Matt Busch

Matthew Stuart Busch (born September 22, 1972) is an American artist, illustrator, and filmmaker, mostly known for his work with the Star Wars media franchise. He has also illustrated projects for entertainment properties such as Stranger Things, Indiana Jones, and Lord of the Rings, as well as music acts such as Foo Fighters, Mötley Crüe, and Ozzy Osbourne. In more recent years, he has become a media arts professor and independent filmmaker, known for the Aladdin 3477 movie trilogy. In 1993, he won an award from the Library of Congress for his copyright achievements.

After earning an associate degree from Macomb Community College, he moved to Pasadena, California, where he attended the Los Angeles Art Academy, and studied illustration, film, and entertainment design at the Art Center College of Design. Before earning his Bachelor Degree at Art Center, Busch was classmates with other notable alumni such as Justin Bua, Chris Do, and LeUyen Pham, studying artist Burne Hogarth.

Busch began working in Hollywood illustrating concept art and storyboards for films like Con Air and The Matrix. After living in Los Angeles for nearly a decade, Busch eventually returned to the Northern Detroit area in the early 2000s and founded Kaleidoscope Koi Entertainment LLC, and continues to work on Hollywood projects.

Later in his career, Busch dove into the world of independent filmmaking, eventually writing and directing the Aladdin 3477 trilogy. He has previously taught media arts college courses.

Career Matt Busch has illustrated numerous official Star Wars posters, books, apparel, and other products since 1994.

Since 1994, Matt Busch has provided art for official Star Wars merchandise. George Lucas has purchased nearly 400 of Busch's drawings and paintings for his own collection, many of which are on display at Lucasfilm's headquarters and Skywalker Ranch. Matt Busch at a book signing in Disney World Hollywood Studios, 2008. In 1997, Busch illustrated the cover of Star Wars: Tales from the Empire from Bantam Dell, which became a New York Times bestseller. He also began writing and illustrating monthly articles for both the Star Wars Insider and Star Wars Kids magazines.

In 2006, Busch was hired by Lucasfilm to illustrated the Style D One Sheet movie poster for Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, which was designed to be a bookend piece top the original Star Wars "circus poster" illustrated by Drew Struzan and Charles White III. That same year, Busch was the second artist to be inducted as an honorary member of the fictional 501st Legion of Stormtroopers.

In 2007, the You Can Draw Star Wars book from DK Publishing was released, for which Busch produced over 300 illustrations. The book went on to become a New York Times bestseller. Busch is known for his outspoken antics in the You Can Draw Star Wars video series, which is based on the book. The video series was first released on StarWars.com and later released on DVD. Following that, the videos found more success when they were released on MySpace, before being released on YouTube. Volumes Two and Three of the same tutorial series were also released on DVD in subsequent years. Matt Busch illustrates a remarque sketch of BB-8 on an art print at Star Wars Celebration in London, 2016. In 2008, Hasbro released a droid action figure named MB-RA-7, which was named after Matt Busch, based on articles he had written for Star Wars Kids magazines. Also that year, Busch became the first Honorary Member of the 501st Legion of Stormtroopers to become an official member with his own TK Stormtrooper armor. His TK number, 3477, is leet for "Matt" written sideways, and later became the year his Aladdin 3477 film trilogy would take place. Due to the series' success, Busch continued 'zombifying' classic movie posters in a series titled Hollywood is Dead, eventually collecting hundreds of the parody zombie posters into a coffee table art book. The initial Zombie Wars series later became licensed by Fright Rags as popular T shirts. Busch giving a guest lecture at Barnes & Noble in Indianapolis, 2008. Soon after, Kohl's department stores released T-shirts featuring Busch's Star Wars art.

In 2013, Busch illustrated the CD cover of the original Star Wars Radio Dramas. Based on the source material, Busch also illustrated dozens of trading cards for Topps, including special inserts for Star Wars Insider magazine. That year, Busch and Artist Lin Zy created an animated mashup parody combining Star Wars and Powerpuff Girls. The animated videos titled Power of the Force Girls went viral with millions of views on YouTube.

The following year, Busch illustrated nearly 60 images for the Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Illustrated trading cards, including a series of character cards. Busch became a staple of large Star Wars events like Star Wars Celebrations, JediCon, and Empire Con, producing exclusive limited edition prints for each show. Busch's art was featured in the 2016 Star Wars Calendar. thumb Busch's artwork at a Star Wars art show in Heilbronn, Germany (2024). leftIn 2021, Disney unveiled a new limited edition print of The Mandalorian, illustrated by Busch.

In 2023, Busch illustrated a 10th anniversary commemorative coin for the Peter Mayhew Foundation. That same year, the foundation gave a significant contribution to Busch's Aladdin 3477 kickstarter.

In 2024, to celebrate 30 years of illustrating official Star Wars art, Busch exhibited 101 drawings and paintings in the Sparkasse Pyramide Gallery in Heilbronn, Germany. That same year, Busch released a new series of tutorial videos on YouTube titled Illustrating Star Wars.

In 2025, Busch was a guest of honor in a Star Wars art show held in a medieval German castle, Schloss Hohenstein in Coberg. Later that year, Busch's work was featured in another Star Wars themed exhibition at the Siegen Art Gallery in Siegen, Germany.

One of Busch's frequent collaborators over the years is drummer Rikki Rockett from the band Poison.One of Busch's earliest projects in published comic books was illustrating Coven 13 for No Mercy Comics, which was written by Rikki Rockett, drummer of the rock band Poison. The two have worked on a number of projects together, including an animated parody series titled Toke'mon for KNAC Radio in Los Angeles. Busch also created art for Poison's concert screen animations, as well as concert merchandise like T shirts and bandanas. Rikki Rockett also wrote the introduction to Busch's first hardcover art book, Fantastic Visions: The Art of Matt Busch, from Avatar Press. John Dolmayan, drummer of the band System of a Down, wrote the introduction to Busch's art book Pucker: The Seductive Art of Matt Busch. Busch's second art book, Pucker: The Seductive Art of Matt Busch from SQP Publishing featured a written introduction from drummer John Dolmayan from the nü metal band System of a Down.

In 2008, Busch was a featured special guest at Comic-Con International in San Diego, joining Bernie Wrightson, Al Jaffe, Sergio Aragones, Jim Lee, Ray Bradbury, Joe Hill, and Dean Koontz.

In 2009, Busch illustrated Barack Obama for the cover of the DVD documentary, Becoming Barack: Evolution of a Leader. Busch also produced a video bonus feature on the DVD. left Another property Busch has often illustrated is Indiana Jones.In 2011, the Indiana Jones World Map was released, a project which Busch spent 3 years working with Lucasfilm to authorize, research and illustrate. The map details all of the locations Indiana Jones has acquired archeological treasures from the films, Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, novels, comics, video games, and Disney Theme Park attractions. Busch has co-developed apps with his brother Ian, including "Interactive Sketchbook" and "How to Draw (with Artist Matt Busch)".

Having worked behind-the-scenes for years in corporate studio film productions, Busch eventually gravitated to independent film. In 2006, his first feature-length movie, Conjure, was released straight-to-DVD; a project that he wrote, directed, starred in, and composed the music for. It was also one of the first horror films available on Netflix. The movie broke the highest pre-sale record for movies purchased through HorrorMovies.com. Busch's magnum opus is a trilogy of live action films, Aladdin 3477, which he has written and directed. In 2009, Busch released a DVD titled Illustration Nation, a documentary of travel adventures including Hollywood, London, and Tokyo.

Busch's arguably most significant work is writing and directing the trilogy of Aladdin 3477 films, based on the classic Arabian Nights tale Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp. During the production, the 2018 Hong Kong Business Awards presented Aladdin 3477 with the award for "Most Anticipated Film Project".

The first film, Aladdin 3477- I: The Jinn of Wisdom was released January 3, 2025, on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, and Fandango at Home. On January 31st, 2026, Busch attended the ceremony at the Frida Cinema in Santa Ana, California with other cast members to bring home their win for Best Independent Science Fiction Film. Matt Busch does a live demonstration on stage, drawing Darth Vader at a Star Wars art show in Germany (2024).

Matt Busch has instructed college-level courses at art schools such as the Columbus College of Art and Design and the College for Creative Studies. Currently, he is a professor of Media and Communication Arts and faculty advisor of Creative Imaging and Illustration at Macomb Community College. He teaches a range of courses including painted illustration, figure illustration, and previz storyboarding for film and animation.

Busch has also given guest lectures and panel workshops at such venues as the Animation Academy in Burbank, California, the Art Institute of Pittsburg, the Detroit Windsor International Film Festival, Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida, Macomb College's Advanced Technology and Skilled Trades Center in Warren Michigan, Schloss Hohenstien in Coberg, Germany, Sparkasse in Heilbronn, Germany, Star Wars Celebrations around the world, Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and Wizard World Conventions across the US. He later married novelist Casey McGrath in 2024 at the historic Emerald Theatre in Downtown Mount Clemens, Michigan. Busch resides in a home studio in Macomb Township, Michigan with Casey and their son, Beaux. 2019 Stranger Things Poster Artist

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Published books The Planet of the Apes RPG ANSA Sourcebook, published by Magnetic Press (2026) The Art of Aladdin 3477: The Jinn of Wisdom, published by Kaleidoscope Koi Entertainment, LLC (2025) The Star Wars Poster Book, published by Chronicle Books (2025) Aladdin 3477: Official Collector's Edition, published by Kaleidoscope Koi Entertainment, LLC (April 2023) Afterburn (1) Graphic Novel, published by Red 5 Comics (2021) Stranger Things: Visions from the Upside Down, published by Del Rey / Random House (2019) The Cyberpunk Nexus, published by Sequart (2018) The Art of Film: Star Wars – Volume 2, published by Future Publishing (2017) Star Wars – Legends: Tales from the Empire, published by Del Rey / Random House (2017) The Art of Painted Comics, published by Dynamite Entertainment (June 2016) The Art of Film: Star Wars, published by Future Publishing (2015) Hollywood is Dead, published by Planetmatt Entertainment (2014) Star Wars Art: Illustration, published by Abrams Books (October 2012) The Zombook, published by Graffito Books (2012) Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes, published by Boom Entertainment (2011)

Matt Busch's Sketchbook (Now With 90% More Bad-Ass!), published by Planetmatt Entertainment (December 2010) Star Wars: 1000 Collectibles, published by Harry N. Abrams (October 2009) The Worlds of Matt Busch, published by Hermes Press (April 2008) Gene Simmons House of Horrors, published by IDW Publishing (February 2008) Walt Disney: The American Dreamer, published by Tomart Publications (2008) You Can Draw Star Wars, published by DK Publishing (January 2007) Pucker: The Seductive Art of Matt Busch, published by SQP Publishing (September 2006) Aprodisia II – Art of the Female Form, published by Aristata Publishing (2006) Vader: The Ultimate Guide, published by Simon & Schuster (2005) Battlestar Galactica: Paradis, published by Simon & Schuster (2004) Crisis – an Illustrated Screenplay, published by Accomplished Productions (April 2002) Star Wars: Secrets of Naboo, published by Wizards of the Coast (2001) Fantastic Visions: The Art of Matt Busch, published by Avatar Press (September 2001) Battlestar Galactica: Resurrection, published by Simon & Schuster (2001) How to Draw Peanuts, published by Scholastic (1999) Star Wars Classic Adventures – Volume Four, published by West End Games (1997) Star Wars: Platt's Smugglers Guide, published by West End Games (1997) Star Wars: Instant Adventures, published by West End Games (1997) Star Wars: Tales from the Empire, Published by Bantam Books (1997) Star Wars: Alliance Intelligence Reports, published by West End Games (1995) Star Wars: Heroes & Rogues, published by West End Games (1995) Star Wars: Fantastic Technology, published by West End Games (1995) Star Wars Adventure Journal Volume 1 No.5-14, published by West End Games (1995)