The Neverending Art Book

THE NEVERENDING ART BOOK CONCEPT ART BASED ON THE ORIGINAL NOVEL:

THE NEVERENDING STORY

STORY BY MICHAEL ENDE • ILLUSTRATED BY DANIEL MCLAREN

Design and original text copyright © 2015 by Blood, Sweat & Tears Press.

Original copyright ©1979 by K. Thienemanns Verlag, Stuttgart.

Translation copyright © 1983 by Doubleday & Company, Inc.

All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form, without written permission.

This book is published in Canada.

First Edition 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 THE NEVERENDING ART BOOK dapperdanielmclaren.com BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS Press

THE NEVERENDING ART BOOK CONCEPT ART BASED ON THE ORIGINAL NOVEL:

THE NEVERENDING STORY

STORY BY MICHAEL ENDE • ILLUSTRATED BY DANIEL MCLAREN

CONTENTS: DO WHAT YOU WISH THE BOOK - AURYN

PG/006 PG/007

CARL CONRAD COREANDER BASTIAN BALTHAZAR BUX ATREYU THE GREEN SKINS PURPLE BUFFALO CAIRON

PG/008 PG/008 PG/010 PG/016 PG/018 PG/022

THE REAL WORLD

TRAVELING COMPANIONS

BLUBB, PYORNKRACHZARK, VOOSHVAZOOL, GLUCKUK MORLA, THE AGED ONE YGRAMAL, THE MANY FALKOR THE GNOMICS

PG/024 PG/029 PG/032 PG/035 PG/038

GREAT RIDDLE GATE THE MIRROR GATE NO-KEY GATE ULUYLALA, THE SOUTHERN ORACLE THE WIND GIANTS

PG/040 PG/042 PG/044 PG/046 PG/050

GHOSTS VAMPIRES WITCHES GMORK GAYA, PRINCESS OF DARKNESS THE CHILDLIKE EMPRESS BASTIAN

PG/054 PG/054 PG/056 PG/058 PG/060 PG/062 PG/070

THE THREE MAGIC GATES

SPOOK CITY

GROGRAMAN, THE MANY-COLORED DEATH HYDORN HYKRION HYSBALD PRINCESS OGLAMAR HERO HYNRECK YIKKA XAYADE, THE SEEING HAND BASTIAN THE CORRUPT

PG/075 PG/078 PG/080 PG/081 PG/082 PG/084 PG/086 PG/088 PG/093

CREATURES OF FANTASTICA

FAUNS FAIRIES ELVES

BLONDY CAT, REVERSE CENTAUR, BLUE DJINN, INK GOBLIN

FIRE SPRITE AMARGANTHIANS GIANTS SHLAMOOF TWEE DAME EYOLA WATER OF LIFE MAP COVERS

PG/098 PG/100 PG/102 PG/104 PG/106 PG/108 PG/110 PG/112 PG/113 PG/115 PG/117 PG/118 PG/120

DO what you wish:

The Neverending story was released on July 20th, 1984. It was a spectacle of puppetry, matte paintings, costume, sets and prosthetics. I was instantly drawn into the world as a child, and often felt a close connection to the main character of Bastian. He was picked on and bullied, but ends up becoming the hero of the vast and beautiful fantasy world of Fantasia.

It wasn’t until about the year 2000 or 2001 that I found out that it was based on a novel. The novel of the same name, was originally written by Michael Ende in 1979. It was translated into English in 1983 by Ralph Manheim. I purchased and read the book many times, coming across it again in 2014. The movie is very different then the novel, which has a much darker tone overall. The film shows some limitations due to the set backs of special effects at the time. Atreyu is green in the novel, and many creatures become much more humanoid in the films. Main plot points remain, the largest changes being the book being chopped in half. The second half would become parts of the movie sequel.

I would often think about what the movie would look like if it were made by todays technologies and special effects capabilities. Keeping designs a lot truer to the original story. So I started to develop drawings and character studies based on the books descriptions. I started with the character of Cairon, a black centaur with the body of a zebra. I knew I would have been mystified as a child, if he walked out into the council scene near the begging of the movie. So from there I started drawing and drawing and pulling images right out of the book. Their are endless characters and creatures, cities and towns. I have barely begun to scratch the surface of what this movie could be, but I am glad to share the unseen world of Fantastica with you so that you might begin to get a true sense of the world.

- Daniel McLaren

THE NEVERENDING STORY

THE BOOK BETWEEN TWO WORLDS

AURYN:

ALSO REFERRED TO AS THE “GEM” OR THE “GLORY.” IT IS THE BADGE OF ONE ACTING ON ORDERS OF THE CHILDLIKE EMPRESS, ACTING IN HER NAME AS IF SHE WERE PRESENT.

the real world: CARL CONRAD COREANDER:

A SIMPLE SHOP KEEPER. HE OWNS A BOOK STORE WHERE BASTIAN FINDS THE NEVERENDING STORY.

BASTIAN BALTHAZAR BUX:

THE MAIN PROTAGONIST. HE IS ONLY DISCRIBED AS A FAT LITTLE BOY OF TEN OF TWELVE.

ATREYU

WAR PAINT VARIATIONS

ATREYU:

THE GREENSKIN OF GRASSY OCEAN. HE WEARS A LONG CLOAK MADE FROM PURPLE BUFFALO FUR. A FEW SIMPLE WHITE DESIGNS WERE PAINTED ON THE OLIVE GREEN SKIN OF HIS CHEEKS AND FOREHEAD. ARMOR IS BASED OFF OF AQUATIC LIFE AND GIVEN TO HIM BY THE CHILDLIKE EMPRESS FOR HIS LONG JOURNEY.

ATREYU EARLY CONCEPT SKETCH.

ATREYU’S WEAPONS:

DAGGER AND BOW HAVE SEAHORSE DETAILS MOLDED IN SILVER. SHEILD CONTAINS A CREST OF AURYN.

GREENSKINS:

TOWNSPEOPLE OF THE GRASSY OCEAN. SOMETIMES ALSO REFERRED TO AS “GRASS PEOPLE.”

CONCEPT SKETCH:

EARLY DRAWING IDEA FOR ATREYU

PURPLE BUFFALO:

THESE ANIMALS ARE A MAIN FOOD SOURCE FOR THE GREENSKINS. THEY ALSO MAKE THE MAJORITY OF THEIR CLOTHING FROM THE FUR AND LEATHER, AS WELL AS CRAFT ARROW HEADS AND WEAPONS FROM THE BONES AND HORNS.

PURPLE BUFFALO MEAT WITH GRASS-SEED CAKE: SMALL MEALS MADE BY ATREYU FOR HIS TRIP

artax ATREYU’S HORSE:

MOST HORSES AND OTHER FORMS OF MOUNTS CAN TALK AS CLEARLY AS A HUMAN CAN.

cairon

CAIRON:

THE BLACK CENTAUR OF THE HEALING ARTS. HIS HUMAN HALF WAS THE COLOR OF EBONY. ONLY HIS HAIR AND BEARD WERE WHITE, WHILE THE HORSELIKE HALF OF HIM WAS STRIPED LIKE A ZEBRA. HE WAS WEARING A STRANGE HAT PLAITED WITH REEDS. HE IS GIVEN THE AURYN CREST TO BE DELIVERED TO ATREYU.

traveling companions:

WHEN BASTIAN STARTS TO READ THE NEVERENDING STORY, HE IS INTRODUCED TO A SMALL HANDFUL OF CHARACTERS. THEY ARE ALL ON A JOURNEY TO THE IVORY TOWER TO SPEAK WITH THE CHILDLIKE EMPRESS. THESE CREATURES ARE AROUND A FIRE IN HOWLING FOREST AND ARE THE FIRST OF MANY BIZARRE THINGS TO BE SEEN IN FANTASTICA. THEY ARE DESCRIBED AS THE FOLLOWING:

BLUBB:

WILL-O’-THE-WISP TRAVELING AS A BALL OF LIGHT, CARRYING A SMALL WHITE FLAG THAT IDENTIFIED HIM AS A FLAG-OF-TRUCE BEARER.

PYORNKRACHZARK:

ROCK CHEWER, A GIANT MADE OF STONE. THEY SLOWLY EAT AWAY ROCK OF MOUNTAINS, CREATING MANY HOLES AND GROTTOES. CREATING THE NICKNAME THE “CHEESIEWHEEZIES.”

VOOSHVAZOOL:

NIGHT-HOB, PITCH BLACK, FURRY CATERPILLAR WITH LITTLE PINK HANDS. TWO ROUND EYES GLOWED LIKE LITTLE MOONS.

GLUCKUK:

ONE OF THE TINNIES, A DELICATELY BUILT LITTLE FELLOW IN BRIGHT-COLORED SUIT AND A TOP HAT.

PYORNKRACHZARK: ROCK CHEWER

BLUBB:

WILL-O’-THE-WISP

GLUCKUK: THE TINY

VOOSHVAZOOL: NIGHT-HOB

Morla

MORLA:

THE AGED ONE

ygramul

YGRAMUL, THE MANY:

YGRAMUL IS A GIANT MADE UP OF MILLIONS OF STEEL BLUE INSECTS THAT BUZZ LIKE WILD HORNETS. SHE CAN TAKE ON THE FORM OF ALMOST ANYTHING. FROM A GIANT HAND, TO A SPIDER OR SCORPION. IT IS THE INSECTS COMPACT SWARM THAT LET YGRAMUL TAKE DIFFERENT SHAPES. SHE TAKES THE FORM OF A LARGE HUMAN FACE, THOUGH HER MOUTH DOESN’T MOVE WHEN SHE SPEAKS. WHICH IS ALSO LIKE A THOUSAND HUMMING BEES.

falkor

FALKOR:

LUCKDRAGONS ARE AMONG THE STRANGEST ANIMALS IN FANTASTICA. THEY BEAR NO RESEMBLANCE TO ORDINARY DRAGONS. LUCKDRAGONS ARE CREATURES OF AIR, WARMTH AND PURE JOY. THEY ARE AS LIGHT AS A SUMMER CLOUD AND NEED NO WINGS TO FLY. THEY SWIM THROUGH THE AIR LIKE A WATER SNAKE ACROSS THE SURFACE OF WATER. SEEN FROM EARTH THEY LOOK LIKE SLOW MOVING LIGHTENING STRIKES. THEIR BODIES ARE MADE OF PINK AND BLUE PEARLY SCALES. AND THEIR LOW VOICES ARE SOFT AND GOLDEN LIKE A BELL.

EARLY CONCEPT IDEA FOR FALKOR.

GNOMICS: OIL LAMPS

GNOMICS:

GNOME SWEETS CONSISTING OF STRANGE AND RARE FRUITS, JAMS AND JELLIES MADE FROM RARE SPICES AND ROOTS.

ENGYWOOK:

INVENTOR GNOMICS

Great riddle gate

the mirror gate

no-key gate

SELENIUM:

RARE GEM OF FANTASTICA. IT IS COMPLETELY INDESTRUCTIBLE.

ULUYLALA, THE SOUTHERN ORACLE: THE VOICE OF SILENCE.

the voice of silence

LIRR:

THE NORTHERN WIND GIANT.

MAYESTRIL:

THE WESTERN WIND GIANT.

BAUREO:

THE EASTERN WIND GIANT.

SHEEREK:

THE SOUTHERN WIND GIANT.

spook city

GHOSTS AND VAMPIRES

WITCHES:

GO, YIELD AND STOP.

gmork

GMORK:

A WEREWOLF AND FORMER HENCHMAN OF ‘THE NOTHING.’ HE IS ABLE TO TRAVEL BETWEEN THE TWO WORLDS BY CHANGING INTO A FANTASTICAN OR A HUMAN (DEPENDING ON THE WORLD) BY APPEARANCE ONLY. HIS MAIN MISSION WAS TO HUNT DOWN AND KILL ATREYU.

GAYA:

THE PRINCESS OF DARKNESS.

the childlike empress

MOONCHILD:

ALSO KNOWN AS THE GOLDEN EYED COMMANDER OF WISHES, OR THE CHILDLIKE EMPRESS. IS THE RULER OF FANTASTICA. SHE HAS BECOME DEATHLY ILL AND THE MAIN MISSION OF ATREYU IS TO FIND A WAY TO CURE HER. THE ONLY WAY TO CURE HER IS FOR A HUMAN CHILD TO GIVE HER A NEW NAME: “MOONCHILD”

THE CHILD LIKE EMPRESS’ GLASS LITTER, CARRIED BY INVISIBLE CREATURES.

THE IVORY TOWER:

THE CHILDLIKE EMPRESS’ THRONE ROOM IN THE IVORY TOWER. HER THRONE IS SHAPED LIKE A LARGE LOTUS FLOWER AND UNFOLDS WHEN HIT BY MOONLIGHT.

bastian enters fantastica

MAGICAL SEED:

WHEN BASTIAN FINALLY GIVES THE CHILDLIKE EMPRESS HER NEW NAME, THERE IS NOTHING REMAINING OF FANTASTICA. THE CHILDLIKE EMPRESS (NOW NAMED MOONCHILD) COMES TO BASTIAN IN TOTAL DARKNESS. SHE GIVES HIM A SMALL SEED AND TELLS HIM HE CAN RECREATE FANTASTICA, ALL HE HAS TO DO IS IMAGINE IT AND IT WILL COME TO LIFE. HE DOES THIS AND ENTERS ‘NEW FANTASTICA’ HE IS ALSO TRANSFORMED, BECOMING HIS IDEAL VERSION OF HIMSELF AND THE NEW RULER OF NEW FANTASTICA.

AL TSAHIR:

THE SHINING STONE. CARRIED AS EQUIPMENT BY BASTIAN, IT REVEALS A DAZZLING LIGHT IN DARK PLACES.

BASTIAN IN NEW FANTASTICA:

NOW IN THE WORLD OF FANTASTICA, BASTIAN IS OLDER AND HANDSOME. HE HAS BECOME AN IDEALIZED VERSION OF HIMSELF BASED OFF HOW HE IMAGINED HIS HERO ATREYU TO LOOK.

SIKANDA:

THE DESTINED SWORD. THIS SWORD IS GIVEN TO BASTIAN BY GROGRAMAN, WHO WARNS HIM TO NEVER TAKE IT OUT OF IT’S HILT. SIKANDA WILL LEAP INTO BASTIAN’S HANDS ONLY WHEN IT KNOWS HE IS IN DANGER. THE SWORD IS INDESTRUCTIBLE AND CONSIDERED CURSED WHEN USED AGAINST THE SWORDS WILL. IF IT IS REMOVED FROM IT’S HILT, THE SWORD RELEASES THE LOUDEST CRASHING OF THUNDER AS A WARNING OF DISOBEDIENCE.

BASTIAN:

STUDY OF BASTIAN’S CLOTHING AND WEAPONS

grograman

GROGRAMAN, THE MANY-COLORED DEATH:

A LARGE LION THAT IS COMPLETLY FAITHFULL TO BASTIAN. HE CHANGES COLOR DEPENDING ON THE COLOR OF SAND HE IS STEPPING ON. HE DIES EVERY EVENING AND IS REBORN WITH THE RISING OF THE SUN.

HYDORN:

THE ENDURING AND HER SWORD.

HYKRION:

THE STRONG (RIGHT) HYSBALD: THE QUICK

PRINCESS OGLAMAR:

DAUGHTER OF THE KING OF LUNA

HERO HYNRECK:

LEADER OF A SMALL GROUP OF STRONG FIGHTERS.

yikka BASTIAN’S SHE-MULE:

A HUMBLE SHE-MULE THAT IS GIVEN TO BASTIAN BY HERO HYNRECK. SHE KEEPS MANY SECRETS FOR BASTIAN.

STEW:

A SIMPLE STEW MADE BY HYKRION

xayade

XAYADE:

THE SEEING HAND, IS THE STRONGEST WITCH IN FANATASTICA. SHE USES HER POWERS TO CORRUPT BASTIAN AND STEAL HIS MEMORIES, TURNING HIM AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF FANTASTICCA AND STARTING A WAR.

ARMORED GIANTS:

XAYADE CONTROLS ALL OF HER GUARDS WITH THE SHEAR WILL OF HER MIND. THEY ARE NOTHING BUT HOLLOW ARMOR.

RED CORAL THRONE: XAYADE’S THRONE

GHEMMAL:

BELT OF INVISIBILITY, GIVEN TO BASTIAN BY XAYADE.

XAYADE’S:

WATER PIPE WITH SNAKE HEAD HANDLE.

bastian the corrupt

BASTIAN THE CORRUPT:

ONCE XAYADE HAS CONTROL OF BASTIAN’S MEMORIES, HE BEGINS TO WEAR CLOTHING OF SIMILAR FABRICS TO XAYADE’S, THOUGH STILL BASED ON HIS STYLE.

BASTIAN EARLY CONCEPT SKETCH.

creatures of fantastica

ARGAX:

THE STEWARD OF THE CITY OF OLD EMPERORS.

FAUNS:

AND THEIR WEAPONS. INCLUDING LARGE PICK-AXES, STAFFS AND EXPLOSIVE JARS. FAUNS ARE KNOWN TO BE GREAT MINERS OF CAVES.

POND DWELLING CREATURES:

MANY SMALL WATER TYPE FAIRIES DWELL IN PONDS AND MARSHES. SUCH AS FAIRY DOCTORESS’ (LEFT) THAT ARE A PART OF THE CHILD LIKE EMPRESS’ MEDICAL CONGRESS AND WATER NIXIES (BELOW.)

ELVES:

AND THEIR WEAPONS. INCLUDING DAGGERS, BOW AND ARROWS AND BAGS OF STUNNING POWDER. ELVES ARE RARELY SEEN AND LIKE TO KEEP TO THEIR TRIBES AND TO OTHER ELVES.

(FROM LEFT TO RIGHT)

1) BLONDYCAT, A WERECAT THAT IS HALF HUMAN HALF FELINE. 2) REVERSE CENTAUR IN THE FORM OF HALF MAN, HALF DEER. 3) BLUE DJINN, A FALCON PRINCE OF FANTASTICA THAT POSSESES MAGICAL POWERS AND FLIGHT. 4)INK GOBLIN, SMALL MISTEVIOUS CREATURES THAT LOOK LIKE THEY WERE SPLATTERED IN BLUE INK.

FIRE SPRITE:

SMALL FIRE FAIRIES MADE UP OF FIRE EMBERS AND CRACKLING SPARKS. THEY ARE OFTEN A PART OF THE CHILDLIKE EMPRESS’ MEDICAL CONGRESS.

AMARGANTHIANS:

ALSO CALLED “THE VISITORS” THEY HAVE SOLID WHITE HAIR AND PURPLE EYES. LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF THEIR SPECIES. THOUGH SOME THINK THEY ARE ALIENS FROM THE SKIES ABOVE, SENT TO FANTASTICA THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO

GIANTS:

ANGRY AND STRONG, GIANTS ARE BARBARIC AND CAVEMEN LIKE. MOST ARE KNOWN TO WEAR THE SKIN OF FRESH KILLS. SUCH AS THE SCALES OF AN UNLUCKY LUCKDRAGON

SHLAMOOFS:

CLOWN LIKE FARIES

TWEE:

HIPPO LIKE CREATURES THAT ARE SEGMENTED DOWN THE CENTRE. THE TOP HALF CAN RUN INDEPENDANTLY OF THE LOWER HALF.

DAME EYOLA:

SHE GUIDES BASTIAN TO THE WATER OF LIFE SO THAT HE CAN CLEANSE HIMSELF OF HIS CORRUPTION AND BECOME THE TRUE SAVIOUR OF NEW FANTASTICA AGAIN.

the water of life THE STORY ENDS WITH BASTIAN DRINKING FROM THE WATER OF LIFE AND RETURNING TO THE REAL WORLD. THOUGH HE HAS HIS MEMORIES OF HIS MANY ADVENTURES AND ALL HIS WRONGS ARE SET RIGHT WITHIN THE WORLD OF FANTASTICA.

fantastica

CHAPTER COVER DESIGNS:

ALTERNATE AND UN-USED COVER DESIGNS:

EXPLORE THE WORLD OF THE NEVERENDING STORY LIKE NEVER BEFORE WITH THIS CONCEPT ART BOOK. COMPILED OF 130+ HIGHLY DETAILED CONCEPT DRAWINGS OF CHARACTERS, WEAPONS, LOCATIONS, TOWNS, CREATURES AND ITEMS STRAIGHT FROM THE ORIGINAL TEXT. EXPERIENCE IMAGERY AS THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR IMAGINED IT. FROM ATREYU IN HIS NATURAL OLIVE GREEN FORM TO TECHNICOLOR LIONS AND TOWERING WIND GIANTS. IMAGES ARE ACCOMPANIED BY DESCRIPTIVE TEXT, GIVING INCITE TO THE NOVELS DEPICTIONS AND MY OWN THOUGHTS ON WHAT THE CHARACTERS WOULD APPEAR LIKE. EVERYTHING IS PRESENTED CHRONOLOGICALLY IN THE ORDER THAT THE STORY UNFOLDS IN THE NOVEL. HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS 2 YEAR LONG PROJECT.

DANIEL MCLAREN.