Star Wars Galaxy 4 Sketch Cards Q&A with Triclops Studio

With fold-outs and nostalgic print-outs - UK-based Triclops Studio went a decidedly different approach to their interpretation of the die-cut Vader and Stormtrooper Die-Cut shaped cards for the recently released Star Wars Galaxy 4 Trading Card by TOPPS [Q&A TAGGED].

CLICK THRU for a TRE-Q&A with Robotboy & Apeman (aka Luc & Rob] about their motivations and execution, as well as more images of these cards :)

TOYSREVIL: For the benefit of new readers who might be joining us (I hope :p) - please do share with us - WHO Is TRICLOPS STUDIO?

LUC & ROB: Triclops Studio [www] is creative Design Consultancy owned by Luc Hudson and Rob Ames… Luc and Rob are both ex-Hasbro designers with 13 years combined experience in Games and Boys Toys divisions respectively. As well as running the consultancy, Triclops are inventors of toys and lifestyle products, as well as IP concepts. They have also built reputations as artists and customisers on the designer toy scene as their alter-ego’s Robotboy and Apeman.

TOYSREVIL: WHAT was the inspiration behind your artwork? What was the concept you had wanted to portray?

LUC: I was a bit disappointed that the cards when they arrived were severed heads of the stormtroopers and Darth Vader so I thought it would be cool to add a tri-fold out body to make them complete. The style is slightly super deformed, simple vector, a bit like the Star Wars Chubbies. I'm a big fan of Star Wars kubricks so taking their concept of chase variants, I made a standard stormtrooper (limited edition of 48) plus one-off chase variants of Han Solo and Luke Skywalker as stormtroopers. For Vader, the standard Vader is limited to 49 and there is a one-off of 'revealed' Anakin from the original Star Wars Episode IV.


ROB: I was inspired by a childhood ‘ Topps ‘ memory… I was mad keen on Garbage Pail Kids - still am ! I loved the card art / crazy characters but, I was also into the backing cards doubling up as a cheeky bonus ‘ artwork tiles ‘ which if you collected the whole series would all go together ( in a jigsaw stylee ) to create one huge poster / image ! So I basically did a similar thing using vintage Marvel Star Wars comics from the 70’s. The idea was to kinda create the impression that this one ickle Vader / StormTrooper Art Card was 1 ( of say 25 ) to collect & join together to create a much bigger artwork / image


TOYSREVIL: What was the medium you used? Are you both happy with the results?

LUC: I made a paper template of the cards and mirrored it to double up and make the body then added simple legs as the third fold. After a quick internet search for reference photos, I sketched the characters over the template in blue pencil (imagining myself as a very poor relation to Doug Chang and the other Star Wars concept artists) then digitally worked up the artwork in good 'ol illustrator.

Vader's arms and cloak were a bit tricksy given the weird outline from the template to work within, the Stormtroopers worked better cos I gave them a classic 'holding-a-blaster-in-both-hands' (sounds like a euphemism) pose.


ROB: It took bloody donkeys !!! Firstly I had to select decent / iconic scenes from the several comic books I had : scan ‘em all in & then ( in PhotoSlop ) mask the Vader + StormTrooper shapes. Then I had to print + cut ‘em all out… final job was to stick ‘em to the backs of the actual cards. We did 100 cards each - so it has very time consuming but, hey well worth it… we just fired up some music & got stuck it !

TOYSREVIL: What is the Best (or Favourite) and Worst memory of Star Wars you have?

LUC: Best memory is seeing Return of the Jedi upon it's 1983 release through the cigarette smoke at the local cinema with my Dad and brother. I was really excited and think that is the first movie I can remember being hyped.

I was an avid fan of the original 3 films but my Star Wars figure collection was rather pathetic and consisted of 1 Chewbacca, 1 Darth Vader, 1 Wicket the Ewok and 1 Logray the Medicine Man plus an obscure little vehicle (some kind of reconnaisance craft I think?) which would only fit one figure standing upright inside. My brother's collection consisted of a Tie Fighter Pilot and an Imperial Stormtrooper so you can see where his loyalties were.

Worst Star Wars memory is a toss-up between crying inconsolably all the way home on the back seat of the car because my Mum's shopping budget wouldn't stretch to the latest edition of the super-glossy 'Return of the Jedi' magazine or very nearly falling asleep during the boooooring smoochy scenes between Anakin and Amidala in Episode 2. How could those new films be so duff given the majesty of the first trilogy? Too much CGi I reckon, I'm starting a campaign to go back to animatronics.


ROB: Worst memory without a shadow of a doubt has gotta be at SDCC 2007, when in Subway I accidentally got a sneaky peak at what’s behind Slave Princess Leia’s front bum panel !!! I’m not complaining but, it put me right off my meatball sub… from that day on that outfit will always be known as ‘ Shave ‘ Princess Leia !

Best memory… errrr tricky one… probably getting Luke’s X-Wing ( the toy, not the real thing ) from my Mum & Dad for my 6th birthday : happy days !


TOYSREVIL: If you could be a Star Wars character (from the 6 movies) - WHO will you boys be, and WHY?

LUC: Hmmm, Boba Fett is the coolest looking character in my opinion but I'd wanna be Han Solo, the loveable rogue. I like his classic black and white outfit and his little blaster that looks a bit like a german Luger.

ROB: To be honest I’m not really into any the main characters of Star Wars… I like the Bounty Hunter posse ( especially Dengar ) but, if I had to plum for one I’d go with one of the weirder characters like HammerHead, Prune Face, Walrus Man, Yak Face or maybe Bib Fortuna. Actually I lie… I’d be Greedo ! He’s the daddy - just imagine what would be if his shot ( in the Cantina ) hadn’t missed Solo, ummmmmm… no Solo, that’s what : oppps sorry Luc !


[Images via Ebay auctions here / here / here]