Review by Mary Sheridan
The third volume in a series of art retrospective books, Star Wars Art: Illustration was released on October 1, 2012. Shortly after I was assigned to write its FANgirl Blog review, momentous news placed Illustration on a virtual back burner. We spent weeks in a flurry of reaction when Disney purchased Lucasfilm and the course of Star Wars was altered forever. Perhaps it was cosmic intervention, because three months after publication readers of Illustration have been given a fresh perspective. In fact, now may be the perfect time to revisit this special collection of Star Wars images.
In the book’s Foreword, Howard Roffman writes of his thoughts as he became the new head of Lucas Licensing in 1986:
I watched with envy as companies like Disney and Warner Bros. generated a steady stream of bold new designs to stimulate sales of their classic brands, like Mickey Mouse and Looney Tunes. The art that was available to me [at that time] was paltry—and dated—by comparison, a meager selection of line art from our earlier style guides…I longed for the day when Star Wars might have its own library of new licensing art, but in the cold, harsh reality of the late eighties, it seemed like an impossible dream.
Of course, Star Wars fans have always believed that anything is possible.
It will come as no surprise that the carefully selected art reproduced in Illustration is a testament not only to the creative talent that breathes life into amazing images of the Star Wars galaxy, but also to the dedication of people like Mr. Roffman who encouraged such a superb collection.
The quality of art in Illustration is simply outstanding.
On the pages of this book are scenes that might have taken place off-screen during Star Wars movies. There are other “stills” – moments in time – beautifully rendered and uniquely imagined that serve to expand readers’ own ideas of the core Star Wars stories. It is a cultural, fan, and art appreciation reference. And, we might hope, a meaningful book for the assembling team that will usher the franchise into new territory. As Steven Heller writes in his Introduction:
The past is present and future—follow, and it will lead.
Star Wars Art: Illustration shows us some of the very best of an incredible past. Many will hope that its dynamic, dramatic images indeed foreshadow some of the evolving future, or at the very least will influence new Star Wars projects even if radical change is in the works. Visual arts have long been used to establish mood and theme, plus describe extra-galactic planetary landscapes from Coruscant to Tatooine. The importance of Star Wars art goes back to the early drawings of Ralph MacQuarrie: it grounds the audience in place and time and is so embedded in cultures worldwide that it would be impossible to catalogue the multitude of references that have appeared in virtually every form of media. And it would be a shame to lose all of that to a complete make-over.
If you enjoy artistic interpretations of the known Star Wars galaxy but missed Illustration amid the trending news last October, I recommend that you return to it, pausing awhile to appreciate its rich, vibrant, and uncommon works. These are chosen favorites of George Lucas; many are now mine as well. They are images that represent the personal visions of superstar artists who are fans just like the rest of us.
Star Wars Art: Illustration has the air of passionate visions and dreams, which is reason enough to suggest that this book holds both relevance and enjoyment—certainly for members of a Star Wars community who are looking hungrily toward the future.
Mr. Roffman’s Foreward reflects upon the vast collection of art that accumulated as part of the revitalization of the Star Wars brand during the 1980s and ‘90s. It seems appropriate to cite a few more of his rather prophetic words:
[A]fter all, this is Star Wars, and with enough faith and determination, dreams can come true.
They can, and they do. If anyone at “Dream Headquarters”—Disney—or other members of the revitalized Lucasfilm family needs a refresher course on the look and feel of Star Wars, they can do more than watch the movies. On the pages of Illustration (and for that matter, previous art volumes, Visions and Comics) they will find images not available in the films. These are very accessible representations of our collectively imagined Star Wars universe.
.
Mary is a retired Registered Nurse who specialized in Trauma and Emergency medicine. She loves Science Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, and comic books, and Star Wars is her hands-down favorite. Mary can be contacted at reach.sheridan@gmail.com.