‘The Art of Disney Encanto’ book review
Category: Books and Music
Disney’s Encanto animated movie is the story of an amazing family who live in a bright and colorful house. Every member of the family has special powers. Well, all except one. Fifteen-year-old Mirabel has not been blessed with a magical power. But that does not stop her from being optimistic. This is a charming story of magic, family, and destiny. The story takes place in Colombia and the movie has captured the hearts and imaginations of viewers of all ages. The book, The Art of Disney Encanto, is filled with illustrations that represent the characters, scenery, and fun of the film.
The book not only takes readers into the story and the background of the illustrations, but it is also a good look at how animation is created. For budding artists and animators, this is a good introduction to the industry.
Besides the lessons about creating the design and look of the film, the pages are filled with the fun of the story and the characters. The house, or casita, is colorful as well as magical. The animals in the story add an entertaining element, and the clothes worn by the characters represent the culture as well as provide an additional colorful aspect. All in all, colors explode in the film.
The book has a preface by Disney Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee. She writes, “This book shares a selection of the incredible artwork created for the film by some of the best visual artists in the world, as well as gives a peek behind the curtain into the filmmakers’ creative process.”
The filmmakers traveled to Colombia to get the flavor of the country in order to bring realism to the movie. There are plenty of photos taken while they were there, however the majority of the book contains digital sketches that were used to put together the frames in the film. To go along with the images there is information about the background of the pictures that provide a deeper insight into the scenery and characters. The colors of each of the rooms in the house represent the individuals who reside in them. Providing a background to the specific locations of the house (even down to the furniture and plates in the kitchen) add greatly to viewers’ insight into the creation of the movie.
At the heart of the film is the story, yet it takes the images to create the atmosphere and bring the characters to life. This book shows how that process progressed and resulted in the beloved film that has become an instant classic. Mirabel as well as her casita are now well known. The book delves into the story, the creativity, and the imagery of Disney Encanto.
The Art of Disney Encanto is a treasure for fans of the film. It showcases the beauty and enjoyment viewers experience when they watch the movie.
- Publisher : Chronicle Books (November 23, 2021)
- Hardcover : 176 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1797200860
- ISBN-13 : 978-1797200866
About the Reviewer
Francine Brokaw writes about products, books, travel, and entertainment. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. Follow her on Twitter.