The Energon Pub

Design writer Christopher Wilson has just sent us information on a unique piece of art that's now available. This new work is a tribute to one of the original Transformers seekers, Skywarp.





Hommage à Skywarp is a new poster-broadsheet designed and published by Oberphones in tribute to Skywarp, one of the first Transformers issued by Hasbro in 1984. The homage takes the form of an A4-format broadsheet which folds out into an A2-format (420 x 594 mm) poster. The broadsheet (plane form) side includes a series of four specially-written texts by design writer Christopher Wilson, exploring the cultural background of his purchase of Skywarp in early 1985 and the state of department store culture at the time; Skywarp's standing among his rivals in the Transformers range; and finally an anecdote of Skywarp's 'tech spec' characteristics. The poster (robot form) side comprises a graphic portrait of the Decepticon, based on the silhouette of the 1984 box illustration, and incorporating new photographs of the original model.

Hommage à Skywarp is now available for purchase at a low cost of £10.00 with free postage and handling for shipping within the UK. Check out the original listing for this art piece here.

As much as I love Skywarp, this is a bit "meh". =/

That is an odd thing to have up for sale. I can't say I fully understand the reasoning behind that. Odd.

Weird Seeker fanboys are Weird

It's a wierd piece, but it's cool in an artsy way.

Don't be fooled just because this is Transformers related - This is complete @#$!@#%!

EDIT: By Staff for inappropriate language.

Starscream wrote:Don't be fooled just because this is Transformers related - This is complete bullshit!

No it's not while I do think it's really odd it is quite creative. It's just one of those things artists some times do to show off. But why the hell this is sold is just beyond me it's more like something you'd see in a gallery. Nothing I would buy.

Oh and Black Jacks are disgusting. How can people eat that stuff? =x

I agree with DM.

Just because this piece is not going to appeal to all of us, it is not automaticly crap, and it is quite interesting. How many threads are out there based on "what was your first Transformer?" or "Who's your favorite?" This is no different in that the artist clearly connects with Skywarp, and has gone as far to create this.

In a ways it's no different that writing a Skywarp fanfic or kitbashing/repainting a figure, the only difference is that he has the means to attempt to make a profit from his work.

or "Starscream" are you taking offence that someone would base the piece on a seeker other than your namesake? if so, That is just sad.

@ Tekka, wouldn'y know never tried them, but are they something Skywarp would eat?

My Skywarp would never eat Black Jacks. Or any other liquorice or liquorice flavour product. As we all know, he is in to grape flavour jellied candies.

What the hell?

Dead Metal wrote:No it's not while I do think it's really odd it is quite creative. It's just one of those things artists some times do to show off. But why the hell this is sold is just beyond me it's more like something you'd see in a gallery. Nothing I would buy.

Why is it "odd" for art prints and posters to be sold? Yes, they're sold in galleries. And online and elsewhere.

I think DM was implying the concept was odd, not the fact a poster dare be sold.

gitanes wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:No it's not while I do think it's really odd it is quite creative. It's just one of those things artists some times do to show off. But why the hell this is sold is just beyond me it's more like something you'd see in a gallery. Nothing I would buy.

Why is it "odd" for art prints and posters to be sold? Yes, they're sold in galleries. And online and elsewhere.

No I mean sold as in mass produced and sold in the way it is. This looks more like something from a scratch book the artist would show off and not print and mass release.

I still don't see what the problem is, though. (From reading the Oberphones page, it looks like at least some of the appeal is in the print work, which we obviously aren't going to appreciate from some web pic.)

Editor's analogy with kitbashes seems a good comparison: a kitbash or a piece of TF-related art might or might not be to my taste, but I don't sit thinking "How odd that this guy's done that." Sure, I haven't seen anything quite like this before in relation to Transformers, but if somebody wants to discuss TF in a new way and maybe to a new audience, that doesn't offend me. Quite the opposite.

gitanes wrote:I still don't see what the problem is, though. (From reading the Oberphones page, it looks like at least some of the appeal is in the print work, which we obviously aren't going to appreciate from some web pic.)

I just see this with different eyes then. If I make such a personal piece of artwork that is basically an artistic tribute to a character I would want people to see it but wouldn't want to copy it numerous times and sell those copies. This piece looks more like something that is not for sale that is all.
Strange that the first post you ever do on this forum is in this topic quoting me and telling me that my believe of this being an odd artwork for a poster is wrong. Could you be the artist?

No – in fact I'm not an artist at all. I do like Skywarp, though.

This looks like it belongs just at this guy's house on his private Skywarp fanboy alter. Too personal of an item for the general public to pick up.

well, that's clever...

Not really, but me pretending it was is as clever as it wishes it was. Now I can't wait til someone does something as 'out-there' and art skool crazy as drawing Optimus Prime in Biro. Crazy cool cats, what will they think of next?!

...

To summarise; I think it's rubbish:)

I don't understand the application for this. Do you hang it on the wall? Does it stand up? My first impression is that it was meant to be a trapper keeper.

Weird, I wonder if they used the right tech specs... Didn't Skywarp come with Starcream's tech specs, and Thundercracker with Skywarp's?