The Magic of MinaLima

by MinaLima

A full-colour illustrated compendium chronicling the magical twenty-year journey of acclaimed art and design studio, MinaLima, the creative genius behind the graphics for the Harry Potter film series.

“It all started with a letter...”

Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima began their extraordinary partnership in 2001 when Warner Bros. invited them to realize the imaginative visual universe of the Harry Potter film series. The two artists would never have guessed that the graphic props they designed for the films – including the Hogwarts acceptance letter, Marauder’s Map, Daily Prophet newspaper, The Quibbler and Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes – would become cultural icons loved by Wizarding World fans around the world.

Eight years later, the pair formed their own design studio, MinaLima, and expanded their work to include the graphics for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade at Universal Orlando Resort and the Fantastic Beasts film series. To showcase their treasury of designs, the studio has opened House of MinaLima, its immersive art galleries and shops in London and across the world.

The Magic of MinaLima is an illustrated history and celebration of Mina and Lima’s twenty-year evolution and groundbreaking vision. Their wondrous creations illuminate the Wizarding World as never before, and their commentary offers insights into the imaginative thinking that shaped their designs.

This collection showcases the very best works from the award-winning studio’s two decades and includes interactive elements such as the Marauder’s Map, the Black Family Tapestry, and Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes.

Designed to delight and enchant, The Magic of MinaLima will be an invaluable resource for Wizarding World and graphic art fans alike.

Genres: Nonfiction, Harry Potter, Art, Magic, Art Design, Collections, Media Tie In

240 pages, Hardcover

Published October 13, 2022

About the author

We are MinaLima, Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima, the graphic designers of the Harry Potter film series.

We design film graphics (Harry Potter, Sweeney Todd, The Imitation Game, The Fault in Our Stars, and the upcoming Tarzan and Fantastic Beasts) as well as limited edition art prints, books (Bigfoot is Missing, Peter Pan, The Jungle Book), stationery, homeware, and packaging.

At MinaLima, we are intrigued and enchanted by all things graphic. It’s our passion. We aim to make lives more beautiful and colorful through design.

Also, we love witches, wizards and Muggles!

Reviews

[Kerri · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me the highlights of the Harry Potter films are:
1) The adult cast members, notably Alan Rickman, and also scores of other British Acting Greats, sadly underused, but still bringing much needed gravitas to events.
2) The incredible sets, especially Hogwarts Castle.
3) The wonderful props and design elements, especially The Marauders Map, the Wanted Posters, and The Daily Prophet newspapers.

MinaLima's creations really are incredible and I was delighted to be able to linger over images of their hard work, see early design ideas for the map, the various poster and labels they created - honestly the amount of incredible work they produced over the years is amazing.
Recommended if you are of the company, the films, or graphic design in general.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The wealth of detail and love invested into each design, be it wizarding newspapers, posters, tickets, or the emblems and flags that represent Macusa or the French Ministry of Magic, was always inspiring and a vital part of creating a cohesive and immersive experience for our audience."

Read for the Back to Hogwarts Readathon 2025 challenge, and this book was used for the last and final subject I had, which was Alchemy. Similar to Charms, I had a different book in mind for the prompt, but realized there was no way I would finish the challenge in time if I went with it, so changed it to The Magic of MinaLima instead.

[Lena's Version · Rating 4 out of 5]

MinaLima ha sido de las mejores cosas que nos ha dado el Wizarding World de Harry Potter. Porque todo su trabajo y creaciones han dado mágicamente vida a su vez a este Wizarding World. Y yo no concibo lo uno sin lo otro ❤️
Es una pasada todo lo que han imaginado y construido; hay miles de detalles, documentos, props, artefactos, tipografías... y aquí hacen una recopilación de esos 20 años de minuciosas creaciones. Algunas inéditas. Un libro gráfico lleno de imágenes y curiosidades de todo su trabajo, con un par de props interactivos que es lo que he echado más en falta en este libro, ya que nos tienen malacostumbrados, pues en otros libros suyos incluyeron más réplicas de ese tipo y me encantan.

[Francesco Morettini · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a joy this book is! Sitting down on Boxing Day and consuming this entire tome has been a delight. This book is full of beautiful images and insights into the world of MinaLima.

I hadn't realised how much MinaLima had created - all those posters you see, even now? MinaLima! The Wizarding World at Orlando? MinaLima! Their designs are just extraordinary and look like they have been picked straight out of someone's magical imagination - or the wizarding world itself.

There were a few glaring typos, and quite a lot of repetition - I feel another proofread could have helped this book!

But if you are looking for a book for a Harry Potter / Fantastic Beasts fan, I would 100% recommend "The Magic of MinaLima".

[Irma Sincera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meistriškai ir be proto gražiai iliustruota knyga. Skaityti ir vartyti ją buvo tikras džiaugsmas, inner child buvo labai patenkintas. Teksto nėra čia itin daug, bet tiek daug Minalimos sukurtų rekvizitų filmams galima buvo apžiūrėti iš arčiau, įsigilinti į mažiausias detales, suprasti pasirinkimus jų. Nemažai ir interaktyvių iliustracijų, prototipų, kurie paskui išsivystė į mums pažįstamą atributiką.

[Sofia Freitas · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5⭐

What a cool book! MinaLima were such a huge part of the Harry Potter universe. Their imagination and creativity were essential in bringing the magic to life and making this world feel truly immersive.

It was so much fun exploring their ideias, sketches and early designs, and discover all the props they were responsible for.

I only wish I had read this before visiting the Warner Bros. studios, in London 😅 I would have paid more attention to some details and props that are on display (I guess I have to come back 😆).

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This book really opened my eyes to all that Mina Lima was responsible for in making Harry Potter and the Fantastic Beasts movies. It’s truly amazing and a fun read. I wasn’t as into the Fantastic Beast stuff as Harry Potter but it was still a good book.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun read! I have long adored MinaLima for the way that they brought the Wizarding World to life in the films. Seeing the thought process and the attention to detail makes me appreciate them even more! The level of care that goes into each prop is so impressive. I also loved how colorful and interactive this book was.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so creatively created. The book looks like a scrapbook of someone who attended Hogwarts.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely story of the designers who created the magic that we know today in the Harry Potter world. Loved the interactive elements in the book. Beautiful art work as usual! I managed to get my hands on a signed version which I will treasure.

[galina · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s just unbelievable how you don’t even notice some of the mentioned props while watching movies. And it can only confirm that all of them were so natural and plausible!
“Was it even possible for two Muggle designers to produce such a magical object?” Turns out, it was.
Absolutely adored the book itself (another magical object, seriously) and all the stories inside, well done and a HUGE thank you for all your work!

[Iris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Magic of Minalima

“It all started with a letter . . ."

In the Magic of Minalima, graphic designers Mina/Lima take us on a truly magical journey where we discover how they created the world of Harry Potter.

What inspired them to create the Wizarding world? How did the designers meet and eventually decide to start a successful company together?

It is incredibly inspiring to see how these two artists had a vision that they managed to transform into a breathtaking magical journey that continues to reach new destinations to this day.

This is a beautifully designed book, with fold-out pages, many color illustrations printed on thick paper with a beautiful cover with gold details.

In my opinion, the book is affordable and worth the money. I bought my copy for around €35 euros.

[Alizee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book that allows us to enjoy the wonderful art of MinaLima up close, taking our time to take in all the details and easter eggs. Funnily enough, I’ve also discovered so many weird typos and phrasings in the « French » Fantastic Beasts art (French Ministry of magic etc.) that I remain convinced no French person was actually involved in reviewing them 😅
A final warning: be aware that this book will make you want to buy all the prints - read at your own risk!

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Magic of MinaLima by @minalimadesign

So this afternoon I started reading this and it’s literally made my Christmas Day … such a beautiful book! I’ve been collecting MinaLima books for a few years now and I’m always asked who they are and how I know about them. MinaLima are the incredible Graphic Designers behind the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts movies.

Now those that know me know I’m biased about anything Harry Potter but this is more than that. The MinaLima Studios are such an inspiration to Graphic Designers and this book explains exactly why. Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima are legendary they not only designed everything graphic based for the movies from the Marauders Map and Daily Prophets to the Black Family Tapestry and Hermiones Time-turner! They’ve then gone on to design for the studio tour, the theme park in Orlando and they have their own gallery/shop in London. They’ve also created beautiful collectable fairytale books (some of which you’ll have seen on my page).

Their story is a Graphic Design fairytale in itself. Honestly if I’d had this much fun I never would have left design 😜… Omg I’m so in awe of how much they’ve achieved, how stunning their work is, it’s beautiful to read such an inspirational story. I’m a huge fan. ❤️❤️❤️

[RumBelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was gorgeous, and so detailed. So much to see and read, some of the two page spreads were overflowing with images. It also had many pullouts, including things like the Marauder's Map and Sirius' family tapestry. This was the most in-depth guide regarding graphic design for the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts movies I have ever read.

With sections devoted to things like Hogwarts, books, Ministries of Magic and much more, this was just a wealth of information. So many little details you never would have considered went into the films. For example, changing the characters handwriting subtly over the years as they grew up, or the various designs for the Ministries around the world.

Bringing Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts to life required so much detail and creativity. It was amazing what these graphic designers were able to do. Reading this book once does not do it justice, it needs to be read multiple times to be truly savored.

[Ivan Dachs Hladík · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinující doklad o neuvěřitelném talentu a citu pro detail dvou výtvarníků, kteří vdechli významný díl kouzla Harrymu Potterovi. Velkoformátová kniha na poctivých stránkách z křídového papíru přináší příběh o tom, jak vznikaly takové rekvizity či dekorace jako přijímací dopis z Bradavic, Pobertův plánek, rodokmen Blacků, plakáty, obaly na sladkosti z Medového ráje a spousta dalších více či méně viditelných věcí. Kniha obsahuje i interaktivní prvky. Každá stránka je doslova nabitá návrhy a řešeními, která zdobí filmy o Harrym i Fantastická zvířata. Přestože je pouze v angličtině, i neangličtináři z ní budou mít požitek. Pro Potterheady je pak titul skoro povinností při cestě za ještě hlubším zkoumáním potterovského universa. Prostě – krásné!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

As one would expect, the art and graphics of this book are amazing. The amount of detail and behind-the-scenes info on some of our favorite Harry Potter props was top-notch. However, it took me forever to read this book due to the very dull writing accompanying the pretty pictures. There would be pages with a paragraph of the same info you read on the previous page (this happened more than once), or redundant writing phrased a different way within the same paragraph. So, it took me awhile to slog through all that. This volume is definitely a keeper for any Harry Potter super fan though.

[Susanna Cantelmo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Molto interessante, anche da non esperta, scoprire la grande creatività e ricerca che c'è dietro agli oggetti di scena dei film di Harry Potter. Curioso anche conoscere il presente del gruppo di graphic designer Minalima, che ha iniziato negli ultimi anni anche a creare nuove edizioni di libri 'reali' (come la serie di fiabe per bambini e la nuova edizione di hp, piene di inserti - quasi magici - di carta).

[Frederique · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book from graphic designers Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima, well-known for their work on the Harry Potter movies. In this book they tell how they met and how they worked on the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts movies and books. I truly admire their attention to details. All the time and work put in designs sometimes for only one scene is incredible.

[N.L. McFarlane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a stunning non-fiction book about MinaLima; where they've come from, what they've done, who they are, and their hugely important roles in the Harry Potter franchise. Every single page is magical and beautiful in a way that makes this book so special. I love the artwork, fold-outs, photos, insights from characters, and the way they had to imagine life in the wizarding world.

[Veronica Ewing · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a fan of the Harry Potter movies, are fascinated by the world of designing graphic props for movies, or just have an appreciation for graphic design in general - this book is an absolute must read. What a wonderful exploration into the incredibly imaginative minds of Eduardo Lima and Miraphora Mina. They truly brought the Wizarding World to life with their works.

[Brooke Lockwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book demonstrates just how amazing the design team behind the film franchise are. There are so many things in this book that I never even noticed in the films, which shows the amount of detail they put into their work even if it’s only shown for a millisecond. I would recommend this book to any film lover, Harry Potter lover or design lover.

[Carla BC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although sometimes I wished there were more images and photos from the movies for context, the book covers it all.

Made me want to rewatch all movies and pay special atention to all the props and graphics developed by MinaLima, which have played a big part in the magical experience of the Wizarding World.

Reading this felt as if I had a magical book found at Hogwarts' Library in my hands.

[Josh Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunning book full of beautiful designs, interesting factoids and personal anecdotes from the incredibly talented graphic designers behind the Wizarding World. An absolute must have for any Potterhead!

[Traci Hunziker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Harry Potter films and books, so this was a real treat to be able to see all the ingenious work that was done to make the props, etc. Very cool. I will definitely be examining the scenes more closely the next time I watch the movies.

[Kayla Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as some I’ve read, but I do love their art and illustrations!

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 4.5 stars ⭐️

[Veronica DreamDjinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous art book, as usual. It's such a shame the text hasn't been properly proofread, though :(

[Kayleigh-Ann Pullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful insight into the graphic design behind the Harry Potter films! Defo recommend for any HP fan!