Synopsis:
With a bit of imagination and a heavy dose of artistic talent, Minecraft blocks can be used to build almost anything. But as you’ll see, some artists are taking Minecraft building to a whole new level.
Beautiful Minecraft is a compendium of stunning artwork built in Minecraft. Using millions of blocks and spending hundreds of hours, these artists have created floating steampunk cities, alien worlds, detailed classical sculptures, fantastical landscapes, architectural marvels, and more.
The results are simply beautiful.
About The Author:
James Delaney is the managing director of BlockWorks, a team of Minecraft builders, animators, and artists from around the world. BlockWorks has created artwork for companies like Disney, Microsoft, Warner Brothers, and The Guardian.
What We Thought:
Right off the bat, the first page brings you into the world of Minecraft. Not only showing you the lengths of how far Minecraft allows you to stretch your imagination, but also the complexity of elements you can use. Just looking at the first page of the Fantasy Worlds chapter (the first chapter in the book), I see the texture of water and buildings resembling the ornate Moscow palace peak designs. Many colors and design variations give you a lot to look at in this picture.
The quality of color saturation and clarity in this book are nothing short of top quality. Unlike many books with many more pictures than words, the pages feel solid. I am not worried about tearing the book or leaving crinkles in the book like you worry about in many others. Many others on a fast flip will catch and tear because they are too thin. The angles of the shots are great. They are not boring or placidly staged. You have overview of the scale to these worlds. Side angles and shots staged as if you were physically in the world make each page an exciting moment to be involved in.
Artistically the color palates used and variants on the moods portrayed in this photos keep you very engaged in this book. I personally love the many scenes that had island-like environments. You really feel like these are worlds you would want to explore. It Inspires a true fan of Minecraft to start their own world and to try and match the talent portrayed.
Looking at these photos you feel as if the possibilities are endless – inspiration is key to this book. Feel and photos successfully drive that home. The pictures are beautiful and emphasize the many shadows and light details that give these environments such impact.
I love that every artist was given credit for their environments, with when the projects were made, and how many pieces were used..This is an interesting little extra tidbit for the reader.
The Builds Of Tomorrow section was unique and very interesting to me. Photos in this section were very focused, and the color palettes were very cold-toned. Lots of blues, purples and grays. The feeling you got from these pictures is one of serenity. The environments are very peaceful and makes the eye want to fully explore all aspects of the elaborate spaceships and bases.
The Sculptures section is intriguing. I personally have never seen Minecraft as somewhat of a CAD system. In this section you are reminded that it can be used in this aspect. Again you can build anything and these sculptures make that statement a dramatic one. From Cthulu to giant tree creatures, you are amazed at the level of creativity displayed.
Mechanical Marvels takes you to another world with many displays centering around neat engineering designs. Many have steel tones, reds and browns. There is a grunge element here, that is nice to see. It changes the mood of this book. Again the pace can go anywhere in this book.
There are many, multi-dimensional aspects to this book. From surreal, to warlike zones, to the tranquility of the outdoors, awe-striking sculptures, medieval dragons, volcanoes, and entire cities. This book has everything you could desire to look at. It is truly a book that has a direct point, to be inspired and amazed at how much possibility there is in the world of Miinecraft. This book would be a must-have for anyone really looking for something to spark a creative flame. I must have passed back and forth through this book five or six times. I always found something I hadn’t noticed before. There is so much to discover in this book, and it is a pretty thick book. There is lots of material to explore within its pages. I would say if I were to buy this in stores, I would be very satisfied with its value. Honestly I would buy another one for any artist in my family who enjoys combining the artistic with the technological.
You can order yourself a copy from No Starch Press. The hardcover edition even comes with a free e-book!
The Nerds Templar 