Victorian Star Wars Paintings: Greg Peltz Imagines Vader as Civil War Officer, Jabba as Robber Baron

These gorgeous Victorian-styled paintings of Star Wars characters--hello! Jabba the Hutt as a 19th century robber baron!--were done by 23-year-old Alameda resident Greg Peltz. Peltz is technical director at Pixar.

I like that Civil War painting of Vader. Do you think Vader would have fought for the North or South?

The South. Because they lost.

Did you ever figure out how Boba Fett keeps his coattails from catching fire when using the jet pack?

I got a couple great suggestions including asbestos lining and button back cut-a-ways. But my favorite was from a fellow who asserted that since these are Victorian era portraits, the jet pack would obviously be steam powered...leaving Boba with immaculately steam-pressed coattails at all times. Yes indeed.

What did you paint with? Did you use actual, physical paints, or are the images pure Photoshop?

These images were painted entirely in Photoshop. Typically I'll do a few quick sketches in my sketchbook, and once I get something in the area of what I'm going for I'll scan it and start going to town. While I like working with traditional media, the speed and flexibility that the computer affords really lets me get an idea out quickly. Above all, that's why I love the computer...I can visualize what's in my head super fast without being limited by materials.

Jabba looks so debonair with the mustache. Was that your idea?

The whole concept for Jabba as a robber baron type, from the mustache down to the cigar, was the idea of the individual who commissioned the piece. At first I thought facial hair might break the look of the character, but I learned an important lesson through this painting, and it is this: Jabba was born to rock the whiskers.

If you could be any character in the Star Wars world, who would you be?

One of my favorite characters in the Star Wars universe is Vader, but I can imagine it would be a real drag actually BEING Vader despite his awesomeness. I think Han Solo's got a good thing going on...dashing good looks, really cool space ship, princesses swooning over him...and I bet he's great with comebacks when somebody ticks him off in a cantina. I wouldn't mind spending a day in his shoes.

All photos courtesy of Greg Peltz