Katie's Research House

The Art of Monsters Inc.

I have just realised that most of the ‘Making of’ books I’ve looked at have been square, which is interesting. I think this would be appropriate for my document as most of my artwork was made in a square format.

I like the way this book has interesting endpapers, and the paper cover with tabs on the inside (?) although I am not intending to print my report so I wouldn’t need to think too much about the paper covers, BUT it would be nice to consider END PAPERS. It’s also fun how the book opens with a sketch of a character at a desk, as if to say you are walking into the world of the film.

The full page spread at the start is beautiful, and they have used the film’s typeface for the title.

It’s interesting to see the book includes some sketches which can’t totally be understood by the reader - they look like mini-storyboards but are not very clear, but it makes you feel part of the world of the designers.

3 Different sizes of font are used in the Monstropolis page, each with a different layout - one line title, indented heading, and body text, indented with bullet points. Headings overlap the edges of page-and a half full illustrations.

The background colour varies between white or black to suit the images. Black looks very smart but would make it difficult to read much with white type. On some pages are many small spot illustrations in rectangles, composed in blocks or even blocks with one or two missing and text starting in their place.

This book is actually quite text light on most pages, although it does have introductions at the start of each section. Each image on pages containing just images is CAPTIONED with WHAT it is, WHO it was made by (irrelevant for my work but not for RESEARCH) and what MEDIA. 

There are large scale images but these rarely fall outside the outer margins! (Unless on a title page)

The images were made by several different people, all in different styles and media, but they still fit together nicely through the book. Some spreads just of one medium/style, some mixed.

These books are not an ‘I did this, then I did that, then I did this’ - chronological order. They are made section by section - characters, locations, story etc. Although the pages sometimes contain interesting stories relating to the images.

Acknowledgements at the end. No contents but there is an introduction at the start. Humorous tone of voice. Introduces final artwork (characters) at the start!

The Art of Ratatouille by Karen Paik.

‘A tale from the Brothers Grimm provides inspiration for three gifted students from the world-renowned Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. Khang Le, Mike Yamada, and Felix Yoon were guided by their instructor, Scott Robertson, to create original design solutions for the environments, characters, props, and vehicles found within The Skillful Huntsman. The trio’s sketches and full-color renderings thoroughly document the creative process of concept design, revealing a host of intriguing places—from sci-fi cities to castles, and people—from giants to royalty. A must for artists, aspiring entertainment designers, comic aficionados, and anyone interested in the creative process, The Skillful Huntsman offers insight into the mysterious world of the imagination.’ http://designstudiopress.com/product/the-skillful-huntsman/

I think the strength in this ‘Making of’ book is the respect given to the illustrations. The full page images contrast well against the pages including text and rough sketches, and the double page spreads to introduce a new section of the book work beautifully. The layouts flow, with the top and bottom banner flowing through each page, the latter of which indicates whose work you are looking at.