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Boisterous Beasts & Deadly Dragons

The Art of Nico Marlet
By Kristof Serrand and Tracey Miller-Zarneke
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Brief Description
This beautiful monograph explores the creative spark behind some of animation’s most well-known and beloved characters, as well as never-before-seen personal illustrative and sculptural pieces from world-renowned character designer Nico Marlet. The work of Annie Award–winning character designer Nico Marlet spans more than three decades and... Read More
Format: Hardback
$6999
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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

This beautiful monograph explores the creative spark behind some of animation’s most well-known and beloved characters, as well as never-before-seen personal illustrative and sculptural pieces from world-renowned character designer Nico Marlet.

The work of Annie Award–winning character designer Nico Marlet spans more than three decades and multiple studios, leaving a trail of the most iconic animated characters in the DreamWorks, Disney, Amblimation, and Pixar libraries. Marlet has contributed to notable films and television projects like Ducktales, Balto, Monsters Inc., Kung Fu Panda, and How to Train Your Dragon (for which he designed the iconic Toothless), among many others.

In Boisterous Beasts & Deadly Dragons: The Art of Nico Marlet, his illustrations are entwined with reflections and quotes from well-known directors and studio heads, including Pete Docter, Dean DeBlois, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Bonnie Arnold, and others, showcasing the lasting impact Marlet has left on the animation industry. His never-before-told life story complements the exclusive look at his personal works in both 2D and 3D mediums, giving readers a deeper appreciation of the well from which Marlet’s creativity springs.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781419779350

Publisher: Abrams

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 23 July 2026

Country: United States

Imprint: Abrams

Illustration: Full-color illustrations throughout

Contributors:

  • Preface by Dean DeBlois
  • Foreword by Jack Black

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 305.0mm

Height: 203.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 176

Collections

Arts & Culture Fashion & Design Kristof Serrand Non-Fiction Tracey Miller-Zarneke

About the Author

Kristof Serand is a French animator who has trained at Gobelins and Beaux-Arts de Paris and worked alongside Rouxel, René Laloux, and Paul Grimault. In 1989, Serand joined Amblimation, where he helped create DreamWorks Animation, and would go on to supervise and directing animation on more than 20 feature films. Serand returned in Paris in 2020 to work as animation supervisor and consultant for Netflix. Tracey Miller-Zarneke is the former production department manager for Walt Disney Feature Animation and author of 15 books, including The Art of Kung Fu Panda, The Art of Meet the Robinsons, and The Art and Making of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Miller-Zarneke has also put her insider knowledge to work on documentary films about the animation industry including The Sweatbox and Waking Sleeping Beauty, and into a variety of lectures about animation and its magical artists.

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