Pacific Rim Concept Art

"That was one of the first words I said to the entire team at ILM. I said, 'This movie needs to be theatrical, operatic, romantic.' We used a lot of words not usually associated with high-tech blockbusters ... We went for a very, very, very, very saturated color palette for the battle for Hong Kong. I kept asking John to tap into his inner Mexican and be able to saturate the greens and the purples and the pinks and the oranges.  I would say 'Give me a Hokusai wave' ... we use the waves and weather in the movie very operatically.  I think the results are really beautiful and very artistically free and powerful, not something you would associate with a big sci-fi action movie.  The water dynamics in this movie are technically beautiful, but also artistically incredibly expressive. We agreed on making the water become almost another character. We would time the water very precisely. I'd say 'Get out of the wave [on this frame]."

 

-Guillermo del Toro (Variety) 2013-

If you've had the chance to experience Pacific Rim (2013) you've seen first hand the kind of grand, artistic effort that was put into the colossally beautiful Pacific Rim.  And speaking of water, water colors and art work, concept art plays a big role in film-making.

 

I don't normally spend this much time on any one film, but I've been thoroughly fascinated by the rebirth of the kaiju and mech concept through director Guillermo del Toro's summer film.  I'm riveted.

In keeping with our ongoing fascination with all thing Pacific Rim I have included a selection of the very best concept art that was created for the film.  For a more intensive look at the world of the concept artist and concept art in cinema be sure to check out the exquisite site, The Film Sketcher, by Maurice Mitchell.  You'll also find exclusive interviews with the artists.

 

I have an order in for Pacific Rim: Man, Machines And Monsters which will highlight the concept art of the Pacific Rim world as well as feature designs, film stills and other kaiju and mech madness.  This is the first film-connected book that I've purchased since the now long out-of-print Final Fantasy: The Making Of Spirits Within (2001).  I came close to purchasing The Art Of District 9 (2010) and Prometheus: The Art Of The Film (2012), but have yet to pull the trigger.  So you can see the impact visually Pacific Rim had on me personally.  It left a significant sizable impression.

 

I'm doing my very best to get Pacific Rim out of my system.  For those concerned about me over the weekend you should know I refrained from seeing the film for a third time. No worries I am still okay - I think.