Animation Books - Page 3

The Anime Encyclopedia: A Guide to Japanese Animation Since 1917

Jonathan Clements, Helen McCarthy

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 51 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Here is the long-awaited, biggest guide ever, the absolute must-have for every fan, collector, library, and video-store browser. Included are over 2,000 Japanese animation films-from today's Pokmon, Tenchi Muyo, and Sailor Moon to the classic Tetsuwan Atomu (Astro Boy) and little-known artistic gems like the anime life of Mozart-with key personnel, running time, studio, alternative titles, cross references, critical comment, and sex/violence warnings. Illustrated and fully indexed.

Jonathan Clements has translated over 70 anime and manga and was editor of Manga Max from 1998-2000. Helen McCarthy is former editor of Anime UK and Manga Mania and author of The Anime Movie Guide, Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation, and, with Jonathan Clements, The Erotic Anime Movie Guide.

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Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation

PB, $18.95, 1-880656-41-8 CUSA

A Century of Stop-Motion Animation: From Melies to Aardman

Ray Harryhausen, Tony Dalton

Amazon Price: $31.50 List Price: $50.00 Not yet published By: Watson-Guptill

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Editorial Review:

This lavishly illustrated tribute to stop-motion model animation—the technique behind special effects for more than half a century—traces the history of the genre through the eyes of the industry’s greatest pioneer. From crude model animations in the 1890s through the first animated feature and into the computer age, Ray Harryhausen and his co-author, Tony Dalton, reveal the patience and ingenuity of animators and explain the development of the technology. The insights of Harryhausen, the pioneer whose name is indelibly linked with stop-motion, add a rich extra dimension to this history, packed with cinematic monsters, fantasy creatures, the imaginings of Tim Burton and Aardman, and much more. Never-before-published stills and photos of the artists at work, sketches and storyboards for projects both realized and abandoned, and a host of recently unearthed memorabilia make A Century of Stop-Motion Animation a must-have for all fans of animation and film.

Japanamerica: How Japanese Pop Culture Has Invaded the U.S.

Roland Kelts

Amazon Price: $10.17 List Price: $14.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Palgrave Macmillan Amazon Marketplace: 45 new & used starting at $8.95

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Excellent 5 out of 5 stars.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.

I read this book after a Village Voice critic called it "a Wired Magazine article on steroids," and Ain't It Cool News said that it was "an imperative resource." Then Bookforum called it "an amazing ride," and The Boston Globe raved.
Then: Even Pete Townshend of The Who endorsed it!
I am skeptical of books trying to capitalize on trends, and very skeptical of books on Japan. But the chorus of praise from so many different voices was enough for me.
This book is written in lucid, carefully crafted prose--telling you everything you need to know about transcultural entertainment and the psychological and spiritual traumas embedded in pop culture, and also precisely what makes Japan so sexy to Westerners in the 21st Century. It is also hip and smart, and very accessible. I only wished it were longer.
The author is no geek, but a writer of considerable talent and range. Get Japanamericaa now.

Editorial Review:

Japanamerica is the first book that directly addresses the American experience with the Japanese pop culture craze--including anime from Hayao Miyazaki's epics to the burgeoning world of hentai, or violent pornographic anime to Haruki Murakami's fiction. Including interviews with the inventor of Pac-man and executives from TokyoPop, GDH, and other major Japanese and American production companies, this book highlights the shared conflicts both countries face as anime and manga become a global form of entertainment and change both the United States and Japan in the process.

The Animator's Workbook: Step-By-Step Techniques of Drawn Animation

Tony White

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Watson-Guptill Amazon Marketplace: 74 new & used starting at $4.43

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Not bad, but there are much better options 3 out of 5 stars.
11 of 13 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book a while ago, but recently got my hands on Richard Williams' "The Animator's Survival Kit" and it is astonishingly stronger in every way. I just bought that one tonight actually. Skip this one and go straight to Williams' book, it is strong for beginners, and even stronger for people like myself who need something more detailed and insightful than "The Animator's Workbook." I didn't know there was more that I could learn about the basics and subtleties for a great foundation until I read "Survival Kit." Please learn from my mistake and do yourself a favor by buying that one. You'll be way ahead of the curve.

Great book for the beginning animator! 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.

I just ordered this book. Many flash animators have recommended "The Animator's Workbook", "Cartoon Animation", "Cartooning: Animation 1 with Preston Blair (HT26)" or "The Animator's Survival Kit" in order to create flash cartoons.
I also have "Cartooning: Animation 1 with Preston Blair (HT26)". I have browsed through Richard Williams' "The Animator's Survival Kit" and that seemed too much for me to handle. I'm not an animator by trade but a wannabe. I look forward to improving my animation skills with this book! I also got this book for an excellent price!

6/14/05 - I just received my book. I will be using flash to create web based cartoons! This book is very appealing to me and doesn't intimidate me. I need a book like this because I'm not an animator by trade. You must pick this book, "Cartooning: Animation 1 with Preston Blair (HT26)" or "Cartoon Animation" if you are a beginner. All three books are excellent choices if you want to create flash cartoons! I prefer "Cartooning: Animation 1 with Preston Blair (HT26)" more than the other books.

Editorial Review:

"An invaluable book for beginning and trained animators, graphic designers, illustrators, and advertising producers". -- U&lc. "Through clear text and charming color illustration he actually shows...how it is done". -- Step-By-Step Graphics. "A valuable reference tool". -- Library Journal.

The Art of Finding Nemo

Mark Cotta Vaz

List Price: $40.00 By: Chronicle Books Amazon Marketplace: 17 new & used starting at $10.99

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Pixar Animation Studios, the Academy Award winning creators of Toy Story, Toy Story 2, A Bug s Life, and Monsters, Inc., are bringing a new animated movie, Finding Nemo, to the screen this summer. This visually stunning underwater adventure follows eventful and comic journeys of two fish-a father and his son Nemo-who become separated in the Great Barrier Reef. The underwater world for the film was conceptualized and developed by the creative team of artists, illustrators, and designers at Pixar, resulting in a lush landscape rich with detail. The Art of Finding Nemo celebrates their talent, featuring concept and character sketches, storyboards, and lighting studies in a huge spectrum of media, from five-second sketches to intricate color pastels. This behind-the-scenes odyssey invites the reader into the elaborate creative process of animation films through interviews with all the key players at Pixar. There will be children s books related to Finding Nemo, but no adult titles other than this definitive volume. Revealing, insightful, and awesomely creative, The Art of Finding Nemo will delight film-goers, artists, and animation fans alike.

The Animation Book: A Complete Guide to Animated Filmmaking--From Flip-Books to Sound Cartoons to 3- D Animation

Kit Laybourne

Amazon Price: $17.13 List Price: $25.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Three Rivers Press Amazon Marketplace: 74 new & used starting at $8.66

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The first edition of The Animation Book, published in 1979, became the authoritative guide to making animated movies. Now, as we enter the twenty-first century, the explosion in computer technology has created a corresponding boom in animation. Using desktop hardware and software, animators can easily produce high-quality, high-artistry animation and mix the aesthetics of traditional cel animation with dazzling 3-D effects. Kit Laybourne's digital revision to The Animation Book brings you to the cutting edge of animation technology. Richly illustrated with frame-grabs, production stills, and diagrams, this volume shares Kit's infectious enthusiasm for the limitless possibilities of today's hybrid techniques, and it provides beginning animators with all the information they need to jump in and start their own animation projects. More advanced animators will find The Animation Book to be an invaluable resource with detailed descriptions of filmmaking gear, computer hardware and software, art supplies, plus Internet and other resources.

Using an innovative case-study approach, Kit deconstructs how a range of digital projects were carried out at some of today's hottest animation studios, including Wildbrain, Blue Sky, Protozoa, Fantome, Broderbund, Nicktoons, and Klasky Csupo. These step-by-step studies show how desktop animators can follow the same creative process in their own films.

The Simpsons Handbook: Secret Tips from the Pros (Simpsons (Harper))

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

If you love to draw 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Great book. So much fun for the weekend drawer. Could have more information/fun facts. But still, great book.

Editorial Review:

Here is a rare homage to the art of classic 2–D animation and the time–honored method of hand–drawing characters that come alive on the silver screen. The creator of "The Simpsons" and "Futurama," reveals the art of brilliant character design, backgrounds, and prop art in this lavishly detailed handbook that unveils the complex secrets behind the deceptively simple and universally loved Simpsons characters. With creative insights, artists' sketches, helpful insider hints, and step–by–step instructions, enter the imagination of "master doodler" Matt Groening and receive some professional "how–to" advice from many of the animators and directors who have made "The Simpsons" the longest–running animated show and situation comedy in television history. In our technological era when animation has become increasingly digitalized, this unique handbook records the genesis of some of the most extraordinary examples of the art of hand–drawn animated characters.

Learning Autodesk Maya 2009 Foundation: Official Autodesk Training Guide

Autodesk Maya Press

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Editorial Review:

Learning Autodesk Maya: Foundation is a full-color book that offers students a hands-on approach for learning how to use Maya, the industry-leading 3D animation and effects software. You will work with real movie footage, interactive tutorials and step-by-step lessons to understand the basics of modeling, texturing, animating, and visual effects. The companion DVD, which includes instructor-led tutorial videos and other resources for extended learning, will further reinforce the topics covered in the book so that you can become better acquainted with the Maya User Interface.

Your Career in Animation: How to Survive and Thrive

David Levy

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

An award-winning film-maker and animator surveys the field of commercial animation and shares the advice of more than 100 animation. Readers will get insider's tips on beginning a career, creating portfolio or reel, meeting local communities of animators, keeping job skills marketable, networking effectively, making the leap from working for others to pitching and selling one's own work. The book offers the advice of more than 100 top animation artists, discussing such topics as beginning a career, creating a portfolio or reel, meeting local communities of animators, keeping job skills marketable, networking effectively, starting a business, and more. Interview subjects include top names in the animation field: Teddy Newton, character designer for "The Incredibles"; Steven Hillenburg, creator of SpongeBob SquarePants; John R. Dilworth, creator of Courage, the Cowardly Dog; executives from PBS Kids, Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, Comedy Central, the CartoonNetwork; and many others. This guide gives aspiring and practicing animators the tips they need for starting and maintaining a successful career in the field.

Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation

Helen McCarthy

Amazon Price: $12.89 List Price: $18.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Stone Bridge Press Amazon Marketplace: 44 new & used starting at $5.74

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Artist-writer-director-producer Hayao Miyazaki is often called "the Walt Disney of Japan." His animated theatrical features have been smash hits in Japan, and many, including My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service, are already familiar to American audiences. Now, with Disney-Miramax's imminent release of Princess Mononoke,, Miyazaki's masterwork and one of the top-grossing film in all Japanese history, this "animation master" is about to take America and the world by storm.

Mixing first-hand interview and personal insights with critical evaluations of art, plot, production qualities, and literary themes, McCarthy provides a film-by-film appraisal that examines technique as well as message. She reveals Miyazaki to be not just a master of the art of animation, but a meticulous craftsman who sees his work as a medium for shaping the humanistic and environmental concerns of our times.

An overview of the artist and his early career is followed by in-depth examinations of seven major Miyazaki films: Nausica of the Valley of Wind, Laputa: Castle in the Sky, Castle of Cagliostro, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Porco Rosso, and Princess Mononoke. Included are design and technical data, story synopses and character sketches, personnel and filmography data, and critical evaluation. Illustrations throughout, in color and black and white, show the detail and vigor of Miyazaki's art.

Written for anime fans as well as students of film, literature, and popular culture, McCarthy's book raises animation criticism to a whole new level and is an essential guide to the work of a world-class filmmaker.

London-based Helen McCarthy is author of Anime! A Beginner's Guide to Japanese Animation, The Anime Movie Guide, and (with Jonathan Clements) The Erotic Anime Movie Guide. She appears frequently on radio and TV and at conferences around the world.