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Ukiyoe-fied 'Star Wars' prints by Masumi Ishikawa


It is safe to say that no other movie franchise has inspired so many artists over the years than Star Wars. Now, Japanese artist Masumi Ishikawa has overseen the creation of three gorgeous Star Wars portraits in the traditional aesthetic of ukiyoe – a genre of woodblock prints and paintings that flourished in Japan during the 17th through 19th centuries. Check out the video below to see exactly how it's done:




   The illustrations feature Darth Vader, the Battle of Hoth, and Padme Amidala with R2D2 and Anakin Skywalker. While these characters have been drawn in an ukiyoe style before, this is the first time prints have been approved by Lucasfilm as official merchandise.


   
   The art is distributed through Japanese crowdfunding site Makuake. Each print costs ¥54,000 – that is around $440. If you want a set of all three prints, the price is ¥162,000 – which is about $1,300.

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