Jay Kushwara / Digital Renaissance

“Ralph McQuarrie’s comment that never before had someone reproduced his artwork so faithfully is a true testament to the skill of Jay Kushwara.”

 – Bryan Ono, CEO / President at eFX Inc.

In 2008 I started working on what would be one of the most fulfilling professional experiences of my career. The client was eFX Inc., and the project was the Ralph McQuarrie Collection Darth Vader Concept Helmet. Over the next year I would work closely with the entire eFX team to bring Ralph McQuarrie’s original concept painting to life, creating the most faithful 3D version ever made of one of the most iconic concept paintings in science fiction film history. To say it was an honor would be an understatement! From the age of eleven I had that painting etched in my mind as the definitive vision of the greatest villain the galaxy had ever known.

This is the final digital pattern created for eFX. The helmet is 1:1 scale and measures approximately 15” tall.

 Ralph McQuarrie Collection Darth Vader Concept Helmet

These renders show the facemask and rear neck collar piece without the outer helmet.

This is a three panel sequence from the eFX website “In Development” page. It provides a rare glimpse into the helmet’s development process. Also shown is an eFX newsletter with a photograph of Ralph McQuarrie and eFX’s Bryan Ono taken during the final prototype approval meeting.  

Here is the master pattern as seen on display at the San Diego Comic Con in 2008