Pixar’s Soul: 10 Concept Art Pieces You Have To See

Pixar’s Soul was an excellent film that wowed audiences with its stunning art direction. It’s no surprise that the studio responsible for revolutionizing 3-D animation with such hits as Toy Story and Finding Nemo once again triumphed, but the efforts of their crew are definitely still to be acknowledged.

It’s always interesting with a film like this to see how the art progressed from sketch to screen. Thanks to a slew of concept art published online by D23, viewers can see for the first time how the talented team of artists and animators behind Soul gave the film its spark.

10 The Hall Of Everything

This piece shows an early idea for the Hall of Everything, the place mentors take new souls to help them find their spark.

While this design looks like an inviting children’s book illustration, the version shown in the film is much more ethereal and abstract, which does make it a better stylistic fit overall. Still, this detailed concept art captures the same amount of wonder and beauty as the finished version.

9 Joe’s Apartment

Joe’s apartment is small but homely; it’s filled with the things he loves most, from old records to the piano where he finds his inspiration.

It’s beautifully rendered in this gorgeous concept art, which makes the limited space feel like a much bigger room. It’s a very immersive piece, almost welcoming people to step inside and take a look around.

8 The Dorothea Williams Quartet

The Dorothea Williams Quartet (minus one member) is captured perfectly in this piece of concept art that shows off each character’s unique musical style and ambition.

The legend herself, jazz musician Dorothea Williams, leads front and center, with Joe’s former student, drummer Lamont “Curley” Baker, playing enthusiastically, and bassist Miho rounding out the group. Everyone has their own part to play, and they look like they’re about to put on a truly excellent performance.

7 Moonwind

Moonwind is an eccentric but well-meaning guy who’s able to communicate with the soul world.

His unkempt appearance only adds to the charm, as it shows that he’s less in tune with the physical world than others are. This is echoed by his unique sense of fashion (the fanny pack is pardonable, but socks with sandals are an utter disgrace) and meditative posture.

6 Libba

Libba is Joe’s mother, a successful tailor who wants the best for her son but doesn’t want him to go the same way as his father, lost in the music.

She fully looks the part of a fashion expert, radiating confident energy with a maturely matrimonial vibe. Ultimately, she supports Joe in his dream, showing that despite her concerns for his welfare, she really does love him.

5 Mr. Mittens

Mr. Mittens is the adorable therapy cat who sits with Joe while he’s in the hospital — and whose body Joe’s soul ends up in when, eager to leave the Great Before, he tries to jump from the Zone back into the physical world too fast.

Pixar is great at designing animals, and while Mr. Mittens might not be as realistic as the cat from Toy Story 4, he  still has an incredible, cartoony design that harkens back to classic Disney.

4 Jerry

Counselor Jerry’s abstract design must have interesting for the animators to work with, as it’s unlike anything Pixar has done before.

Just from this concept art, it’s clear the artists had a lot of fun designing the character and experimenting with different poses and expressions for them.

3 The Barbershop

The barbershop in Soul is a great representation of what’s at the movie’s core — lots of heart.

The design of the building is stunningly realistic and the setting allowed Pixar’s animators to experiment with Black hair in all of its glory. This concept art gives off the same welcoming vibes as the finished product; clearly it was a great guide for all the artists and animators involved.

2 Outside The Half Note

The Half Note Jazz Club is another one of the movie’s best locations, and it’s here that fans see Joe at his most confident.

Pixar captured the setting in a way few other films (animated or otherwise) have, and this concept art makes us want to go inside, to see the lively atmosphere and marvel at the adroit performers. The outside is just as striking, giving a picturesque, uncrowded view of the beauty of New York, but the beacon of light illuminating the Club’s entrance is  too alluring to say no to.

1 Humans In Soul Form

Soul‘s character design is at its best in the human world; as many reviews noted, the blue blobs populating the Soul world seem simple and toyetic. Still, there’s actually a lot of creativity to be found in their seemingly plain designs.

This piece of concept art captures a diverse group of people, united by their humanity and boiled down to their most essential characteristics. It’s enchanting to study each one and try to guess how they fared on Earth, who they were, when they got their “spark” — and all from these very basic, uncomplicated sketches.

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