Aaron Archer was the lead for creative and design on Transformers during the Armada / Energon / Cybertron era – eventually working his way to Vice President of Desgin, Creative and IP Development for Boys Toys at Hasbro through the first Transformers Movies. He has since left the company but is still working freelance and developing original projects. Recently on his Instagram account he’s been doing and sharing original sketches of characters he’s had a hand in – and some of those pieces are Transformers related. A lot of cool artwork, with his thoughts and comments on each, are available. He’s also been sharing his process via the stories feature.
We’ve collected some of the artwork here – we encourage everyone to go check them out along with his mini QnA on each post and of course give him a follow!
Chaos Muffin
Armada was a blast, am still waiting for a Scavenger with legs. Cyclonus and Demolisher updates would also be cool.
Music
I'm going to echo everyone's opinion here that we need to go in this direction again for the next toyline and media tie-in. I love me some dramatic beefy Transformers designs of the UT days.
Necromaster
All of his Armada drawings are fantastic, but Thrust's has to be my favorite. Armada Thrust has one of my favorite designs from that entire series, and Aaron draws him with a slick, streamlined head and turns his thrusters into flamethrowers while giving him actual hands. And on that topic, that fire. He's got a real knack for color, and I think that's one of his art's greatest strengths.
bearytrek
it is definitely riffing off of Snowjob's card
Thundershot
I would looooove for the next toy Trilogy to be AEC… I’ve always loved the designs that unfortunately didn’t always translate to great toys. Use today’s standards and cut the intrusive gimmicks and we’d have a great three years of toys. 2022 is the Armada 20th anniversary…..
User_124141
Same, though the chance of that happening any time soon is very very slim, maybe once Generations reaches the Unicron Trilogy a game will be released, but until then, Certain Affinity's game may have skin packs to bring that Armada game feel once it releases.
Shizuka
I'd love an open-world remake of the Armada game with each location being more expansive. You could designate as pot to set up a base and use that as a hub to go out and find more Minions. The roster would be bigger too, and of course you could play as Deceptions. Large levels would mean Mini-Cons can give ground-based characters the means to explore, and would make air-based characters a reason to exist, like to find a Mini-Con on Mt Everest. The premise has so much potential.
Hotshotprime43
I miss the Unicron Trilogy desgins so much there is just something unique about them that says \"We are not a complete G1 ripoff but you still know we are Transformers when looking at us\" They are just different enough from G1 desgins where it is able to stand out but not too far out there where you do not knw what your looking at.
GALVATOM
I had to search Lancross but I see what you guys are talking about now.
This reminds me, we can put Studio Series DOTM Megatron's cowl on Armada Scavenger!
I thought it looks like Unicron's corruption. Notice the tiny creepy face where that sliding faction symbol is on Megatron's chest?
[Wing_Saber-X]
Wow, dynamic and very expressive artwork by Mr. Archer! Any of these can be bought as prints to be hanged as decorative pieces?!
Aluinashryu
These are so cool. And exhibit so many design elements we don't really get right now in TF fiction. The silhouettes of Armada Megs, Demolishor and Cyclonus in particular I find very distinctive.
Makes me wanna watch Armada again too haha
weevil
nice arts!
D0nut
I was going to say Marvel UK but I think G2 is closer now that I think about it
samisham
They basically just need whatever combination system you give the Energon Autobots and then some bigger CW ports and there you go. Or you can take it like G1 Liokaiser (Liokaiser also needs a titan imho) and make them incompatible with others but have a unique and more victory anime accurate combination system. Plus the Autobots will finally have a combiner to stand up to Devastator and Predaking.
Magnum Dongus
What the hell is going on with that Megatron? It's so fucking awesome!!!
Mizzinno
Any day Sharkticon gets love is a good day.
SPLIT LIP
I like the way you think.
The thing with Lancross is by nature of the design you basically are just designing the same toy six times and changing the way it looks, so they only really need to work out a solid robot to vehicle transformation that also allows for the half-and-half combination and you're set. Once you cross that hurdle all you need to do is combine them all and since Landcross combination/combined form isn't that complex or scramble-city style it'd totally be possible.
Acid Wing
Agreed. Cool treat down memory lane. Hope some of these molds show up in WFC Trilogy or whatever HasTak has planned.
Paxtin
Some of these have kinda got a G2 comic art vibe going on.
samisham
Such good stuff I'm hoping we get some more UT once new BW wraps up. They could do the Energon Autobots well now. Give us a titan Landcross with Energon star ports while you're at it.