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 Jessica Hickman about her process for turning a blank Hasbro Mighty Muggs figure into a special tribute to Slave Leia/Boushh.
What did you choose to do for your Mighty Muggs art piece?
I'm a big Princess Leia fan, but Lucasfilm already did a Mighty Mugg based off of her from A New Hope complete with hair buns! So I figured I'd go with Slave Leia next. Then the whole 2-sided concept with Boushh just popped into my head and it seemed a fun thing to try.
Why did you want to participate in The Empire Muggs Back art project?
Why wouldn't I!? It was a great cause (Make-A-Wish) and I thought it would be fun to customize a Mugg.
What was your step-by-step process? What materials did you use?
At first I did a rough sketch on paper of how I would break down the Boushh helmet onto the rounded Muggs surface. That was the toughest part of the whole thing. Once I simplified it I went straight to doing a rough pencil sketch directly onto the Mugg. Then I went in with acrylic paints.
What were some of the challenges you faced while making your art piece?
Not making the design too simple. I didn't want to simplify it so much that it wouldn't be recognizable; particularly the Boushh helmet. Then, depending on what type of acrylic I used, I had to paint several layers. I had to make sure to wait for certain portions to fully dry before I could add another layer. If it wasn't 100 percent dry, then portions of the first layer of paint would wipe off with the section layer.
Why do you think Star Wars fans will love The Empire Muggs Back project?
Some of the Muggs concepts are pretty creative and funny. I think fans will get a kick out of seeing such iconic characters in a new way.
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.
