Back, sorta
So I’ve just spent a week joyfully painting a mean looking Hutt warrior with a whooping great lightsaber axe and I enjoyed it immensely. I’d like to say that this is the start of a whole slew of new character illustrations, but it could very well be just a blip. So, sorry if I disappear for another decade.
I just wanted to apologise to a whole bunch of you who sent me messages over the last few years without any reply from me. I know, it was rude of me, but I honestly only just read them 20 minutes ago.
Some of you wanted to ask permission to use my illustrations, of Gungans mainly, in your RP games. Short answer, if you’re still waiting for an answer is yes, please go ahead. Long answer, yes, please go ahead, but only for non commercial purposes and please credit me and link back to my profile if you publish it online.
Some of you were requesting artwork, of Gungans usually, or asking if I take on commissions. If it’s a free request you’re after I‘d like to point you towards my spiritual home of SWAGonline.net, which is a wonderful place and community of Star Wars fan artists that is just getting back on feet after a dormant period. Put in a request on the forums there and one of the many talented artists there (or me) might be inspired to take it on for you, free of charge! How cool is that? Free art! It’s amazing, go check it out.
If you wanted to commission me directly I have to warn you, I’m incredibly expensive because I’m a very slow painter and very picky about what I take on. Inspire me with a wonderfully quirky and characterful character and I might just make a deal with you.
Stop the Hate, Hug a Gungan
I find the Gungan race full of unexplored potential and this maybe because virtually every right-thinking StarWars fan absolutely hates them. I think because of that they have been virtually untouched since the release of Episode 1, with Jar Jar's screen time cut drastically in Episode 2 and virtually invisble in Episode 3. Most StarWars artists steer away from the Gungans I think and so that leaves me (and a few others) to pick up the pieces and an almost blank canvas.
My particular interest is in imagining that the Gungans aren't all dumbling idiots like Jar Jar, but they are a proud warrior race with a rich and colourful history. I like to think that there are some very brutal and unsavoury Gungans out there, and with their sea-borne nature I really like the idea of Gungan Pirates and Smugglers.
Just imagine for a second, that Jar Jar never existed and instead Obi-Wan and Qui Gonn bumped into my Gungan Smuggler www.deviantart.com/deviation/1… in the swamps, with an attitude more akin to Han Solo than Coco the Clown. He, like Jar Jar takes the Jedi to the Underwater city, which instead of Boss Nass is ruled by a cut-throatGungan Pirate Captain www.deviantart.com/deviation/1…, whose daughter www.deviantart.com/deviation/1… is secretly in love with the out cast Smuggler. I don't know whether it would really have been any better this way and it wouldn't be quite so kiddie friendly, but I think The Phantom Menace could have been a very different film and the fans probably wouldn't hate Gungans quite so much.