Released December 2009
Page count: 160 pages
Size: 9” x 12”
The Art of The Princess and the Frog
(Text) By Jeff Kurtti
Preface By John Lasseter
Foreword By Directors John Musker and Ron Clements
Published By Raincoast Books
- This review is in a series running this week and next, leading up to the Oscar nominations on Feb. 2nd. The series includes a profile of 8 books relating to past and present films, as well as the filmmaking process. Check out these titles to get a better understanding of what goes into the art of film.
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The Art of The Princess and the Frog Book Review By John C.
The Art of The Princess and the Frog is a gorgeous visual companion to Disney’s beautiful 2D animated film. It includes concept art for the characters, showing how they created the right look for each one, and talks about how they captured the look of New Orleans during the jazz era.
One of my favourite parts of the book has to be the section on the Bayou. Where they talk about how they got the perfect look for probably my favourite character - the jazz-playing alligator, Louis.
The “Art of” books are always nice to look through, but are especially worth it for animated films, when they are able to supply an abundance of concept art. The Art of The Princess and the Frog is a beautiful book that’s worth adding to your collection.
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The Art of The Princess and the Frog Book Review By Erin V.
Disney’s return to the classic 2D style of animation this past December was a success in my mind. The Princess and the Frog was a gorgeous film, with a great soundtrack and fun storyline. The film is nominated at the Annie (animation) Awards, which take place next Saturday, in multiple categories. Also, come Tuesday, the film will probably garner at least a nomination in the Best Animated category at the Oscars.
But what makes this film so special to watch? The answer is the love and care put into the beautiful animation. The art and visual style designed for the film is captured wonderfully here in this collection of pieces from the production stages.
The simple and fluid way that the frogs move, is rooted in their design. The simplicity makes them easier to animate, since they have to be drawn by several people again and again, and allows them to move more smoothly. An interesting study in this for other creatures, is the character Louis. An alligator doesn’t lend itself to a fluid line drawing all that easily, but Eric Goldberg, who worked on his design, masterfully made it work.
Certainly, this book will be enjoyed by fans of classic Disney, as well as artists - especially those wishing to get started in 2D animation. It is filled with great concept pieces from the design of the characters, to the stunning background environments created to envision the feeling of being in the Bayou. This is definitely a book to add to your collection.
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To find out more about The Art of The Princess and the Frog, or other books, visit Raincoast’s website here.
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