Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Fortified Holding Cells - Star Wars: Ancient Rivals - Process

Today I have the steps and process that went into my Fortified Holding Cells card for the Ancient Rivals expansion of the Star Wars LCG. I first announced this piece about a year ago, and it is well past the appropriate time to share the process. Here is how the final Fortified Holding Cells painting turned out...

Fortified Holding Cells
Star Wars LCG - Ancient Rivals
11 x 14 - Acrylic and pencil on board
Art Director - Taylor Ingvarsson
© 2016 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games

This was my first opportunity to work on a Talz, so I was pretty excited about that. Anytime I get to work on an original Star Wars alien or sneak one into the background, I am happy. As with all my work, I started things off with some thumbnails...

Fortified Holding Cells - Thumbnails
© 2016 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games

While option 'A' was the winner, I was asked to flip the piece horizontally. It apparently fit the card template with all its chrome better flipped. With a click of a button, the thumbnail was flipped and approved, and I would get started on the finalized drawing.

Fortified Holding Cells
Star Wars LCG - Ancient Rivals
17 x 14 - Pencil on paper
Art Director - Taylor Ingvarsson
© 2016 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games

This was a really straightforward piece. I had lots of reference, I knew what needed to be done, and there wasn't any huge unknowns or crazy aspects to this piece. It came together quickly, and it was just a matter of being in my chair working on getting it done. Here is a look at the painting coming together in 14 steps. As with all my paintings, I work back to front, touching the entire painting as I go.

Fortified Holding Cells - Process steps
© 2016 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games

While I really like this piece, I am still concerned it looks too static and motionless. The other thumbnails always read better to me and conveyed more motion. For reference, I pounded on a wall while being photographed to get some good images of the desired action. I picked the ones that I felt worked best for action for the composition and worked in the limitations of the template. Looking back now, maybe the other two have more action? Or maybe not. Hindsight is not always 20/20. The splatter of blood adds a lot of movement, which is a plus.

Here is an animated process progression of the painting coming together so that you can better see the change from step to step. There is always a certain level of color and clarity issues when I take images of my paintings with my phone. But I don't think it distracts enough to get the point across.

Fortified Holding Cells - Animated progression
© 2016 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games

There were no notes of changes after the painting was turned in, which is always lovely. Here again, is the finished painting as well as how it looks on the production card it was made for...

Fortified Holding Cells
Star Wars LCG - Ancient Rivals
11 x 14 - Acrylic and pencil on board
Art Director - Taylor Ingvarsson
© 2016 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games

Fortified Holding Cells in handy dandy card form

That is all for another exciting Wednesday on the blog. See you back here on Friday! Until then...

For more samples of my work or to contact me regarding my availability, head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com

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