Tuesday, February 6, 2018

Star Wars, Star Trek and Justice League



Titan Books takes you to the stars and introduces you to the ‘World’s Greatest Heroes’ with five, oversize, new books that will blow your mind!

Each oversize, hardbound book contains spectacular full color artwork, photos and fascinating text about their respective subjects.

The books’ print quality is amazing with bright, vivid colors printed on heavy paper stock all wrapped up in heavy-duty, paper stock covers complete with slipcases.

Interiors feature full-bleed photos, backgrounds and amazing page designs.

Daniel Wallace’s Star Wars On The Front Lines examines the violent conflicts between good and evil in the Star Wars Universe.

Each and every major battle portrayed in the entire Star Wars Movie Universe is gone over in great details.

Full color illustrations and paintings capture key moments in each battle and personnel, weapons, transports and land, air, water and spec vehicles used in each.

For a real insider look at the wars and battles that shaped the Empire, Rebellion and other factions and civilizations across the galaxy this book fills in the gaps.

The awful, violent and destructive results of war are shown with no apologies.

It’s a part of the Star Wars Universe that tends to be glossed over.  We tend to forget that it is called Star ‘Wars’.

The Justice League: DC Comics’ premiere superhero team consists of the all-stars of the DC Universe: Batman, Superman, Flash, Aquaman, Cyborg and Wonder Woman.

DC Comics and Warner Bros. celebrated a big hit with their Justice League movie.  Audiences loved it and DC Comic Book readers were thrilled to see their favorite heroes on the Silver Screen.

Writer Abbie Bernstein celebrates the event with Justice League The Art Of The Film, the new book from Titan Books.

This is one gorgeous book that takes readers on a visual tour of the making of the film starting with pre-production art, conceptual paintings, costume, set and vehicle designs, tech visualizations, character uniforms and special effects.

The art is complemented with photos from the film, close-up examinations of set and costume designs and plethora of images that spotlight the massive effort that went into bringing the DC Universe to film.

It a stunning visual treat that also includes lots of production notes, recollections and a very special foreword and introduction.

Titan Books presents a trio of Star Trek books from the original universe and the Kelvin Timeline.

A couple years ago Titan released a Star Trek book spotlighting the original series.  Artist Juan Ortiz provided his own new, interpretive art representing different classic episodes of the original series.

Ortiz is back and this time he’s providing his own unique artistic vision of classic Star Trek The Next Generation episodes.

The Art Of Juan Ortiz Star Trek The Next Generation contains an amazing compilation of original art create to showcases episodes from the series.

Ortiz’s art is bold and incorporates well thought out and executed graphic representations combining art, text, manipulated photographs, computer generated images with a keen eye for layout.

Besides the oversize page images (more poster art than illustrations) the book also contains notes, sketches and a Q & A from the artist.

As a designer myself, Ortiz’s art fascinates me with its scope, clever designs and carefully juxtaposed images.

To quote Mr. Spock, ‘Fascinating.’

Back in 2009 Paramount Pictures (owners of the Star Trek franchise) and director J. J. Abrams set out to update the Star Trek Universe for a whole new generation of movie goers.

The results was a retelling and revamp of Star Trek by using a clever alternate timeline that presented Star Trek, its characters and settings with a refreshing new twist.

Three ‘Kelvin Timeline’ Star Trek movies have been released with great success.

The Art Of The Kelvin Timeline book presents the completely redesigned Star Trek Universe with new costumes, re-imagined characters, new takes on classic villains and storylines, updated ships and vehicles, spectacular planetary vistas, sate-of-the-art visual and computer effects and exciting new possibilities.

Pre-production and production art, designs, visual reimaging and panoramic sets, environment and space designs fill the book.

It’s exciting to see a new, fresh approach to the classic Star Trek series.  Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Sulu, Chekov, Uhura, Bones and other classic Star Trek characters have been reborn.

The Starship Enterprise has also gotten a facelift with a sleek new design that pays homage to the original design.

Starfleet, the Klingon, the Romulans and dozens of other species have been given a facelift.

For a mesmerizing tour through the new Kelvin Timeline Star Trek Universe this book delivers.

Part of the Star Trek Beyond movie’s success was its expansive use of alien species.

While the previous two Star Trek movies had aliens they were not as prevalent as in Star Trek Beyond. 

Like many Star Trek movies before the aliens tended to look like humans with masks.

That all changed with Star Trek Beyond primarily because of makeup artist Joel Harlow.

In Star Trek Beyond The Makeup Artistry Of Joel Harlow by Joe Nazzard, the genius of Harlow is on full display.

There are aliens, then there are Joel Harlow aliens.

Fluid, organic, unique and ground-breaking all describe Harlow’s alien makeup.

What’s truly amazing about his designs and technique is that the aliens look like aliens.

Gone is the aliens who looks like a humans with extra parts and funny noses or foreheads.

Harlow’s aliens are almost shocking by their appearances.  It’s hard to believe that people actually wore the makeup and prosthetics.  While most are humanoid they definitely are not human by any stretch of the imagination.

Bones protrude, appendages bend and extend at odd angles from joints, noses, eyes, facial bone structure all have changed and yet through the mastery of color, texturing, flexibility and precise attention to details the creations look real.

They appear as if they could actually exist.

Full color art and photos show each alien design. Sketches, computer concept art and transitional photos all combine to offer a unique creature sneak peek into the mind of a truly remarkable makeup artist.