Title: Lando Calrissian (Pencil Study)
Size: 5” x 7” inches
Medium: Colored pencil and gesso on grey board
Year: 2012
Artist Personal Collection (For Sale)
Buy This Piece Now - $275.00 

When I started this piece I had two problems I needed to over come.

The first one was a big time constraint, the buyer needed it delivered at a certain time because he was going to meet up with Billy Dee Williams at the Pittsburg Comic Con and ask him to autograph the piece.

The second problem … honestly was the fact that it was a Lando Calrissian piece.

He’s not a super popular character from the original Star Wars films. A lot of people kind of laugh him off and forget that he was even in the third movie. When I told a friend I was doing a Lando Calrissian commission he said, “I don’t now what that is?”

Even though I was up against a tight deadline, I was determined not to just do a throw away head shot. I really wanted to make this piece special, not just 'a' Lando Calrissian piece ... the 'best' Lando Calissian.

So I decided the key to making that happen would be in the idea and the design.

There’s a few pretty classic moments with Lando that I thought about using. One of them was when an angry Chewbacca chokes him after Han's been captured. I also considered the scene where he flirts with Princess Lea in front of Han Solo.

But to me, this moment is the quintessential Lando Calrissian moment, here he’s totally stuck between a rock and a hard place.

His best friend Han Solo, who he’s betrayed lays frozen in carbonite, while Vader ‘and the entire Empire’ loom over his shoulder, waiting to take control of everything that’s important to him.

It was tough, but I got it done and delivered on time. Whether or not I accomplished what I set out to do with this piece, well that remains to be seen ... Personally I love the way it came out.

It’s my tribute to Lando Calrissian!