Walder the Art: Illustration, Comic, Character Design, Sketches Hardcover

Step inside the globe-trotting studio of a Swiss-born character designer whose vibrant, kinetic style bridges European bande dessinée, Japanese manga energy, and North American animation! Published by the boutique art book specialists at Trinquette Publishing, Walder the Art stands as a scarce, out-of-print (OOP) oversized hardcover visual showcase authored and illustrated by Johan Walder. Trained at the Haute école des arts décoratifs de Strasbourg and the University of Art and Design Geneva—and renowned for his character design and background work on hit animated series like Wakfu and Dofus alongside comics for Delcourt and Humanoïdes Associés—Walder curates six to seven years of prolific creative output spanning his time living and working between Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Paris.

Delivering an energetic 48 pages of vivid, full-color visual spreads and preliminary studio roughs on heavyweight archival paper stock, this luxury hardcover edition offers an unmatched look inside contemporary cross-cultural character design. Organized across four core artistic disciplines—Illustration, Comic, Character Design, and Sketches—the monograph showcases everything from sleek sci-fi mecha pilots and stylized urban pin-ups to expressive monsters, background layouts, and loose preliminary pencil thumbnails. Every reference page acts as an educational masterclass in dynamic manga-meets-European linework, playful mechanical design, and vibrant color harmony.

Individual chapters compile spectacular visual layouts, animation turnarounds, and sketchbook portfolios:

Masterfully drawn and curated by Johan Walder, this volume stands as an incredible tribute to international character design and contemporary comic art. This essential reference manual functions as an absolute crown jewel addition for 2D animation character designers, manga and bande dessinée illustrators, concept artists, and dedicated collectors of scarce Trinquette Publishing hardcover art books.