Exclusive: Andrew Leung Talks About IRON MAN 3 Concept Art

Blockbuster movies like Iron Man 3 are hard to make. From finding great actors, to finding great locations, it's all a challenge.

Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Pictures were planning to shoot in Michigan due to the tax incentives, North Carolina guaranteed a $20 million tax credit. So, the producers decided to shoot the small town there instead.

One of the artists that helped to make the film work in that location, as well as many others is Andrew "Drew" Leung.

Drew is a professional concept artist who's worked on Hollywood films such as Real Steel, The Tree of Life (2011) and  Sucker Punch (2011).

Find out what it was like working on Iron Man, why the 20-foot bunny was hard to make and the rest of the images after the jump and click to enlarge.

Q: How did you get involved in the production of Iron Man 3?
I was brought in to concept keyframes and sets for the art department. Working closely with Bill Brzeski (Production Designer) and Desma Murphy (Supervising Art Director) we were able to bang out of a lot of usable ideas in a short amount of time. My background in VFX and concept art helped give an idea what could be built with plywood and what could be done with pixels.

Q: What artwork did you contribute for the film?
A lot what I did was to show how an existing location could work to serve the story. I illustrated Rose Hill, a nearly ground up build of a small town that was used in the movie. I also concepted the destruction for Stark's mansion, the Miami dock scenes, and the Mandarin environments.

Q: Was there a favorite design you had from the film and what was it like seeing it come to life onscreen?

 One of the funnier things I did for the film was a 20 foot stuffed bunny. Things that big don't hold their shape very well, and the engineering involved was hysterical. I also enjoyed doing different versions of the Mandarin's lair because of his psyche -- or lack of -- informed really the type of environment he would be in.

It was also great seeing a version of the Air Force One interior. I realized this may be closest I'll ever be to being on the real thing.

It's truly amazing seeing the film come together in the theater after all the VFX work is added. Often times when working on these projects I'm working without context. To see everything connect, particularly with all the hilarious dialogue, is a lot of fun when it works so well in a movie like Iron Man 3.

Q: What is it like working on an iconic superhero movie like Iron Man?
It was awesome! It was also different from any other film in that it had a lot of the key elements already sussed out. By this point in the series, you really have a good idea about who the characters are that you're working with and what type of things they would surround themselves with. From the "deconstructivist" look of the Stark House to all the collected/possibly stolen street art populating the Mandarin's hideout, it's a lot of fun working with these characters that have already been so well established.

See more of Andrew H. Leung's portfolio at anihaus.com and follow him on Twitter @drewleung

Official Synopsis
Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy's hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley, Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce & Shane Black and is based on Marvel’s iconic Super Hero Iron Man, who first appeared on the pages of “Tales of Suspense” (#39) in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with “The Invincible Iron Man” (#1) in May of 1968.

“Iron Man 3” is presented by Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures and DMG Entertainment. Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige is producing and Jon Favreau, Louis D’Esposito, Charles Newirth, Victoria Alonso, Stephen Broussard, Alan Fine, Stan Lee and Dan Mintz are executive producers. The film releases May 3, 2013, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.


Directed by: Shane Black
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley

Official website: http://marvel.com/ironman3 
Like IRON MAN 3 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ironman
Tweet the Official Hashtag: #IronMan3
Follow IRON MAN 3 on Twitter:@Iron_Man

What do you think of the concept art? Are you planning to watch Iron Man 3?

@ Copyright 2013 Marvel Studios,  DMG Entertainment, Walt Disney Studios,  Paramount Pictures. All rights reserved

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Write by: Arek - Monday, May 13, 2013