Back in July, I shared with you my contribution to the most recent Fantasy Flight Games RPG,
Age of Rebellion. Today I have for you the process that went into one of those pieces, Quarren Agitator. This is my first time having a chance to illustrate a Quarren for Star Wars, so it was a treat. First things first, here is how the final Quarren Agitator turned out...
Quarren Agitator
© 2014 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games
To get things started, I posed for some very angry Quarren reference. Nothing like standing around with a big silly knife threatening an unseen authority. With the reference in hand, I got to work on some thumbnails, and here is how they turned out...
Quarren Agitator - Thumbnails
© 2014 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games
I think the art order did call for the Quarren to actually be smashing the holo-screen with Imperial propaganda, but I wanted to try out some other options. "B" was the winner and the only one that had depicted holo-screen smashing action. With Thumbnail selected, it was time to get started with the final drawing, and here is how that turned out...
Quarren Agitator - Drawing
9 x 12
Pencil on paper
© 2014 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games
If you are wondering what the holo-screen says, let your curiosity be sated, it reads, "Make a Difference." That is my contribution to propaganda without it being too creepy and over the top... make a difference and join the Stormtrooper corp! The drawing was approved without note, and I was all clear to get started on my painting.
At some point during my, I realized that the Quarren's left arm was a little too big or a little too long... or both. I fixed it, but due to the way my files are set up, it is now no longer part of the layered order of my painting - which is why it will be absent for most of the process steps and then suddenly appear. I had to cut it out, adjust it, and reattach it later in the process. With all that said, here is the making of a Quarren in 16 easy steps, or not...
Quarren Agitator - Process steps
© 2014 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games
Besides the arm adjustment, I decided to make the shards of the screen actively falling rather than gathered on the ground. This makes the image more in the moment with the sparks flying and pieces of plastic going in every direction. That Quarren JUST smashed that screen, and he is yelling about why the Empire must be stopped... which is right before a Stormtrooper shoots him in the face. That will show those Quarren they should not have backed the Separatists and the armies of Count Doku. Should have stayed unified with the Mon Calamari, but that political discussion is pointless now.
As an added bonus, here is an animated gif thing of the progression through the steps that made this piece. Right before your eyes, the Quarren takes shape...
Quarren Agitator animated thing...
This concludes my contribution to the Age of Rebellion core book, but don't worry, there will be plenty more where this came from. Here again, is how the final piece turned out...
Quarren Agitator
© 2014 Lucasfilm, Ltd. TM Lucasfilm, Ltd. Under license to Fantasy Flight Games
That is all for another exciting week on the blog, see you back here on Monday! Until then...
