I have been a Star Wars fan my whole life. I grew up playing with the toys, reading the comics and novels, and with the posters on my wall. When I found myself with a unique opportunity to work on Star Wars books for Del Rey I grabbed hold and haven’t let go. As a fan, it thrills me to get to work with and meet many of the authors and artists I’ve been reading for years now. The artist Paul Youll is one such gentleman. His covers for the X-Wing novels that Bantam published are some of my favorite Star Wars covers, let alone some of my favorite Star Wars paintings. Last year I approached Paul about creating some paintings for Star Wars: The Essential Guide to Warfare. I figured it was a long shot but one I had to take. To my surprise and joy Paul agreed to three paintings for the book. Later, after another artist had to drop out of the project, Paul jumped in with another two. Dream come true for this fan boy. So when our Del Rey art director, Scott Biel, started looking for an artist to paint the cover for Star Wars: The Essential Reader’s Companion I suggested Paul. One of the best suggestions I ever made. Paul jumped right into the cover and delivered an amazing painting. Even working with us on adding the various covers at the end.
When we asked Paul about working on the painting he had this to say, “It was a boy hood dream to work on a Star Wars project and I’ve had some great pieces to Illustrate over many years now; however, to get to Illustrate a cover that involved Yoda was the Jedi icing on the cake and I personally think the most interesting Star Wars piece I’ve done. It was a real pleasure working with Scott on the project. He made it very easy for me, I think we made a great team, Yoda would expect nothing less. When Scott kept asking for more books and then more books and just a few more, my words were ‘I’ll try’ only to here a voice in my head say ‘Try not. Do or do not, there is no try.’ so in the end the Jedi Master had some sort of strange influence on the outcome of the final art.”
So now, with imaginary drum roll…or should I say Twentieth Century Fox fanfare (play below), I give you the cover for Pablo Hidalgo’s Star Wars: The Essential Reader’s Companion designed by Scott Biel and painting by Paul Youll.
Click to enlarge.
Did you find all of the covers in the painting?
Star Wars: The Essential Reader’s Companion is the first Essential Guide devoted entirely to published Star Wars fiction, from the original movie novelization, to young reader’s books, short stories, eBook novellas, and the most recent adult novels. This book will cover all the fiction that has built the Star Wars Expanded Universe over the last thirty-five years. Written by Pablo Hidalgo and featuring more than one hundred color illustrations by popular Star Wars artists Chris Trevas and Jeff Carlisle, this book will be an invaluable source for Star Wars readers and fans.
Look for it on bookstore shelves August 21, 2012.
