Iain McCaig
Encyclopedia
Iain McCaig is an illustrator and conceptual designer. He was involved in the Star Wars
and Harry Potter
film projects as well as John Carter of Mars
.
, but grew up mostly in Victoria, Canada, and graduated from Oak Bay Secondary School
. McCaig later lived in Europe for 17 years, and attended the Glasgow School of Art
. During a break he came back to the US and worked on the trailer for the 1983 animated film Twice Upon a Time.
Thereafter, he began a career in print, primarily illustrating books. His film directing debut, the children's film The Face, won multiple awards and is viewable at atomfilms.
McCaig has illustrated cards for the Magic: The Gathering
collectible card game.
A noted storyboard artist, McCaig is best known for designing the characters Padmé Amidala
and Darth Maul
in the Star Wars
series. He worked on the films Terminator 2
, Interview with the Vampire
, Bram Stoker's Dracula
, Charlotte's Web
, Hook
, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
, The Spiderwick Chronicles
, and one of the Dinotopia
productions.
Other examples of his work include album covers for Jethro Tull
(The Broadsword and the Beast) and a compilation of Doctor Who
theme music, costume design for a new Star Trek
semi-pro/fan film, illustrations for Fighting Fantasy
, the J.R.R. Tolkien estate, Marvel comics
, and re-designing a stained glass window at Skywalker Ranch
.
In October 2008, a book of McCaig's work, Shadowline: The Art of Iain McCaig, was released. The book is a story illustrated by McCaig that includes samples of 28 years of his film and personal work.
McCaig's daughter, Mishi is also a film artist, having contributed to Iron Man
, Outlander
and John Carter of Mars, as well as producing her own short film work. Iain and Mishi were both involved in the production of the Discovery Channel
series Dinosaur Revolution
. His son, Inigo, is also an artist.
McCaig lives in the Rockland
neighbourhood of Victoria, British Columbia
, with his wife, Leonor.
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
and Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
film projects as well as John Carter of Mars
John Carter of Mars (film)
John Carter is a 2012 American epic science fiction film featuring John Carter, the heroic protagonist of Edgar Rice Burroughs' 11-volume Barsoom series. In the film, former Confederate captain John Carter is transported to Mars...
.
Biography
McCaig was born in Santa Monica, CaliforniaSanta Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
, but grew up mostly in Victoria, Canada, and graduated from Oak Bay Secondary School
Oak Bay Secondary School
Oak Bay High School is the fourth largest secondary school in the Greater Victoria School District. It is located in Oak Bay, British Columbia, Canada. Roughly 1200 students attend in grades 9 to 12 in both regular and French immersion programs in two buildings, called East and West. The first high...
. McCaig later lived in Europe for 17 years, and attended the Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art is one of only two independent art schools in Scotland, situated in the Garnethill area of Glasgow.-History:It was founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Government School of Design. In 1853, it changed its name to The Glasgow School of Art. Initially it was located at 12 Ingram...
. During a break he came back to the US and worked on the trailer for the 1983 animated film Twice Upon a Time.
Thereafter, he began a career in print, primarily illustrating books. His film directing debut, the children's film The Face, won multiple awards and is viewable at atomfilms.
McCaig has illustrated cards for the Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
collectible card game.
A noted storyboard artist, McCaig is best known for designing the characters Padmé Amidala
Padmé Amidala
Padmé Amidala is a fictional character in the Star Wars science fiction franchise. She first appeared on film in the 1999 feature film, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, as the young queen of the planet Naboo. In subsequent prequel trilogy films, Padmé represents Naboo in the Galactic Senate...
and Darth Maul
Darth Maul
Darth Maul is a fictional character in the science fiction saga Star Wars. He is one of the main antagonists of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, portrayed by martial artist Ray Park and voiced by Peter Serafinowicz....
in the Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
series. He worked on the films Terminator 2
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and written by Cameron and William Wisher Jr.. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, and Edward Furlong...
, Interview with the Vampire
Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles
Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles is a 1994 American drama and horror film directed by Neil Jordan, based on the 1976 novel Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice. The film focuses on Lestat and Louis, beginning with Louis' transformation into a vampire by Lestat in 1791...
, Bram Stoker's Dracula
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Dracula is a 1992 American Gothic horror-romance film directed and co-produced by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker...
, Charlotte's Web
Charlotte's Web (2006 film)
Charlotte's Web is a 2006 American live-action/computer-animated feature film, based on the popular book of the same name by E. B. White. It is directed by Gary Winick and produced by Paramount Pictures, Walden Media, The K Entertainment Company, and Nickelodeon Movies...
, Hook
Hook (film)
Hook is a 1991 American fantasy film directed by Steven Spielberg. The film stars Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, Julia Roberts, Bob Hoskins, and features Maggie Smith, Caroline Goodall, Charlie Korsmo, Amber Scott, and Dante Basco. Hook acts as a sequel to Peter Pan's original adventures, focusing...
, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a 2005 fantasy film directed by Mike Newell and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the fourth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman...
, The Spiderwick Chronicles
The Spiderwick Chronicles (film)
The Spiderwick Chronicles is a 2008 fantasy film adaptation of Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi's bestselling series of the same name. Set in the Spiderwick Estate in New England, United States, it follows the adventures of Jared Grace and his family as they discover a field guide to faeries, battle...
, and one of the Dinotopia
Dinotopia
Dinotopia is a fictional utopia created by author and illustrator James Gurney. It is the setting for the book series with which it shares its name. Dinotopia is an isolated island inhabited by shipwrecked humans and sentient dinosaurs who have learned to coexist peacefully as a single symbiotic...
productions.
Other examples of his work include album covers for Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull (band)
Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...
(The Broadsword and the Beast) and a compilation of Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
theme music, costume design for a new Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
semi-pro/fan film, illustrations for Fighting Fantasy
Fighting Fantasy
Fighting Fantasy is a series of single-player fantasy roleplay gamebooks created by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone. The first volumes in the series were published by Puffin in 1982, with the rights to the franchise eventually being purchased by Wizard Books in 2002...
, the J.R.R. Tolkien estate, Marvel comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
, and re-designing a stained glass window at Skywalker Ranch
Skywalker Ranch
Skywalker Ranch is the name of the workplace of film director and producer George Lucas. It is located in a secluded, but open area near Nicasio, California, in Marin County. The ranch is located on Lucas Valley Road, although Lucas is not related to the road's namesake, who was a...
.
In October 2008, a book of McCaig's work, Shadowline: The Art of Iain McCaig, was released. The book is a story illustrated by McCaig that includes samples of 28 years of his film and personal work.
McCaig's daughter, Mishi is also a film artist, having contributed to Iron Man
Iron Man (film)
Iron Man is a 2008 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Directed by Jon Favreau, the film stars Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark, an industrialist and master engineer who builds a powered exoskeleton and becomes the technologically advanced superhero, Iron...
, Outlander
Outlander
Outlander may refer to:*Outlander , a 2008 film, directed by Howard McCain and starring James Caviezel*Outlander , a 1991 novel by Diana Gabaldon*Mitsubishi Outlander, a compact SUV...
and John Carter of Mars, as well as producing her own short film work. Iain and Mishi were both involved in the production of the Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
series Dinosaur Revolution
Dinosaur Revolution
Dinosaur Revolution is a four-part American nature documentary produced by Creative Differences, although it was believed to be a Pixar project when it was first revealed to the public due to a press release saying so. The first two episodes aired on Discovery Channel on September 4, 2011. The...
. His son, Inigo, is also an artist.
McCaig lives in the Rockland
Rockland, Greater Victoria
Rockland is an historic neighbourhood of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, located just southeast of downtown and northeast of Beacon Hill Park, and comprising the northern portion of the official city neighbourhood of Fairfield...
neighbourhood of Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, with his wife, Leonor.