Charles Solomon – författare

The official visual retrospective of the first 25 years of Cartoon Saloon, the award-winning, internationally renowned Irish animation studio behind The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, Puffin Rock, and WolfwalkersThe Art of Cartoon Saloon: 25 Years takes fans on a gorgeous illustrated journey through the first 25 years of the award-winning animation studio.Cofounded in 1999 by Tomm Moore, Nora Twomey, and Paul Young in Kilkenny, Ireland, Cartoon Saloon has garnered countless accolades for their stunning hand-drawn animation, including four Academy Award nominations.Their body of work encompasses feature film releases including The Secret of the Kells, Song of the Sea, The Breadwinner, Wolfwalkers, and My Father’s Dragon, and the beloved children’s series Puffin Rock, as well as short films and commercial work.The studio’s 2D films, which have persisted and thrived in a cinematic landscape that increasingly favors computer-generated imagery, are vibrant, engaging, and wholly unique. This book illuminates the history of the animation studio and the creative processes that have created a timeless aesthetic distinct to Cartoon Saloon.

An illustrated overview of writer/director/animator Mamoru Hosoda's Academy Award–nominated movies and career, including previously unpublished storyboards, background paintings, character designs, and concept artJourney into the mind and creative process of one of the most celebrated anime directors working today with The Man Who Leapt Through Film: The Art of Mamoru Hosoda. Written by renowned animation critic and historian Charles Solomon (The Art of WolfWalkers, Abrams 2020) and featuring exclusive interviews alongside hundreds of never-before-seen sketches, storyboards, background paintings, character designs, and concept art, this is the ultimate companion piece to Hosoda's work. Writer/director/animator Maroru Hosoda’s work includes the Academy Award–nominated Mirai (2018); The Boy and the Beast (2015); Wolf Children (2012); Summer Wars (2009); and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006). He is the cofounder of Studio Chizu, one of Japan's premier animation studios.

The official behind-the-scenes art book for Cartoon Saloon’s stunning new animated fantasy adventure, Wolfwalkers Cartoon Saloon, the Irish animation studio behind the Academy Award–nominated films The Secret of Kells (2009), Song of the Sea (2014), and The Breadwinner (2017), returns in 2020 with its latest feature, Wolfwalkers, coproduced with Melusine Productions and directed by Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart. This mythic tale tells the story of a young hunter named Robyn, who, while tracking down a pack of dangerous and wild wolves, is transformed into the very thing she and her father have been seeking to destroy. Filled with exclusive hand-drawn sketches, paintings, interviews, and digital renderings that showcase Cartoon Saloon’s unique artistic style, The Art of Wolfwalkers takes fans behind the scenes of one of animation’s most celebrated studios. Through exclusive commentary and interviews with cast and crew, including directors Moore and Stewart, renowned animation critic and historian Charles Solomon showcases the craft and skill behind some of the most lovingly detailed and imaginative 2-D animation currently being produced.

A gorgeous celebration of the influential and Academy Award–winning animators of the National Film Board of CanadaFor over eight decades, the National Film Board of Canada has been a global leader in animated storytelling, pushing boundaries with its visionary artists and groundbreaking techniques. In Animation for the People, acclaimed animation historian Charles Solomon offers a richly illustrated journey through the NFB’s legacy, from its earliest experiments to its most celebrated works.Featuring interviews with filmmakers and animators, behind-the-scenes insights, and original artwork from iconic shorts like The Sweater and Neighbours, this book reveals how the NFB became a hub of innovation, collaboration, and artistic freedom. With 78 Academy Award nominations and 12 wins, the NFB’s influence spans generations and genres, inspiring creators around the world.This is not just a history—it’s a celebration of animation as a public good, a cultural force, and a medium of limitless possibility.

The official behind-the-scenes companion to Academy Award–winning director Brad Bird's Ray GunnRay Gun: The Art of the Brad Bird Film is a comprehensive look behind the scenes of Brad Bird's (The Iron Giant, Ratatouille, The Incredibles) latest animated feature film, Ray Gunn.Following the titular human private detective, the film is set in a brilliantly imagined world where science fiction meets film noir. Flying cars, alien species, bizarre weaponry, and femme fatales abound in the film's city of the future, and this book documents the entire creative process that brought these elements to the screen.Original interviews conducted by author and animation historian Charles Solomon with Brad Bird, Paul Felix, John Lasseter, Michael Giacchino, the animators, and other key creatives provide keen insights into the development of this long-in-the-works project.Showcasing the storyboards, concept art, costume sketches, weapon, alien, and character designs that set this film apart from anything audiences have seen before, Ray Gunn: The Art of the Brad Bird Film is an essential companion to this genre-bending adventure

In Disney's upcoming animated musical film, Frozen, the Snow Queen holds a kingdom under a spell that traps them in a harsh and grueling eternal winter. Anna, the Snow Queen's sister and Anna's friend Kristoff undertake an adventure of Everest proportions, facing magic and mystical creatures, to capture the Snow Queen and save the kingdom from destruction. The Art of Frozen features concept art from the making of the film, including character studies and sculpts, colour scripts, storyboards and more, alongside interviews and with the film's artists about the making of this adventurous animated film.