Star Wars fans use the artistic force to herald film event of the year

Chris Taylor from Baildon hangs his photo of himself dressed as Darth Vader and work colleagues as other Star Wars characters amongst other artworks inspired by the film francise. Picture: Bruce Rollinson

IN 11 days from now the wait will finally be over for the film event of the year and a new cinematic adventure from a galaxy far, far away.

Sci-fi fans are counting down the days until the big screen debut of Star Wars: The Force Awakens on December 17 with advanced ticket sales already making a record-breaking $50million.

And if the thrilling trailers of the seventh instalment of the movie series was not enough to whet the appetite, then an event this weekend at the National Media Museum in Bradford was another opportunity for local cinema goers to indulge in all-things Star Wars - courtesy of each others’ own creations.

Fans of the adventures of Princess Leia, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker and the rest were invited to the Museum yesterday to contribute to a display of original Star Wars inspired art.

With the film series having first illuminated cinema screens in 1977, the franchise has a accumulated a huge fanbase which spans generations of movie-goers. The legions of fans were added to when the prequel trilogy began in 1999, while the popularity of Star Wars Lego has captured the imagination of an even younger generation.

Today’s event at the National Media Museum gave all ages of fans the chance to showcase their own artistic inspiration from the series and the result is a range of detailed and colourful sketches and paintings that are now on display in the Museum’s foyer until January.

Among the entries were arty impressions of some of the film’s most iconic characters and machines such as C-3PO, R2-D2, Darth Vader and the Millennium Falcon.

Fans have been reawakened. All that remains is for that blast of composer John Williams’ theme music to kick in.