Solid and detailed look into Ruth Carter's film history and design archives. Also a reminder of a number of films I still need to check out.

This book is also a Black History Moment. Ruth E Carter is the first black person to win an Oscar for costume design for the movie Black Panther. Her body of work includes:

School Daze
Do The Right Thing
Medicine X
Amistad
What's Love Got To Do It
Sparkle
Meteor Man
I'm Gonna Get You Sucka
Black Dolemite
Daddy Day Care
Bamboozled
How Stella Got Her Grove Back
B.A.P.S
Jungle Fever
Mo' Better Blues
Chi-Raq
Baby Boy
Coming 2 America
Shaft
Marshall
Black Panther
Wakanda Forever

I was privileged to receive an advance copy of THE ART OF RUTH E. CARTER. It's important to me to make sure the costuming gets plenty of coverage in my film commentaries, and I'm always eager to learn more about the designers, past and present.

Ruth E. Carter is the first Black winner of an Academy Award for costume design, and the first Black woman to win multiple awards in any category. She came to a lot of people's attention for her Oscar-winning BLACK PANTHER costumes, but her career goes back to 1988, beginning with Spike Lee's SCHOOL DAZE.

Carter got the attention of Steven Spielberg with her costumes for MALCOLM X, and he hired her to design the costumes for AMISTAD.

I loved learning about the amount of research that Carter puts into every look to make sure it tells a story about history, while also telling us about the character wearing it. I appreciated the insight into specific films that I might not have considered (the colorful clothing of the locals in DO THE RIGHT THING contrasting with the black-and-white images of the celebrities on the wall at Sal's, for example).

There are plenty of Carter's original sketches for the films, but I would have loved even more.

This would be a great school library purchase, as it could be an inspiration for kids -- especially those of color -- to consider the costuming and design field as a career choice.

Wonderful beautiful book about someone you have probably never heard of. Ruth E. Carter's artwork and designs are amazing and this book beautifully illustrates her talent. Anyone interested in movie and costume design should read this book. Highly recommended.

A true artist indeed, Ruth E. Carter has gifted the world a beautiful collection of her artwork. Filled with behind the scenes tales, stories of her inspiration, original sketches, photographs from fittings, movie sets and filming locations, the book is a real treasure for movie lovers.
Ruth E. Carter is a history making, award winning costume designer that has worked with everyone! An African American icon making strides in an industry that so boldly shunned (and at times, still does) black talent on every level since it's inception. Her career spans decades and she shows no signs of slowing down, which will definitely lead to The Art of Ruth E. Carter: Volume 2.

My Reaction: A fascinating exploration and must-read!

I was really excited to get my hands on a copy of this deluxe art book. Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is PHENOMENAL! It is a beautiful rendering of Ruth E. Carter's work in the entertainment industry. It is compellingly bold and striking and her name is one that we should all know.

So, who is Ruth E. Carter? She is the first Black winner of an Oscar in costume design. She is also the first Black woman to win two Oscars in any category. She is the second ever costume designer to win an illustrious star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She is known for her passion and work on historical period pieces as evidenced in Malcolm X, What's Love Got To Do With It, and Amistad. Working with the likes of Angela Bassett, Hailey Berry, Samuel L. Jackson, Chadwick Boseman, and Eddie Murphy, this book is sure to inspire the likes of many as her work is placed on display.

I very much appreciate the rich and in depth story she tells of how she got started in the 80's in a career that has spanned over the course of three decades. Paired with absolutely stunning visuals including sketches, mood boards, and stills from films, it is definitely one you won't want to miss diving into. She is the force behind so many of the beautiful costumes we have seen and continue to see on screen. I especially enjoyed the work she's done on the Black Panther movies. The work that she does and is willing to do is unlike any other I've seen. I especially enjoyed learning about her long-standing relationship with legend filmmaker, Spike Lee and how it has influenced her work over the years.

This story was one rooted in history and truth. I enjoyed the journey of this story so much. Full of grit, grace, and strength! The Art of Ruth E. Carter was phenomenal and deserves praise ! #theartofruthecarter #netgalley

Title: The Art of Ruth E Carter
Author: Ruth E Carter
Release Date: May 23rd, 2023
Page Count: 143
Format: Netgalley
Start Date: April 28th, 2023
Finish Date: April 28th, 2023

Rating: 5 Stars

Review:

I really loved reading about and seeing the amazing work that Ruth E Carter has provided to many popular movies. It was like a time capsule of her work through the years. I mean that about the writing and the photography sprinkled throughout the entire book. What I love the most is that the good and bad was talked about. She talked about her struggles and successes. Because of reading this, I now have a list of movies I want to watch and rewatch. I feel like I will be seeing them all from a different light now.

As a set costumer, I was so excited when I found out this book was in the works. Ruth Carter is such an inspiration, and it was joyous to follow her journey from working on indie sets to designing for Black Panther, becoming a two time Oscar winner in the process. Hearing about her on set struggles, and her growth in her self confidence was so relatable. I found myself laughing along with her mishaps, and cheering for her triumphs. Her voice in this book is honest and humble, she truly seems to be exactly the type of designer you want to work for and with. I cannot wait to gift this book to my costume designing friends.

I received an advanced digital copy from NetGalley.

I love this book. Great insight on the woman behind such classic stylings in African American movies. I love the format of the book in how you not only see the sketches, but you also are given commentary on the clothing. I have always been a fan of this talented woman and was very happy when she received her Oscar. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on my review.

Ruth E. Carter is an absolute genius. Her work is always stunning, and it is wonderful to to see all of her work in one place.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Chronicle Books, and Ruth E. Carter for an advanced copy of this book.
This book makes me giddy with joy! I got my degree in Costume Design and have always felt so uncertain, no-one knew what it was. This is a deep and thoughtful look at her work and career, a wonderful explanation on what costuming is, why it's important, how it affects culture, and visual storytelling.

The timeline follows her from her early theater days to her most recent film (and second Oscar win!) Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Instead of going year by year it focuses on each film included. You get specific insight to each character and fun tales of what went into making the costumes. I could sit down and read 500 pages of that but this book is well edited and very accessible to someone not in the industry or wanting to learn about it. Ms Carter's work is purposeful and she explains why from a design standpoint and a personal one.

The art in the book is incredible both illustrations and photographs. I would recommend to anyone interested in art, fashion design, costume design, and below the line jobs in theater/film. #nakedwithoutus #theartofruthecarter

Only note is that for the illustrations she did not do the illustrators should be credited.

A beautiful mini-biography with magnificent photographs and drawings of her costume design. Ruth Carter is the first black costume designer to win two Oscars (including one this year for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever). Just as she dedicated her Oscar to her mother who had passed away a week prior to her win, she also dedicates this book to her. Carter had originally wanted to be an actor in College, but ended up working on costumes. This book is not only about her life and her art but also about her creative process which was really interesting to read about. She worked for 25 years with Spike Lee on his films starting with School Daze and her description of working on these films, where she found inspiration and some of the highs and challenges throughout her career make for a very good read. I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Chronicle Books for an ARC and I voluntarily left this review.

Gorgeous behind the scenes and costume design. I can't even begin to describe it. Perfect gift to give any costume head in your family, regardless if they've seen the movies in it. Absolutely great.

Amazing! Bravo! I gained a better understanding of the behind the scenes that's involved with costume designing. Additionally, I was not aware of all the iconic classic films Ms. Ruth was behind, many of my favorite films. The amount of in-depth research and detail that is behind each look I was left in awe. After reading this book I now want to rewatch these classic films and look more closely at the details of the costumes. This is a book you need for the bookshelf!

Ruth E. Carter is a costume design LEGEND. I know that she has done some amazing work through the years but I had forgotten how extensive it is. Her Oscar was long overdue. I loved seeing her sketches and hearing about her creative process. How important it is for Ruth E. Carter to ensure that her creations stay true to the culture, time period, etc that is being represented in the film. Oh I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy of the book!

Ruth E. Carter’s narrative notes and visuals are ideal for readers who appreciate art, film, and stylistic vision. I loved how Carter draws attention to design choices, and this book is wonderfully timely with the release of Wakanda Forever.

Absolutely stunning book both verbally and visually. I am so glad that Ruth E. Carter did not get the acting job because her true gift lies in her eye and artistic costuming. Thank you for writing this book and for NetGalley offering this book to its members.

Absolutely loved getting a deeper dive into the world of the costume designer on films. You could sense Carter's dedication to her craft in the words on the page, but even more so in the images and drawings included in the book. Highly recommend!

Academy Award winner Ruth Carter was disappointed when she was asked to handle costumes for a production in which she had hoped to perform. It is a cliche, but when one door closes, another opens. In this case, Ruth’s extraordinary but latent talent for storytelling through costume was set free. This book follows her career from that pivotal moment in college through some of the most iconic films of our times in which she worked with industry giants such as Spike Lee, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Eddie Murphy, Angela Bassett, and Halle Berry. Carter discusses the challenges she faced in each project and walks the reader through her creative process with accompanying sketches and stunning photography. She demonstrates a deep commitment to authenticity and respect for the cultures she represents in her work. This creatively designed book would make a wonderful addition to anyone’s library and is especially suited for gift giving.