The Art of Disney·Pixar's Soul Book

Wow, it's almost been four years since the release of Pixar's Soul and over four years since the release of  this beautiful companion book to the film hit shelves—The Art of Disney·Pixar's Soul by Chronicle Books! The photos featured in this post were taken way back then, over four years ago (they've just been sitting on my desktop), so it's about time I get this thing documented here on the blog. While I don't have the time these days for a full, detailed review like I used to do, I did want to share it here as part of my ever-expanding collection of Pixar "Art of" books! I will say, if you're a Pixar fan (especially if you really enjoy Soul) and/or a fan of animation in general, this book hits all the right notes. It's absolutely worth picking up—like these "Art of" always are!

D23 Expo 2022 Exclusive Elemental Poster

One of my favorite exclusive freebies I got while attending the 2022 D23 Expo a couple of weeks back is this Elemental (Pixar's 2023 theatrical film) poster that was given to everyone who was at the Studio Showcase Day 1 Panel ("Celebrate the Magic of Disney and Pixar")! I absolutely adore the look of this film so far and I love how the concept art featured here on this print is pretty minimalist, yet still so stunning and imaginative. I wonder who it's by? The poster is pretty big, measuring 18.5" x 27 in size.

The same art was also on a big promo wall at the Pixar booth there at the expo, seen below.

And here's a quick video, just so you can get a sense of the sheen that was added to certain areas of the print. So great. Let me know what you think down below and I'll catch you all in my next post!

D23 Expo 2022 Exclusive Elemental Concept Art Print

Pro tip: At the D23 Expo Pixar booth—no matter what year you attend—they're always giving out fun, exclusive freebies there to take home. Some are easy to get, some are more spontaneous giveaways you kind of just have to be in the right place at the right time for. The later was the case regarding this Elemental concept art print that was being handed out on the last night of the expo! I just happened to be standing near the Pixar booth when I saw the Pixar folks starting to give these prints away and I could tell they had a very small amount of them to hand out...SO you know I ran right over and got one and it happened to be one of the very last ones! It's those kinds of little magical moments that make going to the expo worth it for me.

Elemental, Pixar's next film, hits theaters June 16th, 2023. What are your thoughts on the film? Based on what was shown at the D23 Expo 2022 and the beautiful concept art revealed (like what's featured here in this print), I'm incredibly excited. It sure has the potential to be another classic!

D23 Expo 2022 Exclusive 100 Years of Disney Magic Print (by Artist Eric Tan)

Here's something I grabbed at this year's D23 Expo last week! I absolutely love all the characters, references and hidden details included in this D23 Expo 2022 exclusive art (given out to D23 Gold Members for free) celebrating 100 years of Disney magic. The artist behind this print, Eric Tan, did an absolutely phenomenal job and I know the task he was given to do this was no small feat. I’ve looked at this a lot and I’m still noticing new things—so impressive! What’s your favorite detail?

*The print is 13x19 in size for anyone wondering.*

Ratatouille Postcard (Artwork by Joey Chou)

Bon appétit! From one of my favorite artists, the brilliantly talented Joey Chou, comes this Disney·Pixar Ratatouille inspired print titled, well, "Ratatouille"! This gorgeous artwork was released this past January/February at the 2021 Epcot International Festival of the Arts and follows Chou's previous eight Pixar creations which include: The Good Dinosaur (see HERE & HERE), Finding Dory, Up, Cars, The Incredibles, Coco and Monsters Inc. I would absolutely love to see every Pixar film in Chou's portfolio someday. He's well on his way at this point!

This is, per usual, the standard 4x5 postcard size I always collect (the best value for this art, retailing at only $5.99—also great if you don't have much wall space), but it's also available as a Deluxe size 14x18 matted print and a 18x24 Canvas Wrap.

 

I'll be reiterating what I said in my previous post since it honestly all applies here. Chou's style is incredibly adorable and instantly identifiable once you know it. It's a unique balance of minimal designs, bright/soft colors and simple shapes/sharp lines. I couldn't even begin to pick a favorite piece he's done, but this one is up there now for sure; especially given Ratatouille is one of my all-time favorite Pixar films! I know I basically say that every time, but he just keeps topping himself. Just WOW. It's all perfection—vibrant, masterfully composed and cute as can be. It really captures the magic, heart and charm of the film with a touch of whimsy.
 

At this point, this can most likely still be found at the Disney Springs (or Downtown Disney in CA) Wondeground Gallery shop. If you're interested in this for your collection but can't make it there, your best bet tracking it down would be checking out current eBay listings HERE (that's what I had to do—I ended up paying around $15 for it).

 

Note: I also wanted to mention that there are two Pixar limited edition Joey Chou prints (seen below) that I don't have as they were not released at Disney and were never available in this convenient postcard size—a Wall·E one and an Inside Out one. Both are absolutely brilliant and I really hope to add them to my collection one day! 

I can't wait to see what else Chou creates throughout the year. What film would you love to see him tackle next?  Whatever it might be, consider it purchased. Find out more about Joey Chou and his art on his Tumblr, blog, and Facebook page. If you like what you see, give him a follow on Instagram and Twitter as well! He's an awesome guy.

 

Be sure to let me know all your thoughts in comment section below. Stay tuned to more from my Pixar collection right here daily!

 

Follow me on Instagram @danthepixarfan

Monsters Inc. Postcard (Artwork by Joey Chou)

Calling all Monsters fans—From one of my favorite artists, the brilliantly talented Joey Chou, comes this Disney·Pixar Monsters Inc. inspired print titled, well, "Monster Inc"! This gorgeous artwork was released this past January/February at the 2021 Epcot International Festival of the Arts and follows Chou's previous seven Pixar creations which include: The Good Dinosaur (see HERE & HERE), Finding Dory, Up, Cars, The Incredibles and Coco. I would absolutely love to see every Pixar film in Chou's portfolio someday. By the way, spoiler alert, I'll also be posting on his brand new 2021 Ratatouille piece soon as well.

This is, per usual, the standard 4x5 postcard size I always collect (the best value for this art, retailing at only $5.99—also great if you don't have much wall space), but it's also available as a Deluxe size 14x18 matted print and a 18x24 Canvas Wrap.

 

Chou's style is incredibly adorable and instantly identifiable once you know it. It's a unique balance of minimal designs, bright/soft colors and simple shapes/sharp lines. I couldn't even begin to pick a favorite piece he's done, but this one is up there now for sure; especially given Monsters, Inc. is in my top 3 Pixar films! I know I basically say that every time, but he just keeps topping himself. Just WOW. It's all perfection—vibrant, masterfully composed and cute as can be. It really captures the magic, heart and emotion of the film's final moments. So iconic.
 

At this point, this can most likely still be found at the Disney Springs (or Downtown Disney in CA) Wondeground Gallery shop. If you're interested in this for your collection but can't make it there, your best bet tracking it down would be checking out current eBay listings HERE (that's what I had to do—I ended up paying around $15 for it).

 

Note: I also wanted to mention that there are two Pixar limited edition Joey Chou prints (seen below) that I don't have as they were not released at Disney and were never available in this convenient postcard size—a Wall·E one and an Inside Out one. Both are absolutely brilliant and I really hope to add them to my collection one day! 

 

I can't wait to see what else Chou creates throughout the year. What film would you love to see him tackle next?  Whatever it might be, consider it purchased. Find out more about Joey Chou and his art on his Tumblr, blog, and Facebook page. If you like what you see, give him a follow on Instagram and Twitter as well! He's an awesome guy.

 

Be sure to let me know all your thoughts in comment section below. Stay tuned to more from my Pixar collection right here daily!

"Toy Story" Print by Artist Dave Perillo (LE 125—Officially licensed by ArtLand Publishing & Disney)

On December 6th, 2019, this absolutely TOY-riffic officially licensed Toy Story inspired print by Dave Perillo was released through Eyeland Prints UK! It was love at first sight, so I went ahead and put it right on my Christmas list. My parents came through and hooked me up! This is the "foil edition" print (printed on foil paper; hand-numbered limited edition 125), but there was also a standard edition print released that same day as well (hand-numbered limited edition 35). Both versions of the print are 18" x 24" in size and retailed for £40.00 GBP (about $50.00 USD). I was thrilled to have gotten this finally framed recently and was really excited to share it here with you all. Now I just need to find the perfect wall space.

Perillo's instantly recognizable, clean, minimal style is here in full force. I absolutely love what he did with the designs and colors—squeezing in a ton of iconic Toy Story characters from all four films into his signature colorful squares—with the Toy Story ball and Buzz and Woody front and center! It's absolutely brilliant and I cannot say enough good things. My LE number is 26/125. 

Dave Perillo is one of my favorite pop culture artists out there. He has tons of amazing officially licensed Disney and Pixar art that you need to check out if you haven't already! To see more of his work, you can check out his portfolio on his official website. If you like what you see, be sure to hit him up on Instagram and Twitter as well.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Toy Story Concept Art by Ralph Eggleston (From "The Art of Pixar: 100 Collectible Postcards" Set)

Similarly to what I did a few weeks ago, tonight I just wanted to quickly share some more of my personal favorite art found in the "The Art of Pixar: 100 Collectible Postcards" Volume 1 boxed set—this time Toy Story! While these aren't new items of mine, I've never highlighted these specific postcards individually before. I was looking through the sets recently, as I do every now and then, and was reminded of this absolutely amazing concept art by the studio's own [the legendary] Ralph Eggleston (art director for Toy Story)! The art, featuring Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Hamm, Bo Peep, Slinky, Lenny, Rex and Mr. Potato Head, was just too amazing not to share with you all.

So were these concept designs for Andy's drawings, the ones on the wall in his bedroom? I'm not exactly sure what they were originally made/intended for, but that's my best guess since it fits that crayon-drawn style. The size of each postcard is unique (about 5 3/4" x 4"), so it's kind of hard to find little frames that size. I've always wanted to frame these for my desk, but it just hasn't happened yet. I really wish they were also available as larger prints so I could hang it on my office wall!

Anyway, that's everything for tonight. Just something short and sweet. If you're interested in adding either of the "Art of Pixar" postcard boxed sets to your collection (they're a great price by the way; total must-haves), you can make your purchase using the Amazon affiliate links below. Let me know your thoughts down in the comments!

Coco: "Miguel and Dante" Postcard (Artwork by Joey Chou)

Hola mis amigos! From one of my favorite artists, the talented Joey Chou, comes this Disney·Pixar Coco inspired print titled "Miguel and Dante"! This gorgeous artwork was released this past February for the 2020 Epcot International Festival of the Arts and follows Chou's previous six Pixar creations which include: The Good Dinosaur (see HERE & HERE), Finding Dory, Up, Cars and The Incredibles. I would absolutely love to see every Pixar film in Chou's portfolio someday.

This is, per usual, the standard 4x5 postcard size I always collect (the best value for this art, retailing at only $5.99—also great if you don't have much wall space), but it's also available as a Deluxe size 14x18 matted print and a 18x24 Canvas Wrap.

Chou's style is incredibly adorable. It's a unique balance of minimal designs, bright/soft colors and simple shapes/sharp lines. I couldn't begin to pick a favorite of his, but this one is up there now for sure! It just may be his most detailed yet. I know I've said that before, but he just keeps topping himself. Just WOW. The marigold bridge, the candles, the beads, the picado banner, Miguel, Dante and Pepita...it's all perfection—vibrant, masterfully composed (that depth is stunning) and cute as can be. It really captures the magic and heart of the film.

Before the shutdown, this could be found at the Disney Springs (or Downtown Disney in CA) Wondeground Gallery shop. At this point, if you're interested in this for your collection, your best bet tracking it down would be checking out current eBay listings HERE.

I can't wait to see what else Chou creates throughout the year! What film would you love to see him tackle next?  Whatever it might be, consider it purchased. Find out more about Joey Chou and his art on his Tumblr, blog, and Facebook page. If you like what you see, give him a follow on Instagram and Twitter as well! He's an awesome guy.

Follow me on Instagram @danthepixarfan

Be sure to let me know all your thoughts in comment section below. Stay tuned to more from my Pixar collection right here daily!

The Art of Onward Book Review

If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times— I LOVE the Pixar "Art of" books from Chronicle Books Publishing! I seriously look forward to these releases every year with each new Pixar film. Lucky for all of us fans, we get two this year in the span of just a couple months (since Soul is just around the corner). Today I'll be giving you my full review and exclusive peek inside The Art of Onward! I'll tell you right now, this thing is stunning. 

First of all, if you're by chance not familiar with this series, these books (which, for Pixar, began in 2001 with The Art of Monsters Inc.) are essentially the definitive source for all officially released Pixar concept art and "making of" content (storyboards, colors scripts, lighting studies, character/environment layouts, pencil sketches, digital renderings, research photographs, deleted scenes/concepts, gags and so much more— as well as a sprinkling of quotes, stories and insights from the creators); an amazing look into the creative process and development from the team of artists at Pixar!

Note: There are also "Art of" books for films from other studios as well, including Lucasfilm, Disney Animation, Dreamworks and more.

The front and back covers feature a taste of the vibrant art you'll find within these pages. Really gorgeous stuff. That art on the back with the pink/blue starry sky though...just WOW! I've only seen the film once, but I don't think I remember a moment like that. That would have been incredible to see on screen. I enjoy seeing unused concepts like this, but it also bums me out a little sometimes to see great moments or hilarious gags that could have been.

As usual, remove the slipcover to reveal the sturdy hardcover book itself and, in this case, an embossed Onward  "Q" (seen on Barley's shirt and Wilden's hat; I imagine it stands for quest as it's similar to the "Quests of Yore" Q). Loving the deep royal blue this time around. 

Now we'll open things up to give you an exclusive peek at some of the opening pages! How clever that the endpapers are the pattern of Wilden Lightfoot's signature purple striped socks? What a fun detail!

There is no foreword this time, but the introduction was written by the director of the film, Dan Scanlon, who shares the inspiration behind this deeply personal film about loss, brotherhood and the journey of self-discovery. He even shares some Scanlon family photos of him and his brother Bill when they were little and them with their father before he passed.

The rest of the book is written by Drew Taylor and edited by Molly Jones & Jenny Moussa Spring. The whole team did a wonderful job here. You really get a sense of all the love that was put into this.

Every "Art of" book is organized a little differently. I really like how this book is broken down! Check out the full contents below.

Throughout this book, there's just the right amount of text (it doesn't get overwhelming like some previous releases, but not too minimal like others) and hundreds of pieces of art to sink your teeth into. You certainly get your money's worth.

Something totally new to this "Art of" series is this "Internal Screenings Progression" chart showing how all the main characters, locations and motivations changed and evolved over the many years of production! "Creating a story for a Pixar film is a lot like going on a quest...this progression chart is an attempt to explain our journey for this film. It represents all the milestones of Onward's story path", says story supervisor Kelsey Mann. This is absolutely fascinating to me! It's one of my favorite aspects of the book, hands down. Throughout the book, many of the art pieces have numbers/colors near them that correspond with this chart to help you understand where in the process/timeline a particular concept was from.

Continuing on, below is a peek at some of the other many, many pages of colorful art you'll discover inside! I'm not wanting to show a lot here (I don't want to to give anything away that might spoil the film if you by chance haven't seen it yet), but here's at least a little sampling of what you can expect.

p. 18 Matt Nolte, digital

P. 94 Garrett Taylor, digital

p. 128 Garrett Taylor, digital

p. 46 Peter Chan, graphite

The book closes out with some acknowledgments (special thanks) by the producer of the film, Kori Rae.

To be honest, when I first saw the designs for Onward back with the first teaser trailer (or even before that), I wasn't totally sold on the style. Something felt a bit different for me compared to Pixar's other features. However, now that I've been around it for a while now and having seen the film, I've come to really enjoy the look of it all. This book has given me even a stronger appreciation for it to the point where I'd consider myself a huge fan of the art direction! I cannot wait for more viewings of the film so I can take in this rich, beautiful world time and time again. I'm sure I'll be noticing new details for years to come.

If you're looking to get into this industry (or perhaps you already are), this is a great learning tool; for everyone else (film/Pixar/animation fans like me), it's just a feast for the eyes. I've always loved behind the scenes content, whether books or DVD special features, so I really connect with this series. Like the film itself, there are so many details here in this book that you really could look through and study it for hours (and I'm sure I will). If you're interested in adding this to your collection, I recommend picking it up at Barnes & Noble or on Amazon using the direct link below.

Follow me on Instagram @danthepixarfan

And there you go! That's my review, which isn't even scratching the surface of what you can expect inside. Per usual, this is a really beautiful tribute to the incredibly talented artists who worked so hard at making the film what it is today, yet who too often go unnoticed. Do you have a favorite Pixar artist whose work you look forward to seeing?  Let me know all your thoughts on this book and any questions you might have down in the comments.

A huge thank you to Chronicle Books for sending this copy my way! 

Size: 11.4" x 9.4"
Pages: 175
Retail Price: $40 (though it's always on sale for less, usually around $26)
Original Release Date: March 3rd, 2020
My Rating: 9/10

Toy Story: Pixar Backstage Sketchbook Review (D23 Expo 2019 Exclusive—LE 200)

One of the main things I was looking forward to at this year's D23 Expo was having the opportunity to shop at the convention's Disney Store and bring home some exclusive Pixar goodies. It was no small task getting in there (which required waiting all night in line), but we did it! I was able to get everything I hoped for and more. Some items, like this amazing Toy Story "Pixar Animation Studios Backstage Sketchbook", I had no idea about going in. As soon as I saw it sitting there in the store, however, it became an instant must-have. It was such a pleasant surprise!

This 8" x 14" hardbound canvas covered sketchbook is beautifully made and filled with concept art, storyboards and color scripts from the first three Toy Story films—as well as many blank pages (some with storyboard templates) for your very own original sketches! Yes, much of the art presented in this book has been previously released in other publications over the years, but never like this. As you'll notice below, some of the art even has "pop-up"/3D and interactive elements to it (like pull tabs and flaps)! It's all fantastic. Plus, this is a limited edition of only 200 units made, which makes it even more desirable for collectors such as myself.

Before taking a peek inside, I have to mention the perfect cover design. I love the "Toy Story blue" color, the iconic Toy Story clouds, the silhouettes of Buzz & Woody and the elastic closure band. It's all so simple and minimal, which is a style I'm really drawn to when it comes to art and products like this.

Upon opening, you'll first notice that the endpapers feature Andy's cloud wallpaper—yet another perfect detail.

Inside, as mentioned, you'll find lots of stunning Toy Story pre-production art (mostly from the first film, but two and three are represented as well) from Pixar artists Bud Luckey, Bob Pauley, Matthew Luhn, Pete Docter, Ralph Eggleston, Steve Johnson, Adrian Molina, Robert Kondo and many more.  Take a look at a selection of pages down below!

My only wish is that the book credited the artists' work, as the "Art of" books do.

Original retail price for this there at the 2019 D23 Expo's Disney Store was $79.95.

For all you diehard Pixar fans out there, particularly those who are aspiring artists, I can't recommend this sketchbook enough. I'm no sketch artist myself (to be honest, I can't draw to save my life), but I love art, filmmaking and any behind the scenes content I can get my hands on (especially when it comes to Pixar); so this book inspires me and fuels my creativity nonetheless. It represents so much of what I love about Pixar and the history of the studio. And who knows? Maybe my son Aidan will get the "artist gift" and use this book to sketch in one day.

Let me know all your thoughts and any questions you might have down in the comments! If you're interested in snagging this online, your best bet would be eBay. I've included a direct link to current listings below.

eBay—Pixar Backstage Sketchbook (D23 Expo 2019 Exclusive)

The Art of Toy Story 4 Book Review

It's my favorite time of year—another Pixar film, another "Art of" book from Chronicle Books publishing! The Art of Toy Story 4 is the 21st Pixar release in this acclaimed, bestselling "Art of" series (which began in 2001 with Monsters Inc.), all of which I've reviewed right here in years past. I've collected these books for a long time now and always look forward to them! I'm glad to see the series still going strong and popular within the Disney/Pixar/Animation fan community. A huge thanks to Chronicle Books for sending me this copy!

First of all, if you're not familiar with this series, these books are essentially the definitive source for all officially released Pixar concept art and "making of" content (storyboards, colors scripts, lighting studies, character/environment layouts, pencil sketches, digital renderings, research photographs, deleted scenes/concepts and so much more— as well as a sprinkling of quotes, stories and insights from the creators); an amazing look into the creative process and development from the team of artists at Pixar!

Note: There are also "Art of" books for films from other studios as well, including Lucasfilm, Disney Animation, Dreamworks and more.

The front and back covers feature some of the vibrant art you'll find within these pages. Really gorgeous stuff. The front cover makes me wish we had a moment like that in the film though—it would have been nice to have a callback to when Bo Peep would get Woody's attention by hooking him with her staff.

As usual, remove the slipcover to reveal the sturdy hardcover book itself and the film's embossed logo. Loving the deep red this time around.

Now we'll open things up to give you an exclusive peek at some of the opening pages!

The foreword this time was written by Annie Potts (voice of Bo Peep), who shares how she got involved with the original film back in 1994 and what Toy Story and Pixar Studios mean to her. It's all beautifully stated!

The introduction was written by Josh Cooley (the film's director), who shares some really down to earth insights about why he wanted to tell this story after a perfectly wrapped-up trilogy. He discuses "trusting the process", "trusting the people you work with" and "touching on universal truth" when crafting stories. He seems like a really cool dude who I'd love to just sit down and have a chat with.

Continuing on, below is a peek at some of the other many, many pages of colorful art you'll discover inside! I'm not wanting to show a lot here (I don't want to to give anything away that might spoil the film if you by chance haven't seen it yet), but here's at least a little sampling of what you can expect.

Note: There's a miniature storybook insert of Gabby Gabby's book from the film included inside! What a cool detail right? Don't miss it.

The book closes out with some acknowledgments (special thanks) by the producers of the film, Jonas Rivera and Mark Nielsen.

Some of my favorite parts of this book are the small tidbits here and there regarding abandoned concepts, ideas and scenes. As director Josh Cooley states in his introduction, "We went down a LOT of different story paths over the years (we could fill a twenty-volume set of Toy Story 4 'Art of' books with all the material created for the different versions of the film." What a tease! As a massive Toy Story fan, that stuff fascinates me more than anything. One of my only [small] complaints here is that I wish there was more of that content. Much of the art (while stunningly beautiful) basically just mirrors the final images and characters seen in the film. I'd say 90% of the art is from once the story and world were very much established.

For example, there is one particular deleted scene included here in storyboard form that I loved seeing. Honestly, I really wish it was left in the film! It's more of a moment, but it's a flashback to when Bo's lamp was first brought into Andy's room and plugged in next to Molly's crib. Woody looks up at Bo and Bo looks back at Woody and it's love at first sight. It's beautiful and I wish I could have seen that play out on screen. Perhaps the blu-ray will feature that clip and more of an explanation on why it was cut.

Speaking of explanations, that's one more thing I would have liked to see more of here. I would have enjoyed a bit more text and behind the scenes insights from the creators explaining the creative process and why certain decisions were made. Other those couple minor nitpicks though, this is an incredible book and a most welcome addition to the collection! It's absolutely a must have for Toy Story fans.

If you're looking to get into this industry (or perhaps you already are), this is a great learning tool; for everyone else, it's just a feast for the eyes. There are so many details in this book that you really could look through and study it for hours (and I'm sure I will). If you're interested in adding this to your collection, I recommend picking it up at Barnes & Noble or on Amazon using the direct link below.

And there you go! That's my review, which is just a small taste at what you can expect inside. Per usual, this is a really beautiful tribute to the incredibly talented artists who worked so hard at making the film what it is today, yet who too often go unnoticed. Do you have a favorite Pixar artist whose work you look forward to seeing?  Let me know all your thoughts on this book and any questions you might have down in the comments.

Size: 11.4" x 9.4"
Pages: 160
Retail Price: $40 (though it's always on sale for less, usually around $26)
Original Release Date: May 7th, 2019
My Rating: 8/10