The Art of Epic

by Tara Bennett

From 20th Century Fox Animation and Blue Sky Studios , the creators of Ice Age and Rio , Epic tells the story of an ongoing battle deep in the forest between the forces of good and the forces of evil.

When a teenage girl finds herself magically transported into this secret universe, she must band together with a rag-tag team of fun and whimsical characters in order to save their world -- and ours.

The Art of Epic shines a light on the previously hidden world of Epic , with over 300 pieces of concept art, character sketches, storyboards and digital paintings, along with interviews with the key animation talent.

Epic © 2013 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

144 pages, Hardcover

First published April 16, 2013

About the author

Tara Bennett (formerly DiLullo) is the author or co-author of 30 official movie and TV companion books including The Story of Marvel Studios:
The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sons of Anarchy: The Official Companion, The Official Making of Outlander Companions (Seasons 1 - 4), The Lost Encyclopedia, and September's Notebook: A Fringe Companion which was an Amazon Best Book of the Year.

She has also written nearly a thousand interviews and features for print and online publications such as: Total Film, Paste Magazine, IGN, SYFY WIRE, LOST: The Official Magazine, Alias Magazine, 24 Magazine, SCI FI Magazine, WSJSpeakeasy, Fandango/Movies.com, Fancast, Newsarama and VFXWorld.com. She is also the U.S. Editor for the world’s premiere sci-fi/fantasy publication, SFX Magazine.

Tara is also an adjunct professor at Rowan University in New Jersey, teaching Film and Television studies. As part of her curriculum, Bennett utilizes programs such as LOST and 24 to teach her students how to write for television.

Reviews

[Popzara Press · Rating 4 out of 5]

Words do very little to explain just how great The Art of Epic is, which I guess is appropriate given the fact it's centered around the stunning artwork of Blue Sky Studios' animated film Epic. It’s an experience you need to undertake yourself to truly understand how amazing it is, and as a self-proclaimed animation fan I couldn't wait to see these pictures come to life in the film itself. If you’re looking for something fun to add your coffee table collection, you’ll want to pick up a copy of this as soon as possible. There’s plenty of great imagery combined with fun writing by the author that literally makes this book feel epic.

Full review by Chris Mitchell.

The Art of Epic Review on Popzara

[Parka · Rating 4 out of 5]

( More pictures on my blog )

Here's the artbook for Epic, the film from Blue Sky Studios. It's 144 pages, hardcover, from Titan Books, whose earlier artbook was The Art of the Croods.

It's a nice artbook with character designs and concept art. The costume designs for the soldiers are quite stylish. There are a lot of interesting forest characters such as those inspired from bugs, plants, flowers and other insects, but unfortunately they aren't dedicated more space.

The illustrations are wonderful. I really like the colors of the sunlight in the forest. The environment art are pretty realistic in style as compared to the characters.

The writeup is an enjoyable read that covers the design process, talking about the characters and how they evolved and a bit on the research for their designs. There are some typos though.

Nice book overall, but you would have to watch the movie first to like the book better.

[τλιϓλ · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are so brave like me and fear nothing then ehm, you can remove the book jacket and hold the book easily and comfortably because the insects on the jacket won't be near you.. Never-mind that now, all I got to say is that if you enjoy the film you will enjoy the book, rich of details, so many paintings and sketches for the characters and environment. I adore Ronin characters the most and spend good time read about him. This one beside Croods were both bought before I watched the full film, it was like an adventure to me yet the books really deserved.

من الكتب التي قررت شرائها بمجرد رؤيتي لإعلان الفيلم، كتاب جميل، الكثير من التفاصيل والرسوم المتعلقة بالبيئة والشخصيات، سرني أن قرأت الكثير عن شخصية رونن التي راقتني في الفيلم كثيرا.
كتاب جميل للغاية
تحذير صغير علي أن اقوله، للشجعان أمثالي الذين لا يخشون شيئا، بإمكانكم إزالة غطاء الكتاب منعا لملامسة صور الحشرات إحم ^^'

[Vkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just got my package on Jan 2nd.I received it via Amazon as a gift. The artwork is as good as anything I've seen, and I have quite a few books based on animated films. I would buy this myself if I hadn't already received it. and that night I read the book and I LOVED IT! THe concept art, character designs-even the environment and inspirations! Its totally amazing! :) I'm not one to collect artbooks only if their from favorite films I like or the design of it, but this one joins my Art of Tangled book on my book shelf! I recommend this to all out there! This is a rare treasure to have in your collection!

[Felicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I own a /lot/ of art books and I have a list, my 'if-my-house-was-on-fire-and-I-could-grab-only-a-couple-books-to-save' list of ultimate favs, and this book is on that list.

I'm probably a teensy bit biased since it speaks to my heart which was raised on the likes of Cicely Mary Barker and John Bauer, and because the works of Greg Couch and Robert MacKenzie, who are two of my art idols, inundate this little-known book for a movie which didn't get much recognition, but I stand by it as one of the better examples of 'Art Of __ ' books.

[Thia Reads A Lot · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Art of Epic - Tara Bennett, Chris Wedge (Foreword)
Rating: ★★★★

"The hoodie became a symbol of M.K.'s story arc. She's shut off to new ideas at the beginning of the movie, so we made the choice to have her hood up and sleeves down. As she opens her mind and becomes more confident, her sleeves roll up to reflect that change, until eventually she loses the hoodie altogether by the last sequence of the movie." - BJ Crawford

[Elevetha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some beautiful renderings and drawings in this Art Of book, though mostly to be found on/near Queen Tara's pages. The animation crew did a really great job of getting the atmosphere just right for the Leafmen and their kingdom, as seen from the vantage point of only a few inches high. Overall, definitely worth a page through, even if not my personal favorite of this series.

[Miss Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is really interesting to see all the effort and artistry that went into creating the world of the Leafmen and getting the aspect ratio just right for beings who are only inches tall.

Queen Tara's art concepts are lovely.

Overall, not the most engaging of all the ART OF books, but well worth a read, especially for those interested in art and film.

[Gaohlee Yang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing. Well put together. I loved the movie!

[Tessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this movie because it is beautiful and that is also why I love this book.