A long time ago on a planet not so far away, a young kid got his hands on the book The Art of the Empire Strikes Back. This incredible publication opened me up to a whole new galaxy of creatures, costumes and concepts from my all-time favorite movie. It was the main catalyst in my decision to become a graphic artist. From the images of Boba Fett, to the different iterations of Snowtroopers I was in awe. I wanted to play with these figures as a kid and was thrilled when several of them finally found their way to being purchasable plastic as an adult.
However, the one figure that always caught my eye in the book was one that was never made. It was an image of the Falcon landing in Cloud City with Han and Leia walking together and the droids carrying their gear. Lando and a female friend were waiting to greet them. In this image Leia was wearing a slightly modified Rebel Fleet Trooper outfit minus the helmet. She also had her traditional hair buns as seen in the A New Hope. I loved it. It was a natural progression from the first film and would have been a nice way to keep the iconic look of the Rebels moving forward. I really got my hopes up when they announced the McQuarrie Collection during the 30th anniversary, but… a figure was never made.
When I saw the Jyn Erso figure for the film Rogue One, I saw the easy opportunity to make the figure I had always wanted.
So here is the recipe:
- Head and Hands: A New Hope Leia
- Lower Legs and Arms: Force Awakens General Leia
- Vest and Torso: Jyn Erso
There was a bit of painting involved too. I used a mix of FolkArt Ocean Blue Acrylic and Apple Barrel White Matte paints to get the trooper shirt color and Apple Barrel Matte Black for the legs and vest. Sealed with Plaid Clear Acrylic Sealer Aerosol Spray.