Four New Pixar Art Books Coming Soon

Photo credit: Pixar Post

Since 2001's Monsters, Inc., every Pixar feature film release has been accompanied by an art book that offers an in-depth look at the sketches, paintings and storyboards that went into making the film. These books give fans a chance to go behind the scenes of the production of a Pixar film and allow them to enjoy artwork which would otherwise go unappreciated.

Fans will be pleased to hear that Pixar and Chronicle Books are going all-out this year, releasing not one, not two, but four new art books inspired by Pixar films, not counting the recently released Art of Inside Out book.

Of course, The Good Dinosaur will be getting the traditional art book treatment, but the short that will play in theaters before the film, Sanjay's Super Team, will also have an entire book dedicated to its artwork. This is significant since it will mark the first time that a Pixar short gets an art book all to itself. Previously, Chronicle Books published The Art of Pixar Short Films, which featured artwork spanning the entire library of Pixar short films at the time. Sanjay's Super Team must be quite unique visually to merit its own book.

Chronicle Books released the following official descriptions of the books:

The Art of The Good Dinosaur

(November 4, 2015; foreword by John Lasseter, introduction by Pete Sohn)

"What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and dinosaurs never became extinct? The Good Dinosaur expands on that premise in a humorous and exciting original story about Arlo, a lively Apatosaurus with a big heart. Showcasing the stunning artwork from the film’s creation—including sketches, storyboards, maquette sculpts, colorscripts, and much more—The Art of The Good Dinosaur offers the ultimate behind-the-scenes look at the research and design that went into the making of this innovative film."

The Art of Sanjay's Super Team

(December 2015; by Sanjay Patel, foreword by John Lasseter)

"In the new short film from Pixar Animation Studios, Sanjay’s Super Team, accomplished artist Sanjay Patel uses his own experience to tell the story of a young, 1st generation Indian boy whose love for western pop culture comes into conflict with his father’s traditions. This art-filled peek behind the curtain of this groundbreaking film is sure to excite Sanjay’s legion of fans, and thrill animation lovers around the world."

Additionally, this fall Chronicle Books will publish Funny! Twenty-Five Years of Laughter from the Pixar Story Room and The Animator's Sketchbook. These new books differ from most Pixar art books in that they will include artwork from all of Pixar's existing works, rather than being specific to one film. Funny! will focus on the trademark visual gags and humor of the studio's films, featuring gags which may have not made it into the finished films. Aspiring artists, filmmakers, and animators will definitely want to pick up a copy of The Animator's Sketchbook, which delves into the intricate process of crafting an animated film.

Check out the books' official descriptions:

Funny! Twenty-Five Years of Laughter from the Pixar Story Room

(November 17, 2015; foreword by John Lasseter, introduction by Jason Katz)

"From Toy Story to The Good Dinosaur, some of the most iconic and hilarious moments in Pixar’s films were first conceived by the artists featured in this book. But there are hundreds of gags that don’t make it past the cutting room floor, like Mater as a ninja and Sadness wearing mom jeans. Funny! explores this material in depth, showcasing classic moments from all of Pixar’s films to date, plus never-before-published illustrations and doodles from the Pixar archives. With an introduction by veteran story man Jason Katz, this book is a must-have for any Pixar fan."

The Animator's Sketchbook

(September 8, 2015)

"Creating an animated film takes a lot of work, from the texture of a character’s hair to the shot sequence of a high-speed car chase. This Pixar-branded sketchbook provides a single volume in which to record the incredible journey of the making of an animated film. It covers the full preproduction process with discrete sections for Concept, Color, Story, Characters, and Worlds. Each section includes an introduction, a handful of inspiring quotes from some of the best artists working at Pixar, and a few key examples of related art. Useful and inspiring, this journal provides a structured space for aspiring filmmakers to workshop their ideas through all phases of development."

These ought to keep Pixar fans busy for a while! All of the new books sans The Art of Sanjay's Super Team are available on Amazon for pre-order, if you'd like to guarantee any copies in advance. 

First Look at 'The Art of Inside Out'

During the making of every Pixar film, artists at the studio create hundreds and hundreds of pieces of artwork, many of which are never seen by the public. The good news is that for every Pixar film comes a whole book dedicated entirely to the artwork that went into the creation of the film, so that we, the fans, can enjoy it.

The cover artwork for The Art of Inside Out has been revealed via Amazon , where the book is now available for pre-order. This may very well be the book's finalized cover, but keep in mind that Pixar art books often bear temporary placeholder covers when they first show up online.

The official description for the book:

"The Art of Inside Out provides an exclusive look into the artistic exploration that went into the making of this vibrant film. Featuring concept art—including sketches, collages, color scripts, and much more—and opening with a foreword by actress Amy Poehler and introduction by the film’s writer and director Pete Docter, this is the ultimate behind-the-scenes experience of the making of this landmark film."

Set inside the vast world of the human mind, Inside Out promises to be one of Pixar's most inventive and out-there films yet. The film's 176-page art book will be a thing to marvel at, no doubt.

The Art of Inside Out arrives May 26, just in time for the movie's release!

La Luna Storybook Coming Soon!

Enrico Casarosa's advance copy of the book. Look at that beautiful cover!

"Hey lookeeee an advance copy of the La Luna book!!! Yay! Looks great, nice job on the gloss cover! :)"

"Read the La Luna book to my daughter tonight. She was so happy that the book has her name on it. It's dedicated to my dad, grandpa and her."

These are some of the things that La Luna director Enrico Casarosa has lately been tweeting about an upcoming storybook based on the latest Pixar short film, in theaters June 22 with Brave.

The book is written and illustrated in gorgeous watercolors by the director himself, Enrico Casarosa, however, he said on Twitter that the text is written by "the amazing Kiki Thorpe".

Here is the official description from Amazon:

"La Luna" is the timeless fable of a young boy who is coming of age in the most peculiar of circumstances. Tonight is the very first time his Papa and Grandpa are taking him to work. In an old wooden boat they row far out to sea, and with no land in sight, they stop and wait. A big surprise is in store for the little boy as he discovers his family's most unusual line of work. Should he follow the example of his Papa, or his Grandpa? Or will he be able to find his own way? This charming picture book is filled with incredible illustrations, and its unique story based on the Disney*Pixar short film is sure to delight.

You can pre-order here.

The book will be out in May, a month before the actual short makes its theatrical debut alongside Brave!

'The Art of Brave' Now Available for Pre-Order

With every Pixar film comes a fabulous book that gives you an inside scoop into the making of that particular movie. These popular books, known as the 'Art of'' books, display original concepts, storyboards, colorscripts, interviews with the film makers, and obviously, art.

The Art of Brave is now listed on Amazon, and you are able to pre-order the book, which arrives in bookstores in June.

The official description has also been posted:

Brave is Pixar’s first fairy tale, a lush, animated adventure through the forests, heaths, and highlands of medieval Scotland. Featuring behind-the-scenes interviews with the film’s many artists, The Art of Brave also showcases the gorgeous concept art that went into the creation of the movie, including colour scripts, storyboards, character studies, environment art, sculpts, and more.

The cover art currently displayed is subject to change; whenever these books are posted for pre-order, the cover is always changed to a more appealing design later on. However, I do quite like this cover.

The book is written by Jenny Lerew, with a preface from Chief John Lasseter, and a foreword from directors Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman.

Pre-order now, or wait until June, but you'll want to get ahold of this book sooner of later!

Pixar Book Talk!

Books. What would we do without them? They educate us, entertain us, and help us discover new things. There's been a whole lot of news about Pixar-related books lately.

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First of all, Steve Jobs' authorized biography came out on Monday! I haven't had the chance to see it just yet, but I plan on at least obtaining it from the public library, if not buying it,  sometime soon. The bio, entitled simply Steve Jobs and written by Walter Isaacson, tells the story of Jobs' brilliant and inspirational life; how he co-founded Apple, how he helped bring them back to the top, how he invented the contraptions we know today as the iPad and iPhone, and, what he is best known for by animation fans around the globe, how he helped bring Pixar to life. Steve Jobs is available now, and I would not miss out on this good read.

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Also, we have another one of the popular "Art of" books coming up next month, but this time, it's not focusing on just the latest Pixar release, it's focusing on all their films so far, from Toy Story all the way to Cars 2. It even includes the majority of their short films--including the upcoming La Luna. So, naturally, this new book is called, The Art of Pixar. It's being released this year to celebrate Pixar's 25th anniversary.

One of the unique aspects of The Art of Pixar is how only nine of its 320 pages contain text (not counting captions of the pictures and artwork throughout the book, of course). This book is all about the art, or, more specifically, a type of art form which Pixar uses to perfect all their features and shorts. It is called, the color script. Also, it will include a foreword by Pixar honcho John Lasseter!

The Art of Pixar will have all the color scripts for all of Pixar's feature films and most of their short films, and it will be available on November 2! You can pre-order and read the official description of the book here.

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Lastly, another "Art of" book was just announced. No, it's not The Art of Brave (although we are likely to hear about that in a few months or so), but it is The Toy Story Films: An Animated Journey, or in other words, "The Art of all 3 Toy Story movies". Amazon.com has listed it as a 192-page book, hardcover, which will be available on August 7, 2012. As the name suggests, it will be a retelling of the making of the beloved Toy Story franchise, and will include concept art from Toy Story, Toy Story 2, and of course, Toy Story 3, as well as interviews with the filmmakers! Don't forget to check out the official description here.

If you are an avid Pixar and Toy Story fan, this book sounds like something you probably won't want to miss out on.

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Were you looking for a good book to read or one to look forward to? Well then, hopefully this blog post gave you some ideas.

New Official 'Art of Cars 2' Cover

A few months ago, The Art of Cars 2 appeared on Amazon for pre-order, with temporary cover art. Yesterday, the official cover for the upcoming book was released, and I must say, it looks AWESOME! I already own The Art of Up and The Art of Toy Story 3, so I will definitely be getting this one! If you are not familiar with these 'Art of...' books, they are basically summaries on how a specific Pixar film was made, what research had to be done to make it, and of course, the books include tons of wonderful artwork by the talented artists at Pixar. I highly recommend these books, as they are very interesting to read, and tell you how a Pixar film is made, from start to finish.

The Art of Cars 2, hardcover and 160 pages long, will be written by Ben Queen (with Karen Paik), with a foreword by director John Lasseter. You can pre-order it on Chronicle Books or Amazon.

Do you read the 'Art of...' books? Will you be getting The Art of Cars 2?

Disney and Marvel Present...The "Disney•Pixar Presents"

Disney bought Marvel back in 2009, so now Marvel Comics will be releasing a brand new monthly magazine entitled the 'Disney•Pixar Presents'! The magazine will feature characters from some of Pixar's films including Toy Story, Cars, and The Incredibles, and is aimed at readers of all ages.

The Disney•Pixar Presents will first issue this May. This first issue of the magazine will use the characters from Cars and will be called Cars Magazine #1. It will be written by Alan J. Porter and Mark Cooper, and 'penciled' by Allen Gladfelter, Travis Hill, and Magic Eye Studios. Read the press release for the first comic strip below:

Rev up those engines and join your favorite characters from CARS in DISNEY•PIXAR PRESENTS: Cars Magazine #1 as Lightning McQueen organizes a charity race for young cars with special needs, but he didn’t invite Piston Cup champion Chick Hicks. The snub gets Hick’s competitive juices flowing, and he’s out to show McQueen a thing or two about racing! Will Hicks ruin the good nature of the Radiator Springs Rally Race? Find out this May everywhere books and comics are sold.

The Disney•Pixar Presents will regurgitate some of the material used in Pixar's BOOM! comics which will be replaced by Marvel's Pixar comics. Some of the people who worked on the Pixar BOOM! comics are being brought in to work on Marvel's 'Presents'.

Read this official description, taken directly from the Marvel website:

Marvel and Disney Publishing will debut DISNEY•PIXAR PRESENTS, a new monthly magazine featuring some of the most popular characters from the acclaimed Disney/Pixar films. Intended for readers of all ages and priced at $5.99, the first issue will hit stores in May 2011.

Each issue of the magazine contains 96 full color pages of content, including a mix of brand new stories, classic adventures, puzzles, games and more. Featuring characters from Disney/Pixar’s hit movies Cars, Cars 2, The Incredibles, Toy Story 3, and more, DISNEY•PIXAR PRESENTS will be available at bookstores, retail chains, comic stores and more. The series debuts with DISNEY•PIXAR PRESENTS: Cars Magazine #1

“We’re excited for the launch of DISNEY•PIXAR PRESENTS, teaming with our friends at Disney/Pixar to bring some exciting new material to fans all over the world and introducing a whole new generation to comics,” said Axel Alonso, Marvel Editor-in-Chief. “We’re committed to providing a great product and ensuring these books are available in locations that parents and kids frequent. The Disney/Pixar library includes some of the most popular characters of all time, making DISNEY•PIXAR PRESENTS exactly the kind of comic magazine that kids and parents have been demanding!”

You can hope to get your hands on this awesome magazine when it first issues this May!

The Art of Cars 2 Now Available for Pre-Order

Today sees the announcement of The Art of Cars 2 book now available for pre-order on sites like Amazon and Chronicle Books. A few months ago I remember getting my copy of The Art of Toy Story 3 in the mail, so now I'll probably be patiently awaiting a copy of this new book, featuring beautiful art from the upcoming film.

The Art of Cars 2 will be written by Karen Paik and Ben Queen, and a foreword or preface by director John Lasseter is expected. Chronicle says after May 18, 2010 for a release date, but Amazon says around June 1. As all of Pixar's 'Art of' books, The Art of Cars 2 will tell about the making of the animated film, and a lot of the marvelous artwork by the brilliant minds at Pixar will be contained in the books as well.

I love reading these books about how Pixar's masterpieces are created. They are very well written, and are very interesting to read. So if you like Pixar and love to read like me, I recommend you consider getting this book, as I think you will enjoy it as much as me.

So will you be getting this book? Does it interest you?

The New "Day & Night" Picture Book

Recently, a picture book based on Teddy Newton's spectacular short film, Day & Night, was released by Chronicle Books. This hardcover book contains the story of the short film in 40 pages filled with fun little illustrations in every page, along with a sentence or two for each page. This book tells the story of Day & Night in a very special and unique way. This book is aimed at children but that doesn't have to stop you from enjoying Day & Night in this fun way! I suggest you do buy it whenever you see it at your local book store! Also, check out this video here about the all-new picture book. Teddy Newton has done an incredible job both creating this book, and the fantastic short film of the same name.

TS3 Books Arrive!

A few days ago I ordered the books "The Art of Toy Story 3" and "Toy Story 3: The Essential Guide" through the Internet. Today they arrived through the mail!! I have to say, these books are really amazing. They are the best books about Toy Story 3. "The Art of Toy Story 3" talks a lot about how they made the movie and the inspiration for it. I haven't been able to stop reading it! "Toy Story 3: The Essential Guide" includes profiles on characters and talks about the different settings in the film. Be sure to check out these two great books at your local bookstore!

"Toy Story 3: The Essential Guide" Arrives in Bookstores

This book, "Toy Story 3: The Essential Guide", has now made its way to local bookstores. I saw it yesterday at a nearby bookstore and flipped through the pages. I didn't want to read too much because it might give away the surprise of the movie. This book is a detailed guide to everything in TS3, such as the characters, the places where the toys go, and so forth. I didn't buy it yesterday, but I plan on buying it soon, along with "The Art of Toy Story 3" ,another book about the film. Details can be seen here.