Artist Interview: Darren Tan’s Star Wars Thrawn Print

Few figures in the Star Wars™ galaxy have inspired as much fear as Grand Admiral Thrawn — especially without the added power of the Force. He does it all on his own with a ruthless mind and a taste for local culture. Now, this scheming tactician is brought to life in the eye-catching Star Wars art print by Darren Tan.

Prepare to learn more about Darren Tan’s Grand Admiral Thrawn™ Art Print, from Tan’s artistic process to why Thrawn is such an enthralling subject. Sit back and watch the evil unfold with Sideshow’s latest artist interview.

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Darren Tan Interview with Sideshow

Your artwork is so instantly recognizable due to your realistic approach to your subjects and almost luminescent light sources. How did you hone this style, and what do you consider your trademark(s)?

Interestingly, I did not set out to develop a particular artistic style of my own, not consciously at least. I just wanted to learn how to paint so I taught myself by imitating other artists early on. I got good enough to get hired by a digital illustration company in Singapore where I really honed my skill. Fortunately I had a lot of guidance from Stanley “Artgerm” Lau, who was my boss at the time and he helped me find my particular style.

I tend towards realism in my works – that’s just how I like to paint, but I admit it can look generic on its own. To solve this issue I paint with a lot of texture brushes and I intentionally leave visible brush strokes to give it that painterly look which I like in a lot of other art. It adds a lot of energy and movement to the imagery, making it less stale and more visually interesting. This is what I like most about my “art style” if you can call it that, but it is hardly unique to me.

One of the big benefits of working in digital is I can easily overlay my paintings with different lighting effects, playing around with contrast, color, and value to enhance the final painting. I use this “post-processing” technique quite often and I guess it is what gives my artworks that luminescent quality.

Can you share some insight or advice for younger artists who may be searching to find their own style?

Just paint what you enjoy, explore and use what inspires you to inform your style. It will develop naturally as you grow as an artist.

You’ve previously shared with us that you’re interested in military art. How does this love for such historical compositions influence your own work for fictional fandoms such as Marvel and Star Wars?

In my historical artworks I paint a lot of battle scenes, which involves many different elements (multiple characters, vehicles, weapons, environments) and how they all should interact with each other in a scene. There’s obvious overlap here with franchises like Star Wars with all of its famous battles, and so how I think the historical side informs me when I’m tackling a piece like “Hoth Evacuation” is to imagine in my head how the scene would play out, determine what aspect of the scene I want to focus on (in this case it’s the X-wing and the ion cannon hitting the Star Destroyer), and then lay out the different elements of the scene, taking into account the composition and perspective.

From there, I start blocking out colors and value for the entire scene before proceeding to detail out each element. It sounds simple but it’s quite an involved process and very time consuming. However, the results are quite satisfying once it’s done.

Speaking of fandom art — I heard that Grand Admiral Thrawn is one of your favorite Star Wars characters! What most compels you about him?

What compels me about Thrawn is that he’s an atypical Star Wars villain — a brilliant tactician who uses his keen intellect and wit to defeat his adversaries. He doesn’t have Force powers yet he’s always one step ahead of the heroes, who fear him like they would any Sith Lord. Also unlike most SW villains, he is respected more than he is feared, hence commands greater loyalty from his own troops.

I also love the simplicity and effectiveness of his design — the uniform, blue skin, and his deep red eyes gives him a very striking and commanding appearance. It certainly made an impression on me as a young fan back when I was just discovering the SW EU.

You’ve also painted the exteriors of starships, seen in both “Grand Admiral Thrawn” and “Hoth Evacuation.” This is no small feat. How do you approach rendering these meticulously detailed subjects?

I love SW starships but they’re not easy to paint from scratch. I usually start by finding a suitable photo or 3d reference, sometimes I even use model kits if I have them. I use these references to help me construct the scene and once that’s set up I start painting over them. As I paint I usually make lighting adjustments and add or tweak details along the way. The final touches would be to make the starship fit and blend into the scene, usually involving further lighting tweaks and color adjustments.

Among the many Star Wars paintings you’ve produced, you also made “Asajj Ventress: Ascension” for Sideshow, which is part of the Star Wars Mythos collection. As a Star Wars fan, how does it feel to create art in a space that exists outside of the realm of what we see on screen?

I love the idea of it and I would certainly be keen to paint more pieces like it. Being able to imagine and realize different possibilities for fan favorite characters beyond what we see on screen excites me as an artist. I’m able to exercise more artistic freedom and make use of established lore to create something fresh and new.

Who are some of your other favorite characters in Star Wars? Are any of them still on your wish list to paint someday?

Currently I’m obsessed with Andor™, so something from that show would be great. Perhaps a piece featuring the founders of the Rebellion — Luthen Rael, Mon Mothma, Saw Gerrera, and Bail Organa.

Finally, just for fun — if you could switch places with any Star Wars character for a day, who would it be and why?

I’m not sure about specific characters — maybe Wedge Antilles because I’ve always loved Rebel starfighters and in particular Rogue Squadron, so being a Rogue Squadron pilot for a day would be cool.

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What horrific plan do you think Thrawn is formulating in Darren Tan’s chilling Grand Admiral Thrawn™ Art Print?

Join the conversation with other Star Wars fans over at Sideshow Social Network or in side.show/geekgroup, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!