Today I have the steps and process that went into my Concussion Rifle card for the Galactic Ambitions expansion of the Star Wars LCG. I
first announced this piece over a year ago, and it is well past the appropriate time to share the process. Sometimes there just is not enough time, and sometimes things slip through the cracks. Here is how the final Concussion Rifle painting turned out...
Concussion Rifle
Star Wars LCG - Galactic Ambitions
14 x 11 - Acrylic and pencil on board
Art Director - Taylor Ingvarsson
Original - NFS
© 2016 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games
This was originally my one and only assignment for Galactic Ambitions, and it received my entire focus at the time I was working on it. The
4-LOM assignment came later. I started this piece off, as I do every assignment, with a reference shoot and thumbnails. Here are how the thumbnails turned out...
Concussion Rifle - Thumbnails
© 2016 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games
I really liked all of these thumbnails. I still do. I would really like to still go back and draw each of these thumbnails into a finalized drawing. The Besalisk are a fun species, and I find so much room for personality in their faces and anatomy. As you can tell by the final painting, option "B" was the winner, and it was just as good as any for me at the time. Hindsight obviously shows that "B" is the overall best pick for the assignment, the card, and the limited narrative of the piece.
Speaking of reference... I shared one of these at the time I first shared the card, but here are the other two reference composites that I used when working out the thumbnails. Nothing like making yourself out to be another monster...
Concussion Rifle reference
Photos by Achsa Nute
With reference and an approved thumbnail, is was, of course time to get started on the final drawing. A short time of scribbling and drawing later, you get your very own finalized drawing...
Concussion Rifle
Star Wars LCG - Galactic Ambitions
17 x 14 - Pencil on paper
Art Director - Taylor Ingvarsson
© 2016 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games
There were no notes or issues with the drawing, and I was given the go-ahead to get started on the final painting. The only real art direction for this piece came with the art order; it needed to be a Besalisk holding the concussion rifle, the rifle was the focus, and it takes place outside. I think I nailed those points. In just 12 easy steps, I had myself a painting. Or not... All things considered, this one did move along rather quickly. The environment was particularly fun. I wanted to do something with a lot of green and bendy trees. Here is the painting coming together...
Concussion Rifle - Process steps
© 2016 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games
With every painting, I try to do something different. I might want to do something with the color palette, the equipment, and gear, maybe something with the detail levels, or even hide something in plain sight to see if anyone notices. No matter what it is, I try to make each piece enjoyable on several levels. This one is no different. I made it fun, and I hope that reads in the final painting. Here is an animated progression of the painting so you can better see the steps in the process...
Concussion Rifle - 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, and this has been a favorite of mine since I completed it. This is not always the case with my work, but that is how it is sometimes. Here again, is the finished painting as well as how it looks on the production card it was made for...
Concussion Rifle
Star Wars LCG - Galactic Ambitions
14 x 11 - Acrylic and pencil on board
Art Director - Taylor Ingvarsson
© 2016 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games
Concussion Rifle in handy dandy card form!
That is all for another exciting Wednesday on the blog. See you back here on Friday! Until then...
