Customer Reviews

Kiddography: The Art and Life of Tom Kidd

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's always a pleasure when an artist whose work you have been admiring for years finally has a book collecting a wide selection of this work published. It is even better when the accompanying narration is engaging. Such is the case with "Kiddography: The Art and Life of Tom Kidd." In this book we are treated to twenty-five years of the artist's professional artwork, and fifty years of his insightful and often humorous autobiography.

From the many wonderful cover illustrations to the multiple masterful illustrations done for "The War of the Worlds" and "The Three Musketeers", to his conceptual work of "Treasure Planet" for Disney, and to the breathtaking vistas of his epic "Gnemo" project, the art of Tom Kidd, alias Gnemo, alias Newell Convers, can be mistaken for no other. Rich in detail, his colorful palate and intricate compositions are a visual delight. I can't look at "Windsor McCay City" or "Krenkelplatz" without wishing I was viewing them from the observation deck of his "HMAS Wyeth."

As satisfying as the artwork is (and it's easily enough to recommend the book) Tom makes the package even more worthwhile with his narration and commentary. The processes he describes for illustrating "The War of the Worlds" and "The Three Musketeers are fascinating, and his personal history and anecdotes (such as the paranoid art director who would rather shoot Tom than return his paintings) serve to further enhance "Kiddography: The Art and Life of Tom Kidd."

I have long enjoyed the works of Tom Kidd and Gnemo, but this collection really takes the cake. Not only are there many gorgeous works from throughout his career, but you really get to know the man himself. Usually something this intimate leaves me feeling like a voyeur, but Kidd's breezy, honest, positive style leaves me wanting to know more, much more! Although the book is very well put together and the colors are wonderful, I hope there are more books to come- I would LOVE to see this in a larger format- the paintings are so detailed.

When it comes to illustrative art, there are no finer examples than what appear between the pages of this book. You'll find that Tom Kidd's work is both beautiful and imaginative. The writing is also witty and humorous so was very entertaining to read. This book was a long time in coming but was worth the wait. Hopefully Gnemo will be just around the corner.

Tom Kidd's art is really something special. He has his own unique vision that goes beyond a style and becomes more of a philosophical statement. He put a great deal of thought into the writing, which typically in "art" books, this is not the reason one would buy the book. But this is an added bonus that I can only say makes it worth the price of admission on it's own. A long deserved book!

Tom Kidd is going to be a monster in the years to come, this just a precursor of amazing work, buy this book before it's gone.