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 which were auctioned by The Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Starwars.com chats with Lead Concept Artist for LucasArts (The Force Unleashed) Amy Beth Christenson about her process for turning a blank Hasbro Mighty Muggs figure into a special tribute to the Apprentice from The Force Unleashed.
What did you choose to do for your Mighty Muggs art piece?
I was torn between doing the entire Max Rebo band and sewing some Star Wars costumes for my blank Mugg, or stealing the idea of putting a couple of Muggs in the oven for a few hours and calling them Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen.
But in the end, I decided to go with my greatest Star Wars love: the Apprentice from The Force Unleashed. I put a lot of myself into that character, (as did the rest of the team), the story was awesome, and Sam did such a great job of bringing him to life. I wanted to see him represented!
What was your step-by-step process? What materials did you use?
It was my first time using an airbrush, and all things considered, it went reasonably well. I did a few test sketches first, but I didn't really plan ahead too far, I wanted to keep it fresh. For most of it, I just masked areas off and painted on the fly.
What were some of the challenges you faced while making your art piece?
Trying to stylize Sam's face! I ended up going with a very simplified version.
Why do you think Star Wars fans will love The Empire Muggs Back project?
Being a huge fan myself, I was excited to see who participated, and the wacky and creative pieces that they came up with. Every Star Wars fan I know has some Muggs in their collection, and there are already some great custom Muggs out there. It was a great opportunity to make a contribution to this project, and to such a great cause!
Read more in-depth coverage on The Empire Muggs Back.
