Customer Reviews

The Art of Toy Story 3

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4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Length:: 0:48 Mins

It's great to be back in the world of Toy Story. It's like meeting old friends with that feeling of nostalgia.

There are 176 pages, 16 more pages that previous Pixar art books. You'll see new toys, colour scripts, storyboards, sculptures, sketches and some photographs. Some pieces of art from Toy Story 2 were also included. Many pieces of art are digitally created, which is how it's done these days. It doesn't take away anything though, the art is still good. Colour studies from Dice Tsutsumi and Robert Kondo are beautiful, just like the one on the cover. And so are all the art from other artists.

The writeup is marvelous. There so much more to read compared to previous Pixar art books. I can see Author Charles Soloman has talked to a lot of people and done some good research. The commentary is filled with lots of quotes from the staff, interesting stories and insight into Toy Story. You'll read about the legacy of Toy Story, the updates to this movie, story sequences, the characters and other details right down to how Andy's neighbour decorates his lawn.

For the most part, the commentary is really about the plot and the characters. Nuances and deliberations to every story decisions are explained. Many of the ideas translated to screen are actually from personal life experiences. This film is clearly a piece of love for everyone who worked on it and you'll feel that love and level of commitment on every page you read.

I'm pretty sure this is going to be one of Pixar's most touching film to date.

Highly recommended. It's a great book for all Pixar fans.

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(There are more pictures of the book on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)

The Art of Toy Story 3 is a top pick for any library strong in animation studies. It comes from an animation historian who explores the hurdles that faced the Pixar team as they developed the latest addition to the Toy Story series, including an introduction showcasing the story and the development of the first two films. Over 250 pieces of concept art from Toy Story 3 pack a survey filled with storyboards, color keys, reference photos and much more!

Many years after PIXAR had made its successful sequel to "Toy Story," rumors circulated high and low that a "Toy Story 3" was in the works. This film at one point was scheduled as a non-PIXAR sequel when Disney and PIXAR had a falling out, but when new leadership managed to bring PIXAR back into the company, PIXAR was able to stop the 'imposter' and resume plans for their own idea.

Charles' Solomon's look into PIXAR is a gem in that during the first pages of the book, it takes fans and readers back, to examine a little of the first two films, before the creative team delves into development of the toy's latest adventure. It is interesting seeing how times have evolved, as on one opening page, we see two color studies. One is from 1994 done in pastels, and one is from 2008 done in a digital paint program.

The book is a trove of color studies, character concepts, clay sculptures, and really gives, to me, one of the most thorough analysis of a PIXAR film in a long time. Some of the making-of books seem a bit hodge-podge, but this has an underlying narrative that gets you into the heads of those at PIXAR, as well as their latest creation.

This book is wonderfully printed and edited.
Very colorful and filled with art works, exactly what a professional artist would love to have.
Highly recommended for those who enjoyed the movie and wanted to learn more about the "behind the scene" creative work.

I am an avid "Art Of" collector, especially for the films by Pixar Animation Studios, and I have to say that next to "The Art of Finding Nemo," this is my single favorite volume. Art Director Dice Tsutsumi [...] is one of the most talented artists in film today, and his gorgeous aesthetic is presented throughout the book, beginning quite literally with the cover. In addition to the beautiful artwork, not only by Tsutsumi but also by many other talented Pixarians, the text is well worth a read. I particularly enjoy the description of the development of Andy, the owner of the classic toys from the films. Director Lee Unkrich and his team were adamant that Andy growing up be central to the plot of the film, and they took the stewardship of his character very seriously. "How do boys develop into teenagers?" is what the artists had to ask themselves. Many, many versions of Andy were put forward, and the book even includes yearly school photos of John Lasseter's son, which provided ideas for the developers. In the end, Unkrich made a choice, and it seems to have been the right one. Seeing the process leading up to that choice, however, was incredibly valuable to me.

There are color scripts, photos of maquettes, descriptions of how each location was conceived and executed, and even explanations of Michael Arndt's script-writing process. I am so happy to finally own this book, and I'd recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in animated films.

As an avid Pixar and animation fan, I collect all the "The Art of..." books on Pixar films.

This is my favourite so far. Not only does it take you through every stage of production of Toy Story 3 with generous helpings of concept art and other behind the scenes art goodies, but the book is also a mini education in putting together a Pixar grade blockbuster.

You buy these books to get the parade of great concept art, a few behind the scenes anecdotes and perhaps a bit of what was left on the cutting room floor. All wonderful, but The Art of Toy Story 3 generously gives so much more beyond those expectations.

Ordered for my daughter who really liked this book. Beautiful pictures in book and lots of interesting details about the movie.

The future of Art is digital. Inspired by Pixar's craftsmanship, I might write the first History of Art - Digital :)

The Art of Toy Story 3

Charles Solomon, an internationally respected animation historian and critic, has crafted a fantastic look at the creation of the final installment of the Toy Story trilogy. Solomon has authored several Disney-related titles and has contributed to numerous articles about animation. We have covered several of his titles at Imaginerding:

* Tale As Old As Time: The Art and Making of Beauty and the Beast
* The Disney That Never Was
* Disney Lost and Found: Exploring the Hidden Artwork From Never-Produced Animation

Charles Solomon is well-positioned to write a book about the creation of an animated film from Disney. He is one of the few authors/critics that has been allowed access to the Animation Research Library at Disney and his intimate knowledge of animation carries this book to higher levels.

The Art of Toy Story 3 is a beautiful book. Every time I read a book in the Art of... Series published by Chronicle Books, I wish that similar books had been published about all of the classic Disney films. The books in the series are beautiful and provide absolutely stunning artwork. In most cases, it is hard to distinguish whether the art or the included text is more important--both offer amazing insights into the creation of the films. This book does more than just provide artwork from Toy Story 3; it also provides a look at how the other films were created. In many cases, there are fantastic side-by-side images. Solomon was able to interview many of the artists from the previous Pixar films to discuss how the art and story have evolved.

In the age where technological prowess is often trumped over the art of the films, it is a joy to see that the roots of such a technologically advanced art form still starts with a pencil and paper. Solomon brings his view of traditional animation and applies it to the creative forces behind this computer-animated blockbuster.

Throughout the book, Solomon brings to life the struggle that the artists had when dealing with bringing well-loved and well-known characters back to the screen. The Toy Story toys are characters that we have known for the past seventeen years. Even though technology has grown, the artists still needed to make sure that the toys looked and acted the way we have come to expect them to.

When creating a believable story, the artists of an animated feature have so many more details that need to be discussed that are completely in the hands of the animators and support staff. Besides dialog and character design, you have the opportunity to create new worlds. Especially new worlds that fit seamlessly inside the Toy Story universe. There is a lot of discussion in the book about lighting, colors and the emotional responses of color; there was quite a bit of red during the dump scenes and lots of yellows, blues and greens in Bonnie's room.

The Art of Toy Story 3 is just as enchanting as the film and adds so much more depth and detail to the characters and the stories behind the film. The anecdotes that Solomon presents about the filmmakers are wonderful and will be cherished by researchers and enthusiasts for years to come.

i got the book on time but the cover was a bit deteriorated. not a big deal, but still a little bit disapointed