Ralph McQuarrie, color prelims for tour ship of Cloud City on Bespin from Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars V
Artist: Ralph McQuarrie (All)
18 Comments - 779 Views - 24 Likes
Additional Images:
Tour Ship comp 2
Tour Ship comp 3
Tour Ship comps 4&5
full page
McQuarrie Star Wars Art, Vol 2, p. 332
Artwork Details
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DescriptionRalph McQuarrie is tied with Syd Mead as my favorite movie concept artists in the history of cinema, and I am tickled pink to have acquired this set of B&W and color comprehensive sketches of a vehicle design for the planet Bespin, one of the most amazing environments he envisioned.I wanted something of his from the Star Wars universe, and as much as I'd love a finished gouache painting, I am delighted by his sketches and comps. This tour ship was an abandoned idea for an entry in The Illustrated Star Wars Universe book that came out after the first trilogy in 1997. Based on the dates on some other prelims created for this project, this was probably completed in 1993. The romantic yet somehow realistic and practical design of this blimp is super, and the colors and POV in each comp are terrific as well. He really gets the cool sunlight on top and warm reflected light below just right, giving the blimp a compelling 3-D look to my eye. I just love McQuarrie's signature cloud shapes, with all the vertical features, subtle edges, and gorgeous color choices. The majestic Cloud City floating in the background and beautifully indicated Twin-Pod Cloud Car thrown in for scale in the image I used for this post really draw me in. The other comps on this page are also great and I've attached them as additional images. This appeared on p. 332 of the 2nd volume of Alinger, Lageose, and Mandel's spectacular collection of McQuarrie Star Wars art, the best movie related art book I've ever seen. A tour de force. Thanks to Bill Cox for tolerating (and actually encouraging) non-strictly-comic-related art on CAF. Thanks for taking a look! Social/Sharing |
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Comments on this Artwork
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McSpidey Fan 
Member Since 2005
Posted on 7/7/2023
Love this, congrats on adding this McQuarrie to your collection! Cloud city at its finest.
E DLS
Member Since 2005
Posted on 7/7/2023
That's crazy cool. I think Ralph's name is as synonymous to the SW universe as George's. What wonderful momentos from this creative genius of a designer.
Michael McIsaac
Member Since 2020
Posted on 7/7/2023
McQuarrie was a genius. Star Wars wouldn't have been Star Wars without him.
Marcus Wai
Member Since 2005
Posted on 7/7/2023
This looks better designed than the twin cloud car that looked like a pair of cogs. It does have a resmblance to the Mon Calamari Rebel transport we saw evacuating Hoth, which may be why it wasn't used.
John C
Member Since 2014
Posted on 7/7/2023
Swinging lightsabers around a blimp would of added a lot more tension to the movie.
Tommy Kohlmaier
Member Since 2008
Posted on 7/8/2023
Really beautiful art combo, thanks for showing it here on CAF. Now I know where those "grey cigars" - the Rebel Transporters" in "Return of the Jedi" come from :) The force is strong in your collection with a concpt piece like this from the holy SW -concpt master that greets "Hindenburg" with this desing masterpiece !
Bill J
Member Since 2009
Posted on 8/24/2023
Fantastic color sketches by Ralph McQuarrie! Love seeing the prelims McQuarrie drew for a fantastic space blimp! I've always loved Zeppelins and Blimps and would have loved seeing one in the Star Wars movies. But anyway, it's fun to get a behind-the-scenes look at how moviemakers go about designing and imagining new airships for the films. Great pick-up!
John Davis
Member Since 2014
Posted on 9/6/2023
Agreed on all fronts! Big congrats on these cool prelims by this grail artist!
Davide G.
Member Since 2009
Posted on 10/5/2023
Brilliant design and great colors! I always love to see the artist's creative process!
Phill R
Member Since 2010
Posted on 1/16/2025
Here ye here ye on the strictly non-comic art art. What a piece!! Thanks for sharing.
Matt Dicke
Member Since 2006
Posted on 2/5/2025
How did I miss this! Wow what a treasure, and its "just" a comp. Great page of designs, have always been a fan of Cloud city. Congrats.
Paul Dolan
Member Since 2023
Posted on 5/7/2025
Fantastic, a McQuarrie is on my list for sure ( I was lucky enough to meet him in the 90s and he was so generous with his time )
artless artmore
Member Since 2013
1 - Posted on 5/11/2025
Paul Dolan wrote:
Fantastic, a McQuarrie is on my list for sure ( I was lucky enough to meet him in the 90s and he was so generous with his time )Awesome! Never met the man, unfortunately, despite living not too far from his home in his later years according to a collector friend who knew him.
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