I recently came across this fun collection of artistically staged photos of Star Wars toys by an artist named Avanaut. I’m amazed at how gritty some of these are, how much depth and movement and scale the photographer got. Snow is flying in flakes, and particles and chunks. There are things in these pictures that I have no idea how how Avanaut achieved them. Do you?
I’m impressed.
Graphic Designer Olly Moss has a bunch of really tasty art at his website. In my opinion, however, none are quite so tasty as these super-cool posters he made to commemorate the original Star Wars trilogy. Just great stuff all around.
Thanks to Liam Collins and Clint McCaul for the link!
German artist Marcus Blättermann has posted at his website a revealing study of the design principles on display in the visual design of the Star Wars universe. He talks about silhouette, simple shapes, and design based on existing things, among other principles. It makes great reading for anyone trying to do visual design, and enjoyable for casual fans as well. It’s also illustrated, for you eyecandy addicts out there.
Thanks to ubercool Clint McCaul for the link!
While I’m talking up mash-ups (see Star Wars / Calvin & Hobbes mashup I talked about a couple of days ago), I would be remiss not to mention this whacked-out mashup between Star Wars and Doctor Seuss by artist Adam Watson.
Thanks to me ole Scot bruvver Clint McCaul for the link!
I love Star Wars. I love Calvin and Hobbes.
Thus, I LOVE this cartoon. I’m only sad that I didn’t think of it myself. Illustrator Chris Wahl has given a great gift to all the Star Wars / Calvin & Hobbes fans here.
It’s available on a t-shirt. I don’t know how great it would look on a t-shirt, and I don’t know how great that t-shirt would look on me, but I so love the cartoon. Maybe blue. Yeah, blue is my color.
Anyway, pure cleverness, Mr. Wahl.
I don’t know what you think of the notion of creating video trailers for books, but I sort of like it. Maybe I should make some trailers for my own books…
But I digress. One of my favorite movies, certainly my favorite Star Wars movie, is The Empire Strikes Back. The above video is a trailer for a book granting the behind the scenes story of the making of that film. (Bonus: foreword by Ridley Scott!) The book will reportedly be released OCT 12, 2010.
Thanks to COS for the tip!
The latest edition of the Steve Ogden Braincast is up online – Attack of the Peepers! In this episode is Part Two of my conversation with Paul Caggegi of The Process Diary. We discuss Moon Town as well as Paul’s Character Development project, and as we continue chatting about story structure, the conversation travels widely. Topics that come up include Lost, Battlestar Galactica, Stephen King’s Misery, Star Wars and Darth Vader, Robert McKee’s Story, TV miniseries impact on episodic television, Stephen King’s The Stand, James Clavell’s Shogun, Joseph Campell, Jaws, and Arthur Miller’s play A View from a Bridge. We also talk about the Peepers. Music by Tim Larkin.
Artist Steve Bialik has done some amazing, highly addictive Asian-themed work. See this series of Star Wars characters done in a Japanese Feudal style, and a graphic novel done in an ancient Chinese style.
Interesting ad that just popped up on the intertubes. If you see Star Wars everywhere like I did when I was 13, then this world will look *very* familiar to you. 
Steve Ogden Braincast #22
The latest edition of the Steve Ogden Braincast is up online with a little bit of Director’s Commentary! It’s a short one this week, but better short and sweet than long and bitter, I always say. OK, I don’t always say that, but I’m saying it now. Anyway, it’s Part Three of the great Spoilerific Director’s Commentary for Moon Town: Breaking Lane. This time, I talk about chapter two, the design principles of function over form, and how one of my characters ended up accidentally naming another. Bonus: I mention a Star Wars character – try to guess which one! Music by Tim Larkin.