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The Art of Game of Thrones, the official book of design from Season 1 to Season 8
Filled with gorgeous illustrations and artwork from HBO’s hit series, The Art of Game of Thrones is the definitive Game of Thrones art collection.
The official collection of behind the scenes concept art and production design from HBO’s landmark TV show Game of Thrones . Learn how BAFTA and Emmy award-winning production designer Deborah Riley and her team brought to life the iconic locations of Westeros and beyond.
One of 4 comprehensive and officially licensed Game of Thrones retrospective books from Insight Editions.
• UNMATCHED DEPTH - 432 pages of concept art, sketches, and production design images covering Game of Thrones seasons 1-8.
• DETAILED REVELATIONS - Comprehensive behind the scenes details covering the design of iconic locations such as King’s Landing, Winterfell, Dragonstone, and Castle Black.
• CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE CREATORS - Authored by production designer Deborah Riley and including an exclusive foreword from Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss and preface from Emmy Award-winning production designer Gemma Jackson.
• A PRESTIGE COFFEE TABLE BOOK - Deluxe 9.75 × 13 inch format.
• A SOUGHT AFTER GIFT FOR FANS - Released in time for the holiday season, this is the perfect Game of Thrones gift for fans and collectors.
The official collection of behind the scenes concept art and production design from HBO’s landmark TV show Game of Thrones . Learn how BAFTA and Emmy award-winning production designer Deborah Riley and her team brought to life the iconic locations of Westeros and beyond.
One of 4 comprehensive and officially licensed Game of Thrones retrospective books from Insight Editions.
• UNMATCHED DEPTH - 432 pages of concept art, sketches, and production design images covering Game of Thrones seasons 1-8.
• DETAILED REVELATIONS - Comprehensive behind the scenes details covering the design of iconic locations such as King’s Landing, Winterfell, Dragonstone, and Castle Black.
• CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE CREATORS - Authored by production designer Deborah Riley and including an exclusive foreword from Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss and preface from Emmy Award-winning production designer Gemma Jackson.
• A PRESTIGE COFFEE TABLE BOOK - Deluxe 9.75 × 13 inch format.
• A SOUGHT AFTER GIFT FOR FANS - Released in time for the holiday season, this is the perfect Game of Thrones gift for fans and collectors.
432 pages, Hardcover
Published November 5, 2019
5 people are currently reading
237 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 31, 2019
Well I will admit that I was not planning this but what a book to end the year on - literally ending the year.
I love concept art books but this is amazing at over 400 pages it covers off the entire series run and all the major events and locations.
I will admit that it is light on words - however (and the author admits this) the images speak for themselves - they are so ionic and detailed you can see where and why the fan based just kept on growing the book is amazing.
So rather than using a lot of images that either where changed or even cut the editor has focused on those images that were used in the series - so here you have a record of what the designers had in mind and you can see how they were able to realise this on the screen,
I would say that this book is a must for all Game of Thrones fans however the quality of the book the printing of the pages and the content are amazing and would appeal to far more than just these.
I love concept art books but this is amazing at over 400 pages it covers off the entire series run and all the major events and locations.
I will admit that it is light on words - however (and the author admits this) the images speak for themselves - they are so ionic and detailed you can see where and why the fan based just kept on growing the book is amazing.
So rather than using a lot of images that either where changed or even cut the editor has focused on those images that were used in the series - so here you have a record of what the designers had in mind and you can see how they were able to realise this on the screen,
I would say that this book is a must for all Game of Thrones fans however the quality of the book the printing of the pages and the content are amazing and would appeal to far more than just these.
December 1, 2019
I wasn't sure exactly what this was going to be like as art department pretty much covers everything built on set but it is in fact concept art of all the major people and events from the tv series. Visually the book is stunning-the artists have perfectly captured the faces of all the main cast for later seasons when the stars have been cast, a few early ones with blank faces done before filming it seems. The double or full page art of the castles like the Eyrie with the stunning mountains and interior bird murals are gorgeous. Harrenhal was brooding and creepy, Dragonstone looked stunning, with the art showing the arrival of Dany and taking in the beach, castle, walkways and sea. It made me wish I was there and that I could draw like that! I could see myself living there as it is remote, secluded and beautiful!
Niggles? A couple of minor ones. There are pages of black and white blueprints which really seem pointless with small writing beside them about constructing the set. There aren't too many of these pages but I don't find them that interesting to look at. There is not a lot of text in the book which allows for reading it easily in one night. However the people that write the actual text don't seem to have watched Game of Thrones as the information is often wrong. An example is the Three Eyed Raven telling Bran, Meera, Jojen and Hodor to flee because the Night King is coming to the cave-trouble is, Jojen dies before the group ever get inside the cave so how can he flee south with the others? Another weird one is Varys and Tyrion being in Volantis to negotiate the end of slavery and then getting on a ship to go back to Dany in Meereen. Um, it is Jorah who kidnaps Tyrion from Varys to take to Meereen where Tyrion meets Dany for the first time. I just find it lazy writing to not fact check this stuff before printing it and it is frustrating!
The book is beautiful and I could look at the artwork many times so the book was certainly worth buying!
Niggles? A couple of minor ones. There are pages of black and white blueprints which really seem pointless with small writing beside them about constructing the set. There aren't too many of these pages but I don't find them that interesting to look at. There is not a lot of text in the book which allows for reading it easily in one night. However the people that write the actual text don't seem to have watched Game of Thrones as the information is often wrong. An example is the Three Eyed Raven telling Bran, Meera, Jojen and Hodor to flee because the Night King is coming to the cave-trouble is, Jojen dies before the group ever get inside the cave so how can he flee south with the others? Another weird one is Varys and Tyrion being in Volantis to negotiate the end of slavery and then getting on a ship to go back to Dany in Meereen. Um, it is Jorah who kidnaps Tyrion from Varys to take to Meereen where Tyrion meets Dany for the first time. I just find it lazy writing to not fact check this stuff before printing it and it is frustrating!
The book is beautiful and I could look at the artwork many times so the book was certainly worth buying!
December 5, 2021
#TheArtOfGameOfThrones is a visual journey into the artwork of the tv series, which is exquisite and there are so many details in each piece that you’ll notice new things every time you page through it..
from the first time you get your hands on this gorgeous book you know that you’re in for a treat.. a tome I am proudly displaying in my home! ✶
from the first time you get your hands on this gorgeous book you know that you’re in for a treat.. a tome I am proudly displaying in my home! ✶
August 11, 2020
The art is pretty amazing in this book. I was disappointed because much of the work was what they ended up building and looked like a painting of a scene from the show. I found the portions of the book that illustrated the different concepts they considered but ultimately went a different direction to be far more interesting. One that stands out in my memory was Harrenhal was originally going to be based on Angkor Wat architecturally. That kind of concept art is pretty fascinating and I wish there was much more of that. Instead, the book is probably 80% beautiful pictures showing what their vision was that the construction/art department was able to almost identically create for the TV show.
Still, the art is fantastic and it was interesting getting a glimpse into some of the decision making process for where they filmed and how they went about it.
Still, the art is fantastic and it was interesting getting a glimpse into some of the decision making process for where they filmed and how they went about it.
December 22, 2019
Una maravilla visual. Los concept art son espectaculares, puro arte. Increíble todo el trabajo e imaginación que ha habido detrás de las cámaras para dar vida a esta historia.
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April 21, 2023SO many of my life problems would be solved if I could draw like this. 😭 someone PLEASE buy me this book it would live permanently on my table
March 14, 2020
IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/B9mhfAeIW...
Questo piccolo capolavoro spiega e dimostra attraverso le illustrazioni che ci sono all'interno, quanto lavoro la troupe di GOT ha fatto per poter creare la serie tv.
Sbalordita dalla cura dei dettagli, dai progetti per la creazione di singole cose.
Meraviglioso!
Un volume che consiglio a tutti gli amanti di GOT.
Questo piccolo capolavoro spiega e dimostra attraverso le illustrazioni che ci sono all'interno, quanto lavoro la troupe di GOT ha fatto per poter creare la serie tv.
Sbalordita dalla cura dei dettagli, dai progetti per la creazione di singole cose.
Meraviglioso!
Un volume che consiglio a tutti gli amanti di GOT.
January 18, 2026
This is not a novel, nor is it a history or lore book. This is an art book and a production book. It is a book about visual storytelling and worldbuilding through design. If you are expecting lore, narrative depth, or story progression, you will find none of that here. There is virtually zero story content in this book.
Books like this are invaluable for anyone interested in designing the visual side of their own worlds. Costumes, architecture, sigils, weapons, sets, and city designs play a massive role in how a fictional world is perceived, and this book is full of inspiration in that regard.
The costume design, sets, architecture, weapons, castles, and city layouts are all superb. Every visual element feels deliberate and grounded. What makes this even more impressive is how successful the production team was in choosing filming locations. The real-world locations blend seamlessly with constructed sets, making the world feel tangible and lived-in rather than artificial.
It is also very clear that in the earlier seasons the production team had to be extremely efficient with their budget. Because of those limitations, the work in the early seasons feels more creative and, in a way, more passionate. The designers were forced to solve problems with ingenuity rather than scale, and that constraint pushed them toward smarter and more thoughtful visual decisions.
In the later seasons, as the budget increased significantly, the visuals became larger and more spectacular. However, for me, they also felt less inspired. This may simply be a personal perception, but the sense of creative restraint that defined the early seasons seems to fade as scale replaces necessity.
That being said, this book itself is very clearly a passion project from the art department. Even when the later-season sections feel less compelling to me, you can still feel the care, thought, and effort on every page. The dedication to visual storytelling and worldbuilding is unmistakable throughout the book.
One disappointing aspect of this book is the lack of artwork dedicated to the more fantastical elements of the series. When you ask most people about Game of Thrones, one of the very first things they mention is dragons. Yet, in a book that spans all eight seasons, there are only two pages dedicated to dragon artwork.
More noticeably, there is almost no focus on other iconic fantastical elements such as direwolves, giants, or the Children of the Forest. Considering how important these elements are to the identity and mythology of the world, their absence feels like a missed opportunity. For an art book of this scope, I expected a more balanced representation between grounded realism and the fantasy elements that made the series so memorable.
Despite all of its shortcomings, my final verdict for this book is 5 out of 5. If you are looking for inspiration for your own visual worldbuilding and storytelling, this book is an excellent source. Even with its flaws, it remains one of the strongest examples of how visual design can bring a fictional world to life.
--------------------------------
TURKISH REVIEW
--------------------------------
Bu kitap bir roman değil, bir tarih ya da lore kitabı da değil. Bu bir sanat kitabı ve prodüksiyon kitabı. Görsel hikâye anlatımı ve tasarım üzerinden dünya inşasını ele alan bir çalışma. Eğer bu kitaptan hikâye, anlatı derinliği ya da lore bekliyorsanız, burada bunların neredeyse hiçbiri yok. Kitapta kelimenin tam anlamıyla sıfıra yakın hikâye içeriği bulunuyor.
Bununla birlikte, bu tarz kitaplar kendi dünyalarının görsel tarafını tasarlamak isteyenler için son derece değerli. Kostümler, mimari, armalar, silahlar, setler ve şehir tasarımları bir dünyanın nasıl algılandığında çok büyük rol oynar ve bu kitap bu anlamda ciddi bir ilham kaynağı.
Kostüm tasarımları, setler, mimari, silahlar, kaleler ve şehir tasarımları gerçekten çok başarılı. Her görsel unsur bilinçli ve ayakları yere basan bir yaklaşımla ele alınmış. Bunu daha da etkileyici kılan şey ise çekim mekânlarının ne kadar isabetli seçildiği. Gerçek dünyadaki çekim lokasyonları, inşa edilen setlerle o kadar iyi bütünleşiyor ki ortaya yapay değil, gerçekten yaşanmış hissi veren bir dünya çıkıyor.
Erken sezonlarda prodüksiyon ekibinin bütçeyi son derece verimli kullanmak zorunda olduğu çok net hissediliyor. Bu kısıtlar nedeniyle ilk sezonlardaki işler daha yaratıcı ve bir anlamda daha tutkulu duruyor. Tasarımcılar ölçek yerine zekâ ve yaratıcılıkla sorun çözmek zorunda kalmışlar ve bu da daha bilinçli, daha özenli görsel kararlar alınmasını sağlamış.
İlerleyen sezonlarda bütçe ciddi şekilde arttıkça görsel ölçekte büyüme yaşanıyor. Ancak benim için bu aynı zamanda ilham seviyesinin de bir miktar düşmesine yol açıyor. Bu elbette kişisel bir algı olabilir, fakat erken sezonları tanımlayan yaratıcı kısıt hissi, yerini giderek sadece büyüklüğe bırakıyor gibi geliyor.
Buna rağmen, kitabın kendisi çok net bir şekilde sanat departmanının bir tutku projesi. Son sezonlara ait bölümler benim için daha az etkileyici olsa bile, sayfaların her birinde emeği, düşünceyi ve özeni hissetmek mümkün. Görsel hikâye anlatımına ve dünya inşasına duyulan tutku kitap boyunca kendini hissettiriyor.
Kitapla ilgili en büyük hayal kırıklığımdan biri, dizinin daha fantastik unsurlarına ayrılan sanat çalışmalarının çok sınırlı olması. İnsanlara Game of Thrones dendiğinde, akıllarına gelen ilk şeylerden biri ejderhalardır. Ancak sekiz sezonu kapsayan bu kitapta ejderhalara ayrılmış yalnızca iki sayfa bulunuyor.
Daha da dikkat çekici olan ise kurtlar, devler ya da Ormanın Çocukları gibi evrenin kimliği açısından çok önemli olan diğer fantastik unsurlara neredeyse hiç yer verilmemesi. Bu unsurlar dünyanın mitolojisinin temel parçalarıyken, bu kadar kapsamlı bir sanat kitabında bu denli geri planda kalmaları kaçırılmış bir fırsat gibi hissettiriyor. Bu ölçekte bir kitapta, gerçekçilik ile fantezi unsurları arasında daha dengeli bir dağılım beklerdim.
Tüm bu eksiklerine rağmen, bu kitap için nihai puanım 5 üzerinden 5. Eğer kendi görsel dünya inşanız ve hikâye anlatımınız için ilham arıyorsanız, bu kitap son derece güçlü bir kaynak. Kusurları olsa da, görsel tasarımın bir kurgusal dünyayı nasıl hayata geçirdiğini göstermesi açısından hâlâ en iyi örneklerden biri.
Books like this are invaluable for anyone interested in designing the visual side of their own worlds. Costumes, architecture, sigils, weapons, sets, and city designs play a massive role in how a fictional world is perceived, and this book is full of inspiration in that regard.
The costume design, sets, architecture, weapons, castles, and city layouts are all superb. Every visual element feels deliberate and grounded. What makes this even more impressive is how successful the production team was in choosing filming locations. The real-world locations blend seamlessly with constructed sets, making the world feel tangible and lived-in rather than artificial.
It is also very clear that in the earlier seasons the production team had to be extremely efficient with their budget. Because of those limitations, the work in the early seasons feels more creative and, in a way, more passionate. The designers were forced to solve problems with ingenuity rather than scale, and that constraint pushed them toward smarter and more thoughtful visual decisions.
In the later seasons, as the budget increased significantly, the visuals became larger and more spectacular. However, for me, they also felt less inspired. This may simply be a personal perception, but the sense of creative restraint that defined the early seasons seems to fade as scale replaces necessity.
That being said, this book itself is very clearly a passion project from the art department. Even when the later-season sections feel less compelling to me, you can still feel the care, thought, and effort on every page. The dedication to visual storytelling and worldbuilding is unmistakable throughout the book.
One disappointing aspect of this book is the lack of artwork dedicated to the more fantastical elements of the series. When you ask most people about Game of Thrones, one of the very first things they mention is dragons. Yet, in a book that spans all eight seasons, there are only two pages dedicated to dragon artwork.
More noticeably, there is almost no focus on other iconic fantastical elements such as direwolves, giants, or the Children of the Forest. Considering how important these elements are to the identity and mythology of the world, their absence feels like a missed opportunity. For an art book of this scope, I expected a more balanced representation between grounded realism and the fantasy elements that made the series so memorable.
Despite all of its shortcomings, my final verdict for this book is 5 out of 5. If you are looking for inspiration for your own visual worldbuilding and storytelling, this book is an excellent source. Even with its flaws, it remains one of the strongest examples of how visual design can bring a fictional world to life.
--------------------------------
TURKISH REVIEW
--------------------------------
Bu kitap bir roman değil, bir tarih ya da lore kitabı da değil. Bu bir sanat kitabı ve prodüksiyon kitabı. Görsel hikâye anlatımı ve tasarım üzerinden dünya inşasını ele alan bir çalışma. Eğer bu kitaptan hikâye, anlatı derinliği ya da lore bekliyorsanız, burada bunların neredeyse hiçbiri yok. Kitapta kelimenin tam anlamıyla sıfıra yakın hikâye içeriği bulunuyor.
Bununla birlikte, bu tarz kitaplar kendi dünyalarının görsel tarafını tasarlamak isteyenler için son derece değerli. Kostümler, mimari, armalar, silahlar, setler ve şehir tasarımları bir dünyanın nasıl algılandığında çok büyük rol oynar ve bu kitap bu anlamda ciddi bir ilham kaynağı.
Kostüm tasarımları, setler, mimari, silahlar, kaleler ve şehir tasarımları gerçekten çok başarılı. Her görsel unsur bilinçli ve ayakları yere basan bir yaklaşımla ele alınmış. Bunu daha da etkileyici kılan şey ise çekim mekânlarının ne kadar isabetli seçildiği. Gerçek dünyadaki çekim lokasyonları, inşa edilen setlerle o kadar iyi bütünleşiyor ki ortaya yapay değil, gerçekten yaşanmış hissi veren bir dünya çıkıyor.
Erken sezonlarda prodüksiyon ekibinin bütçeyi son derece verimli kullanmak zorunda olduğu çok net hissediliyor. Bu kısıtlar nedeniyle ilk sezonlardaki işler daha yaratıcı ve bir anlamda daha tutkulu duruyor. Tasarımcılar ölçek yerine zekâ ve yaratıcılıkla sorun çözmek zorunda kalmışlar ve bu da daha bilinçli, daha özenli görsel kararlar alınmasını sağlamış.
İlerleyen sezonlarda bütçe ciddi şekilde arttıkça görsel ölçekte büyüme yaşanıyor. Ancak benim için bu aynı zamanda ilham seviyesinin de bir miktar düşmesine yol açıyor. Bu elbette kişisel bir algı olabilir, fakat erken sezonları tanımlayan yaratıcı kısıt hissi, yerini giderek sadece büyüklüğe bırakıyor gibi geliyor.
Buna rağmen, kitabın kendisi çok net bir şekilde sanat departmanının bir tutku projesi. Son sezonlara ait bölümler benim için daha az etkileyici olsa bile, sayfaların her birinde emeği, düşünceyi ve özeni hissetmek mümkün. Görsel hikâye anlatımına ve dünya inşasına duyulan tutku kitap boyunca kendini hissettiriyor.
Kitapla ilgili en büyük hayal kırıklığımdan biri, dizinin daha fantastik unsurlarına ayrılan sanat çalışmalarının çok sınırlı olması. İnsanlara Game of Thrones dendiğinde, akıllarına gelen ilk şeylerden biri ejderhalardır. Ancak sekiz sezonu kapsayan bu kitapta ejderhalara ayrılmış yalnızca iki sayfa bulunuyor.
Daha da dikkat çekici olan ise kurtlar, devler ya da Ormanın Çocukları gibi evrenin kimliği açısından çok önemli olan diğer fantastik unsurlara neredeyse hiç yer verilmemesi. Bu unsurlar dünyanın mitolojisinin temel parçalarıyken, bu kadar kapsamlı bir sanat kitabında bu denli geri planda kalmaları kaçırılmış bir fırsat gibi hissettiriyor. Bu ölçekte bir kitapta, gerçekçilik ile fantezi unsurları arasında daha dengeli bir dağılım beklerdim.
Tüm bu eksiklerine rağmen, bu kitap için nihai puanım 5 üzerinden 5. Eğer kendi görsel dünya inşanız ve hikâye anlatımınız için ilham arıyorsanız, bu kitap son derece güçlü bir kaynak. Kusurları olsa da, görsel tasarımın bir kurgusal dünyayı nasıl hayata geçirdiğini göstermesi açısından hâlâ en iyi örneklerden biri.
April 11, 2020
Big and heavy, the book boasts some really beautiful-looking art and it's informative (regarding the construction of the different sets and props). I found the concept art of the Battle of Winterfell to be particularly eye-popping.
I wish there was a bit less "photobashing" and more sketches, unused designs, etc. but I understand this is due to the nature of TV series - things have to be done as fast as possible, no time for tinkering much with illustrations. Same when it comes to creatures, such as the Direwolves, Giants, White Walkers and the Dragons, since there's almost nothing. They're probably saving such material for a future book (either that or it won't see the light of day).
The book is mostly about the different locations of Westeros and Essos.
Recommended for GoT diehards.
I wish there was a bit less "photobashing" and more sketches, unused designs, etc. but I understand this is due to the nature of TV series - things have to be done as fast as possible, no time for tinkering much with illustrations. Same when it comes to creatures, such as the Direwolves, Giants, White Walkers and the Dragons, since there's almost nothing. They're probably saving such material for a future book (either that or it won't see the light of day).
The book is mostly about the different locations of Westeros and Essos.
Recommended for GoT diehards.
April 8, 2020
I am quite obsessed with this show!
This book showed me that art for a live show is much different than the art for an animated movie. A lot of the art involved inserting photos of the characters into the inspiration scene.
The book explains where everything was shot and how things were built and sometimes reused and repurposed.
I think my favorite is the floor plans and elevations. I can really feel like I know what the artist wanted to portay.
This book showed me that art for a live show is much different than the art for an animated movie. A lot of the art involved inserting photos of the characters into the inspiration scene.
The book explains where everything was shot and how things were built and sometimes reused and repurposed.
I think my favorite is the floor plans and elevations. I can really feel like I know what the artist wanted to portay.
April 30, 2024
Beautiful art to explore all the work and thought put into GOT, allows for a journey pilgrim through locations, more of a book to look stare at and get lost into instead of one to read, sometimes would love some extra details.
May 18, 2024
Un magnifique ouvrage sur les décors de la série Game Of Thrones ! Un avis est difficile à faire sur ce ouvrage. Simplement… lisez-le, ou plutôt, regardez-le, puisqu’avec celui-ci tout se lit à travers les images.
November 20, 2025
An interesting in-depth look into series many different factions and locations. However, the structure of the book is a bit disorganised, and some of the concept pieces are spread across pages, thus breaking up the art.
Fans will get some extra insight into the designs of the houses and the locations. However, for me, watching the show was more than enough to understand the choices made.
Fans will get some extra insight into the designs of the houses and the locations. However, for me, watching the show was more than enough to understand the choices made.
February 24, 2020
Un libro donde las imágenes, planos, ilustraciones etc... Son una maravilla visual. Increíble todo el trabajo e imaginación que ha habido detrás de las cámaras para dar vida a esta historia.
April 26, 2022
the most wonderful artbook of got
September 7, 2022
This is literally my best book purchase of this year. The art is insanely detailed and is super high quality like photos. This is a MUST HAVE for any Game of Thrones fan ❤️
November 2, 2022
Beautiful artwork and environmental design from the show. Would have liked to see some more writing about how the designs were implemented, how large the scale of construction was etc.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews