The Art of Hotel Transylvania 2
A behind-the-scenes look at this horrifyingly adorable blockbuster sequel that’s superior to staple film-art books
Movie tie-in books can be too easily dismissed. They have a history of being light on insight, with publishers throwing some concept art on the page, hastily dispatched to collectors keen to grow their mound of movie merchandise.
That’s not what Titan Books do, though. The company has been evolving these books for decades now and The Art of Hotel Transylvania 2 follows a successful formula of getting right into the nitty-gritty of a film’s production. Here we’re treated to insights from both concept artists and production illustrators, animators and even director Genndy Tartakovsky – all presented with a design aesthetic evocative of the film’s visual language.
The book reveals a collective of artists keen to see something a little different on our 3D animated screens. Indeed, Hotel Transylvania’s quirky designs sit at the edge of a genre too often accused of being homogenised in its output. The influences of early cartoons are prevalent throughout the talent involved and John Norton’s nostalgic storyboards alongside both Craig Kellman and Joey Chou’s paintings leave us wishing more chances would be taken with large animated movies. We reckon they could get away with it too. If it wasn’t for those pesky kids…