I've always felt the back box art for 1988 was far and away the best TF packaging art.

I remember seeing it as a kid on the back on one of the new toys and just being BLOWN away, not only by the fact that Optimus Prime was back, bigger and better than ever, but also just the level of detail and realism. Unlike any art before it, it really gave a realistic interpretation of the toys rather than looking like the toys were used as reference.

Look at all the detail in Prime's joints...the robotic details in the knees and segmented figures. He looks like an Anime mech. I also love his proportions. I was disappointed to see the actual toy a little bit afterwards; he was so stocky and "fat"...even the character art on the front of Powermaster Prime made him look like that. Not the sleek, hyper-detailed machine on the back of the box!

And the pretenders look cool too! Look at the energy waves as they come out of their shells...and notice how detailed the human AND robot faces are!

This is truly a masterpiece. I wonder who did this...I imagine it was a Japanese artist, based on the incredible mech details alone, but I could be wrong. I have no clue. Anyone know?

And anyone know who owns this amazing piece, the actual one, in the flesh? That'd be crazy if a member here actually had it!!

 

yeah I loved these especially from the headmaster years . Where did you find this ? Do they have more ? I think I want to do this on my desktop

 

Yeah, me, too. The Headmasters and Masterforce years were my favorite box art.

 

I always forget about these for some reason but whenever I see them or when they are brought up I get a warm tingle of Nostalgia. I remember as a kid making stories up in my head about who would win the fight or what would happen next. It was like my own private head cannon.

That Decepticon pretenders inner bots head is huge, he should head-but powermaster primes flimsily attached head off.

 

TF Wiki has a bit on it, but annoyingly no mane for the 1988 Powermaster art.

Package art - Transformers Wiki

Doh!

 

It's my favourite as well! It captures everything Transformers to me. I have it as a background in my NAS webinterface  

As a kid I thought Optimus had a black mohawk  
I did not know Optimus yet at that time. But I know he was the leader.

 

30 years later, and i still want a cartoon that looks like those.

 

I got it from this dude here:

Botch's Transformers Box Art Archive

He's got EVERYTHING!!


I hope when (if?) that IDW package art book comes out, this piece will be featured prominently!

 

Those pieces of artwork are just so iconic to me.

On rare occasion the original TF box artwork comes up for sale. Really wish I could own a piece of my childhood like that.

These news stories of the sales are from 2009 (includes names of some of the box artists):

Original G1 Toy Boxart Now Available on eBay - Transformers

Transformers G1 Original Packaging Box Art Up for Auction - Metroplex Transformers News Reviews Movies Comics and Toys

 

FYI that book that should have all the old G1 art in it has been delayed again. It's a regular weekly email from Amazon nowadays about it's status.

 

The hand-painted box and package art of the 80s generally is a joy to see. I like it because such art is usually clean and very natural. The digital art of today sometimes looks rushed and apparently commercialized.

 

I wish the movie designers had been inspired by the G1 box art.

 

I don't know

 

Those are classics. Some were used on lunchboxs as well. Wish they would reprint them as posters.

 

Thanks for playing.

 

I was hoping to get this signed by Jim Sorenson at AA but the latest email has it released the Tuesday after.  

That's almost as constructive as your regular visits to UK Toy Discussion.