Jay Kushwara / Digital Renaissance

This is the final digital pattern for the Silver Samurai figure created for Hasbro in 2007.

The figure was never produced, but was showcased in prototype form as part of a “Marvel Legends Fan Poll”. 

This model stands at 6.25” tall, has 25 points of articulation and has 38 separate parts.

 Silver Samurai

Here is the painted prototype as featured in the Fan Poll. Image courtesy of Toyfare magazine.

This is the final digital pattern for the Iron Man Subterranean Armor figure from Hasbro.  Originally modeled in 2008, the base figure was used for several Iron Man figure variations including the Arctic Crusader and Hulkbuster.

This figure stands at 6.25” tall, has 31 points of articulation and has 39 separate parts including the Hulkbuster helmet.

Iron Man Subterranean Armor / Arctic Crusader / Hulkbuster

This is the final digital pattern with the added Hulkbuster helmet.

This is the final packaging and production figure for the Subterranean Armor version as featured on the Marvel Legends web site.

Iron Man Subterranean Armor, photographed by Dave Huffman for MarvelLegends.net

After doing the initial run of Iron Man Mark 3  figures in 2007, I got the assignment to create a figure based on a character to be used in the Iron Man movie tie in video game – the classic Iron Man villain Titanium Man.

These renders are of the final fully engineered digital pattern – the exact same model files used for the final physical RP output and the master tooling patterns. He stands at 6.25” tall, has 32 points of articulation and has 36 separate parts.

Titanium Man

Here is the final packaging and production figure as featured on the Marvel Legends web site.

Titanium Man, photographed by Dave Huffman for MarvelLegends.net

“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 

This figure was created in 2008 for the GI Joe 25^th anniversary DVD battle pack “Arise, Serpentor Arise”.  This project was a welcome break from Iron Man suits and Star Wars droids ! As much as I love the hi tech mechanical models, it’s nice to do the occasional “organic” character and get back to my special effects makeup and creature design roots.

This is the final digital pattern for the Skeleton King figure. It stands approximately 4” tall, is limited to 4 points of articulation and has 10 separate parts.

 GI Joe Skeleton King

As cool as the updated Iron Man Mark 6 design was, the biggest surprise for me (and the general movie going public) was the addition of a second armored “Hero” character, the infamous War Machine!

Bulkier and more  “military” in style this was one of my favorite designs from either of the films.

This is the final digital pattern I created for Hasbro. I had created the digital prototype for the 4” figure first, and then the 6.25” version a few months later.

War Machine stands at 6.25” tall, has 36 points of articulation and has 40 separate parts.

War Machine

Here is the final packaging and production figure as featured on the Marvel Legends web site.

War Machine, photographed by Dave Huffman for MarvelLegends.net

In early 2007 I received a call from one of my contacts at Hasbro asking if I could start work on a high profile project. That call would be the start of an ongoing relationship with one of the most successful comic book film franchises in history.  Iron Man !

This was the first Iron Man figure I created, the Mark 3  from the first Iron Man film. These renders are of the final fully engineered digital pattern – the exact same model files used for the final physical RP output and the master tooling patterns. He stands 6.25″ tall, has 32 points of articulation and has 36 separate parts.

Iron Man Mark 3

As an artist working in the toy industry, one of the most fulfilling experiences is the first time seeing the final packaged product on the shelf. There’s nothing quite like seeing the results of your hard work sitting there in front of you, finished and (hopefully) manufactured in a way that maintains the quality you strove for. When I saw the final Mark 3 figures for the first time I was thrilled with the results. It was an even bigger thrill to find these photographs of the figure on the website MarvelLegends.net. The site’s owner, Dave Huffman, has done some of the best action figure photo shoots I’ve ever seen.  I’m thrilled to include Dave’s images on this blog with his kind permission.

Iron Man Mark 3, photographed by Dave Huffman for MarvelLegends.net

Having spent as much time as I did working with the original Mark 3 design, it was a real pleasure to see the familiar yet new directions taken for the Mark 4 and Mark 6 suits in Iron Man 2. With a harder edged look and slightly more heroic proportions this Iron Man meant business!

This is the final digital pattern for the Iron Man 2 Mark 6 figure from Hasbro. I had created the digital prototype for the 4” figure first, and then the 6.25” version a few months later.

Similar in style to the Mark 3 figure, this version stands at 6.25” tall, has 31 points of articulation and has 34 separate parts.

 Iron Man Mark 6

Here is the final packaging and production figure as featured on the Marvel Legends web site.

Iron Man Mark 6, photographed by Dave Huffman for MarvelLegends.net