Book Review: The Art of Elysium

I really can’t get enough of concept art.  I love to see the visual creative process put down on paper (literally or figuratively) in order to witness the evolution of an idea.  It’s great to see the drastic changes in character appearances over time, but I even like to see how the little things were developed, like logos for fictional products.  With that in mind, flipping through The Art of Elysium from Titan Books is like a concept art fan’s dream come true.

While he’s only directed two feature films, there’s no question that Neill Blomkamp has a certain aesthetic that he prefers.  That gritty, makeshift look was first seen in the “prawn” camps of District 9, and it carries over to his latest film, Elysium, for scenes that take place on the ruined surface of the Earth.  However, the design changes drastically on the eponymous orbital paradise, filled with the clean, smooth, surfaces that only 1960’s futurists could have envisioned.  In order to create such contrast, Blomkamp brought on two impressive minds in production design – Art Director Phil Ivey, who previously worked on District 9 and The Lord of the Rings trilogy for WETA Workshop, as well as legendary concept artist Syd Mead, who brought us the worlds of Blade Runner and TRON.

Typically an “art of” book starts with the design of the characters.  However, because there aren’t any monsters or aliens that really had to be developed for this film, Titan chose to break the book down based upon the two contrasting environments – Earth and Elysium.  From there, things are categorized even deeper with each set piece getting it’s own section, which is narrowed down even more to focus on the minutiae of the environment.

It’s in the minutiae that this book really shines.  Don’t get me wrong – it’s really cool to see the designs for the Elysium “ringworld” from a legend like Mead, and checking out the various models of transport ships shows a real depth of thought – but it’s the little things that make an imagined world seem real.  Here, there are about three pages dedicated to tattoo designs, there’s a two-page spread of postage stamp-sized logos, we even see the development of a child’s toy and a few home appliances.  In addition, there are multiple pages of ideas for the film’s iconic exo-skeletons, and about a dozen pages of weapon designs, including different paint jobs and logos plastered on everything.  But my favorite section by far is the 15 pages of nothing but military and police robot designs.  Each of the concepts is wildly different and even the unused versions are cooler than the robots seen in most sci-fi movies.

As is typical for an “art of” book, there are paragraphs from the design team peppered throughout the book that gives us some insight into the thought process.  There are also a few special effects explanations to provide even more behind-the-scenes goodness.  And while there are only two instances in this book, the gatefold pages that unfold to provide even more robot designs and Syd Mead’s artwork are a welcome addition.

Whether you actually liked the movie or not, if you enjoy getting a glimpse into the making of a film’s fictional world, you can’t go wrong with The Art of Elysium.  Between Syd Mead art and the impressive array of designs from every aspect and angle of the film, this is one concept art book that’s worth picking up.

The Art of Elysium is available now from Amazon and other fine book retailers.