{FTF Art Book Review} THE ART OF THE DISNEY PRINCESS

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O P E N I N G   H O O K:

mY ROOM IS DARK BUT FOR THE LIGHT THAT ILLUMINATES my animation desk.  The story is written, the voice recorded.  I know what this moment in the movie must be.  It is when our heroine reveals her deepest longing.  It is an impossible dream she believes in.  But that is what Disney Princesses are made of--the ability to believe that the impossible is possible...  

~Glen Keane, Disney Animator
(pg. 2, US Hardcover Edition)

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Cinderella, Vince Musacchia

This is the second art book I've reviewed, the first also being from Disney, TALE AS OLD AS TIME: THE ART AND MAKING OF BEAUTY AND THE BEAST by Charles Solmon (Check it out!).  While TAOAT was an in-depth look at the making of one of my favorite Disney movies and a wealth of information, THE ART OF THE DISNEY PRINCESS is more of a straight-forward art book, full of character illustrations across various medium.

Snow White, Regina Alphonso

The book opens with an introduction from Glen Keane (Yes, THE Glen Keane who animated classic characters such as Ariel, Beast, and Aladdin, as well as new favorite Rapunzel, and many other beloved characters!  He's also the son of Sunday Comic Strip Artist Bil Keane [FAMILY CIRCUS]).  The pages are lined with work from many Disney character artists and designers, from sketches to photographs, to full-out works of art.  The pages are crammed with beautiful renderings of our favorite Disney heroines.

Tiger Lily, Cathy Clark

While the book states it's for the "princesses," it also includes artwork for characters such as Mulan (I don't understand why she's considered a princess because she isn't one, as much as I love the girl...).  I was also thrilled to see seldom-mentioned Disney princesses such as Kida [ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE] and Tiger Lily [PETER PAN], both rendered gorgeously by Cathy Clark.

Mulan, Ron Velasco

I love that the book is interspersed with essays and introductions by various designers talking about why they love the princesses, or how they got into animation.  It's all fascinating to me.  Every image mentions the medium used, from traditional tools such as charcoal and paint to digital media such as Photoshop and Corel.

Snow White, Genevieve Godbout

While I didn't love every image shown, I enjoyed looking at the vast majority and could spend hours devouring each page if I let myself.  Some of the illustrations are just stunning.  Like most art books, this one doesn't come cheap, but if you can get a used copy or find a great deal (I waited for a good coupon last year!), you can snag a copy of your own for a reasonable price.  This is definitely a book to own and not just look at online.  There's a tactile quality to holding art in your hands!

The book's back cover showcases a peek at nine of the illustrations you'll find inside:

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C O V E R   D E S I G N:

The cover features artwork by Chad Sommers.  It is a combination of pencil and digital media.  Sommers also has a brief essay included alongside his art in the book.  This is one of my favorite illustrations in the entire book.  


The first time I saw the book's cover, it was a tiny image, and I didn't really realize what I was looking at.  When I looked closer, I saw that I was looking at an image of Snow White created entirely from elements found in nature such as flowers, leaves, and a butterfly.  It's absolutely gorgeous, and striking enough to make anyone want this artbook!

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O F F I C I A L   I N F O:

Title: THE ART OF THE DISNEY PRINCESS

Author: Disney Editions

Release Date: Out Oct. 06, 2009

Publisher: Disney Editions

Received: Borrowed

SUMMARY:

Every little girl has a favorite Disney Princess--and for that matter, every grown-up girl, too. 


In The Art of the Disney Princess, Disney artists, designers, illustrators, and animators from around the world have re-imagined their favorite princesses and portrayed them in a variety of mediums. 


Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Jasmine, Snow White, and Cinderella are newly incarnated in water color, pastel, oil paint, colored pencil, mixed media, and computer graphics pieces that range from the traditional to the unconventional. 


This artwork has been created especially for this museum-quality book, which is sure to delight art lovers, Disney collectors, and any prince or princess who ever believed that fairytales do come true.