Incredible art brings Darth Vadar to feudal Japan

This incredible design was created as a 18x18in woodblock printed on 20x26in rice paper with deckle edge

This incredible design was created as a 18x18in woodblock printed on 20x26in rice paper with deckle edge

Sometimes it seems you can't move on the web for Star Wars tributes, and with excitement builds over Episode 7, that's only going to get more intense. But while of this illustration work is average at best, there are some real diamonds in the rough if you look hard enough.

George Lucas was famously influenced by Japanese director Akira Kurosawa's 1954 classic Seven Samurai when devising the original Star Wars. So it's fitting that Brian Reedy has repaid the compliment here by reimagining Darth Vadar as a Samurai warrior in Japanese feudal times.

It's one of many prints he's created using ink, woodblock print and toned rice paper, all of which on sale in his Woodcut Emporium on Etsy. You'll also find a reimagined Death Star (below), plus tributes to everyone from Thor and Aquaman to King Kong and Godzilla.

To get started with woodcuts, see our guide to woodcut printmaking.

The Death Star, traditional style, as a 18x24in two color woodcut on rice paper

The Death Star, traditional style, as a 18x24in two color woodcut on rice paper

[Via Nerd Approved]

Have you seen a Star Wars tribute worth shouting about? Let us know in the comments below!

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Tom May

Tom May is an award-winning journalist and editor specialising in design, photography and technology. Author of the Amazon #1 bestseller Great TED Talks: Creativity, published by Pavilion Books, Tom was previously editor of Professional Photography magazine, associate editor at Creative Bloq, and deputy editor at net magazine. Today, he is a regular contributor to Creative Bloq and its sister sites Digital Camera World, T3.com and Tech Radar. He also writes for Creative Boom and works on content marketing projects.