Wookie Rage (part 1)
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I love the scene in Star Wars: Episode Four: A New Hope where Han-Solo suggests that there might be a less-cuddly side to Chewbacca. Here it is, courtesy of IMDB.com:
[R2-D2 and Chewbacca are playing the holographic game aboard the Milennium Falcon]
Chewbacca: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrgh
C-3PO: He made a fair move. Screaming about it can’t help you.
Han Solo: Let him have it. Its not wise to upset a Wookie.
C-3PO: But sir, nobody worries about upsetting a droid.
Han Solo: That’s ‘cause droids don’t pull people’s arms out of their sockets when they lose. Wookies are known to do that.
Chewbacca: Grrrf.
C-3PO: I see your point, sir. I suggest a new strategy, R2: let the wookie win.
I think this scene is hilarious. The actual performances make it even better. And I love this idea that Chewbacca (my personal favorite SW character) has a ‘loose cannon’ aspect to his personality. The only thing is, we never really get to see his ‘Wookie Rage’ come out.
I have had this idea for a Star Wars illustration since 2002. I even started painting a version of it back in ’02 but it sucked egregiously so I abandoned the project. But over the years I kept thinking...
Monday, July 7, 2008
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‘I want to see Chewie in all-out WOOKIE RAGE mode.’ Every time I heard Han Solo utter that line (which, as many of you know is very often) I was reminded of my abandoned ‘Wookie Rage’ piece.
I wanted to see Chewie doing what I would consider to be the defining ‘Wookie Rage’ action... ...pulling someone’s arms off. But who would be his victim? I initially thought it would be a Stormtrooper, but the Stormtrooper’s lack of indentity compromised the intensity of the idea.
So then I thought that I would invent a Star Wars-like creature for Chewie to maul. However, this made for even more disconnect. It had to be personal. The viewer had to feel the Wookie Rage. Nobody cares if Chewie is pulling the arms off of some Chris Oatley character.
So it would have to be an established Star Wars character. Who might Chewie have tangled with in the past? Who might he tangle with in the future? Of course. Boba Fett (who happens to be my second-favorite character...)
Last October, I revived the idea. I shot some new photo reference of friends and got to work making thumbnails and tiny color-comps. I have been working on this thing intermittently in my free time for months and I finally have a drawing/ composition/ color palette that I am happy with. Though there are a few things that need to be tweaked, I feel that this drawing will provide a strong foundation for the painting.
Something I haven’t really done yet here on my blog is share works-in-progress as they are actually in-progress. So here goes. This is where I am right now with the piece.
In addition to any feedback, encouragement or critique about the work-in-progress, I would love to hear your thoughts about why we witness a rageless version of Chewbacca The Wookie in Star Wars: A New Hope.
Be sure to enter the poll: “Let The Wookie Win” (in the right column of this page) and send me an email [coatley (at) mac.com] letting me know that you entered (honors system - play fair).
When the painting is finished, I will put all of the names in a ‘hat’ and draw out a winner. The winner will be announced on a future episode of Chris Oatley’s ArtCast and that winner will receive one of the original sketches that I did (or will do) during the creation of this piece. Fun, huh?
...and if you haven’t seen Star Wars, Now is the time. Informed answers only, please.
I know its Monday and there is no podcast (this podcasting thing is hard. Bear with me. Its on its way.
