Ralph McQuarrie

Ralph McQuarrie, the artist who gave life to George Lucas' script for Star Wars, died last week, so I wanted to give a little tribute to the man whose mind changed the world of design and of filmmaking forever.

McQuarrie used his experience as a designer, animator, technical illustrator for Boeing, and as a soldier in the Korean War to create some of the most recognizable characters in history. I always find myself drawn to artwork that references a technically rich base to create a fantastically vivid story. McQuarrie was certainly a master of that. 

Here is a quote by McQuarrie that I enjoy: 

"I used to try squeezing work out, but it's like toothpaste in a tube that will only come out so fast … There's no point pounding my brain – the best thing I can do is collect my thoughts as soon as I'm told what's needed. Then I lie down and let it gel unconsciously. I sort of semi-sleep, and somewhere along the way of going to sleep or coming out of it, I get exactly what I need – it's just there, rising like the bubbles in champagne from somewhere inside."

In addition to Star Wars, McQuarrie worked on Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T., Raiders of the Lost Arc, Cocoon, and more. Many of the most iconic scenes, images and characters in (at least my) history of film were born out of McQuarrie's imagination.

Here are a few of his visions before any actors were ever cast.