The Art of Ratatouille

I love my book! It came brand new, and unharmed. I wanted this book because I've been wanting to get my hands on as many "Art Of" books as I can! Disney, or non-Disney. This is my second one so far, and each one is a pleasure to own. The magic that these books have is that they give its readers and artists alike a chance to see the work that goes in to making films. Often we take these films (and the sweaty effort that goes in them) for granted. But these books show the underbelly - the research, the messy designs and redos - and how much efficiency in team work REALLY matters. They're a good idea as to what many other films have to go through too. I adore the chalk pastel sketches, the character design snippets, and the set design. The best part is that every time I see them, I feel like I'm in the Animation Academy in California Adventure, even when I'm just reading the book under lamplight.

Even if you didn't like Ratatouille (I don't see why) you can appreciate this book. It is filled with amazing artwork for the film; storyboard, concept sketches, background paintings, color keys, and my favorite concept maquettes/sculptures of the characters. The character sculptures by Greg Dykstra really blew me away. Amazing stuff! Worth the price of the book alone! If you are an artist, animator you can't go wrong with purchasing this book. Artwork is beautiful if not short of brilliant. Some amazing talent at Pixar, who made an amazing film (and still going strong). Very inspiring book!! Not only has the artwork but talks about how Ratatouille came to be.

The first thing I noticed upon opening this book was the mix of traditional and Digital Mediums that the different artists took when exploring the art direction for this film. The contents of this book are mainly comprised of conceptual scene and location layouts, and these primarily take up the front two thirds of the book. The other half uses the space to display the sketches and clay models of the characters. By this I'm referring to the concepts for the human characters. The rats went through many stages of designs therefore being granted 15 or so pages at the beginning of the book. This section is relatively shorter, perhaps due to a lack of more conclusive sketches towards the characters final designs, however this is merely an assumption on my part. What I like about this art book, like most of the other Disney and Pixar art books is the inclusion of reference photos allowing insight into the inspirations behind the art. I would rate this to be a recommended buy.

The book was great. Loved the artwork, loved the stories. What I didn't like was the way amazon has taken to shipping my books lately. In the past they were nicely sealed with a larger cardboard which prevented them from moving around in the box. I recieved several hard cover books with torn backings thanks to this new way of just tossing everything carelessly into a large roomy box with a few bands of 'air bubbles'. Please don't change a good thing.

This book was in really good condition! It is a beautiful book, would recommend this or any of the Pixar "Art of" books to animation or art nerds out there. There was a small printing error that the seller warned me about, which I am grateful or. It even came with a doodle of Remy on the package which I taped in my sketchbook! Amazing :) Thank you!

This was a gift for my adult son who happens to be an artist. Besides the personal connection we have with the Ratatouille movie, I thought he would enjoy exploring the character and animation development. I was right. He loves the book and has an appreciation for the animators’ work. It is a thick book packed with sketches and storyline development. I was also pleased that the Amazon price was much better than the company where I originally found the book.

Great to learn from!

This simple, unexpected question—"What about a rat who wants to become a chef?"—was asked by the wife of Ratatouille’s co-director while they stood in their kitchen. Like a bolt from the blue, it sparked the idea that became one of Pixar’s beloved animated films. Even in 2025, Ratatouille continues to inspire awe. And just like the film, The Art of Ratatouille offers a full-course experience of behind-the-scenes stories—a kind of Pixar family recipe for crafting an animated masterpiece. So let’s break down the ingredients. ★★★★☆ Art Created in a time when much of the concept work was still done with pencil, markers, and clay, this book is a treasure trove of visuals for fans. It offers a detailed look at the process of bringing characters to life—from initial sketches to final rendered models. Of course, you'll also find plenty of digital art: panoramic Parisian cityscapes, interior designs, and detailed views of the restaurant kitchen from various perspectives and scenes which are not always that impressive. Still, it’s the traditional techniques that steal the show. There's something warm and tactile about studying hand-drawn work and physical sculptures. My personal favorite are the oil clay maquettes of the main characters. These sculpts helped artists translate expressive 2D designs into stylized and emotionally rich 3D models. Even better, the book doesn’t just show the process—it tells the story behind it. ★★★★★ Text Some art books focus purely on visuals. Others walk you through the movie scene by scene. However, The Art of Ratatouille, in my opinion, strikes the perfect balance: it tells the story of the film’s creation through quotes, stories, and insights from the team behind it. Divided into three chapters—Rats, Cooking, and Paris—the book covers the film's major themes and production challenges. It shares how the team explored sewers, toured Paris, and studied the inner workings of authentic French kitchen to bring depth and realism to the movie. Though it’s not text-heavy (it is an art book, after all), the content it includes is engaging and immersive. I finished the book feeling as if I’d spent a day with the team at Pixar, seeing the world they saw and learning what they learned. ★★★★☆ Book Design As with many titles from Chronicle Books, this one follows their signature design: a 160-page landscape layout with clean, thoughtfully structured pages. Image placement, font choices, and chapter transitions are all handled beautifully. Each chapter opens with a moodboard of real Parisian photos that inspired the visuals. All artworks and quotes are credited, giving well-deserved recognition to the creatives involved. The only drawback is the dust jacket. Like other Chronicle editions, it’s flimsy and prone to wear. Underneath is a rather plain hardcover. ★★★★★ Price Compared to many other art-of books, this one is surprisingly affordable. In August 2024, I bought a good pre-owned copy for just $15. As of spring 2025, it’s still widely available starting with $10 from pre-owned sellers on Amazon. For what it offers, this book is an absolute bargain—almost too good for the price. ★★★★☆ Overall Impressions The best art books make you want to rewatch the films they celebrate—and this one absolutely does. The very few of these animations look outdated nowadays. Even 15, 20, or 30 years after their release, these films can still move you—sometimes even bringing a tear to your eye or a lump to your throat. Pixar and DreamWorks pour their hearts into their stories, and decades later, the results still resonate. The Art of Ratatouille is a wonderful companion to the movie: it’s full of vibrant art, thoughtful behind-the-scenes stories, and character designs brimming with personality. These are the perfect ingredients in Pixar’s recipe for timeless storytelling.

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Ottime stampe

It's hard to find decent Ratatouille merch out there, but I got this for my boyfriend for his birthday and he loved it!! The concept art is awesome, the sketches are great and it's got a lot of really fun info in it like all of the possible logos for the film!! 5 staaaars!!!

Magnifique livre Art Of

Ratatouille is one of my favourite Pixar films so I was so excited to read about the art of the movie, being an arty person myself. This book is incredible. Unlike other “art of” Pixar books I own, this one has a great deal of text explaining the thought process behind the art, instead of leaving the reader guessing. The book explores how the characters’ personalities influence the character design and all of the practicalities the team had to explore when making this fish out of water tale. This is my favourite “art of” book and the price was amazing! If you’re thinking about buying this one, DO IT!