Romanian illustrator develops original poster for new Star Wars show The Acolyte

Andra Busuioc, a Romanian illustrator and digital artist, was chosen to join the four EMEA artists who took on the challenge of creating a poster for the new Star Wars series The Acolyte.

The show follows an investigation into a shocking crime from the past of a respected Jedi Master over eight episodes, a journey where nothing is as it seems. The central theme of the series, darkness taking shape in an era of light, is reflected in the artist's creation, inspired by the new production's sense of obscurity, set during the High Republic period.

"I was impressed by the costumes' colors and their messages, the way Star Wars always plays with lights. I wanted to bring a more humanistic note to the old battle between light and dark, so I chose the character Mae as the central element and the dichotomy between good and evil as an overwhelming struggle with the sole purpose of winning it. I wanted to explore the concept of mentorship and how it shapes the way we see the world," the artist said.

Andra Busuioc, 32 years old, resonates with the dark universe proposed by the series. After graduating in Journalism and Communication, she felt directionless, leading to her adventure in the artistic world. In an attempt to better understand herself, she started sketching her nightmares on a whiteboard, sparking her passion for drawing. Later, in 2014, she co-founded a creative studio with a friend, transforming her timid passion into a career.

"I am deeply inspired by movies, series, science fiction, animations, and comics, with a small hidden dream behind deadlines to have my publications someday. I am also a big video game enthusiast. I grew up with Star Wars, and my love for sci-fi made me dream, more often than I want to admit, of working on a project where spaceships, droids, and galaxy travels are the norm,” she said.

For The Acolyte poster, the artist chose dark surrealism, followed by symbolism, but with accents specific to fantasy meant to arouse curiosity and confer an aura of mystery associated with the overlap of the two worlds: good and evil.

"When I first saw 'Star Wars' and 'Disney+' in the project brief, I froze a bit. Then I started jumping with joy. I am very grateful for the opportunity and the creative freedom Disney+ gave me. It was a fascinating adventure to immerse myself in the Star Wars world, and I loved every pixel of this project," said Andra Busuioc.

(Photo source: Disney+)