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Book Review: ZOIDS Concept Art

ZOIDS Concept Art


ZOIDS Concept Art is a 96-page hardcover. I was expecting there would be more sketches but it turned out quite different.

It's sort of a picture book that also tells the story of the ZOIDS universe. Each page has a large illustration, with captions in both Japanese and English.

I like the concept of dinosaur robots, like those that appear in the old cartoon series Transformers. Here, the ZOIDS robots, simply called ZOIDS, are more sophisticated in design. However that sophistication didn't translate well into art in this book.

The designs are really cool but the rendering wasn't very nice. There are lots of details in the designs with very interesting shapes but the artistic style doesn't give them the edge details or contrast required. It's very hard to make out the physical form of the ZOIDS as their body parts look meshed together. The ZOIDS at the back of the book, which are not in the splash art, look slightly better.

The style of art used in the book look like they have been ran through the "Poster Edges" filter effect from Photoshop software. If you don't know what that is, I'll keep it short: It's not pretty.

For the textures, they applied a layer which has the texture like a checkered (square and/or rectangle) board. They are pasted on regardless of surface direction and angle. The texture contradicts the direction of the surface form as a result. And they are applied to everything except the clouds and sky.

I'm not impressed with this book. Design and concept are cool but the effects are not nice.

So if you're not a ZOIDS fan, you should probably give this a miss.

Here are direct links to the book:
Amazon.com | Amazon Japan | YesAsia USA | CDJapan.co.jp

ZOIDS Concept Art - 01

ZOIDS Concept Art - 02

ZOIDS Concept Art - 03

ZOIDS Concept Art - 04

ZOIDS Concept Art - 05

ZOIDS Concept Art - 06

ZOIDS Concept Art - 07

ZOIDS Concept Art - 08

ZOIDS Concept Art - 09

ZOIDS Concept Art - 10

Visit Amazon to check out more reviews.

Here are direct links to the book:
Amazon.com | Amazon Japan | YesAsia USA | CDJapan.co.jp

If you buy from the links, I get a little commission that helps me get more books to feature.

Here's the Amazon Japan buying guide for your reference.

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