While browsing idly Fantasy Flight Games’ twitter feed, I noticed that my illustration “Natural Talent” had been released, so here it is!

For once I kept the promise I made last time and I didn’t wait four months to follow up with more Star Wars artwork.
This is part of Collapse of the Republic, a book that adds material to the Edge of the Empire Core rulebook.

Working on anything Star Wars related is always fun, and drawing one of the main characters makes it even better. Drawing Padme, I have to confess, was just the cherry on top.

When I watched the movies the first time I couldn’t help feeling amused by Padme’s wardrobe, and by her flamboyant display of outfits.
There was a board game in Italy in the 70s, I can’t remember its name. Basically the box contained a bunch of cardboard cutouts of ladies, and a bunch of drawings of dresses and accessories.

The game was about cutting the dresses and applying them to the models, and then showing them around to friends and family.
Padme always made me think that the writers had been addicted to that game when they were kids, and they were looking for some sort of catharsis by applying the most unlikely outfits to poor Natalie Portman.

In the movies Padme wears a new dress at every scene, always regal and aloof. I couldn’t help picturing her closing her door behind her after a meeting with Obiwan, or Yoda, still keeping her cool, and then freaking out just as she closes the door – COME ON COME ON COME ON, COME OOOOOON! – throwing clothes out of her bag, trying them out, fitting fake horn shaped buns to her hair, wrapping gold chains around her limbs and whatnot.

Anyway, while gathering reference for this illustration I had to re-watch all three prequels and make a database of all her outfits, which was part of the fun.
I also made two sketches with two different sets of clothes, and the Art Director clearly picked the one that was being used in the scene.

The illustrations is set when Padme addresses the senate the second time, if I remember correctly.

I had painted Padme Amidala once before, in a completely different context.

I have to confess I’m happier of the work I’ve done in Natural Talent, I think her likeness here is closer to Natalie Portman’s.
I’m not the best at doing portraits, sadly, and it always takes forever for me to get a face right.
I remember Padme was one of the most difficult ones for me, but she turned out fine in the end:).

by Paolo Puggioni