In John Berkey’s painting “The Mechanical Planet” a white and red spaceship, trailing fire, seems to hurtle towards a large, spherical, metallic space station. It is covered in antennas, ports, and gantries. Two moons or planets hang in space behind it.

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1. Robert McNees (mcnees@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 13-Jun-2023 15:15:14 UTC Robert McNees

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   One of the other artists who heavily influenced the designs in the film was John Berkey. George Lucas purchased his painting "The Mechanical Planet" (left) and used it as the basis for the Death Star.

   McQuarrie's 1975 painting "Y-Wing Attacks the Death Star" (right), commissioned by Lucas, transforms Berkey's mechanical planet into a recognizable Death Star, and depicts the Rebel Y-Wing Fighters in essentially their final form.