The best animation of 2012 had to be Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph (opens in new tab) - to games what Toy Story was to toys. The movie follows the titular character (from fictional 1980s game Fix-It Felix) and his quest among many games worlds - and each of these is examined in detail in this making-of book, from Ralph’s 8-bit home to the violent modern shooter of Hero’s Duty and finally to the colourful, 64-bit racer Sugar Rush.
Ralph’s origins as an 8-bit character are evident in his square, chunky design, whereas Hero’s Duty’s Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun’s appearance is more armoured and well-proportioned. Interviews with the movie's many artists, including a foreword by director Rich Moore and a preface by John Lasseter, along with character sketches, storyboards, visual development paintings and more, make this an insightful behind-the-scenes look at 2012's big 3D animated epic.
We see a lot of design books for both games and animated films, and it’s nice to see one that combines our two core passions. Published by Chronicle Books (opens in new tab), it's available for $40.
- This review was originally published in our sister title ImagineFX, the world's leading magazine for fantasy and sci-fi digital artists. You can get a free sample issue here! (opens in new tab)
Now read: The 20 best 3D movies (opens in new tab) for 2012
