Collectors and fans alike have a chance to own one-of-a-kind Star Wars art pieces while giving to a good cause with The Empire Muggs Back. Lucasfilm asked artists, comic book creators, toy designers, and celebrity fans armed with markers, paint brushes and glue guns to transform blank Mighty Muggs (donated by Hasbro) into custom Star Wars art which will be auctioned by The Make-A-Wish Foundation.
StarWars.com chats with artist Katie Cook about her process for turning a blank Hasbro Mighty Muggs figure into a special tribute to the wampa.
What did you choose to do for your Mighty Muggs art piece?
I'm a huge fan of the creatures of Star Wars, and I really wanted to pick one that (don't judge me) reminded me of my cat. I have a fluffy white cat named "iPod" -- so the wampa was a natural choice!
Why did you want to participate in The Empire Muggs Back art project?
By day, I work as a toy designer, and toy customization and modding calls to me! I love poking around online to see all the custom Mighty Muggs that people have been doing and I've been itching to do one of my own. Why not finally take up the call when LucasFilm asks for one? And for such a good cause!
What was your step-by-step process? What materials did you use?
I really thought about how I wanted to approach this. I thought about painting the piece at first, but then decided to cover it in faux fur. I cut the fur into lots of pieces. Then I coated the Mugg, bit by bit, in Epoxy and started piecing strips of fur across the surface. I made all the face/paw/bone pieces out of felt or fleece by just freehand cutting them and having fun. Luke was an afterthought. After I finished the Mugg, I thought, "This needs something. OH, LUKE!!" So I made a cute little felt Luke to be his friend!
What were some of the challenges you faced while making your art piece?
The biggest challenge was shipping the pieces back! I wanted to keep it!
Why do you think Star Wars fans will love The Empire Muggs Back project?
I think they're going to get a kick out of seeing all the custom Muggs from so many different artists. They're all going to be so different! I can't wait to see what characters some people picked and how they executed it in their own style. We all had the same blank bowl of ice cream to start with. Now I want to see all the nerdy, nerdy toppings everyone came up with!
The Mighty Muggs art pieces are now up for auction and can be seen at The Empire Muggs Back on Starwars.com. The auction ends August 14, 2009.
Stay tuned to StarWars.com for in-depth coverage on The Empire Muggs Back.
