Matt Busch ([info]planetmatt) wrote,
2007-03-18 20:52:00
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The PLANETMATT 2007 WORLD TOUR Diary! Part I

For the last few years I've been telling myself that I'm really going to get out there and tour the world. To travel and sight-see, yes, but also to promote my art and meet friends old and new. I say this every year, and then I get bogged down in creative projects.

Well this year I'm doing it for real. Los Angeles, San Antonio, Philadelphia, New York, London, Toronto, Orlando, Indianapolis, Chicago, Detroit, and many more- this year is it. My hokey name for this journey is The PLANETMATT 2007 WORLD TOUR. I'll have all the dates, places, and events listed here soon... Bare with me, because I'm still firming everything up on the calendar.

And I thought it would be cool to at least try and use this Journal as an additional diary for the travels. In fact, the Tour already started 2 weeks ago in San Francisco. I took my P.A. Jimmy Bones, and boy do I have photos to share!


First stop: The LUCASFILM PRESIDIO camp!

Here I am at the Front desk, giddy as hell. The Presidio houses most of George Lucas' companies, including Lucas Licensing, Industrial Light and Magic, Lucas Online, and Lucas Arts.

The reason I was there was for a special book signing for You Can Draw STAR WARS. For those of you not familiar with my work, I've been doing official STAR WARS art for 13 years, so for a long time have had an open invitation to visit Skywalker Ranch. This trip was long overdue and being quite a fan myself, I certainly was a kid in a candy store.


In one of the Presidio's beautiful courtyards is this beautiful Fountain of Yoda. It's a pretty common place for visitors to take photos, as I've seen this a lot. We also came back later in the day and shot a video intro for one of my How To Draw STAR WARS episodes here.

More photos behind the cut!



So, we had this special book signing for Lucasfilm employees that was held at the "Skywalker Ranch General Store". This is actually at the Presidio, and not at the legendary Skywalker Ranch. (We'll visit the Ranch in my next post.)

So, the author of You Can Draw STAR WARS (Lucasfilm's Bonnie Burton), as well as fellow artist Tom Hodges and myself were present to sign books. This was kind of exciting for us, as this was our first promotional signing all together, and we'll be doing a bunch of these throughout the year.


Here's Bonnie, Tom and I, as I try to plant one on Tom. We were having a lot of fun, but it was funny, because as excited as we were to be there, all three of us suddenly got really hungry for IN & OUT Burgers, and it's all we were talking about...


For some of the books, Tom and I would draw little doodles of STAR WARS characters. Even Bonnie had been practicing her killer Artoo Detoo.

We also signed a lot of books to celebrities, who happen to be big STAR WARS fans, including Jeordie White (of Manson, Perfect Circle, and now Nine Inch Nails), Seth Green, Seth McFarlane (creator of Family Guy), Samuel L. Jackson, Joe from Fall Out Boy, Hayden Christensen, and others I can't remember. And no- they weren't actually there for our book signing! Haha!


Everyone says my signature is easy to forge. Even Jimmy Bones tried to do it all weekend, but I have yet to see someone do it convincing.


The excitement is rising because it's almost time to go to IN & OUT! (It's funny though, I think Jimmy Bones and I both dig JACK IN THE BOX better...)


Yeah, we're pretty famished here. Most of our Presidio tour was before the signing, but we had a few more places to stop and check out at Licensing and Lucas Arts where they were hard at work on new STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES video games...


If it doesn't look like I was smiling, it's because I was really overwhelmed and in shock.

Over the years, Lucasfilm has purchased nearly 200 of my drawings and paintings. I had heard from time to time that a few of my pieces were hanging up here and there, but I never realized how many! It was such a trip! There was even an entire section of a corridor that was all framed artwork of mine! I was pinching myself!


Well, that's it for this entry of the Tour Diary. But stick around because there is a ton of crazy stuff to share!

Next stop: SKYWALKER RANCH!

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  • 46 comments

[info]angels_united

March 19 2007, 03:45:03 UTC 5 years ago

That's too cool Matt! ^_^
Thanks for sharing, and I look forward to reading about your tour. Hopefully I'll get to see you this year.

-Lacey

(PS- Hayden Christensen?? LOVES HIM! ^________^ And were both Canadian! haha)

[info]planetmatt

March 19 2007, 22:29:09 UTC 5 years ago

Yeah, I'd love to meet him. He seems really down to earth... :)

[info]angels_united

5 years ago

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[info]planetmatt

5 years ago

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[info]leelastarsky

March 19 2007, 03:47:23 UTC 5 years ago

Mate! Is your 'tour' likely to come as far as Melbourne, Australia?

[info]planetmatt

March 19 2007, 22:30:28 UTC 5 years ago

I wish! I'd love to visit Australia! Are there any big comic or sci fi conventions there?

[info]leelastarsky

5 years ago

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[info]blizzardskies

March 19 2007, 03:51:37 UTC 5 years ago

How awesome to come upon your art hanging in the halls.

I will be following the PlanetMatt 2007 World Tour all the way to LA in May. I met Tom at C3 and I am looking forward to seeing you and Bonnie along with Tom at C4.

Now you made me hungry. :D

[info]lilmikeegee

March 19 2007, 05:03:03 UTC 5 years ago

your icon is very cool

[info]planetmatt

5 years ago

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[info]lilmikeegee

5 years ago

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[info]blizzardskies

5 years ago

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[info]lilmikeegee

5 years ago

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[info]planetmatt

5 years ago

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[info]boogarshadow

March 19 2007, 03:58:57 UTC 5 years ago

I really dont think that I could be any more jealous of you O_O

THAT IS SO AWESOME!!!! and how cool is that to see your own artwork up there!!!!!!!

I cant WAIT for the skywalker ranch pics!! That's like...A pilgrimage to mecca for one of us!

[info]planetmatt

March 19 2007, 22:34:22 UTC 5 years ago

Believe me, it was the MECCA for me, too!!!!!

[info]shannonbobannon

March 19 2007, 04:03:46 UTC 5 years ago

that's awesome! Especially seeing your artwork on display!!

can't wait for skywalker ranch pics!! did you meet George? I love him!

[info]planetmatt

March 19 2007, 22:35:58 UTC 5 years ago

No, he was there, but didn't get to hang with the G-Man.

That's my NEXT mission! Haha!

[info]kelgirl

March 19 2007, 04:09:17 UTC 5 years ago

Florida... Jacksonville Florida...


Just a suggestion :)

[info]planetmatt

March 19 2007, 22:38:16 UTC 5 years ago

Do they have any good comic book or sci fi shows there? Call up Fred Durst and I'll come rock out with the Bizkit! Haha! :)

[info]kelgirl

5 years ago

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[info]newbabel

March 19 2007, 04:46:23 UTC 5 years ago

Dude. That rocks like Amadeus.

[info]planetmatt

March 19 2007, 22:40:09 UTC 5 years ago

Don't turn around a uh oh! Falco rocks!

[info]lilmikeegee

March 19 2007, 04:59:58 UTC 5 years ago

you are the MAN!
wow
that is amazing! you are a truly lucky and deserving guy. you earned it!
keep up the good work dude!

[info]planetmatt

March 19 2007, 22:41:03 UTC 5 years ago

Aw! Thanks so much, my friend! :)

[info]psychofish

March 19 2007, 07:28:36 UTC 5 years ago

ooOOoooOoo

[info]grafunkel

March 19 2007, 08:53:45 UTC 5 years ago

Gah!

No more Europe than London? :(

(nice photos though!)

[info]planetmatt

March 19 2007, 22:42:19 UTC 5 years ago

I wish... I get offers form Germany from time to time... I'll get out there eventually... That's not TOO far from you is it? :)

[info]grafunkel

5 years ago

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[info]planetmatt

5 years ago

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[info]grafunkel

5 years ago

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[info]scream4noreason

March 19 2007, 11:25:23 UTC 5 years ago

You continue to inspire me!Thanks Matt!

[info]pmkane

March 19 2007, 12:36:14 UTC 5 years ago

Hey there!

Fantastic photos, Matt . . . looks like you had a blast . . . can't wait to see you when you head out to NYC . . . The Big Apple awaits!!!

-pmk

[info]bomb_the_cherry

March 19 2007, 16:03:09 UTC 5 years ago

Damn, I'm so jealous!

Aww, I'd rather have a signed version of the book, why can't I be famous?! :P

Your trip is sounding pretty amazing, you'd better get lots of pictures for us all.

[info]planetmatt

March 19 2007, 22:43:54 UTC 5 years ago

Fo shizzle! Haha!

[info]blackdragon23

March 19 2007, 19:11:17 UTC 5 years ago

So,are you going to be at Pittsburgh next month?
If not I hope I we run into each other at a
con this Fall.
Philip-

[info]planetmatt

March 19 2007, 22:44:53 UTC 5 years ago

Yes- hopefully soon, my friend! :)

[info]blackdragon23

5 years ago

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[info]4ever_scorned

March 19 2007, 20:53:48 UTC 5 years ago

Jack in the mofo box! i loved it by far my fav fast food place!!! so much fun during the first adventure!!!

[info]planetmatt

March 19 2007, 22:46:25 UTC 5 years ago

You alweady are... You're my son, J.B... My wittle baby sas... :)

[info]twygsta

March 19 2007, 23:44:03 UTC 5 years ago

mecca indeed!!!

Ooooh! You're coming to a NYC near me!!!

Definitely keep me posted! I'd Love to come out and see you in the flesh...

[info]planetmatt

March 20 2007, 21:37:34 UTC 5 years ago

Re: mecca indeed!!!

Cool! I love visiting NYC, too! :)

[info]tattooed_sky

March 20 2007, 19:35:51 UTC 5 years ago

I hate you.


Oh, wait. I can't say that because you'll be taking me along to London, right?
Do you have more pics of your art hanging at Lucasfilms? It would be cool to see some more of that.

[info]planetmatt

March 20 2007, 21:40:35 UTC 5 years ago

I have a hotel room. If you can score a ticket, you've got a place to stay! :)

Matt!

[info]tattooed_sky

5 years ago

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[info]artemis5819

5 years ago

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