Double-Crossing the Mandalorian.

I don't participate often, or ever, in online drawing/painting contests, but ILM came calling over at Art Station's website. They were looking for concept keyframes that illustrated NEW storylines involving existing characters and worlds from the classic Star Wars trilogy that harkened back to the art of pioneers like Ralph McQuarrie and Joe Johnston. Here is my submission.

The idea behind this setting is somewhat inspired by a Topps trading card I had as a kid in the early 90’s. Bo Hampton depicted Boba Fett riding a dragon creature of some sort whilst firing his blaster at Han Solo in the swamps of Degobah. It inspired my interpretation here...

"When Princess Leia goes missing, Luke, Han, and Chewie hatch a plan to summon Slave 1, the only ship in the galaxy that has the archived plans to her hidden location. Master Yoda puts himself in the firing line to draw out Boba Fett to Degobah by placing a bounty on the Princess’ head.

...But ambushing the galaxy’s most efficient bounty hunter will be no easy task!"

I really dig the McQuarrie designs of Degobah from ESB that featured a few creatures we sadly did not get a chance to see on the big screen. Given a chance to see this alternate storyline through to fruition, I would’ve liked  to illustrate a sequence where our heroes botch the ambush and trigger a gun fight and chase through the swamps that feature some of these previously unseen aliens.(See McQuarrie's masterful and inspiring work below)