The Art of DreamWorks Animation

71xkg+X+0rLThe task of putting together a compilation album for The Art of DreamWorks Animation must have been daunting. DreamWorks Animation began in 1994, and this list of movies they have produced is both long and impressive. With thousands of images per movie to select from, what would be the criteria for their selection? DreamWorks Animation decided to give us the good stuff, giving us a peek at the mountain of concept and production art to inspire their craftsmen. It’s in the nature of movie production to review, edit, and change direction. Ranking page counts per movie, these images reflect the raw nectar of creativity pouring from the artists, both their blockbusters and not-so-great films in rough, equal billing. But the ranking really doesn’t matter, as the vitality of efforts put into each production was the same. It was a tight fit for the editors to squeeze in three or four paragraphs to detail the direction and choices made on the abundant art found in this tome. I’m stunned by some of the images in its 324 pages and find myself returning to them over and over again. It’s a lavish coffee table book that any illustrator would drool over to have at their fingertips. It makes a fine teaser to any of the thirty films DreamWorks Animation has produced.

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The Art of Mr. Peabody and Sherman

The Art of Mr. Peabody and ShermanThe Art of Mr. Peabody and Sherman,” another DreamWorks book, does a thorough job of delving into an individual movie. I was just one of the millions of children who experienced Ted Ward’s syndicated television creation. To me, as to many others, Mr. Peabody and Sherman are considered to be on hallowed ground by many cartoonists and fans. This book shows the tremendous respect taken not only in approaching the original material but also the very tender place it has in many hearts.

 

There is more to “Mr. Peabody & Sherman” than taking a 2D cartoon created in a sublimely simple style and then adapting it to 3D. Mere emulation would spell disaster. The spirit, endearing, sanguine wit, lunacy, and humor of the show had to be not only captured, but reverently enhanced. This book shows step-by-step how that was obtained. The wide selection of concept sketches and inspirational art show the high promise the full-length feature holds. You can feel the artists’ painstaking efforts in the development of the characters’ designs. The care in revealing the air and feel of each time period is lavish. I especially love the production notes and call-outs left by the artists on many images. I was honestly quite surprised and taken with the fold-out pages. If you’re looking for a lot of end stills from the final product, you won’t find too many of them in this book. “The Art of Mr. Peabody & Sherman” is dedicated to the high concept art in its production, along with detailed comments on how choices were made from that art, and why those decisions were critical. As a lifelong fan, I’m confident Mr. Peabody would be pleased with the cool, elegant sophistication of the art used in the movie’s creation. I’m looking forward to seeing it in the theater.