I was 14 years old when "Raiders of the Lost Ark" came out in the summer of 1981. I left the theater wide eyed and with my jaw open. What a story! So much action! The Han Solo guy playing the main role of Indiana Jones! It was totally awesome! George Lucas and Steven Spielberg had made movie magic. Raiders hooks you from the very beginning. The rugged hero looking for lost treasure. Betrayal. Spiders. A series of booby traps. A gold idol. More betrayal (c'mon Indy- pick your guides a little better!). Near death. A giant boulder. A chase scene with poison arrows and darts and more near death. And finally escape (which included a giant snake named "Reggie"). The movie just started and you have an action scene that left you breathless and will live in your mind forever. 

   As I have said before, Mike loves Indiana Jones. And you can see it in the sketch cards he had done for these 3 sets in 2008. Today's sketch card is from the Topps Indiana Jones Heritage set, the first of the 3 Indiana Jones sets Topps put out that year, and the one that was the hardest to pull sketch cards. And this one came from the action scene at the beginning of Raiders. Indy had just grabbed the idol, the collapsing cave booby trap is activated, and Indy is running back thru the poison dart traps which are triggered by the weight activated pads built into the floor. You can see darts flying all around Indy in the movie, as well as in this sketch.  Indy is running hunched over, and you can see the top of the idol cradled in his arms. I love the shading that Mike did on this card. I don't talk about it enough, but Mike always does a great job with his shading, and it adds great depth to the cards.

   I love, love, LOVE it when a sketch card can transport you back to the theater seat, into that scene, and you are watching the movie again for the very first time. That's what a card like this does for me. I love it, and I hope you do too. 

   Thanks to all for stopping by and reading. I'm glad 2020 is almost behind us, and hopefully 2021 will be a much better year. Happy New Year to all!

#indianajones #michaelduron #Locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #raidersofthelostark #indy #theidol #poisondarts #satipo #spiders #belloq #thatsjustmypetreggie #sallah #arkofthecovenant

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    Boromir.  Eldest son and heir of Denethor II, Steward of Gondor. "Captain of the White Tower". Elder brother of Faramir. 

   When Gondor was asked to send a representative to Elrond's Council, Denethor chose his son Boromir, a mighty warrior. He volunteered to join the Fellowship to protect the One Ring on behalf of Gondor. He believed the mission to destroy the One Ring was folly, that the ring would be better served in protecting his beloved Gondor. This weighed heavily on his mind and heart, amplified when the Fellowship visited Galadriel in Lothlorien. Galadriel could read his mind and knew the desire in his heart. This desire eventually drove him mad, and he attempted to take the Ring  from Frodo at Amon Hen. Frodo used the ring, escaped, and Boromir realized the error of his ways, begs for Frodo's forgiveness, and died a hero's death defending Merry and Pippin from the Orcs and Uruk-hai. 

   At the Council of Elrond during the discussion of what do with the ring, Boromir says the line that has now become a very popular meme... "One does not simply walk into Mordor. It's black gates are guarded by more than Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. The great Eye is ever watchful." 

   Boromir was played masterfully by Sean Bean, and I have been a fan of his since. 

   This card is another in the Fellowship of the Ring series that Mike did for me, and I believe it's the first Boromir card by Mike that I have had. I think that Mike really nailed this one, especially Boromir's outfit. A great sketch and I love it. 

   That's all for today- thanks to all for stopping by and reading. Have a blessed holiday season!

#lordoftherings #michaelduron #locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #boromir #fellowshipofthering #thetwotowers #returnoftheking #lordelrond #gandalf #frodobaggins #bilbobaggins #samwisegamgee #aragorn #legolas #Gimli #boromir #merry #pippin #gondor #theonering 

@michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

    A few weeks ago a friend clued me in to a Duron Star Wars sketch that a fellow member had in a Facebook Star Wars group (Topps Star Wars Collectible Card Traders) in which we are both members. Galaxy 5, and in full color, so I was definitely interested. I was unfamiliar with the character, but the owner had done some research and found out it was Maris Brood, a Zabrak who was first a Jedi Padawan who initially escaped the the Great Jedi Purge ("order 66") and hid with her Jedi Master Shaak Ti on the planet of Felucia. After Shaak Ti was killed, Maris was corrupted by the Dark Side and later had run ins with Darth Vader's Sith apprentice Starkiller. Her story seemingly fades away or is unfinished.

   The Maris Brood character is also found in the Wii game "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II" as a playable character in the multiplayer fights. She wields twin red lightsabers, as shown in Mike's sketch. I admittedly am woefully lacking in knowledge of Star Wars Extended Universe and Star Wars video games, although I have picked up some recognition of EU characters over the years from sketch cards, but it's definitely not a strong point for me. 

   On to Mike's sketch of Maris Brood, it's full color and has really nice detail. It's from Galaxy 5, which has a bit of an unknown factor for Duron fans as Mike didn't post much of a preview of his cards on the social media outlets back then. So I had never seen this card until it surfaced in the Star Wars group 10+ years after the product was released. Admittedly, Galaxy 5 wasn't my favorite Galaxy set as the watermark background on the sketches from that set was so obvious it almost detracts from the sketch as it's so noticeable. Mike solved that problem for most of the card with the colored in background, but you can still see part of the watermark on Maris' arm. Nothing Mike (or any other artist) could do, it's just the way the sketch blanks were made. Mike did a fantastic job on this Maris sketch as the details are great for a pack inserted sketch. Many artists (especially back then) frankly didn't put as much effort into the pack inserted sketches. When you have deadlines and Topps is only paying you a nominal fee for the pack inserted sketches, at times those factors show up. Artists made their real money with their Return cards, in which they could charge whatever price they could get. Again I digress.. back to the sketch. I really enjoy everything about this sketch- how Mike drew her hair, the horns, her mouth, eyes, lightsabers, and the barely PG boobs lol. I wasn't going to mention them, but come on- they are very prominent in the sketch!  Most likely not a character that has many sketches, so I was very proud to add this one to my collection. Thanks to Sam for selling it to me, and Justin for telling me about it. 

   If you're so inclined, leave a comment and tell me what you think of today's sketch. And as always, thanks for stopping by and reading!

#starwars #michaelduron #Locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #marisbrood #padawan #jediapprentice #shaakti #jedimaster #starkiller #darthvader #vader #lordvader #sithlord #sithapprentice #topps #starwarsgalaxy5 #lightsaber 

@michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

    Ponda Baba. A spice smuggler with partner Dr Cornelius Evazan for Jabba the Hutt, his claim to fame is picking a fight in the Mos Eisley Cantina with the wrong aspiring Jedi. "Watch your step" warned Ben Kenobi as they got ready to enter the Cantina. "I'm ready for anything" was Luke's reply. Luke and Ben knew the best place to find a pilot to take them to Alderaan was the Cantina, and while Ben did the searching, Luke just wanted a drink. Ponda Baba approached the thirsty young Luke and shoves him. I'm going to assume here that Luke was on Ponda's favorite bar stool, which in this cantina is grounds for a fight (yes, I know Luke wasn't actually sitting, but it plays better in my version of the story so just go with it lol). Dr Evazan sticks his nose in the middle of the dispute warning Luke "He doesn't like you".. after Luke gives a half hearted "I'm sorry", Evazan shoots back with the warning "I don't like you either. You just watch yourself.. we're wanted men. I have the death sentence on 12 systems!" I think here it was Luke's nonchalant "I'll be careful" that set off Dr Evazan. Ends up costing  Evazan his life, and instigator Ponda Baba part of his arm. The lesson here: It's not worth it to mess with a farmboy getting a drink if he's traveling with an old man with a lightsaber (really specific lesson, but it could save your life someday). 

   This sketch comes from 2017 Galactic Files Reborn, the last Star Wars set that Mike worked on for Topps. I featured a Dengar sketch from this set back on October 28th. By now Topps had gone to all photorealistic sketches, so Mike had to go away from his normal cartoony or sugar boogerz styles and go more photorealistic, putting a lot of detail and realism into these sketches. I think he does it seamlessly and it shows the depth of his talent. The sketch has really nice detail and color, and as a friend pointed out to me yesterday the starfield background is cool. 

   On a side note, I decided to trade this sketch for a different Michael Duron sketch, so I wanted to feature this one before it left my possession. It's going to a great collector, and he's trading me a great sketch which I'm sure I'll feature in the near future. 

   As always, thanks for stopping by and reading!

#starwars #michaelduron #locoduck #locoduckduron  #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #pondababa #moseisley #cantina #moseisleycantina #drcorneliusevazan #spicerunners #jabbathehutt #jabba #lukeskywalker #luke #jediapprentice #jediapprentice #jedimaster #benkenobi #obiwankenobi #lightsaber #barfight #dontmesswithamanwithalightsaber

@michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

    Irina Spalko. KGB Agent, Soviet Army Colonel, Scientist, skilled fencer,  Dominatrix. Quite the resume. She was fanatical, even obsessed with the supernatural, which led to her demise in Indiana Jones: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. In her final scene, as the crystal skull is returned and the aliens open up a time portal to take back their own she pleads (in her Ukrainian accent), "I vant to know. I vant to know. Tell me. I'm ready. I vant to know". She asked for it, and in the end she got more than she bargained for. Vaporized by the evil ET alien lol.

Spalko was played by Cate Blanchett, best known to me as the actress that played Galadriel in the Lord of the Rings movies. It was a great contrast to see her go from the elegant royalty of Galadriel, to the hard, military badass of Spalko. It was also interesting to see her play the villain.

   Mike's sketch of Spalko doesn't have a lot of detail (or a nose as far as that goes), but you know immediately who the character is. Sketches like this prove that you don't need a lot of detail to make an impact.

Sorry for the short post today, but thanks for stopping by and checking it out. 

#indianajones #michaelduron #locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #irinaspalko #spalko #cateblanchett #indianajoneskingdomofthecrystalskull

#raidersofthelostark #indianajonesandthetempleofdoom #indianajonesandthelastcrusade #harrisonford #indy 

@michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

 

    I've been a big fan of widevision sketch cards since 2009 when Topps released their Star Wars Clone Wars Widevision set. One sketch per box. Boy, do I miss those days! Clone Wars Widevision- bigger cards meant more space for artists to work. A lot of collectors have a love/hate relationship with Widevision cards. They're different. They don't store as easily as standard cards. Anyways, I love them. 

   So in the past 11 years I believe we have had four Widevision card sets that had sketch cards- 2009 Clone Wars Widevision, 2010 Empire Strikes Back  Widevision 3D, 2014 Return of the Jedi Widevision 3D, and 2015 Revenge of the Sith Widevision 3D. Mike had sketch cards in all four sets, so I pick them up whenever I can, although they don't come onto the market very often and I only buy if the price is right (cue up the music Johnny Olson... okay, bad joke). 

   That brings us to this week's sketch- a full color General Grievous close-up out of Revenge of the Sith Widevision 3D

General Grievous was an odd character in the fact that, according to the Wookiepedia, he was completely cybernetic except for his brain, some vital organs, and parts of his head. He was a Kaleesh Warlord, feared Jedi hunter, and a brilliant military strategist. He loved to kill Jedi and take their lightsabers are trophies. Grievous was pretty badass, but was killed in a lightsaber duel on Utapau by an even bigger badass- Obi-Wan Kenobi.

   If I had a rare criticism of this sketch by Mike I would say I wish it was from a slightly more distant point of view where you could at least see Grievous' whole head. I love what's in the sketch, but I would love to see more is all I'm saying. This sketch cuts off the top of his skull and the top of his ear. I think Mike was going for the "IN YOUR FACE!" look on this sketch, and he nailed it! Also, I like any sketch in which Mike draws a lightsaber. Too bad the lightsaber is also cut off. 

   Anyways, thanks all for stopping by and reading! Take care and have a blessed Thanksgiving.

#starwars #michaelduron #locoduckduron #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #generalgrievous #grievous #jedihunter #revengeofthesith #attackoftheclones #lightsaberduel #lightsaber #obiwankenobi #obiwan #benkenobi #jedimaster 

@michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

 

    When Topps released their "Star Wars: Journey to the Force Awakens" set back in the Fall of 2015, little did I know that it would be one of the last Star Wars sets that Mike would work on. Photorealistic sketches became the preferred (and mandated) style, and artists who didn't fit that mold were just not asked back. Sad day for the hobby in my opinion. 

   So today's sketch comes from that 2015 Star Wars: Journey to the Force Awakens set. And it's of one of my favorite characters- Luke Skywalker, one of him early on in the original trilogy when he had his blue lightsaber. I always thought it was cool how Mike drew lightsabers with the little flecks around the outside edges showing the energy glow of the weapon. Not all of Mike's pack inserted sketches are in color, so I was happy to be able pick up this one.

   I don't know all the terms for the different styles that artists use, but this sketch seems to be in more of a comic book style. A good friend of mine has been urging me to make a post about how Mike's style has evolved over the years. Maybe with his help we can co-write that post one day soon. Anyways, back to this sketch- I like how Mike did a more angular face on Luke. It makes him look determined. And as a comparison I included two Galaxy 6 sketches of Luke from my old blog. The first even has Luke in that same side profile, just from a more distant perspective. Mike's sketches always make me smile. That's the thing that has always attracted me to his work. I can't look at that bottom sketch, the "farmboy Luke" sketch, without getting a big grin on my face. 

   That's it for this week. Thanks to all for stopping by and reading!

#starwars #michaelduron #locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #lukeskywalker #jediapprentice #jedimaster #markhamill #anewhope #empirestrikesback #returnofthejedi #theforceawakens #thelastjedi #riseofskywalker @michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

    "And my axe". With those words (and a glare at Legolas) Gimli, son of Gloin, volunteered for the Fellowship. 

   Gimli has always been one of, if not my favorite character in Lord of the Rings. I grew up playing Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, and Dwarf fighters were always a favorite of both my twin brother and I. Plus I had been a fan of John Rhys-Davies from his Indiana Jones days playing Indy's buddy Sallah. I was pleasantly surprised the first time I saw "Fellowship of the Ring" to find out he was playing the role of Gimli. I have always said the Lord of the Rings movies were perfectly cast. I'm biased yes, but in my opinion there's not one actor that's not perfect for the role they played.

   I have had a variety of Gimli sketches by Mike over the years. Ones from Masterpieces II, PSCs, and the wonderful artwork that he did for me when I got John Rhys-Davies autograph at a Comic Con. 

   Anyways, that's it for today. Sorry so short and sorry that I'm a day late with this post- I had a lot going on yesterday. Thanks to all for stopping by and reading!

#lordoftherings #michaelduron #Locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #gimlisonofgloin #gimli #fellowshipofthering #thetwotowers #returnoftheking #lordelrond #frodobaggins #frodo #bilbobaggins #bilbo #gandalf #samwisegamgee #sam #aragorn #legolas #boromir #merry #pippin #andmyaxe #dungeonsanddragons #advanceddungeonsanddragons @michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

    Another recent pick-up from Mike's Indiana Jones Heritage contributions- I was very happy to get this "Last Crusade" sketch of Indy, Elsa, and Vogel from a great scene in the movie. Vogel has a gun on Elsa, and she talks Indy into dropping the gun he's holding against his father's urgings. "But she's one of them... she's a Nazi... trust me" says Indy's father, played by the late great Sean Connery. Indy believes the pleadings of a desperate Elsa over his father, and as it turns out, father knows best. 

   At first I didn't even realize this was a three character sketch. When you look at the card you (of course) see Elsa and Vogel. I didn't even really notice Indy on the right side of the card. I mean, it is just his nose, one eye, some moustache stubble, and the brim of his hat, but he's there.

   I remember in 2008 how excited Mike was for these sets because of his love for the Indiana Jones genre. I say it pretty much every time I feature an Indiana Jones sketch here, but you can see Mike's passion for the genre in every card he did. I love everything about this card. Starting with Vogel- his eyes pop out, the grim look on his face, and Mike did a great job with his hat and gun. I like how Mike drew Elsa's mouth and hair, and her closed eyes are a stark contrast to Vogel's. The Diary is another great prop. And how Mike worked Indy into the card, even if it's just a hint of him. Overall, just a great card. I love when a card can instantly transport you to a moment in a movie.

   Well, that's all for today. Thanks for stopping by and reading!

#indianajones #michaelduron #locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #raidersofthelostark #indianajonesandthetempleofdoom #indianajonesandthelastcrusade #harrisonford #indy #elsa #alisondoody #vogel #michaelbyrne #seanconnery @michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

    Note: Today's card is no longer in my collection. It comes from 2017 Galactic Files Reborn, which I believe is the last official Star Wars set that Mike participated in. For those who don't know and in case I didn't mention this before, Disney, which purchased the Star Wars franchise in late 2012 from George Lucas for $4.05b, decided in 2015 that for Topps Star Wars products they only wanted photorealistic sketch cards. For me, it completely changed my view of the hobby. While I appreciate the art of photorealistic sketches, they don't excite me like the cartoony sketches. There isn't much creativity in the photorealistic style- it's more of a drawing/painting contest. And while it produces a lot of great looking cards, it removed all the creativity from the product. Gone were artists I loved: Mike, Nina Edlund, Katie Cook, Jon Morris, Val Brazier, Chris Eliopoulos, Jeff Chandler, Brent Engstrom, Brian DeGuire, and a slew of other great cartoony artists that I am forgetting.

   Today's card is Dengar the Bounty Hunter who, I believe was first seen on film in The Empire Strikes Back. I bought this card off eBay and fully intended to keep it. But when a good friend agreed to trade me another more rare Duron panoramic sketch, even though this Dengar wasn't part of the trade this good friend collects Dengar sketches so I sent it to him as a gift. I believe it's the first time I ever gave away a sketch by Mike. I asked his permission to let me use it for this post, and he graciously agreed. 

   As for the style, per Topps' rules their sketches have to be photorealistic, and I think Mike did a fantastic job on this one. You can tell it's one of Mike's sketches, but in some ways it doesn't feel like one of Mike's sketches- if that makes any sense. One thing it does is shows Mike's versatility. My two favorite things about this sketch are: #1) the nasty look on Dengar's face, and #2) the background. The background is nothing elaborate, but it adds a level of depth to the sketch. 

   That's all for this week. Thanks to my good friend Derek for letting me use a picture of his Dengar sketch. And thanks to all for stopping by and reading!

#starwars #michaelduron #locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #dengar #bounty hunter #empirestrikesback #ninaedlund #katiecook #jonmorris #valbrazier #chriseliopoulos #jeffchandler #brentengstrom #briandeguire @michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

    Legolas Greenleaf, son of King Thranduil, is a Sindarin Elf of the woodland realm in Mirkwood, and one of the most important members of the Fellowship of the Ring. 

   There have been two actors to play Legolas in Lord of the Rings/Hobbit movies- Orlando Bloom in the newer versions, and Anthony Daniels (more well known as "C-3PO" in the Star Wars world) voiced Legolas in the animated 1978 "Lord of the Rings" movie by Ralph Bakshi. Orlando Bloom was a relative unknown when he took on the role, and Anthony Daniels (minus his newfound Star Wars fame and attention) had very few acting credits to his name. For Bloom, it was the role that launched his career.

   Back to the Fellowship, I love the story from the book and how it plays out in the movie- the intense dislike between Elves and Dwarfs- you can see the contempt between the groups as they discuss the fate of the One Ring at Elrond's council. Gimli states it flat out: "I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!" And when Legolas volunteers to join the Fellowship, Gimli makes sure he is next in line. Thus begins an interesting relationship, that ends with Legolas and Gimli being the best of friends. Tolkien was such a master storyteller. 

  I like contrasting how Mike draws a character now as compared with in the past, so the top card is the new one Mike did for me this year, and the bottom card is from Masterpieces II back in 2007-08. Of course you also have to realize the bottom card was pack inserted, and Mike didn't have time to color and add a lot of detail to those pack inserted sketches, while the top card is a commission where he could take his time and do what he wanted. I love both cards- the detail and color of the new one, and the simplicity and crosshatch shading in the background of the older one. 

   That's all for today. Thanks for stopping by and reading!

#lordoftherings #michaelduron #locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #fellowshipofthering #thetwotowers #returnoftheking #desolationofsmaug #battleoffivearmies #legolas #legolasgreenleaf #orlandobloom #anthonydaniels @michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

       Chewbacca punch!! That's my name for this week's sketch. Who doesn't love a Wookie? I know I do! Granted this sketch is only Chewbacca's fist and a Stormtrooper in pain, but you get the point. This sketch was done by Mike for 2011 Topps Star Wars Galaxy 6.

   I know "Solo: A Star Wars Story" wasn't a box office hit but I enjoyed the story, in particular the part showing how and when Han Solo and Chewbacca met. I think it's also a cool moment when Han finds out how old Chewy is and their difference in age. "190 years old? You look great!" Who knew Wookies had such long lifespans?! 

 I went back through my first blog (The Locoduck Blog- For Fans of Michael Duron) and found that I had done blog posts on four Chewbacca sketches. 

   Lots of different styles and perspectives on Chewbacca- angry, stoic, enraged, and puppy dog? No matter how he's drawn, he's still a fan favorite. 

   That's all for today. Thanks for stopping by and reading! 

#starwars #michaelduron #locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #chewbacca #chewy  #wookie #petermayhew #joonassuotamo #soloastarwarsstory @michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

    I love how "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" opens with a flashback to Indy's youth as a way of giving us some insight into Indiana Jones' character. Set in 1912, Indy is with his Boy Scout Troop at Arches National Park and comes across treasure hunters digging up an ancient artifact- the Cross of Coronado. Young Indy steals the Cross, runs from the treasure hunters, and takes the Cross back home to his father where he is first chided for interrupting his father, then made to return the Cross to the treasure hunters by the local sheriff. Along the way we see Indy's first use of what later becomes his constant sidekick- a leather whip, how he got the scar on his chin (from the whip), and where his phobia of snakes took root (falling into a crate of snakes can do that). Ironically, this sketch of Indy and his Boy Scout friend Herman shows Indy's blatant disregard towards snakes. It happens before the crate of snakes. 

   It constantly amazes me how Mike does some of these sketches with not much detail, but they tell the full story of the scene with ease. Mike draws River Phoenix (Indy) with no mouth, but the beady eyes and steely look conveys Indy's determination to stop the treasure hunters. Herman was scared and apprehensive, and his chubby cheeks and eyes give off that impression. The snake... well, he's just hanging out like "what did I do?" lol. Seeing this sketch brings this scene alive in my memory, and that's probably why I love sketch art so much. A sketch card can make you love a movie all over again. Anyways thanks for stopping by and reading!

#indianajones #michaelduron #locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #indianajonesandthelastcrusade #raidersofthelostark #indianajonesandthetempleofdoom #indianajonesandthekingdomofthecrystalskull #harrisonford #riverphoenix #youngindianajones #snakes #leatherwhip #crossofcoronado @michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

If you remember back a few posts to the stained glass Star Wars Han Solo and Chewbacca sketch I got, it was part of a big trade that I made. Another piece of the trade was this card- a 2010 Galaxy 5 (what I call) "Vader in three stages" sketch. Young Anakin, older Anakin, and finally Vader. 

The person who traded this sketch to me was told that it was one of Mike's Return cards/artist proofs from Galaxy 5. I think it's cool that it's a retail sketch- much rarer stock. Galaxy 5 sketches didn't have the inner border that this card has- Mike drew it. And I love how Mike goes "outside the border" with young Anakin's head and shoulder, and older Anakin's lightsaber. It just gives the sketch added depth. Probably my favorite part of this sketch is how Mike drew older Anakin with an angry and defiant look on his face. Just an awesome sketch and definitely one of the jewels of my collection. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Thanks for stopping by, and thanks for reading!

#starwars #michaelduron #locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #darthvader #vader #lordvader #sithapprentice #anakinskywalker #anakin #sithlord #thephantommenace #attackoftheclones #revengeofthesith #anewhope #empirestrikesback #returnofthejedi #rogueone #jamesearljones #davidprowse @michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio  

 

    "By my life or death, if I can protect you I will. You have my sword." 

   He was known by many names. Aragorn. Strider. Elessar ("Elfstone"). Thorongil ("Eagle of the Star"). Ranger of the North. He vowed to protect Frodo as a member of the Fellowship, and when Gandalf fell in Moria Aragorn didn't hesitate to take up the role of leader. 

   Born of royal lineage, an heir to the throne of Gondor, his father died when he was two years old and he was raised in Rivendell by Lord Elrond. Aragorn was a Dunedain ("Man of the West"), a race of men descended from the Numenoreans, who had unnaturally long life spans. Aragorn was 87 when he joined the Felowship, and ruled Gondor for 122 years, dying at the age of 210. 

   Played wonderfully in the movie trilogy by Viggo Mortensen, he's definitely one of my favorite characters. He was fearless, brave, and loyal to the Fellowship. 

   I like how Mike captured what I call the "forming of the Fellowship" version of Aragorn, formally dressed for the meeting, and as usual, a sword always at the ready. 

   Anyways thanks for stopping by and reading!

#lordoftherings #michaelduron #locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #aragorn #viggomortensen #fellowshipofthering #thetwotowers #returnoftheking #lordelrond #frodobaggins #bilbobaggins #samwisegamgee #legolas #gimli #boromir #merry #pippin @michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

    Back in 2010 at a show outside of Pittsburgh, I bought two Galaxy 5 sketches by Mike that he had done in a "stained glass" style. One was Darth Maul, the other Cad Bane. Very unique, very different. I had only seen one other sketch in this style since, and I missed out on it on EBay. As luck has it, sometimes you get a second chance to get a card you want, and that's exactly what happened to me. I was having a conversation with another member of a Star Wars group on Facebook, and we both had cards the other was interested in adding to their collections. 

   This Han Solo and Chewbacca stained glass sketch was one of two Michael Duron sketches I got in the deal. For me it was the best of both worlds- two of Star Wars' best characters, and a rare style. 

   So it's been 10 years since I've been able to blog about one of these rare sketches, and as luck has it I was able to get a little more information on them, and also found one extremely important date from my history. A good friend found a website that tracks sketch card sales on EBay and gave me the link. I punched in "Duron sketch" and saw a bonanza of sketches sold on EBay in the past 12+ years. I found 4 more of the stained glass sketches (Leia, Luke, Boba Fett, and a Stormtrooper). 

I also found the sketch that started it all (see former blog post), but more importantly found the date that I bought it

   March 9, 2008. This was not only my first Michael Duron sketch purchase, it was my first sketch purchase of any kind. Before March 9, 2008 I didn't know sketch cards existed. And if not for an EBay search for Lord of the Rings cards, I may have never noticed them. So that was the exact day my journey began, for good or bad lol. I think it's cool that I now have that bit of information. 

   Anyways, enough of my babbling. Thanks for stopping by and reading! 

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More Willie...

   Although Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom wasn't my favorite movie in the series, it may have been the most humorous. Not that it was a comedy, but it definitely had it's moments that made me laugh. One such moment Mike caught on this week's sketch..

   Setting the scene: Willie, in the jungle, had a run in with a rather touchy-feely elephant. So when a large snake flops down across her chest, she assumes it's her pachyderm friend back for seconds lol. Mike plays the whole scene out for us in one sketch.. the snake draped across her chest, the look of anger and disdain on her face, and the thought bubble in the corner of the former elephant groper. Classic!

   Mike's passion for the Indiana Jones saga shows thru in all of his cards. Thanks for stopping by and reading!

#indianajones #michaelduron #locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #raidersofthelostark #indianajonesandthetempleofdoom #indianajonesandthelastcrusade #indianajonesandthekingdomofthecrystalskull #indy #drjones #harrisonford #shortround #williescott #katecapshaw #stevenspielberg #molaram @michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

   As I've said before, Mike uses many different styles when he draws, and I love to get his sketches with as many different styles as possible. I just acquired this week's card in a trade, and although I have seen Mike use this style before, he doesn't use it very often. I'm not even sure what to call this style, I just know I like it.
   One of the things that made me want this card (besides the subject matter) is that it's from a Widevision set. Widevision and panoramic cards are my favorites because there's more room for the artist to work. This one has Darth Vader and two Snowtroopers and is from the Empire Strikes Back 3D Widevision set. 

   I love how Mike shows Vader's anger by just the way he draws his eyes in this card. So subtle but so effective. Empire is probably my favorite Star Wars movie, and Darth Vader the ultimate movie villain. Of course I love how George Lucas redeems Vader at the end of "Return of the Jedi" and softens that villain image, but that's for another time and hopefully another card. 
   Until next time, thanks for stopping by and thanks for reading! 
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   So I think most people will agree that "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" wasn't the best movie in the franchise. But the movie had great characters- Shortround, Willie, Mola Ram. Take Mola Ram for example- that dude was scary! And Willie- heck it was easy to see why Indy fell for her in the movie. Kate Capshaw is beautiful! 
   When Topps released "Indiana Jones Heritage" and later that same year (2008) "Indiana Jones Masterpieces", that 2nd movie in the franchise probably didn't get as much love from sketch artists as the other movies, but Mike did a few gems from it. Which leads me to this week's card:

   Indy, Shortround, and Willie in the mine car. Mike used various styles throughout these sets, and I love this one. Willie in particular, this sketch captures her to a tee in this scene. She wailed and whined the whole time lol. Shortround lives up the the first half of his nickname as you can only see his eyes, hat, hair, and hands in the sketch. Indy is ever present with his signature hat and has an apprehensive look on his face. And not a nose in the bunch. Classic!
   I am also always a little amazed how flawlessly Mike can draw multiple characters on a card- in this case three plus a mine car. Granted they aren't full body characters, but these cards are 2 1/2"x 3 1/2". Miniature pieces of art, each and every one. 
   So I hope you like this installment of the blog- thanks for stopping by and reading!
#indianajones #michaelduron #locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #raidersofthelostark #indianajonesandthetempleofdoom #indianajonesandthelastcrusade #indianajonesandthekingdomofthecrystalskull #indy #drjones #harrisonford  #shortround #williescott #katecapshaw #stevenspielberg #molaram @michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

   Back to the Fellowship...
   So far we've seen Lord Elrond and Frodo Baggins. Next up.. Gandalf the Grey. The unofficial leader of the Fellowship. The first to pledge his service to Frodo. 
   Gandalf is such a central figure in Tolkien's Middle Earth. He convinced Thorin Oakenshield to get a Party together to take back their Homeland, and he was lock step with Lord Elrond to send a group to try to protect the ringbearer as he traveled to Mount Doom.

   If you've followed my blog, going the whole way back to the original blog, a Lord of the Rings Masterpieces II "Gandalf" sketch by Mike was my very first sketch card purchase...

   A bit of a difference, eh? I was looking up Lord of the Rings stuff on EBay, saw that sketch, and I knew I had to have it. I don't remember the exact price, but I think it was kinda cheap (maybe $25?). Gandalf always was one of my favorite characters, and this sketch solidified it. 
   Back to the new Gandalf sketch, the look on Gandalf's face is almost meditative. And I love that Mike included his staff in this one too. If you've ever seen Mike draw live in one of his videos, Mike's a genius with how he knows right where to outline a feature with black or use a white marker to make something stand out. The dark shading on his robe to show the folds and the furrows- that takes years of experience to get just the right look. Mike nails it. For me, it all adds up to just a great piece of artwork. 
   Oh well, enough for today. Thanks for stopping by and reading. 
#lordoftherings #michaelduron #Locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #gandalf #gandalfthegrey #gandalfstormcrow #whiterider #mithrandir #ianmckellen #sirianmckellen #fellowshipofthering #thetwotowers #returnoftheking #lordelrond #frodobaggins #bilbobaggins #samwisegamgee #aragorn #legolas #gimli #boromir #merry #pippin @michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

   I've seen Mike do a lot of different "Yoda" sketches over the years, in lots of different styles. So it didn't surprise me when I saw this one in a completely different look than any I had seen him do before (and for that matter, any since). I have come to enjoy and embrace Mike's versatility over the years. I could see Mike's differing styles over the years, sometimes from set to set. 2008 Star Wars Clone Wars were very cartooony, while 2010 Galaxy 5 were more comic book style. And by 2012 Mike was showcasing more of his "sugar boogarz" style. His art was ever evolving, and always refining.

   Back to the card at hand, this 2012 Star Wars Galactic Files "Yoda" sketch. Yoda is my favorite character, so I was happy to grab this one when it became available. I'm assuming from the background that this is Yoda on Dagobah, and I'd go further and guess this is Yoda from "Return of the Jedi". Nearing the end of his life. I like this sketch for the uniqueness of the style. It's not the cartoony style of 2008, or the comic book style of 2010, or the sugar boogarz style of 2012, so for me that makes it special. Plus it's Yoda, the coolest of the Jedi, so that helps too. 

Anyways, thanks for stopping by and reading!

#starwars #michaelduron #locoduck #locoduckduron #sketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #yoda #masteryoda #jedimaster #jedi #jediapprentice #empirestrikesback #returnofthejedi #thephantommenace #attackoftheclones #revengeofthesith  #Dagobah #jeditraining #lukeskywalker @michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

   Mike thru the years. When I started buying/collecting Star Wars sketch cards in 2008 with Clone Wars there was a lot I didn't know. I had found a message board online called Scoundrel Art where a lot of sketch card collectors and sketch card artists posted. The people there were so welcoming and helpful. Although I watched all the Star Wars movies, I didn't know a lot of the minor character names. Ponda Baba? Salacious Crumb? Plo Koon? I had seen these characters on screen but didn't know all their names. And now I was seeing them on sketch cards. Post a picture on Scoundrel, and someone was helping you in minutes. 
   Another thing, there were no signature panels on the back of the early sketch cards, so artists usually "made their mark" on the front of cards. Initials, symbols, monikers, last names, first names, nicknames, and sometimes no names (I imagine it's easy to forget to sign a card when you're under the pressure of a deadline). I was a complete noob, so I knew very few artists. Post a picture on Scoundrel, and again, someone was helping you in minutes.
   It was on Scoundrel where I first heard the term "return card". I didn't know what "return cards" were, but I soon found out. When an artist works on a set, he/she could pick a few of his/her cards to be returned to him/her to sell for whatever they can get. These cards are usually the best of the best. And Mike posted that he was selling his Clone Wars returns on Scoundrel Art. I was able to grab two of them- one with R2D2 and C-3PO, and one with Count Dooku, Darth Sidious, and Asajj Ventress. They were fantastic! 
   Fast forward 8 years. I'm making my 3rd trip to Disney World and I had met Mike during each of the first two trips. Perfect opportunities to also pick up some art from him directly. Topps had resurrected the panoramic sketch (double the size of a normal sketch card) in two of their Star Wars products sets in the two previous years- Star Wars Illustrated: A New Hope and Star Wars Illustrated: Empire Strikes Back. Mike had some blanks from these products, so I definitely wanted one.  Mike's style had progressed over the years getting better and better. Plus he had started utilizing a few different styles, a comic book style and a style he called "Sugar Boogarz". I was a big fan of both, but the comic book style was my favorite. I'm a big fan of main character sketches, and I had a throwback idea- get another R2D2 and C-3PO sketch. Mike agreed and I was really curious to see how this one would turn out. When he gave it to me- Wow what a difference! It was great! One of the things I like is that Mike does backgrounds for his Return sketches as you can see in each of these. I think those little added touches make his art even that much better. Interesting to see how Mike's style had changed in those 8 years. The night he gave me the new card I showed him a picture of the one from 8 years earlier to remind him and he kinda laughed and groaned. I always loved that original though- it was my first Star Wars set and the first returns I had ever gotten off Mike. Where it all started for me. Okay, enough reminiscing for today. Thanks for stopping by and reading!
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   I decided a few weeks ago I wanted to refocus my sketch collection. I wanted to focus on what I like the most- the cartoony/comic sketches by artists like Mike, and sketches of my favorite character- Yoda. I ended up selling some of my photorealistic sketches, keeping a few of the ones near and dear to my heart, and also some of the rare ones that I've picked up over the years. Meanwhile, I'm always on the lookout for sketches by Mike.    
   Maybe two or three months ago a member of a Star Wars group I'm in on Facebook was selling a bunch of sketches and I was lucky enough to pick up three sketches by Mike. I asked the seller if he had any other sketches by Mike and he did- three keepers. They were all fantastic. So when I refocused my collection I thought I would take a chance and contact the seller again to see if I could pry one of his keepers away from him.

I offered up one of my better rare sketches in trade and he parted with this stunning beauty- a Revenge of the Sith Widevision Obi-Wan and Anakin lightsaber battle sketch. I've always been a fan of widevision sketches because of the size- more room for the artist to work and be creative. This sketch hits all the high notes with me- a color sketch, great characters, emotion, lightsabers (always a plus for any Star Wars sketch), and I love the background... and all on a widevision card. I gave up a lot, but I couldn't be happier with what I got in return. 

   Thanks for stopping by and reading! 

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   Another in the Indiana Jones 'movie in 5 cards' series, this is the Temple in 5 cards Part One sketch card from "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom." It's from the opening scene with Indy and his soon-to-be love interest from the movie, Willie Scott (Kate Capshaw). Capshaw is more well known now as being Steven Spielberg's wife. She was somewhat of an unknown when she was cast in the lead, having only a few minor acting credits to her resume. It's easy to see why Spielberg fell in love with her- she's beautiful and smart.

   In the scene, Indy is at a Shanghai Night Club (Club Obi Wan) meeting with Crime Boss Lao Che, exchanging the ashes of Emperor Nurhaci for a large diamond, the Peacock's Eye. Indy is poisoned by Lao Che, who then shows Indy the antidote- a vial with blue liquid. A struggle ensues, the diamond and the vial fall to the floor, and chaos follows. The antidote keeps slipping thru Indy's hands or gets kicked along the floor, all the while Lao Che's henchman are trying to finish off Indy with a machine gun. 
   Mike's sketch is when Indy and Willie were hiding behind a large gong using it as a shield from the gunfire. Anyone who has seen the film knows Mike captured Willie perfectly in this sketch- from the dress to the hair but especially her mouth (she was always whining loudly). Perfect card to start this series. I have been lucky enough to pick up one more card from this 'Temple in 5 cards' series, so keep checking back for that post. Until then, thanks for reading!
#michaelduron #locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #indianajones #indianajonesandthetempleofdoom #raidersofthelostark #indianajonesandthelastcrusade #harrisonford #indy #drjones #katecapshaw #williescott #stevenspielberg @michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

   Back again to where it all began with my collecting of Mike's cards... Middle Earth. This is card #2 in the Fellowship of the Ring project that Mike did for me, Frodo Baggins with the Ring of Power. 

   "I will take it. I will take the Ring to Mordor. Though I do not know the way." 
A meeting of the best-of-the-best Elves, Dwarves, Men, a Wizard, and one Hobbit to decide the fate of mankind, and the smallest member of the group volunteers to take the Ring. 
Blind faith. Willing to take the Ring even though he didn't know where he was taking it. And Frodo had already been through so much, just recovering from being stabbed with a Morgul blade by the Witch-king of Angmar. And now volunteering to take the One Ring deep into Mordor to destroy it. Ooooh- I can't wait to find out what happens lol.
Until next time, thanks for stopping by and reading!
#lordoftherings #michaelduron #locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #fellowshipofthering #thetwotowers #returnoftheking #frodo #frodobaggins #iwilltakethering #samwisegamgee #elrond #lordelrond #bilbobaggins #aragorn #gandalf #legolas #gimli #boromir #merry #pippin @michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

   Today is July 8th, Mike's birthday. So today's post is about the last art piece I bought directly from Mike. I was checking out Instagram late one night when I saw this custom Darth Vader comic book cover by Mike. He posts a lot of older pieces, so I thought that's what this was. To my surprise (and delight) it was a new piece and he was offering it for sale. He had just posted it and nobody had commented.

   I hurriedly typed in a claim for it and I got it. A killer Vader cover (pun intended). I didn't ask Mike, but I take this cover as being a twist on Anakin's slaughtering of the Tusken Raiders when he was rescuing his mother. Maybe not- maybe Mike is saying Vader liked to kill Tuskens after what their kind had done to his mother. Either way, I think it's awesome. 
   Well, that wraps it up for this post. A happy birthday to Mike and also to my nephew Brandan. Thanks all for stopping by and reading!
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   The Clone Wars 2008 set holds a special place in my heart because it was the first ever Star Wars product I opened. I had discovered sketch cards the years before,  so when I heard a new Star Wars movie was coming out the following year and the card set for it included sketch cards I definitely wanted to try some. I had collected sports cards and opened those kind of products for 20+ years, and they were expensive. I asked my local card shop owner about ordering a case of Clone Wars 2008 and he quoted me $280 for an 8 box case. Huh? REALLY? $35 a box? That cheap? I ordered a case, and in retrospect probably should have ordered 2 or 3 at that price, but I was happy to be able to get one. 

   No, I wasn't lucky enough to pull this Darth Sidious sketch from that case, but any chance I get to pick up one of Mike's cards from that set for a reasonable price I jump on it. I believe this was an EBay pickup. I did have some luck in the past few weeks in finding a few more of his cards from that set. But I'll save those for another post. Until then, thanks for reading! Feel free to leave a comment or question, and always looking for more followers! 
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    I've been wanting Mike to do a Lord of the Rings project for me for a couple of years, but the semantics (mainly getting enough blanks) took me a while to get in order. My favorite Lord of the Rings movie is "Fellowship of the Ring", with one of my favorite scenes being when Lord Elrond has the meeting to select the Fellowship. That was my project- all 9 members of the Fellowship plus Elrond.

    I love everything about that scene- the participants, the mission, Gimli's failed attempt to destroy the One Ring, the argument that ensues, Frodo's inner turmoil, Frodo volunteering, Gandalf, Aragorn, and Legolas volunteering to go, Gimli making sure to volunteer after "the elf" does, Boromir doing his duty for Gondor (with maybe a hidden agenda?), Sam, Merry, and Pippin secretly hiding then insisting on going, and finally the declaration by Elrond that this would be the "Fellowship of the Ring" (hey, that would be a great name for a book or movie!). 

    So the first sketch in this project is Elrond Lord of Rivendell, who is masterfully played by Hugo Weaving. I hope you like the sketch as much as I do. More to come from this project at a later date. Until then, thanks for reading!

#lordoftherings #michaelduron #locoduck #locoduckduron #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #fellowshipofthering #thetwotowers #returnoftheking #elrond #lordelrond #rivendell #hugoweaving #frodobaggins #samwisegamgee #bilbobaggins #aragorn #gandalf #legolas #gimli #boromir #merry #pippin @michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio 

   The first Return cards I ever bought from Mike were from 2008 Star Wars Clone Wars. One was R2D2/C-3PO, and the other was Darth Sidious/Count Dooku/Ventress. George Lucas was great at making the bad guys cool in Star Wars. A little bit scary with a big helping of badass. Mike does the same with his art, and sometimes even adds some humor. So when I had the chance to pick up this Revenge of the Sith Widevision sketch of Darth Vader and Darth Sidious, I jumped at it. 

   The first thing that struck me about the card was how tall and imposing Mike made Vader compared to Sidious. I think he did this on purpose to show Vader's strength, and maybe, just maybe as a purposeful slight to Sidious. Plus the fact that this sketch is on Widevision stock lends to the imposing figure of Vader. Then of course I noticed the look on Sidious' face, and his hands. He has the "evil scientist" look on his face- a sense of glee that his evil plan is working lol. The beady eyes and evil grin are fantastic! The Sith Lord and his Sith Apprentice. I think it's an awesome card.
Well, that's all for today. Thanks for reading. Feel free to sign up to be a follower and/or email notifications for new posts!
#starwars #michaelduron #locoduc#locoduckduron #michaelduronportfolio #artistsketchcard #artistsketch #sketch #darthvader #vader #lordvader #darthsidious #sidious #emperorpalpatine #palpatine #sith #sithlord #sithapprentice #revengeofthesith #order66 #anewhope #empirestrikesback #returnofthejedi #thephantommenace #attackoftheclones  #theforceawakens #thelastjedi #riseofskywalker @michaelduron @locoduckduron @michaelduronportfolio