As a fan of Marvel Studios and their unparalleled storytelling, I must say that “Marvel Studios: The Art of Ryan Meinerding” is a testament to the creative journey that lies at the heart of every epic tale we’ve come to love.
Instead of dwelling much on the past, Ryan Meinerding, Marvel Studios’ Head of Visual Development, spends most of his days pondering “what comes next?” as he contributes to shaping the world’s largest film franchise. However, in an unusual instance of introspection, Meinerding paused to appreciate his voyage, chronicling it in the recently published book, “Marvel Studios: The Art of Ryan Meinerding“.
The nearly 400-page book published by Abrams chronicles Meinerding’s transformation, from a childhood filled with artistic passion in Ohio, to collaborating with Jon Favreau on an unrealized ‘John Carter’ project, and then moving with the director to the groundbreaking ‘Iron Man’ film that ignited the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Subsequently, Meinerding played a significant role in guiding the company through the Infinity Saga, into its streaming era on television, and now, into the realm of multiple universes.
This book showcases approximately 500 illustrations by Meinerding, several of which served as inspiration for some of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most memorable scenes, such as Thor striking Mjölnir onto Captain America’s shield in The Avengers, and Tony Stark adorning the Infinity Gauntlet in Avengers: Endgame.
There are instances that never appeared in the films, such as Smart Hulk saving people by carrying them in a satellite dish during the start of Avengers: Endgame, or Vision defeating a colossal Ultron bot in Avengers: Age of Ultron. However, these events are not depicted on screen. Instead, Meinerding crafted these grand ideas and included them in the comic book. He estimates that for every four movies he works on, only one or two significant concepts like these may be developed, but ultimately discarded.
He mentions his delight in creating artwork that remains captivating to him, regardless of its inclusion in the film. He also expresses gratitude towards Marvel for granting him the opportunity to display what might have been possible.
The book was developed over several years, with Meinerding proposing the concept to Marvel chief Kevin Feige as “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame” were about to premiere. Meinerding collaborated extensively with authors Tara Bennett and Paul Terry, who had previously written the book titled “The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Growing up, Meinerding admired the art of Norman Rockwell and found inspiration for Captain America’s character from this renowned American artist. Many people outside of Marvel questioned whether Captain America’s iconic costume could be accurately portrayed on screen, but this served as a challenge to Meinerding. Over time, she was tasked with designing multiple suits for Captain America, starting with Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and continuing through Endgame (2019), including Sam Wilson’s suit in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
He expresses that it’s an extraordinarily rare chance he’s experienced here. He can’t imagine finding such an opportunity elsewhere, given his long-term association with these particular characters.
With nearly two decades under his belt at Marvel, Meinerding remains brimming with creativity, and he acknowledges that it’s uncommon for an artist to receive a retrospective book during their active career. Unlike the extensive collection of books dedicated to the late Ralph McQuarrie, famed Star Wars storyboard artist, many of his were published posthumously, Meinerding notes.
Since he advanced in his career, Meinerding transitioned into a supervisory position, leading to fewer personal illustrations in the book, given it covers less of Marvel’s streaming period. However, he mentions there were projects he would have enjoyed showcasing that weren’t quite finished by the time the book was due.
Says the artist: “I would’ve loved to get Wolverine in there.”
Captain America: Civil War
Avengers: Endgame
Avengers: Endgame
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2024-10-25 20:24