Sculpting a Galaxy: Inside the Star Wars Model Shop [Hardcover]

Lorne Peterson (Author), George Lucas (Author), Rick McCallum (Author), Phil Tippett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 14, 2006

From the producers of the acclaimed Dressing a Galaxy: The Costumes of Star Wars comes an inside look at the secrets behind the saga’s artful models and sculptures. Lorne Peterson, model and sculpture designer for the entire Star Wars saga, takes us on a journey through the intricate process of crafting and sculpting the models from sketch to screen and the artistry behind the dazzling results.
Sculpting a Galaxy: Inside the Star Wars Model Shop features more than 300 full-color photographs and illustrations from the Lucasfilm archives, models from all six films, interviews, images and text with concept sculptors, an overview of the ILM model shop from 1976 through today and numerous gatefolds of the most loved models.
ILM virtually redefined visual effects and blazed a trail into the digital realm, follow behind the camera and into the rarely seen workshops and an amazing look at the creation of movie magic. Sculpting a Galaxy: Inside the Star Wars Modelshop takes readers behind-the-scenes for the first in-depth look at these amazing models and the process behind their creation, punctuated by Lorne Peterson’s exuberance and dedication to craft.
This unique visual treat is a must-have for any Star Wars fan.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This meticulous look at the models, miniatures and sculptures that make up the Star Wars movie universe is sure to make the short list for fans. Model and sculpture designer Peterson takes the reader through a guided tour of the Star Wars series, giving extra attention to fan favorites. Some of the more popular vehicles, such as the AT-AT Walkers and the Millenium Falcon get their own detailed gatefolds. Peterson's tight prose keeps the book on track, offering all sorts of trivia without dwelling on minutiae. While the later movies have certainly benefited from computer-generated special effects, he explains it was more cost-effective and realistic to create many of the sets, backgrounds and vehicles via sculptures and models. Readers will learn that the crowds watching the pod race from The Phantom Menace, for example, were not entirely computer generated-thousands of painted Q-Tips were used to fill out the stadium, "ultimately creating an image that looked very realistic." Peterson covers everything from how to create fake blood for a severed arm (raspberry yogurt mixed with tempera paint) to employing wheelchair motors in order to enable R2-D2 to navigate the gritty Tunisian desert where the first film was shot. Fans will find everything from the holographic chess set from the first film to Darth Vader's mask from Revenge of the Sith lovingly photographed and described in detail. Many of the models regularly tour museums, but this comprehensive examination offers fans a more informed appreciation for the work that went into the series.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Lorne Peterson is one of the founding members of Industrial Light & Magic; he was hired by George Lucas to create the models for Star Wars. In 1978, Peterson was invited by Lucas to oversee the entire production of models for The Empire Strikes Back. His signature is evident on nearly every model used in the original trilogy. Peterson’s work is showcased in the entire Star Wars saga, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, the Ewok movies, Jurassic Park, Men in Black, Galaxy Quest, and Van Helsing. He was honored with an Academy Award® and a BAFTA Award for the special effects work in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
George Lucas is the creator of the phenomenally successful Star Wars saga and Indiana Jones series. He has been writing and directing for more than twenty-five years.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: Insight Editions (November 14, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933784032
• ISBN-13: 978-1933784038
• Product Dimensions: 13.1 x 9.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #260,794 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars That no moon...that's a 3-foot plexiglass sphere lit by Dennis Muren..., November 15, 2006

By 

W. Mudron "Jerk extraordinaire." (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sculpting a Galaxy: Inside the Star Wars Model Shop (Hardcover)

To paraphrase animator/creature designer/puppeteer Phil Tippet, this book is about how several dozen people over the course of several decades managed to create an entire make-believe world (and the ships, creatures and environments within them) with their bare hands.

To a life-long Star Wars geek (and ILM/specialmeffects enthusiast in particular) like me, "Sculpting the Galaxy" is practically spaceship-porn, what with 216 pages filled with beautifiul macrophotography exploring every nook and cranny of the models created for the Star Wars universe in almost fetishistic detail. Don't take my word for it, either - the Millenium Falcon gets it's hown centerfold, fer chrissakes.

What's even better is that all of these photos are interspersed with anecdotes from the author and many other veterans of ILM's model shope describing how the design and fabrication of each model came to be (for example, the entry regarding the Death Star model from "A New Hope"s mentions that said model accidentally wound up being accidentally thrown away during ILM's move from San Raphael to Marin County).

Regardless, this book will stand as a testament to the talent and hard work of the craftsmen and artists who laboured so long to bring George Lucas's vision of a 'galaxy far, far way' to life. Kudos to you, fellas - you've definitely earned it.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You can almost touch those models in this book, October 17, 2008

By 

Parka (Singapore) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Sculpting a Galaxy: Inside the Star Wars Model Shop (Hardcover)

Length:: 0:39 Mins

Fans of Star Wars, particularly model collectors will love this book. This book is however not a book featuring collectibles. This is a compilation of hundreds of photos models of ships and sets that were used throughout the Star Wars movies.

There are four main chapters: 1. Starships, 2. Vehicles, 3. Creatures, droids and sculpts, 4. Environment.

The photos included are extremely high quality and many are close ups for details. The level of detail and workmanship is amazing when you're looking at it close up. I can also touch them.

Fans will find almost everything, from the Imperial Star Destroyer, Padme Amidala's Apartment, Holographic Chess Game, just to name a few.

If you've been to Star Wars exhibitions, you'll know that photography isn't allowed. Well, this book is the next best thing to the exhibition. Wait a minute -- so that's why photography isn't allowed.

This is a well constructed hard covered book with great binding and high quality semi gloss paper.

(More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Giant coffee table book...mostly a retread, August 2, 2007

By 

R. Sardrena (shrinking tributary in Brazil) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sculpting a Galaxy: Inside the Star Wars Model Shop (Hardcover)

For those who have purchased the series of "Art of Star Wars" books, as well as "Star Wars: Sketchbooks" et cetera, this tome is impressive but not novel. Many photos from those earlier books are reused here. The problem is that they have been blown up for this larger format. Consequently, the blown-up recycled photos are slightly blurry. There are some wonderful photos of star destroyer details that have not been seen before...but is that enough to merit this huge new book? That decision is up to you, but I expected heretofore unseen, crisply focused photographs.