Suvudu Universe

Today’s spotlight is on Melissa Thomas!

Also known as MeltyArtz, Melissa is a longtime Star Wars fan, especially of the animated shows. She’s created some of my favorite Star Wars Rebels fan art in the community, including the baby/little Ezra AU concepts and Caleb Dume. Her latest piece of art features my favorite character of the series, Ezra Bridger. I love that there is a lightness to her art that captures the same lightness and warmth of the series.

You can find more of her artwork on Tumblr and Weebly.

Tell us about yourself.
Hello there! I’m Melissa! I’m currently an animation student with a love for all things art! I love to tell inspiring and intriguing stories, and Star Wars is one major franchise that has heavily inspired my view on art and my artistic drive. I’m also hoping somewhere down the line to become a story and visual development artist in my future!

When and how did you become a Star Wars fan?
I’ve grown up watching and loving the entire Star Wars saga, but I must admit, when Star Wars: The Clone Wars was released, my love for the whole franchise just grew more. I was so entranced with the whole Star Wars universe, and the world that Star Wars: The Clone Wars expanded upon really allowed my imagination to soar. From the well-developed characters in the series to the intense story arcs and iconic worlds and planets that were created, Star Wars: The Clone Wars really pushed the boundaries of animation and showed me what we can do with this art form today!

What tools do you use to create your art?
I use my Wacom Intuos 4, Paint Tool SAI, with a smidge of Photoshop here and there!

Obi-Wan and Padmé by MeltyArtz

What is your favorite Star Wars piece that you have created and why are you fond of it?
Tough question! I’d have to say one that I’m fond of is a recent piece I did of Obi-Wan and Padmé, based on the scene where Obi-Wan goes to Padmé’s apartment to tell her about Anakin’s betrayal. It was always a scene I really loved in Revenge of the Sith, since I always thought Obi-Wan and Padmé’s relationship was an extremely interesting one that I wished was explored more. This piece really allowed me to feel more of the emotion in that scene and how the two characters may have been feeling in that moment.

What’s the best and worst thing about being an artist?
You know, that’s another hard question! One of the best things I think we artists have is the ability to inspire and influence others with our stories! I believe that art (in any form) is a powerful way to spread truth, beauty and goodness into the world. It gives us a chance to create emotions, thoughts and ideas in others, and I think that’s a wonderful and powerful thing!

I don’t think there is an aspect about being an artist that is the “worst”. Instead, I think a difficult aspect about being an artist is that we sometimes tend to be our own worst enemy. I think it’s the line between, “I’m talented” versus the thought of “I have no talent at all.” I think sometimes we forget that we have more talent than we realize!

Star Wars Rebels is currently in its first season. What are your thoughts? How do you think the series will progress?
Oh, I love it! Being a hardcore watcher of The Clone Wars, I can very much say I’m loving where Rebels is going! It’s the type of show that leaves you wanting more with each episode, and Dave Filoni and his crew have been doing a fantastic job!

I think the series will only continue to get better and better, as it’s already really surprised me so far! Characters like Kanan and Ezra are fun to follow, and it’s really fun to watch their character growth and development as the series progresses!

Are you looking forward to the future Star Wars films? After watching the teaser trailer for The Force Awakens, what are your hopes or worries?
Absolutely! I’m very excited. I’m keeping an open mind with these films, and after the most recent teaser for The Force Awakens, I have a pretty good feeling about where we are headed!

How else do you express your love for Star Wars (cosplay, fanfiction, etc.)?
Every now and then I’ll come up with some episode ideas for Clone Wars or come up with my own little stories or sketches for Rebels that I love to express through my art. Star Wars has really heavily influenced my imagination, and it’s very hard to not contribute to the fandom!

Any final thoughts?
I don’t think I’ve loved a franchise as much as I love Star Wars. Especially the animated series of Clone Wars and Rebels. The amount of time, passion and dedicated work the crew of Clone Wars and Rebels have put into the series is not only extremely impressive to me, but also inspires and encourages me to work harder as an artist. I hope that someday, I can be fortunate enough to join the Lucasfilm team to help create these stories! Thank you for this interview!

Thank you so much, Melissa, for talking about your passion and sharing your art with us! Keep pursuing your dreams, and may the Force be with you!