‘The Art of Lightyear’ book review

Category: Books and Music

“To infinity and beyond.” We all know about Buzz Lightyear, at least when it comes to his time with Andy and then Bonnie. But we don’t know his backstory. With the feature film coming out soon, the accompanying book, The Art of Lightyear, takes readers into the story through production art and stories.

In the “Forward,” Executive Producer Andrew Stanton says this is a “book chock full of imagery made by some of the most talented artists today…” There is no doubt about that. The art is incredible not only for fans of the character and the upcoming film, but also for those who are intrigued by animation.

The book, as evident in the title, is dedicated to the art of the film. In the “Introduction,” Director Angus MacLane says, “I loved the story and the characters, but even more, I was drawn to the art and the design behind it.” He added this book “represents only a small fraction of the work produced by this extremely talented team of artists over a six-year period.”

Many of the pages are dedicated to the characters. Readers see the designs of the wardrobes, the colors, the facial expressions, and everything that went into defining the characters that made it into the film.

Another section looks at the settings, or as the chapter is called, “Environments.” Other planets had to be created and buildings and spaceships were all part of the imaginations of the filmmakers.

With sketches and digital art, the story and backstory of the film come alive through the pages of the book. In the film and in the book, fans are introduced to Sox, a robotic cat that accompanies Buzz on his mission. This little guy is sure to be a favorite for kids.

Unlike the Toy Story franchise, Buzz is voiced By Chris Evans in Lightyear.

The Art of Lightyear provides a great accompaniment to the film and fans of the Toy Story franchise. Exploring the visual elements of the film through great artwork, this book takes readers right into the creation of all aspects of this new animated story. Whether you are an aspiring animator, an animation fan, a fan of Disney and Pixar, or simply a fan of Buzz, this is a fun book to have around. It takes us into the heart of the film, to Sky Command, and “to infinity and beyond.”

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Chronicle Books (May 17, 2022)
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 176 pages

 

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 and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet on Village Television in Orange County. Follow her on Twitter.