My favorite “Art of” books
Films, games, and visual art from our culture are versatile and beautiful. The imagery we surround ourselves with can inspire and motivate us.
Collecting the “art of” books for some of my favorite media is a great way to look for insight into the artists and processes behind characters, backgrounds, concepts, environments, and styles.
Here is a list of 12 books I’d recommend getting your hands on for some artistic inspiration!
The Art of Spiderman: Into The Spiderverse
This book is a celebration of the animated story of Miles Morales, a game-changer for animation and the first movie of its kind! Anyone who likes Spiderman will love this new ode to comics and animation.
2. The Art of Adventure Time
Adventure Time, similarly, was such a ground-breaking style of animation with such heartfelt and genuine characters with such good story-telling in the show. The misadventures of Finn and Jake, along with a cast of characters that each have their own flaws and motivations, are not to be missed. The colors and linework in the show give such an explosion of visuals, it’s really fun to get to know this world of OOO.
3. The Art of Beatrix Potter
Getting to know the artist Beatrix Potter is such a wonderful, cozy time. The artful, thoughtful nature-inspired work she created has resonated with countless people. The time and effort put into her practice has set a bar for nature and environmental illustrators. I love seeing the amount of detail and linework into each and every study, and the use of watercolor and paints in subdued, controlled tones brings attention to the smallest creatures!
4. The Art of Pixar
Pixar stands alone, as you know. This book doesn’t have as much text as some of the others but is bursting with color keys and storyboards from most of the classic films like Finding Nemo, Up, the Incredibles, and all the rest!
5. The Art of an Unexpected Journey
Don’t get me wrong, I have critiques of the way these movies came into being and the choices behind them. Of the three, this one is probably the most successful one. It’s still fun to go through the art and design! The dragon is my main interest here.
6. The Art of the Desolation of Smaug
I’m including this because it is a part of the series, although I guess technically it isn’t a favorite. I’ve probably looked through it only once and costume design and props aren’t where my interest lies in most casess
7. The Art of the Battle of the Five Armies
Don’t get me started on this one either. Gotta complete the set! The orc and creature design is where I can come in, and we are not talking about this plot.
8. The Art of the Films: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Rise of the Planet of the Apes
On the other hand, this trilogy is undefeated and has absolutely mind-blowing visual effects. The characters of the apes are stunning, and the design and execution of the visuals are worth staying for. On top of that, the stories are well-written and this somber series is stand-alone in its success!
9. The Art of Frozen
There are several of the Disney films that break the mold, and Frozen was one of them. The colors and light in this movie, as shown in this book, are stunning. The way they use the snowy landscapes as a blank slate for explosions of blues, pinks, and purples is brilliantly done, and this was a favorite for a while purely because of the visuals.
10. The Art of Zootopia
Zootopia is a great world built as a city with many climates and environments for all types of animals. There are great building designs and color schemes, and that is what I love from this book.
11. The Art of Horizon Zero Dawn
There are few games I express love for, and this is one of them. The game follows a girl who is in search of her mother, and the origin of a strange object that lets her see hints that lead her to answers. The visuals of this open-world game are once again, stunning. There are robot animals that she has to defeat and that have great designs, and the landscapes are overgrown places in Colorado in the far future.
12. The Art of the Mandalorian
The Mandalorian was such a new take on the Star Wars character when it came out. This show is a concept artist’s dream, every frame is a beautiful illustration and that’s one thing that I love about it.
Bonus! There are a few books I still want to get my hands on, although the stack of books I’m collecting is starting to overwhelm my space. Here are 3 more “art of” books that would really boost the bookshelf if I ever get them off the wish list.
The Art of Spirited Away
Most of us probably know that the Ghibli films are aesthetical goldmines. The Spirited Away book looks wonderful and beautiful, showcasing all the architecture and watercolor backgrounds, as well as the myriad of characters.
2. The Art of Coco
Another beautiful Pixar film that is visually stunning. The Día de Muertos imagery is handled so respectfully and beautifully, I’d love to get my hands on this book and learn how they designed the world and city.
3. The Art of Avatar: the Way of Water
Say what you will say about these movies, the underwater imagery and creature design is what I live for. I’d love to be able to analyze the concept art and visuals from this movie.
Alright you guys! That’s all I have for now. I’ll plan another art book post eventually, with more useful practical books to apply to practicing art. Thanks for sticking around, enjoy your week and I’ll talk to you soon.