The lights fade, the credits roll, and the memories live on in our minds of star ships and droids and laser swords. And that’s about it, until we watch the movies again or look at a photo. But artists take those images, cook ’em up in their creative engines, and craft up images never before seen! Like new bits of the story seen through a wholly different light! This is the magic. And today’s wizard in Star Wars Artist Month is none other than the master of the Oktopolis: Brian Miller!
Best known for his pop culture propaganda artwork Brian currently illustrates images for Star Wars, Doctor Who, The X-Files, Rick & Morty, Archer, and The Simpsons as well as other popular characters from graphic novels, movies, and video games. Brian’s illustrations can be found featured at major events like Star Wars Celebration, San Diego Comic-Con International, and Disney’s D23 Expo. Brian finds inspiration all round him at Walt Disney World and Epcot, where each World Showcase pavilion brings blends tradition with creativity. Brian also has a strong commitment to art-education. Working hand-in-hand with organizations like Maastricht Institute of Entrepreneurship, London Business School, and ASU Center for Science and the Imagination.
How do you say your name?
Oktopolis is a mash-up of octopus and metropolis
aak • taa • puh • luhs
- What drew you to illustrating Star Wars as a subject?
“Like every 80’s kid Star Wars has been my whole world forever. The Star Wars mythos runs deep and connects so many of us together. My career as an artist has given me the privilege to work on projects including popular superhero comic books, toys, games, and collectable fine-art. Through it all Star Wars has remained my favorite subjects to illustrate. One of the major reasons is the incredible Star Wars fans and collectors. Their love for Star Wars and the positivity behind groups like the 501st Legion, Rebel Legion, and others makes me feel like part of a much larger Star Wars family.“
- What are some of your favorite pieces?
“I feel like most Star Wars fans know me for my Star Wars propaganda artwork including a series of Imperial Propaganda and Rebel Enlistment illustrations based around the original trilogy. I also created an Imperial propaganda illustration for Star Wars Celebration Anaheim featuring Darth Vader titled, Remember the Death Star that seemed to make a big impression. It was a real honor to contribute to the the book, Star Wars Propaganda: A History of Persuasive Art in the Galaxy, where my Wings for Victory artwork was featured within the book and included as one of the collectible posters.”
“One of my passions is creating travel artwork and for Star Wars Celebration Chicago I made and illustration that tells the story of the Original Trilogy through a series of travel tags for some of the planets and locations from the films. I really thought this idea was too crazy for Lucasfilm since it does not feature any characters or ships but to my surprise they loved it and so did fans. It’s always nice to have the opportunity to think outside the box and then have those ideas championed by Lucasfilm. They are great to work with!”
“And I was thrilled when Mattel asked me to collaborate with them on a collection of Star Wars Hot Wheels. It was a multi-year process between Lucasfilm, Mattel, and myself to get all the pieces in place. In the end we were able to modify and transform the artwork so that it could work with the packaging and on the vehicles. The results are truly amazing. The collection of 5 vehicles sold out very quickly and are quite hard to come by now. Hopefully that means there will be more in the future.“
“As far as non-Star Wars artwork I have been very lucky to have been asked to create collectible artwork for film and television shows over the years. It is always an honor to be invited to make illustrations for some of my favorites like The X-Files, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, 20,000 Leagues, Frankenstein, and many more!”
- Where can fans find more of Brian:
Oktopolis: The Art of Brian Miller — rare artist proofs and more
https://oktopolis.com
Dark Ink Art — officially licensed limited editions:
https://www.darkinkart.com/collections/brian-miller
Brian Miller :: Oktopolis
brianmiller@oktopolis.com
Instagram @oktopolis
facebook.com/Oktopolis
behance.net/oktopolis
twitter @OktopolisArt
twitch.tv/oktopolis
YouTube: Oktopolis
Many thanks to our partners at Jedi News, Fantha Tracks, Rebel Scum, Force.Net, and Bantha Bricks for supporting SWAM 2020 and sharing our posts. What a great way to share the magic of the art community! Check them out and see just how big the galaxy really is!
