The Art of Toy Story 4 Book Review

It's my favorite time of year—another Pixar film, another "Art of" book from Chronicle Books publishing! The Art of Toy Story 4 is the 21st Pixar release in this acclaimed, bestselling "Art of" series (which began in 2001 with Monsters Inc.), all of which I've reviewed right here in years past. I've collected these books for a long time now and always look forward to them! I'm glad to see the series still going strong and popular within the Disney/Pixar/Animation fan community. A huge thanks to Chronicle Books for sending me this copy!

First of all, if you're not familiar with this series, these books are essentially the definitive source for all officially released Pixar concept art and "making of" content (storyboards, colors scripts, lighting studies, character/environment layouts, pencil sketches, digital renderings, research photographs, deleted scenes/concepts and so much more— as well as a sprinkling of quotes, stories and insights from the creators); an amazing look into the creative process and development from the team of artists at Pixar!

Note: There are also "Art of" books for films from other studios as well, including Lucasfilm, Disney Animation, Dreamworks and more.

The front and back covers feature some of the vibrant art you'll find within these pages. Really gorgeous stuff. The front cover makes me wish we had a moment like that in the film though—it would have been nice to have a callback to when Bo Peep would get Woody's attention by hooking him with her staff.

As usual, remove the slipcover to reveal the sturdy hardcover book itself and the film's embossed logo. Loving the deep red this time around.

Now we'll open things up to give you an exclusive peek at some of the opening pages!

The foreword this time was written by Annie Potts (voice of Bo Peep), who shares how she got involved with the original film back in 1994 and what Toy Story and Pixar Studios mean to her. It's all beautifully stated!

The introduction was written by Josh Cooley (the film's director), who shares some really down to earth insights about why he wanted to tell this story after a perfectly wrapped-up trilogy. He discuses "trusting the process", "trusting the people you work with" and "touching on universal truth" when crafting stories. He seems like a really cool dude who I'd love to just sit down and have a chat with.

Continuing on, below is a peek at some of the other many, many pages of colorful art you'll discover inside! I'm not wanting to show a lot here (I don't want to to give anything away that might spoil the film if you by chance haven't seen it yet), but here's at least a little sampling of what you can expect.

Note: There's a miniature storybook insert of Gabby Gabby's book from the film included inside! What a cool detail right? Don't miss it.

The book closes out with some acknowledgments (special thanks) by the producers of the film, Jonas Rivera and Mark Nielsen.

Some of my favorite parts of this book are the small tidbits here and there regarding abandoned concepts, ideas and scenes. As director Josh Cooley states in his introduction, "We went down a LOT of different story paths over the years (we could fill a twenty-volume set of Toy Story 4 'Art of' books with all the material created for the different versions of the film." What a tease! As a massive Toy Story fan, that stuff fascinates me more than anything. One of my only [small] complaints here is that I wish there was more of that content. Much of the art (while stunningly beautiful) basically just mirrors the final images and characters seen in the film. I'd say 90% of the art is from once the story and world were very much established.

For example, there is one particular deleted scene included here in storyboard form that I loved seeing. Honestly, I really wish it was left in the film! It's more of a moment, but it's a flashback to when Bo's lamp was first brought into Andy's room and plugged in next to Molly's crib. Woody looks up at Bo and Bo looks back at Woody and it's love at first sight. It's beautiful and I wish I could have seen that play out on screen. Perhaps the blu-ray will feature that clip and more of an explanation on why it was cut.

Speaking of explanations, that's one more thing I would have liked to see more of here. I would have enjoyed a bit more text and behind the scenes insights from the creators explaining the creative process and why certain decisions were made. Other those couple minor nitpicks though, this is an incredible book and a most welcome addition to the collection! It's absolutely a must have for Toy Story fans.

If you're looking to get into this industry (or perhaps you already are), this is a great learning tool; for everyone else, it's just a feast for the eyes. There are so many details in this book that you really could look through and study it for hours (and I'm sure I will). If you're interested in adding this to your collection, I recommend picking it up at Barnes & Noble or on Amazon using the direct link below.

And there you go! That's my review, which is just a small taste at what you can expect inside. Per usual, this is a really beautiful tribute to the incredibly talented artists who worked so hard at making the film what it is today, yet who too often go unnoticed. Do you have a favorite Pixar artist whose work you look forward to seeing?  Let me know all your thoughts on this book and any questions you might have down in the comments.

Size: 11.4" x 9.4"
Pages: 160
Retail Price: $40 (though it's always on sale for less, usually around $26)
Original Release Date: May 7th, 2019
My Rating: 8/10

Toy Story 4: Bo Peep and Sheep Table Lamp Review

For almost 25 years, fans and collectors of Toy Story have hoped for a real life version of Bo Peep's lamp. Well, for the most part, that dream has finally been realized thanks to the release of Toy Story 4! This real working lamp (by Ukonic) has recently been released exclusively at Target stores.

Sure, this isn't a perfect replica in terms of make or scale, but it certainly carries the right aesthetic. As far as straight looks go, they really got it right; however it's much smaller than it should be and is almost entirely made of plastic instead of porcelain. I also wish this Bo and her Sheep were based on the original designs from the first film instead of their TS4 updated looks, but that's just me being an old school, nostalgic fan who still feels a slight disconnect with their change of appearance. Beggars can't be choosers though, so I'm grateful for what we do have! It's probably as close as we'll ever get.

When you find this at the store, you'll find that it's wrapped in plastic for protection. I was glad to see that as this kind of thing scuffs up easily. 

As the tag says, Bo Peep is a detachable [plastic] figurine with included stand.

Look at this beauty! It really does look nice and photographs gorgeously. I know a lot of you are here just to see how it measures up compared to Thinkway's Toy Story Collection doll, so here are the size details: Again, it's pretty small and is not movie size. The official [lamp and base] measurements are 14 inches (H) x 9.4 inches (W) x 9.4 inches (D).

The sheep themselves (not removable) are about 4 inches (W) x 3.5 inches (H). Bo Peep on her own (once she's removed from the lamp base, more on that below) is 9 inches (H). To put it in perspective, Bo's much more in line with Mattel's 7 inch action figure assortment than she is any of the full scale dolls. In fact, when I compared her to the Bo action figure, they're almost the exact same size. So if anything, this would go perfectly with your Toy Story 4 action figure collection!

Bo and the sheep (or should I say Billy, Goat and Gruff) are molded out of solid plastic without any articulation (which also means her staff is not removable). I also have to note that the paint job is done much better than I thought it would be! Often times the paint can get a bit sloppy on items like this.

The lampshade feels like a heavy cardstock/fabric hybrid.  

Here's how it looks when Bo is removed from the base. As you can see, there are two metal pegs that help her stand.

You can get a better sense of scale here when compared to my hand.

I really like how an extra stand (with those same metal pegs) is included for when Bo is removed from the lamp base. This is great for play or display, since she would not be able to stand on her own otherwise, and was a smart choice to avoid frustration. Also, both the figure stand and lamp base are covered with a felt type material underneath so that they don't scratch up any furniture or floors—another smart choice.

Here's the Bo figurine on her own! For a cheaper decorative item, she actually looks fantastic.

Last but not least......the full effect! So pretty right? Despite the smaller scale, this really does look like it came right out of the film. As far as a light bulb, it does not come with one—so make sure to get one with a warmer (rather than a cooler) color temperature for the most film accurate look. The bulb base size is a Candelabra Edison screw base E12 and must not exceed 25 watts. After one or two failed attempts to get the proper bulb, I found the perfect one at my local Walmart. Check it out HERE. Of course many other bulbs will do, but I wanted to share what I found just make things easier for everyone. Hope it helps!

Overall, I'm very happy with this. It's a pretty awesome piece with a surprising amount of detail, not to mention a long time coming! For all you Toy Story fans/collectors out there, I'd say this is a must have as you never know if we'll ever get something like this again. I can see this becoming very hard to find not too long from now, so pick it up at your local Target (or online HERE) while you can! Retail price is $39.99, which I feel is very fair.

What are your thoughts? Will you be picking this up for your collection? Or maybe to decorate your little girl's room? Either way, this is a great item for kids and adult collectors alike. Highly recommend!

Ratatouille: "Anyone Can Cook!" Journal (ShopDisney)

In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for Chef Gusteau's famous motto, ‘Anyone can cook.’ But I realize, only now do I truly understand what he meant. Not everyone can become a great artist; but a great artist *can* come from *anywhere*...” -Anton Ego, Ratatouille

Yesterday, Ratatouille celebrated its 12th anniversary (if you can believe it)! I love this film so much and it's even become one of my top favorite Pixar films over the years. You can understand my excitement then when, earlier this year, the Disney Store (and ShopDisney) released this "Anyone Can Cook!" journal—an exact replica of the iconic cookbook seen in the film! I've wanted something like this for some time and I'm so happy it's finally been made.

I love when real life replicas are made based on animated props from Pixar films (examples: My Adventure Book, Mr. Incredible's phone, the Cozy Cone Alarm, Mike's MU hat, Piston Cup Trophy, ect.) as these are some of my favorite pieces to display. This journal is now displayed proudly on my Ratatouille themed shelf in my home office. It was the missing piece I didn't even know I needed!

This hardcover journal is 8 1/2'' H x 6'' W x 1 1/4'' D in size, originally retailed for $16.95 and includes 320 lined pages (with an attached ribbon bookmark) featuring Paris/Kitchen/Food inspired screen art in the signature Ratatouille style. Very tasteful!

On the back of the book, there is a "book synopsis", a "bio" for Chef Gusteau and a "review" quote from Brad Lewis (who's actually the producer of the film). Cleverly done.

The opening and closing end papers feature illustrations (seen directly below) of ''Chef Gusteau's Kitchen'' and its staff (with each job identified)...exactly how it appears in the book in the film! I absolutely love this.
 

Of course the only thing I do wish is that this was an actual cookbook, or at the very least included some recipes in it. All is good though, it's the look of the thing that really matters to me and they nailed that! It's like it leaped off the screen. And you know I'll absolutely be using it to document some of my favorite recipes as well!

Unfortunately, this has since sold out at the Disney Store (and online); but you can find it on eBay using this direct link or on Amazon using the link below. Be sure to let me know your thoughts down in the comments! Did you pick this up for your collection?

Toy Story: Alien Character Figural Plush Slippers (from Happy Feet)

Happy Feet, known for their quality themed slippers and famous for their unique and innovative Zlipperz (which I'll be diving into in an upcoming post), here we have their brand new Toy Story inspired Pizza Planet Alien figural plush slippers! A huge thanks to Happy Feet for this gift, which was given during my recent trip to the Toy Story 4 press junket at Walt Disney World. They are out of this world cute and super soft and cozy! 100% Polyester material.

I got these in XS, the smallest size (for when my boy is a toddler), considered a 7.5-12 (which should be good for a 2-4 year old). They are also available in adult sizes for men in women! Retail price for this pair is $35. Check them out on the "Buy Happy Feet" website and make your purchase HERE.

Love the one inch foam rubber and non-skid bottoms. Even though these are "slippers", we wouldn't want any actual slipping happening!

Just look at these little dudes... <3

Speaking of little dudes, I'm excited for my little dude to wear these one day; but for now they'll have to sit and wait! If you're interested in adding these to your (or your little one's) wardrobe, I can highly recommend them. If the aliens aren't quite your thing, no problem—be sure to check out Happy Feet's HUGE selection of other Disney/Pixar characters HERE!

Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below.

Toy Story: Woody and Bullseye Moccasins for Baby (by Freshly Picked)

Freshly Picked, known for their quality mom and baby products (diaper bags, baby moccasins, kids' sneakers, etc.), has collaborated with Disney Baby once again to bring you THE cutest collection of Toy Story baby moccasins EVER. I'm so excited to share with you the pair we were gifted this past weekend! First though, a little backstory...

If you missed my announcement on Instagram, my wife Brita and I are expecting our first baby (a boy!) in December and we could not be more happy and excited. After being together for over 13 years, this has been a long time coming! Anyway, this past weekend we went to see Toy Story 4 with my parents and they surprised us with a super special present wrapped in Woody inspired wrapping paper. As grandparents love to do, they've already been spoiling this baby (and us). We had no idea what it could be and were thrilled to open it up to find this very special pair of Toy Story baby moccasins. I can't even!

Though Freshly Picked currently has many different Toy Story styles/patterns (seen on their site HERE), my mom thought this design was extra cute as it features adorable screen art of Woody & Bullseye (perfectly styled for a baby), a weathered brown collar and is the only pair to feature the iconic "Andy" on one of the soles. She made a great choice, this is totally the pair I would have gravitated toward as well.

In addition to the details listed on the back of the box (seen above), here are some additional features:

• Elastic at the opening makes the shoes easy to put on, easy to take off, and most importantly: they stay on your child's foot.
• Soft-soled moccs are made with durable, wear-tested leather and are suitable for infants and toddlers alike.
• Because the shoes are handmade with natural leather, colors and textures may vary.

My parents got us these in a size 1 (for babies 6 weeks to 6 months), but they are also available up to size 7 (for toddlers about 3-3.5 years old). Retail price for this pair is $60.00.

I love the colors. The muted light blue and browns make for a very soothing combo. Everything about the look of these is very tastefully done.

If you're some Toy Story loving parents with a baby on the way like we are (or have a little one under 4), these might be for you! You really can't go wrong as this is a quality, trusted brand and this adorable pair of moccs feels very well made. You can pick them up on the Freshly Picked site HERE OR on ShopDisney HERE.

What do you think of this amazing collection? Which is your favorite Toy Story pair of moccs? Have you or do you plan on picking any up? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments!

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UPDATE 2/25/20— Our baby Aidan was born on December 13th, 2019! He's now just over two months old and already hits into his Toy Story Freshly Picked moccasins :)