The Art of Wish

Published October 24, 2023

“I’m always interested in the behind-the-scenes process of animation. But when you have a film like Wish, the style of which pays homage to Disney’s vault of animated classics, I knew that reading The Art of Disney Wish was a need, not a want. Written by Stephen Rebello and Kimmer Baughman, this Chronicle Books coffee table book includes hundreds of concept art images, not only from Wish, but the films that inspired it.”

– Alex Reif, Laughing Place

“The Art of Wish” is probably the best “The Art of” book in recent years, with plenty of text discussing how the film was created with a nice amount of historical nods. And of course, there are gorgeous illustrations throughout. “The Art of Wish” is a wonderful companion for “Wish”.

– Denise Preskitt, Mouse Steps

The Art of Hercules:
The Chaos of Creation

Published June 19, 1997

“The Disney studio returns to form with its take on that ancient superhero, Hercules. No Quasimodo (hero of last year's tepidly received Hunchback of Notre Dame), the Greek demigod is in the Disney mold: young, good lookin', a bit naive. Furthermore, his mythic story provides fantasy elements like those in Disney's most memorable films. Like the book tie-ins to other recent Disney animated features, this handsome coffee-tabler traces the new film's history and production with hundreds of color and black-and-white illustrations and commentary from its creators. The volume's highlight is a section of drawings by production designer Gerald Scarfe, best known for his work on the film of the rock group Pink Floyd's album The Wall. Scarfe's loopy, chaotic style is quite a departure from the usual, homogenized Disney approach, and if his distinctive character designs survive in the finished film, Hercules may go down in Disney annals for something other than truckloads of box-office proceeds.”

– Gordon Flagg, Booklist

The Art of The Hunchback
of Notre Dame

Published June 13, 1996

"Very nice, even by nineties Hyperion standards. It's huge, glossily printed ... the accompanying text is of Rebello's usual high standard."

– Feeling Animated

“I saw this book for [the] first time years ago in a school of art and animation, and I remembered it as a good book. When I had the opportunity to buy it I discovered that was not good. It was great.

A very complete book. Illustrations, concept art, storyboards, color studies for scenes, designing and creating clothes and settings, impossible perspectives of the cathedral, the town, indoor, outdoor ... it has all.

When they made this book [they] really did it with love and dedication, and no reproach. You may like the drawing style more or less, but that will never go out of your mouth is that after buying this book you were discontent. It is a masterpiece in the genre of art books of animated films, but even this book has a few years and there are no new editions of it. I'm sure if you buy it, you would enjoy it.”

– Luis David Gomez Delgado, Verified Review

The Art of Pocahontas

Published June 1, 1995

"Physically sumptuous. The writing is engrossing. Two books in, the Hyperion editions were beginning to hit their stride -- they represent the pinnacle of what an art book can be."

– Feeling Animated