I remember Daddy told me, Fairytales can come true
But you gotta make ’em happen, it all depends on you.– Tiana (The princess and the frog) –
Introduction
Since I want this blog to be a happy and interactive place, a place for you and me, I asked you all on my Instagram page which book you would like me to review next: The Art of Tangled or The Art of The Princess and the Frog. Admittedly, I also did so because I wasn’t able to make the decision myself (since both of them are just amazing), so thanks again for being so reactive and interested! It was a very, very close run, but we have a winner… and although I love Rapunzel, I must say that I am very happy with your choice. I guess I would also have picked the The Art of The Princess and the Frog (by Jeff Kurtti… remember this man, since actually every Disney book with his name on it is a must-have!)
Why? Well, I grew up in the 90s with all the great classic Disney movies of that second golden era of animation, like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin or Beauty and Beast (just to name some of them). Without doubt you can imagine how sad I was when The Walt Disney Company announced plans to move entirely to computer animation. Don’t get me wrong, I like all the new stuff like Frozen and so on, but those movies just feel very different to me. Hence, I was soo excited when I heard that Disney is working on another hand-drawn animation movie based on a classic fairy tale back in 2009: The Princess and the Frog.
I fell in love with it immediately…. so much emotion, a bunch of unique and lovingly designed characters, an intriguing story, great music and last but not least its stunning setting in New Orleans.
I feel like this movie is totally underrated and I hope that reading this review and having a look at the astounding art work condensed in this beautiful book, makes you (re)discover one of the most beautiful Disney productions (at least for me).
And now, off to New Orleans…
New Orleans
We are starting our journey (chapter one of the book) at a very peculiar place, a lush city in the south with a lot of character that is quite different from anywhere else in America. A city full of magic, great food and music, cultural diversity and the famous french “savoir-vivre”. An American city, a European city….. New Orleans, the perfect place for an American fairy tale.
This first part of the book is all about the great architecture and the ambience of this special place around the 1920s. By flipping through it and seeing all the gorgeous and inspiring art work created for the movie, we really get a feeling for how much work and attention to detail went into the Disney version of the city. Thanks to the meticulous research fullfilled on-site, the artists managed to capture the spirit and unique esthetics of the crescent city and therefore to create a stunning setting, in which the story could take place and the characters could come to life.
Let’s go for a walk and discover a city full of bright colors, secrets and magic… grand boulevards, quite lanes, the picturesque French Quarter, Tiana’s home, her working place (the little bistro) and her dream palace (her restaurant), but also the dark side of New Orleans, where we get to know the shady Dr. Facilier and the art of his Woodoo magic that turns Prince Naveen into a frog.
Besides the breathtaking environment created for the story, we also get to know some of its main characters in this first part of the book: Tiana and Prince Naveen (in their human shape) for instance. There is so much concept art and character sketches… 6 pages on each character!
As a history enthousiaste and someone who loves everything that is french, Louisiana, especially New Orleans, always fascinated me, but after I’ve seen this movie (and this book!) the destination made its way to the top of my travel wish list. Do I need to say more?
The Garden District
Since we are transporting the notion of a fairy tale into an American historical setting, there was a desire to create the feel of a castle and a royal court.
– Peter Del Vecho (producer) –
Following the chronoclogical logic of the movie, we are now heading for the colorful Garden District, where “Big Daddy” La Bouff owns a castlelike mansion. Again, the attention to detail is just mind-blowing: those beautiful huge mansions with their typical iron wrought balconies surrounded by large gardens among impressive oaks. Personally, I am a huge fan of architecture (especially castles), so this second part of the book is just a pure delight. Looking at all the formidable and inspirational art work really feels like being tranfered to another time in another place!
Speaking of inspiration…. how do you create a fairy tale environment without the classic castle or tower somewhere in Europe a long long time ago? (Like I said, we are in New Orleans in the 1920s). Well, just find some good ideas in other Disney movies! The author tells us a lot about how the artists were looking for design inspirations and the importance of that process. And they actually found it in the old Disney classic Lady and the Tramp.
Although the chapter clearly focuses on setting, background and ambience, Jeff Kurtti also provides an insight into the creation of “Big Daddy” La Bouff and his spoilt little princess Charlotte. I also enjoyed the section about all the costumes of the masked ball.
The Bayou
The Bayou chapter is all about the flora and fauna of the wild Mississippi delta: flowers, mangrove wood, huge trees, bogs, waterfronts, boats, aligators and frogs for sure. Like the whole book, the focal point of this chapter is also the creation of the perfect setting for the story. Therefore we learn a lot about the use and effect of color and light. Tiana and Naveen (as frogs now) are in as well. But it’s not only about background and the “stars” of the film.
Spotlight on some amazing side characters: Louis and Ray. I love both of them but I absolutely adore Ray, a tiny firefly with a huge heart! What is so fascinating about him is that he isn’t very appealing visually, but his humor and his idea of transcendent power of love is just everything! One of the best characters of the latest Disney movies, in my opinion.
Résumé
Like you’ve already noticed (I guess I wasn’t that discreet), I just love this book! There is sooo much great art in it… so much color, concept art, layout, background and character studies.
It is a typical “the art of” book, so don’t be surprised if the better part of it is visual. That being said, there still is enough text (just the perfect amount for me personally) to learn all the important stuff about the movie and the artistic creation of it. Jeff Kurtti is an amazing author known for his talent, passion and knowledge about Disney and this is reflecting, once again, in this book.
So for me it is an absolute must-have. Plus, it really appeals to everyone: Do you like fairy tales? Do you like Disney? Are you interested in architecture? Do you love nature? Are you interested in the New Orleans landscape? Do you like frogs? …. ( I could go on and on) Well, then you really should get this beautiful book.
Where to get it?
Title: The Art of The Princess and the Frog
Author: Jeff Kurtti
Year: 2009
I bought mine at my local bookstore a few years ago. Since it was published in 2009 (8 years already OMG), it now is easier to get it on Amazon I guess. The original price was 40 € ( the same in $). Nowadays you can find a copy for about 30 € (but I would say it is well worth the original price!). By using the link below (klicking on the respective picture), you help me to keep The Disney Bookshop going.
I hope you enjoyed reading this review – let me know, what you think about it.
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Great, great article!! ✨
Thank you <3 Glad you like it!