The Art of Rio – Book Review
The Art of Rio was always going to be a bold and colourful affair, but boy does it live up to expectation. Author and collator Tara Bennett has come up trumps, having scoured the Blue Sky archives for sketches, paintings , interviews and insights into the making of both Rio and Rio 2.
The most refreshing aspect of The Art of Rio is the way in which Tara hands its voice to the great pool of artists and director Carlos Saldanha. The creative team takes us through the book offering hidden gems and insights into the production process, learning first hand what it was like to design Blu, Jewel and the many characters and locations. Adding in the dilemmas they faced personally really creates a great dynamic, making the book seem like a personal journey instead of a watered-down run through, methodically going from A to B.
Unique highlights within its pages are sporadic but worth the wait. They come in quite small chunks, such as the background signs, poster designs and intriguing design insights such as the process behind Pedro’s pot belly. The latter being based on the shape of a water balloon, there is a great sequence of images that clearly show the development of this ingenius design approach. It begs for more detail and perhaps the same thought process behind some of the other characters, but nonetheless is very interesting. Adding to these is a very enjoyable and slightly larger section on the feathers of the array of birds on show. The process from anatomy to final animated design is beautifully shown and it’s here that you really get an idea of the craftsmanship and true talent behind both Rio films.
As you may imagine, birds appear in abundance throughout the book – from the main characters Blu, Jewel and Nigel to their pals Nico, Pedro and, now, the Blu Macaw’s close and distant relations. As well as this there is an excellent final section where they delve into the art of the bird extras. This is a beautiful addition and a wonderful show of form and design. The elegant creations, some which made it in and some which didn’t, are all gloriously realised. The sections dealing with people, especially the supporting characters such as the boy, Fernando and the gang are, however, a little too generic. The designs don’t really pack the same punch as the birds and, as with the film, seem to lack substance and originality. As you keep turning the pages in the latter half you’re once again thrust into the world of Rio; The locations section really shows the true determination in Saldanha to make you feel Rio, not just watch it. Brimming with location designs and concept art, it is something that will have you coming back for more. Every image has a returnable quality, with hidden details lurking within every aspect.
Overall The Art of Rio does exactly what you’ll be expecting it to do. If you’re looking for an ‘Art Of’ book that beautifully portrays exotic birds and stunning locations then your heart is set on the right thing. The colours and feel that made the film can clearly be seen within every page and with little nuggets dotted throughout you’ll always be happily surprised.