This past weekend a huge influence of my childhood passed, artist Ralph McQuarrie. As a kid I collected everything Star Wars and one of the cheapest and most endearing was the Star Wars Trading Cards. I loved these because you could reenact the films and see your favorite scenes over and over. This was before home video, so these cards and picture books were the only thing that filled my hunger between re-releases or new films. In 1980 Topps released 20 plus Ralph McQuarrie concept art cards and these I cherished the most of my card collection. These cards were hard to find and I would just stare for hours at the re imagining of familiar scenes and characters. McQuarrie also helped with concept art for Raiders Of The Lost Ark, Close Encounters, E.T., and won an Oscar in 1986 for Visual Effects for the film Cocoon. He was 82 years old. Below are some of my favorite paintings by him.
