Star Wars Clone Wars Sketch Cards

Here are a handful of the sketch cards that I recently sketched for the Topps 2009 Clone Wars Widevision card set. Sketch cards are little pieces of hand-produced original art that Topps randomly inserts into the packs of photo cards. So, if you bought a pack of these, you might just get one of my cards! Now, with that being said, don't let that deter you from buying a pack or two. They are in stores now.

For better or worse, I like my images on these sketch cards to be just that...sketches. I like to see stray pencil lines and the way that the image was built up from a simple framework of lines.

Strange Twist of Providence

I painted the above image a long, long time ago in a studio not so far away...

This is an OLD, OLD image. Actually, it's an image I painted about 15 years ago in 1993. This image was for a card set for Topps called Star Wars Galaxy 2. The idea behind the set was to let artists depict events from the Star Wars saga that didn't necessarily happen onscreen. This led to many imaginative ideas from many different artists.

My concept was to depict a younger, pre-Vader Anakin Skywalker brooding over the shoulder of his wife and the mother of Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa. Presumably, only Leia had been hidden from Anakin and that is why this image is sans baby Leia. This was to be my first nationally published illustration and I waited on pins and needles for the card set to be released. It was like being 5 years old and waiting for Christmas to arrive. When the cards were released, I got a big, kick-in-the-teeth surprise...my image was not part of the set. I called my editor at Topps immediately. He explained that George Lucas, himself, had pulled some images from the set because they depicted events from the, yet unknown, prequel trilogy. Happy day.

There are a couple things that I find interesting about the image. First, my depiction of Padme (I had no idea of her name at the time...this was 6 years before Episode 1) looks a bit like Natalie Portman. Second, Anakin's shadow on the wall is in the shape of Darth Vader. I've always wondered if this image might have influenced Lucas even just a little tiny bit in his casting of Natalie Portman or even the decision to have little Anakin's shadow be in the shape of Darth Vader in an early Episode 1 promo poster. Probably not, but I can dream. Can't I?

Fast forward to this morning. I got an e-mail from Topps this morning letting me know that they were dusting off this old image and including it in the new, soon to be released, set of Star Wars Galaxy cards (with beautiful box art from my buddy and artist extraordinaire, Russell Walks). Apparently, Lucasfilm approved it for inclusion and they are printing it after 15 or so years. I don't know the context of the use, however. I sure hope they include info letting folks know how old this image is. I don't necessarily want people to assume this is a new image from me. I hope my work has progressed and changed a bit since painting this (notice all the grainy colored pencil?). I would approach this image so differently today in terms of painting technique, lighting, camera angle, body positioning, and composition. I find this image to be pretty ugly, these days.

At any rate, this is fun news and it's kind of cool to see something come full-circle like this.

Point to ponder: Does the printing of this image make it the first official depiction of Padme?

image copyright Lucasfilm, Ltd. and Topps, Inc.

Star Wars Clone Wars Sketch Cards

Here are a few of the sketch cards that I did for the Topps Star Wars Clone Wars card set.  These are in a simpler style than I'm used to.  I was trying to approximate the characters' look from the forthcoming film which is completely CGI animated.  You may have to turn your monitor sideways to see Yoda.  It may not be worth it to you, tho.  If it is, seek professional help. 

... 

More Star Wars Sketch Cards

Here are a few more Star Wars sketch cards that I drew for Topps last year.

For those unfamiliar with sketch cards... Sketch cards are fun little "one off" originals that card companies include in the card packs with regular cards. So, every once in awhile, a collector will find an original little drawing when they open a pack of cards. Artists working on sketch cards usually sketch anywhere from 100 to 500 cards, depending on how many they have time to produce. It's a fun way for collectors to own a small piece of original art.

Some artists have even had professional personal card blanks printed for themselves to do sketches for commissions or even to give away or trade with other artists and friends. I have some personal sketch cards that I use for these purposes. I'll post a few in the next day or so.

Star Wars Sketch Cards

Here are a few of the Star Wars sketch cards I produced for Topps last year.