"A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..."
Before there was the distinctive logo bursting from a black star field, before there was the opening musical fanfare composed by John Williams, before there was the sound of a screaming Tie Fighter or the hum of a lightsaber, there was the vision and the imagination of filmmaker George Lucas and the gifted artists who helped the writer/director realize the galactic epic that became the "Star Wars" Saga. "Star Wars Art: Concept" is a beautiful book that brings together a rich collection of paintings and drawings from over three decades of the ever growing artistic history of the vast "Star Wars" universe. The magic of these imaginative works is that they reveal the first glimpses of images of the mind's eye before they become fully realized on film, in video games and television, to ultimately tell the story of "Star Wars."
When admiring the power and drama of the image showcased on this book's dust jacket, titled "Darth Vader vs. Deak Starkiller," the reader would probably find it hard to believe that such a great illustration was never meant to be seen outside of the movie studio that made the first "Star Wars." But its original purpose was only to be a production painting, a visual guide to aide in the final look of the film. Its creator, Ralph McQuarrie, succeeded in his primary goal, beyond his, and George Lucas' wildest imaginations. "Star Wars" became an unprecedented film phenomenon and the work Mr. McQuarrie produced for Mr. Lucas' "Star Wars" Original Trilogy of films would become nearly as iconic and beloved as the movies themselves. Due in no small part to Mr. Lucas' respect and admiration for Mr. McQuarrie's work, as well as the work of the many other production artists who contributed their talents to his movies, Mr. Lucas has released reproductions of this behind the scenes artistry over the years. Thanks to Mr. Lucas and to Mr. McQuarrie, the term 'film production art' has come to be recognized as truly worthy works of art.
This book offers a wide showcase of art from the many incarnations of the "Star Wars" Saga. Mr. McQuarrie's paintings from the time of the Original Trilogy anchor the early section of the book, as his paintings remained inspirations to later production artists who worked on the Saga, like Doug Chiang, Erik Tiemens, and Ryan Church, who contributed their creativity to the films that came to be called the Prequel Trilogy. The clean, detailed linework of Joe Johnston is also featured in the opening pages of the tome, as well as its front and back covers. A pleasant surprise for this reviewer was the inclusion of production artwork drawn for the "Star Wars: Droids" and "Star Wars: Ewoks" animated cartoons broadcast on ABC television in 1985-1986, produced by Canada's Nelvana animation studio.
The later pages of "Star Wars Art: Concept" feature artwork created through the use of computers, called "digital" production art. Character and design ideas for "The Clone Wars" animated series are displayed, specifically a pair of striking images illustrated by Wayne Lo. There is a collection of pages reproducing art for "Star Wars" video games, like 2008's "The Force Unleashed," but of special note are pages devoted to production art to games that were not released to the public, "Star Wars: First Assault" and Star Wars: 1313." These digital creations offer video game fans a chance to look at what might have been with a pair of lost "Star Wars" video adventures.
To conclude, "Star Wars Art: Concept" is another rewarding hardcover collection of artwork recreating that special "galaxy far, far away," brought to life by a fellowship of accomplished artists. Like its predecessors in the "Star Wars Art" book series published by Abrams Books, this volume comes highly recommended.
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Star Wars Art: Concept
This is a wonderful art book with hundreds of pieces of conceptual artwork. The artwork in the book is nothing short of spectacular. The level of detail in the paintings is outstanding, and fortunately most of the pieces are printed full-page so that they are large enough to appreciate.When I think of the Star Wars franchise, one of the first things I think of is the excellent design work on display. We all know there are people who criticized the story, script, and acting at certain points in the saga -- but the one thing that is undeniable is that all six films are visual masterpieces. As an audience, we are transported to extraordinary planets with unique environments and architecture, and we get to see alien species and advanced technology. And it all starts with the concept art.One of the fun things about the book is being able to see characters, creatures, and droids in their very early design stages. This includes R2-D2, C-3PO, Darth Vader, Stormtroopers, Boba Fett, Padme, Tusken Raiders, and yes... even Jar Jar Binks. Those are just a few of the many familiar characters that you'll recognize. Of course, there are also plenty of locations, environments, as well as vehicles/starships. Some were ultimately used in the movies, while others were scrapped.The artwork is presented mostly in chronological order, starting with early concept art for the original "Star Wars" film; it then continues through "Empire" and "Jedi", before moving onto the prequel trilogy. There is also artwork from other sources, such as the "Droids" and "Ewoks" TV shows. For gamers, you'll be glad to know that concept art is included from "The Force Unleashed" and various other Star Wars video games (including an upcoming untitled game).Since the artwork spans several decades, there is every conceivable type of artwork included. Many of the early pieces are traditional paintings and acrylics, while the more recent ones are digital art. Other artists used pencil, marker, and sometimes crayon.As a bonus, you get a foreword by Joe Johnston, a preface by Ryan Church, and an introduction from Doug Chiang... many Star Wars fans know that these are three individuals who greatly shaped the look of the films. At the back of the book is an interesting interview with Erik Tiemens, concept designer on "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith".
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Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2013
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Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2013
This is a wonderful art book with hundreds of pieces of conceptual artwork. The artwork in the book is nothing short of spectacular. The level of detail in the paintings is outstanding, and fortunately most of the pieces are printed full-page so that they are large enough to appreciate.
When I think of the Star Wars franchise, one of the first things I think of is the excellent design work on display. We all know there are people who criticized the story, script, and acting at certain points in the saga -- but the one thing that is undeniable is that all six films are visual masterpieces. As an audience, we are transported to extraordinary planets with unique environments and architecture, and we get to see alien species and advanced technology. And it all starts with the concept art.
One of the fun things about the book is being able to see characters, creatures, and droids in their very early design stages. This includes R2-D2, C-3PO, Darth Vader, Stormtroopers, Boba Fett, Padme, Tusken Raiders, and yes... even Jar Jar Binks. Those are just a few of the many familiar characters that you'll recognize. Of course, there are also plenty of locations, environments, as well as vehicles/starships. Some were ultimately used in the movies, while others were scrapped.
The artwork is presented mostly in chronological order, starting with early concept art for the original "Star Wars" film; it then continues through "Empire" and "Jedi", before moving onto the prequel trilogy. There is also artwork from other sources, such as the "Droids" and "Ewoks" TV shows. For gamers, you'll be glad to know that concept art is included from "The Force Unleashed" and various other Star Wars video games (including an upcoming untitled game).
Since the artwork spans several decades, there is every conceivable type of artwork included. Many of the early pieces are traditional paintings and acrylics, while the more recent ones are digital art. Other artists used pencil, marker, and sometimes crayon.
As a bonus, you get a foreword by Joe Johnston, a preface by Ryan Church, and an introduction from Doug Chiang... many Star Wars fans know that these are three individuals who greatly shaped the look of the films. At the back of the book is an interesting interview with Erik Tiemens, concept designer on "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith".
When I think of the Star Wars franchise, one of the first things I think of is the excellent design work on display. We all know there are people who criticized the story, script, and acting at certain points in the saga -- but the one thing that is undeniable is that all six films are visual masterpieces. As an audience, we are transported to extraordinary planets with unique environments and architecture, and we get to see alien species and advanced technology. And it all starts with the concept art.
One of the fun things about the book is being able to see characters, creatures, and droids in their very early design stages. This includes R2-D2, C-3PO, Darth Vader, Stormtroopers, Boba Fett, Padme, Tusken Raiders, and yes... even Jar Jar Binks. Those are just a few of the many familiar characters that you'll recognize. Of course, there are also plenty of locations, environments, as well as vehicles/starships. Some were ultimately used in the movies, while others were scrapped.
The artwork is presented mostly in chronological order, starting with early concept art for the original "Star Wars" film; it then continues through "Empire" and "Jedi", before moving onto the prequel trilogy. There is also artwork from other sources, such as the "Droids" and "Ewoks" TV shows. For gamers, you'll be glad to know that concept art is included from "The Force Unleashed" and various other Star Wars video games (including an upcoming untitled game).
Since the artwork spans several decades, there is every conceivable type of artwork included. Many of the early pieces are traditional paintings and acrylics, while the more recent ones are digital art. Other artists used pencil, marker, and sometimes crayon.
As a bonus, you get a foreword by Joe Johnston, a preface by Ryan Church, and an introduction from Doug Chiang... many Star Wars fans know that these are three individuals who greatly shaped the look of the films. At the back of the book is an interesting interview with Erik Tiemens, concept designer on "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith".
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Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2013
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2015
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