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Meet the Art Director
Q: Have you worked on package design for LEGO
®
Star Wars
™
before?
A: I started working on LEGO
Star Wars
in 2009 and oddly enough,
my first packaging was a set of battle packs with minifigures from
the planet Hoth. Now, six years later, I’m back on Hoth with the
snowspeeder.
Q: What kind of reference material do you use to begin designing
the package art?
A: One of the great things about
Star Wars
is the amount of fan-
based material that is out on the web. I like to scan the internet for
a while to immerse myself in the world of
Star Wars
. Usually the
model has an iconic scene from the movies that I always try to refer
to. Then, while making the packaging, never underestimate the use of
making sound eects while creating the packaging fronts.
Q: The snowspeeder is a
Star Wars
vehicle that features
predominantly in the Battle of Hoth, which takes place in a very
snowy environment. How did you ensure that the white vehicle
stood out from the white environment?
A: Colour, lasers, explosions and smoke! Explosions have made my life
much easier on a number of occasions.
Q: What are the first steps you take when you begin the package
design for a new LEGO
Star Wars
set?
A: I always start with the brief to see what the LEGO
Star Wars
product team wants to show. Then I ‘play study’ the model to get a
feel for its potential.
Michael Sion
Michael Sion
Q: Are there specific techniques you use to depict the features and
functions of a particular set on the box art?
A: I invariably struggle with function shots. Luckily, we get the models
in a 3D program so we can rotate them instead of having to go right
to photography. It’s predominantly trying to get across the idea of
cause and eect, for example; showing a set feature that involves
pushing or pulling a section of the model and the resulting action. I
also try to use depth of field to de-emphasise the parts of the model
which are only there for context.
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