The art of seeing: how a Star Wars artist finds ideas in the simple

Published on June 29, 2026 | Translated from Spanish

Iranian designer Amir Zand, known for his work on Star Wars Eclipse, reveals that his source of creativity lies not in big explosions or spaceships, but in observing everyday life. According to Zand, being selective about what you consume, such as poetry or photography, trains your eye to detect beauty anywhere. The conclusion is clear: anyone can develop their creativity if they learn to see the world attentively.

Iranian designer Amir Zand sketching concept art for Star Wars Eclipse at a wooden desk, hand holding a graphite pencil over a notebook showing a simple coffee cup sketch transforming into a starship silhouette, scattered photography prints and poetry books beside a digital tablet displaying 3D modeling software, warm sunlight streaming through a window casting dramatic shadows, cinematic photorealistic style, detailed mechanical pencil tip touching paper, faint glowing lines connecting everyday objects to sci-fi forms, ultra-detailed textures on desk surface, contemplative artistic atmosphere

How to train your eye to spot ideas in code and design 🎨

In video game development, inspiration doesn't come from staring at reference screens all day. Zand recommends stepping away from the monitor and observing textures, shadows, or patterns in real life. For a programmer, this is equivalent to studying how a traffic light works before coding its logic. The technical key lies in filtering: not consuming all the content that comes your way, but choosing sources that fuel your imagination, such as documentaries or architecture.

Spoiler: you don't need a lightsaber to have brilliant ideas ✨

If you thought creativity could be bought at a Star Wars merchandise store, I'm sorry to disappoint you. Amir Zand assures that innate talent is a myth sold at conventions. The real magic happens when you stop waiting for a divine ray of light and start noticing how the sun reflects off your morning coffee. So, before complaining about creative block, try looking out the window. If that doesn't work, you can always blame your eyelids.