

Read More about the Topps Set over at Blurppy.com

Thanks go out to SlashFilm for including the art on their site today!

The Gang's All Here - Star Wars heads to NYC

Bottleneck Gallery's next show, 'The Gang's All Here' Begins November 9th and I chose to illustrate the gang from one of my all time favorite films since I was a kid. Star Wars: A New Hope. The Original, the one that started it all.

The premise of this piece is like an old, well loved family portrait. The song 'Memories, Friends and 8x10's' was ringing through my head when I was thinking about what I should do for the show.

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Check out the Gallery website for more info on the upcoming show... It's also raising money for charity, which sets this gallery apart from many others... next month it's for the Make a Wish Foundation

Head here to get your copy of the Limited Edition Print.

Update! In light of the news of Disney's acquisition of LucasFilm we now have a variant print for the show...

Star Wars: the Gang's All Here - Disney Variant SOLD OUT at the show - 7 Dec 2012 - AP's now available at the SHIP SHOP

Illustrating Yoda for Star Wars Galaxy

It's always a great pleasure to work on a new Star Wars illustration. And to be asked again this year to produce another original for the Topps Star Wars Galaxy series is an honour.

I decided to follow on from my Yoda and Dooku illustration "Once Allies" to show the continuation of their relationship from being Master and Padawan, fighting the good fight flashing forward to the time in Attack of the Clones, where they are now enemies. The duel in AOTC stood out for me as one of the highlights of the movie where, unpredictably, Yoda finally gets to show us his moves! He walks into the hangar bay to face his old Padawan hobbling with a walking stick...and then...Who'd have thought he could be so fast?! Took my breath away the first time I saw that scene.

So it's only fitting that when I re looked at these two characters, that this scene was a must to try and capture.

I did my initial concepts on my iPad, using a painting application called ProCreate and a stylus...not my finger ;) The comp was approved by Topps/Lucasfilm and then it was on to start the painting in reality on a piece of 30x40 illustration board.

Illustrating Yoda can be quite a challenge...he has quite unusual features, yet such a recognisable character... Quite a lot to render, but so worthwhile. Using my usual method similar in many ways to the art of Drew Struzan, drawing, drawing, airbrushed colour over airbrushed colour and then more drawing, using Prismacolor pencils filling in the lights and darks, I love the process.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this little sneak preview into the behind the scenes of what goes into creating an illustration at PS STUDIO.

Star Wars Art: The Making of 'Vader's Apprentice' Illustration HD

via vimeo.com

Star Wars Vaders Apprentice

Private Commission for a Fan

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"Dooku Falls" The moment Dooku turns to the darkside to become Darth Tyranus...

A new Star Wars illustration was commissioned by Corey Rogers, a Star Wars fan who found my "Once Allies" in the Star Wars Galaxy Series 4 card set recently.
 
He was compelled to get in touch and wondered if he could commission me to paint companion piece to the "Once Allies" base card illustration. The Galaxy 4 art I created showed a young Dooku alongside Jedi Master Yoda, in battle, on the same team. It was a play on the fact that Yoda mentions in Episode II that Dooku was once his apprentice... that was the main catalyst for the painting.
 
Upon receiving his email, I read the outline of what he had in mind, "in which Count Dooku, now Darth Tyrannus, is opening a Sith holocron with his new master, Darth Sidious." it sounded great and I really liked the idea of showing the next key moment in Dooku's story, that being his fall to the Dark Side.
 
So these illustrated scenes are from strories that actually pre-date the Star Wars prequel films.
 
Hope you enjoy them, and Corey, your painting is on its way to you!

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Battle of Hoth...The Poster!

Here is a sneak preview of my latest work. It depicts the Battle of Hoth from The Empire Strikes Back. This is my first official Lucasfilm project, which has brought my love of drawing these characters into my work life. On this, the 30th Anniversary of Star Wars, I am over the moon (of Endor no doubt!)

Star Wars Concept Poster

Sneak Peek: Concept design for Star Wars Celebration Europe...