I was fortunate enough to be contact by Jonathan Rinzler and George Lucas, who asked if I'd like to do a commission for this big-ass Star Wars Art book. They did a cool one on Star Wars Illustrators, and this one had tons of comic-book original art.
The book mostly reprints of old star was comic pages, but they approached something like 20 artists George specifically commissioned for new pieces.
They told us it could be a pin-up, or a story page. The only rule was.. try to only use 'sound-effect' words if possible. In other words, try to let the pictures tell the story. Plus we we're sought out to do it in our own style. it was pretty cool to just be asked.
Then, after the art came in, they choose 5 artists, me, Dave Dorman, Frank Quietly, Mike Mignola, Ryan Sook, to do signed and numbered prints too. Not to seem immodest, but considering the skills of these other dudes, I'm surprised I was asked.
Here's some behind the scene pics I took as I drew my piece, signed some prints of it and got the finished book in the mail last week.
When Jonathan asked me, I'd done some star wars work-for-hire art before. Tons of artists have. But Jonathan assured me his was different, and promised me George did want my weird-ass style - and freedom to explore any star wars character I wanted to draw. Not just a hired hand to do licensed art. I asked if I could do two page spread, and they said sure, whatever I wanted.
So I sent one of my weird Maxx creatures, actually this one..
I also sent alone this pencil 'rough', I did.. I wanted to do a Williamson Frazetta style too, but I think it came off a little stiff, some because of stage fright George would be seeing it, also because... well, I'm no Williamson or Frazetta. But he approved it anyhoo...
So Jon told me George also liked the Maxx piece too. So they asked if I'd do a THIRD piece for the book, in the style of my goofy Maxx creatures? Yeah. Like I'd gonna say "forget it'. I was thrilled to do it.
Now the funny part is, this piece, (one Jon eventually called 'put-put' page), was the one that was the most fun. because i wasn't trying to be classic old school art, like in the double page spread. I'd passed inspection from George on the two pager, so i just relaxed here, dug up some camel shaped Star Wars creature I could pour my 'outback' style into...
It all came together really perfectly, effortlessly. Only trouble was it was just one panel. I wanted to do a little story stuff. using a sound effect. Maybe a string of small panels along the top?
Jonathan mentioned how George loved another one pager another artists, Ian Gibson did (where a little R2D2 robot was going 'put put') - and the sound effect was the only dialogue on the page.
Jon said George's favorite part was that there were no words, just little sound effect giving 'motion' to the page. The funny thing is I never saw this page, Jon just described it to me over the phone. And Jon somehow remembered the sound effect Gibson drew as 'put-pit', so that's what I drew, 'put-put' -
But it wasn't until after I drew mine, that Jon realized he told me wrong, and Ian Gibson's sound effect was 'tup-tup', NOT 'put-put'. If your brain numb from all the tedious minutia yet? It's all moot now, but now... in a way, I'm glad it's put-put.
Also one other thing I cringe over..
I should have fixed the fourth panel balloon, so it didn't cramp up the vertical 'sight' dotted line.
I could have digitally, but somehow, i felt trapped by wanting the printed page to match the original art. Looking back, i also could have pasted in a replacement panel too, but whatever... It's kinda cool to work without a digital 'net', working by hand, flaws and all.
Jon liked it the finished 'put-put' page, and (amazingly).. do did I.
And another amazing thing is..
..words!
Next post, PART TWO: where I'll show the other piece I did for it, the double-page spread... how that came into being!
