‘Star Wars’ artist Colin Cantwell, X-wing and Death Star designer, dies at 90

In the 'Star Wars' galaxy, Colin Cantwell designed and made prototypes for the Death Star, X-wing, TIE fighter and Imperial Star Destroyer. Photo: Handout

Colin Cantwell, who designed some of the most iconic images featured throughout the Star Wars movies, has died at age 90.

Partner Sierra Dall told The Hollywood Reporter that the artist died at his home in Colorado on May 21. A cause of death has not been released.

Cantwell’s contributions to the Star Wars galaxy included coming up with the concept art for the Death Star space station, as well as the X-wing, Star Destroyer and TIE fighter ships.

"I didn’t originally plan for the Death Star to have a trench, but when I was working with the mould, I noticed the two halves had shrunk at the point where they met across the middle,” Cantwell wrote in a 2014 "Ask Me Anything” discussion for Reddit.

Colin Cantwell, the concept artist who designed iconic 'Star Wars' spacecraft, including the X-wing Starfighter, TIE fighter and Death Star, died on May 21 at his Colorado home. Photo: Handout

"It would have taken a week of work just to fill and sand and refill this depression. So, to save me the labour, I went to George (Lucas) and suggested a trench. He liked the idea so much that it became one of the most iconic moments in the film!”

He also worked on visual effects for the 1968 classic 2001: A Space Odyssey, 1979′s Buck Rogers In The 25th Century and 1983′s War Games.

Cantwell described his efforts on 2001: A Space Odyssey during that Reddit chat as well, writing that he "worked closely with (director) Stanley Kubrick and persuaded him not to start the movie with a 20-minute conference table discussion.”

Before he got into movie-making, Cantwell worked with NASA and at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He told Reddit that his role with NASA saw him "inform the public on the first unmanned space flights.” - dpa