Step inside the Lucasfilm art departments for the creation of fantastical worlds, unforgettable characters, and unimaginable creatures. The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens will take you there, from the earliest gathering of artists and production designers at Lucasfilm headquarters in San Francisco to the fever pitch of production at Pinewood Studios to the conclusion of post-production at Industrial Light & Magic—all with unprecedented access. Exclusive interviews with the entire creative team impart fascinating insights in bringing director J. J. Abrams’s vision to life; unused “blue sky” concept art offers glimpses into roads not traveled.
Bursting with hundreds of stunning works of art, including production paintings, concept sketches, storyboards, blueprints, and matte paintings, this visual feast will delight Star Wars fans and cineastes for decades to come. The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the definitive expression of how the latest chapter in the Star Wars saga was dreamed into being.
ALSO AVAILABLE FROM ABRAMS IN SPRING 2016: The Making of Star Wars: The Force Awakens by Mark Cotta Vaz. Forewords by J.J. Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy. ISBN: 978-1-4197-2022-2
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1180 reviews for The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens
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★★★★★
ZELONG LIN –
The book is great, no tear, very informative and well worth the money. Even though I don’t like the Star Wars postquel trilogy, the Star Wars art is still top-notch
Helpful(0)Unhelpful(0)You have already voted this
★★★★★
Martin K Pipe –
The three sequel Star Wars films received endless criticism but this attitude baffled me. Mind you prior the three sequels, the three prequels also seemed to irk many filmgoers but over time opinions softened. This book is packed with the artwork produced before and during The Force Awakens and I’m sure the original Star Wars artist, Ralph McQuarrie, would have approved of the efforts of his contemporaries. This is a “coffee table” book of quality. Learn how ‘Rey’ evolved from her original conception called “Kira” and follow her journey from artwork to becoming Daisy Ridley. Brilliant book!!
Helpful(0)Unhelpful(0)You have already voted this
★★★★★
ZiroTheHutt –
Excelent livre pour suivre le processus créatif qui a permis au film le plus attendu de la décennie d’exister. Comme pour chacun des films précédents, les differents designs et dessins conceptuels réveillent l’imaginaire. Si il n’y a qu’un seul produit à acheter sur “The Force Awakens”, s’est bien celui là. En esperant qu’un jour soit enfin publié le livre “making-of” de J.W. Rinzler.
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★★★★★
Viciado na Amazon –
Esse livro é mais voltado para adultos. Não tem tantos desenhos dos personagens principais, mas sim visões artísticas primárias dos planetas, criaturas, naves etc. É uma visão artística, bem diferente do registro fotográfico de livros como os Visual Dictionarys. Ele não foca nos desenhos e visuais finais que foram para a tela. O livro foca nos primeiros desenhos, rascunhos e pinturas que iriam formar o visual do filme. São visões criativas muito interessantes e uma visão técnica de como se visualiza um universo a partir do zero. Recomendo.
Helpful(0)Unhelpful(0)You have already voted this
★★★★★
DarkFire55! –
This book of the Force Awakens art should be in anyone’s library, if they are a true StarWars fan. Each page conveys some the unique photographs or artist renderings of this episode in great detail. Most of the photographs or artworks are related to this episode, but probably were in the movie. This covers the details and approach to depicting the scenes and does offer some insight to the collection of artists who painted these images. In most cases, some of the artists revealed in this book were given ” artistic-license ” to show their streams of imaginations and designs. This contains diagrams, creature designs/developments and various timelines toward meeting production standards before its major release.
Helpful(0)Unhelpful(0)You have already voted this
★★★★★
L. W. Swint –
December 18, 2015 will be a day long remembered by countless “Star Wars” fans as the date that Christmas came early; for on that day, the Saga they loved began a new era with the official North American premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” the first film to be produced under the stewardship of the Walt Disney Studios. For this “Star Wars” fan, that merry day began with an early morning screening of Episode VII, followed by the eagerly awaited afternoon mail arrival of the “Star Wars Original Motion Picture Soundtrack” by John Williams, and the product of this review, “The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens” by Phil Szostak. It was truly a happy “Star Wars” holiday for me!
“The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is the latest in what has become a treasured tradition of wonderful books showcasing the imaginative behind the scenes work involved in the creation of the cinematic “Star Wars” Saga. Like its predecessors, this volume provides the reader a rich and lavish collection of pre-production artwork that reveals the evolution of another epic tale of the beloved “galaxy far, far away.” The book is structured as a chronology of the creative movie making process from the early days of the film’s genesis to post production. As is the norm with this series of books, while “The Force Awakens” film is a live-action adventure with stunning visuals that are part of the magic of any “Star Wars” movie, this tome is very much an ‘art of’ book, concentrating on images in color and black and white imagined by the talented artists gathered to bring the Saga to life. Thus there are very few photographic shots taken from the final film included in this volume. Despite that, readers will discover amazingly detailed works of art within this book. From the wrecked remains of a crashed Star Destroyer on the dessert planet Jakku by Doug Chiang, the striking visage of an “old priest” by Martin Rezard, the eerie images of the “ghost” of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader by Iain McCaig, to the rusting ‘carcass’ of a fallen Imperial AT-AT Walker, the makeshift home of the movie’s young heroine, Rey, by Martin Wallin, the quality of the art is stunning. There are also artistic images of a more impressionistic style that evoke a sense of atmosphere and awe: Han Solo and Chewbacca standing in silhouette in a “Falcon Corridor” by Matt Allsopp, “Snow Fight” by Erik Tiemans and Iain McCaig, in which the forces of good and evil clash with light sabers on a wintry night, and the many richly rendered set pieces, in which “Rally Site Troop’s View” by Kevin Jenkins is just one excellent example. Comments from members of the creative staff are featured as well, giving added insight to the challenges and joys of interpreting this cherished film legend. As a whole, these collected sketches, drawings and paintings display ideas envisioned, accepted, rejected and perhaps most tantalizingly, maybe one day seen again in the ongoing “Star Wars” Saga.
Since the days of the very first “Star Wars” film, George Lucas, the creator of this classic story telling achievement, has shown respect and appreciation for the many concept artists and other gifted craftspeople who helped bring his cinematic mythology to life. Over the years, Mr. Lucas has allowed many creations never designed to be seen by the general public the opportunity to be revealed and recognized as true works of art. That gesture is continued with the publication of this beautiful book.
“The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens” comes with this reviewer’s highest recommendation.
May the Force Awaken within you, and be with you, always!
Helpful(0)Unhelpful(0)You have already voted this
★★★★★
HedenVegas –
“The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens” è un libro che offre una splendida panoramica degli aspetti creativi e visivi che hanno dato vita al settimo episodio della saga di Star Wars. Il libro presenta una vasta selezione di concept art, storyboard, disegni e fotografie che mostrano il processo creativo che ha portato alla realizzazione del film.
Il libro è organizzato in modo molto chiaro e dettagliato, seguendo le principali fasi della produzione del film, dalla pre-produzione alla post-produzione. Gli artisti coinvolti nella realizzazione del film hanno fornito commenti illuminanti e interessanti sulle loro creazioni, offrendo al lettore una visione approfondita del processo creativo che ha portato alla realizzazione di un film tanto atteso.
La qualità delle immagini è straordinaria, con molte pagine a doppia apertura che mostrano concept art e disegni dettagliati in modo impressionante. Il libro è anche corredato di testo che spiega le scelte creative fatte dagli artisti, fornendo una maggiore comprensione della visione che ha guidato la realizzazione del film.
In generale, “The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens” è un libro eccezionale per tutti gli appassionati di Star Wars e del cinema in generale. Offre una panoramica affascinante del processo creativo che ha portato alla realizzazione di uno dei film più attesi degli ultimi anni. Consiglio vivamente questo libro a tutti coloro che sono interessati alla produzione cinematografica e alla creatività visiva.
Helpful(0)Unhelpful(0)You have already voted this
★★★★★
JMM –
The media could not be loaded.
“The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is a fantastic journey through the galaxy far, far away, along with its characters, creatures, vehicles, weapons, and planets. There are quite a few books about Star Wars: The Force Awakens being released – and this is the best of them if you are interested in the artistic side of Star Wars (or movies in general).
I won’t spoil anything specific – I’ll just say that you’ll probably want to save this book until after you’ve seen the film, because the book includes designs (both conceptual and finished) for certain characters and locations that are better kept a mystery until you’ve experienced the movie.
If you enjoyed the film, you will be pleased to know that this book offers the reader insight into the detailed art direction and production design that went into creating “The Force Awakens”. Star Wars has always used the image to convey thematic ideas; and the level of imagination and creativity that goes into them is arguably greater than any other film franchise.
Among the imagery in the book are early and unused concept sketches, storyboards, paintings, and even blueprints. The images are printed in high resolution so you can inspect every detail. Although this is primarily a book of art, the author has done a nice job writing text that compliments the imagery and enhances the experience of the book. Included are quotes from key creatives that worked on the project.
On the whole, the book has a nice layout; while most books group the artwork by character or the film chronology, this book does things a bit differently. The art is instead published essentially in the order it was created, beginning with the earliest concept ideas in late 2012 and ending with some post-production design changes in January 2015. So as the reader flips through the book they can see the evolution of the film’s designs take place.
This has instantly become one of my favorite movie art books. If you liked the movie and want to know more about the designs from concept to completion, you will enjoy the book. This would make a great gift for the Star Wars fan.
Helpful(0)Unhelpful(0)You have already voted this
★★★★★
Elsa Poveda –
Este libro es maravilloso. Está lleno de bocetos, storyboards, pinturas y blueprints (iniciales, descartados y aprovados). La maquetación es diferente de la mayoría de libros de este tipo –que normalmente muestran el contenido por importancia de personajes, localizaciones, vehículos, etc. o siguiendo la cronología del filme. The Art of the Force Awakens muestra el arte en el orden en que fue creada, comenzando con los primeros concepts de finales de 2012 para acabar con los últimos cambios en diseño llevados a cabo durante la postproducción en Enero de 2015. Así que, a medida que avanzas en el libro, puedes ver la evolución de sus diseños. Y los textos acompañan esta experiencia, ya que incluyen comentarios de los artistas involucrados en el proceso. Tanto si te gusta indagar en la labor de los diseñadores en el cine como si eres fan de Star Wars, este libro es una preciosidad.
ZELONG LIN –
The book is great, no tear, very informative and well worth the money. Even though I don’t like the Star Wars postquel trilogy, the Star Wars art is still top-notch
Martin K Pipe –
The three sequel Star Wars films received endless criticism but this attitude baffled me. Mind you prior the three sequels, the three prequels also seemed to irk many filmgoers but over time opinions softened. This book is packed with the artwork produced before and during The Force Awakens and I’m sure the original Star Wars artist, Ralph McQuarrie, would have approved of the efforts of his contemporaries. This is a “coffee table” book of quality. Learn how ‘Rey’ evolved from her original conception called “Kira” and follow her journey from artwork to becoming Daisy Ridley. Brilliant book!!
ZiroTheHutt –
Excelent livre pour suivre le processus créatif qui a permis au film le plus attendu de la décennie d’exister. Comme pour chacun des films précédents, les differents designs et dessins conceptuels réveillent l’imaginaire. Si il n’y a qu’un seul produit à acheter sur “The Force Awakens”, s’est bien celui là. En esperant qu’un jour soit enfin publié le livre “making-of” de J.W. Rinzler.
Viciado na Amazon –
Esse livro é mais voltado para adultos. Não tem tantos desenhos dos personagens principais, mas sim visões artísticas primárias dos planetas, criaturas, naves etc. É uma visão artística, bem diferente do registro fotográfico de livros como os Visual Dictionarys. Ele não foca nos desenhos e visuais finais que foram para a tela. O livro foca nos primeiros desenhos, rascunhos e pinturas que iriam formar o visual do filme. São visões criativas muito interessantes e uma visão técnica de como se visualiza um universo a partir do zero. Recomendo.
DarkFire55! –
This book of the Force Awakens art should be in anyone’s library, if they are a true StarWars fan. Each page conveys some the unique photographs or artist renderings of this episode in great detail. Most of the photographs or artworks are related to this episode, but probably were in the movie. This covers the details and approach to depicting the scenes and does offer some insight to the collection of artists who painted these images. In most cases, some of the artists revealed in this book were given ” artistic-license ” to show their streams of imaginations and designs. This contains diagrams, creature designs/developments and various timelines toward meeting production standards before its major release.
L. W. Swint –
December 18, 2015 will be a day long remembered by countless “Star Wars” fans as the date that Christmas came early; for on that day, the Saga they loved began a new era with the official North American premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” the first film to be produced under the stewardship of the Walt Disney Studios. For this “Star Wars” fan, that merry day began with an early morning screening of Episode VII, followed by the eagerly awaited afternoon mail arrival of the “Star Wars Original Motion Picture Soundtrack” by John Williams, and the product of this review, “The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens” by Phil Szostak. It was truly a happy “Star Wars” holiday for me!
“The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is the latest in what has become a treasured tradition of wonderful books showcasing the imaginative behind the scenes work involved in the creation of the cinematic “Star Wars” Saga. Like its predecessors, this volume provides the reader a rich and lavish collection of pre-production artwork that reveals the evolution of another epic tale of the beloved “galaxy far, far away.” The book is structured as a chronology of the creative movie making process from the early days of the film’s genesis to post production. As is the norm with this series of books, while “The Force Awakens” film is a live-action adventure with stunning visuals that are part of the magic of any “Star Wars” movie, this tome is very much an ‘art of’ book, concentrating on images in color and black and white imagined by the talented artists gathered to bring the Saga to life. Thus there are very few photographic shots taken from the final film included in this volume. Despite that, readers will discover amazingly detailed works of art within this book. From the wrecked remains of a crashed Star Destroyer on the dessert planet Jakku by Doug Chiang, the striking visage of an “old priest” by Martin Rezard, the eerie images of the “ghost” of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader by Iain McCaig, to the rusting ‘carcass’ of a fallen Imperial AT-AT Walker, the makeshift home of the movie’s young heroine, Rey, by Martin Wallin, the quality of the art is stunning. There are also artistic images of a more impressionistic style that evoke a sense of atmosphere and awe: Han Solo and Chewbacca standing in silhouette in a “Falcon Corridor” by Matt Allsopp, “Snow Fight” by Erik Tiemans and Iain McCaig, in which the forces of good and evil clash with light sabers on a wintry night, and the many richly rendered set pieces, in which “Rally Site Troop’s View” by Kevin Jenkins is just one excellent example. Comments from members of the creative staff are featured as well, giving added insight to the challenges and joys of interpreting this cherished film legend. As a whole, these collected sketches, drawings and paintings display ideas envisioned, accepted, rejected and perhaps most tantalizingly, maybe one day seen again in the ongoing “Star Wars” Saga.
Since the days of the very first “Star Wars” film, George Lucas, the creator of this classic story telling achievement, has shown respect and appreciation for the many concept artists and other gifted craftspeople who helped bring his cinematic mythology to life. Over the years, Mr. Lucas has allowed many creations never designed to be seen by the general public the opportunity to be revealed and recognized as true works of art. That gesture is continued with the publication of this beautiful book.
“The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens” comes with this reviewer’s highest recommendation.
May the Force Awaken within you, and be with you, always!
HedenVegas –
“The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens” è un libro che offre una splendida panoramica degli aspetti creativi e visivi che hanno dato vita al settimo episodio della saga di Star Wars. Il libro presenta una vasta selezione di concept art, storyboard, disegni e fotografie che mostrano il processo creativo che ha portato alla realizzazione del film.
Il libro è organizzato in modo molto chiaro e dettagliato, seguendo le principali fasi della produzione del film, dalla pre-produzione alla post-produzione. Gli artisti coinvolti nella realizzazione del film hanno fornito commenti illuminanti e interessanti sulle loro creazioni, offrendo al lettore una visione approfondita del processo creativo che ha portato alla realizzazione di un film tanto atteso.
La qualità delle immagini è straordinaria, con molte pagine a doppia apertura che mostrano concept art e disegni dettagliati in modo impressionante. Il libro è anche corredato di testo che spiega le scelte creative fatte dagli artisti, fornendo una maggiore comprensione della visione che ha guidato la realizzazione del film.
In generale, “The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens” è un libro eccezionale per tutti gli appassionati di Star Wars e del cinema in generale. Offre una panoramica affascinante del processo creativo che ha portato alla realizzazione di uno dei film più attesi degli ultimi anni. Consiglio vivamente questo libro a tutti coloro che sono interessati alla produzione cinematografica e alla creatività visiva.
JMM –
The media could not be loaded.
“The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is a fantastic journey through the galaxy far, far away, along with its characters, creatures, vehicles, weapons, and planets. There are quite a few books about Star Wars: The Force Awakens being released – and this is the best of them if you are interested in the artistic side of Star Wars (or movies in general).
I won’t spoil anything specific – I’ll just say that you’ll probably want to save this book until after you’ve seen the film, because the book includes designs (both conceptual and finished) for certain characters and locations that are better kept a mystery until you’ve experienced the movie.
If you enjoyed the film, you will be pleased to know that this book offers the reader insight into the detailed art direction and production design that went into creating “The Force Awakens”. Star Wars has always used the image to convey thematic ideas; and the level of imagination and creativity that goes into them is arguably greater than any other film franchise.
Among the imagery in the book are early and unused concept sketches, storyboards, paintings, and even blueprints. The images are printed in high resolution so you can inspect every detail. Although this is primarily a book of art, the author has done a nice job writing text that compliments the imagery and enhances the experience of the book. Included are quotes from key creatives that worked on the project.
On the whole, the book has a nice layout; while most books group the artwork by character or the film chronology, this book does things a bit differently. The art is instead published essentially in the order it was created, beginning with the earliest concept ideas in late 2012 and ending with some post-production design changes in January 2015. So as the reader flips through the book they can see the evolution of the film’s designs take place.
This has instantly become one of my favorite movie art books. If you liked the movie and want to know more about the designs from concept to completion, you will enjoy the book. This would make a great gift for the Star Wars fan.
Elsa Poveda –
Este libro es maravilloso. Está lleno de bocetos, storyboards, pinturas y blueprints (iniciales, descartados y aprovados). La maquetación es diferente de la mayoría de libros de este tipo –que normalmente muestran el contenido por importancia de personajes, localizaciones, vehículos, etc. o siguiendo la cronología del filme. The Art of the Force Awakens muestra el arte en el orden en que fue creada, comenzando con los primeros concepts de finales de 2012 para acabar con los últimos cambios en diseño llevados a cabo durante la postproducción en Enero de 2015. Así que, a medida que avanzas en el libro, puedes ver la evolución de sus diseños. Y los textos acompañan esta experiencia, ya que incluyen comentarios de los artistas involucrados en el proceso.
Tanto si te gusta indagar en la labor de los diseñadores en el cine como si eres fan de Star Wars, este libro es una preciosidad.