Animation Books - Page 5

Disney Dossiers: Files of Character from the Walt Disney Studios

Jeff Kurtti

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

"Direct" from the extensive files of The Walt Disney Archives inBurbank, California, as "collected" by Archives Director David R. Smith foryour research and enlightenment, here is a one-of-a-kind collection of Disneycharacter reference. In an entertainingand informative format, readers get an insider's peek intothe careers of Disney's best-loved animated characters, whether their roles arestarring or supporting. Disney Dossiersbrings together a fascinating collection of information, anecdotes, andillustrations, providing highlights from Disney productions past and presentfor all your "casting" needs.The format, though playful, will also be informativeand sophisticated, geared toward an adult audience with an ample base of Disneyknowledge. The book will be heavily illustrated and beautifully designed.

Paper Dreams: The Art And Artists Of Disney Storyboards

John Canemaker

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A wonderful insight into the creative process 5 out of 5 stars.
22 of 22 people found this review helpful.

Too often in animation titles, the storyboard element is relegated to a minor footnote. This book presents a wonderful insight to the creative process of animation film making. Many animators and students collect resource material from feature films, and storyboard examples are rare and treasured items. As a storyboarder myself, I was in awe of the beauty and clarity of these works, many I was seeing for the first time. However, anybody with an interest in art or animation will enjoy this book. It is an amazing and definitive collection.

Outstanding! 5 out of 5 stars.
20 of 20 people found this review helpful.

I have most of the 'Art of' books and, though this is a little more pricey than the others, it is worth every cent. It is refreshingly reassuring to finally have a Disney art book NOT written by a Disney staffer, but by a film academic. It was great to read about the men who worked alongside Walt and knew him for all his faults as well rather than the godhead he has become to the company. This book, while showing page after page of behind-the-scenes miniature masterpieces that went into making the classic early features, also describes the not-so-happy endings that such chemistry produced among Disney and his storymen sometimes. It also covers the latter-day storyboard masters like Chris Sanders and the Brizzi twins. I have ambitions of being a Disney storyboard artist someday and this book is perfect inspiration. More than worth it.

Editorial Review:

Its a technique that first helped bring Mickey Mouse to life, and todays greatest movie makers, from Martin Scorcese to Tim Burton, couldnt make a film without it. The storyboard started as a series of sketches, fastened to a cork board with pushpins, that helped a director conceptualize a films narrative and visual flow.

Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons; Revised and Updated (Plume Books)

Leonard Maltin, Jerry Beck

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

The history of cartoons (to the 1980s) 5 out of 5 stars.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.

When I think of the history of animation, I tend to divide things into three periods: The Golden Age, noted for early Warner Brothers cartoons and the classic Disney movies such as Snow White and Fantasia; The Age of Mediocrity, where creativity seemed to reach its nadir, as seen most notably in the bland Hanna Barbera cartoons; and the Modern Era, with the resurgence in cartoon creativity, which, starting with The Little Mermaid in the movies and the Simpsons on TV, animation reached a new level of popularity and respectability. Leonard Maltin's book, Of Mice and Magic, shows that my own view of cartoon history is roughly correct but also overly simple: there was plenty of mediocrity in the Golden Age and plenty of decent stuff in the Age of Mediocrity.

Maltin starts off with a chapter about the silent era, when animation was just beginning. Over time, experience would refine the process, but the big leap would occur with sound, in particular with Walt Disney's Steamboat Willie featuring Mickey Mouse. After the silent era chapter, there are chapters that serve as "biographies" of the major animation studios, starting with the biggest of them all, Disney.

The Disney characters are among the most popular in cartoon history (or film history in general). Mickey Mouse may have been the biggest name, but he didn't have much of a personality, so he started being pushed aside in favor of more developed characters, especially Donald Duck, the first major Disney character with any sort of edge. In fact, this is a constant theme in the book: that the weakest cartoons from any studio were the ones that featured characters with no distinct personalities.

Success would often come with the most offbeat and edgy characters, such as Donald Duck, Bugs Bunny, Popeye and Daffy Duck. But some of the studios had a mercenary nature that would put quantity ahead of quality; probably the worst in the bunch was Terrytoons where good cartoons were the exception, not the rule. Although even Terrytoons would have some memorable characters - in particular, Mighty Mouse and Heckle & Jeckle - even many of the cartoons featuring them were not very good (which is why in the world of cartoons, the Terrytoons characters will never outshine even some of the Disney or Warner Brothers second-stringers).

Space limitations prevent me from going as in depth on this subject as I would like, but suffice it to say that after reading this book, I still do feel justified in defining an Age of Mediocrity. It was not that every cartoon in that period was bad, but the good ones were few and far between and classics were very rare indeed. The Age of Mediocrity was filled with bland cartoons that were more cute than funny, often repeated the same gags over and over again, and had few remarkable characters.

What about what I call the Modern Age? It would have started right after this edition of the book was published (1987), so it is understandably, but sadly omitted. Also missing is any real look at TV cartoons, so Bullwinkle, Underdog, Yogi Bear and the Super Friends, among others, are only mentioned in passing. Maltin admits up front that this book won't cover these TV cartoons, nor non-American products, hence the omission of international fare such as the Italian Fantasia-like movie, Allegro non troppo.

The strengths of this book, however, far outweigh the shortcomings. While my opinions sometimes differ from Maltin's on the quality of various cartoons, these are a matter of individual taste (overall, he tends to go easier on the films than I do; for example, he has a more favorable opinion on the UPA cartoons than I do); besides, this book is more of a history of cartoons than a critique of them. In addition to good writing, we gets lots of pictures (only a few in color) and an extensive filmography for all the chronicled cartoon studios.

You probably need to be a certain age (probably at least 30) to fully appreciate this book, as younger readers may not have really grown up with these cartoons and may not have even seen them as adults (and since many of these cartoons were geared only to kids, they would not even have much appeal to those over 10). But if you remember these cartoons and look back at them with fond nostalgia, this is a great book.

Working with Walt: Interviews with Disney Artists

Don Peri

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Includes interviews with Ken Anderson, Les Clark, Larry Clemmons, Jack Cutting, Don Duckwall, Marcellite Garner, Harper Goff, Floyd Gottfredson, Dick Huemer, Wilfred Jackson, Eric Larson, Clarence Nash, Ken O'Connor, Herb Ryman, Ben Sharpsteen

Walt Disney created or supervised the creation of live-action films, television specials, documentaries, toys, merchandise, comic books, and theme parks. His vision, however, manifested itself first and foremost in his animated shorts and feature-length cartoons, which are loved by millions around the world.

Working with Walt: Interviews with Disney Artists collects revealing conversations with animators, voice actors, and designers who worked extensively with Disney during the heyday of his animation studio. The book includes fifteen interviews with artists who directed segments of such classic animated features as Dumbo and Fantasia. Some interviewed were part of Disney's famed team dubbed "The Nine Old Men of Animation," and some worked closely with Disney on Steamboat Willie, his first cartoon with sound.

Among the subjects the interviewees discuss are the studio's working environment, the high-water mark of animation during Hollywood's Golden Age, and Disney's mixture of childlike charm and hard-nosed business drive. Through these voices, Don Peri preserves an account of the Disney magic from those who worked closely with him.

Don Peri of Davis, California, first gained the confidence of Disney insiders through his work with animator, director, and producer Ben Sharpsteen. He has written and published extensively on Walt Disney's productions.

Warner Bros. Animation Art

Warner Brothers, Will Friedwald, Jerry Beck

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

This book was an exceptional collection of old and new. 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 6 people found this review helpful.

This book was well done and very appealing to the eye and informational to read. It gives the reader some good history of Warner Bros. cartoons and the rarely credited artists. Through-out the book there are pointers on how to draw various characters, but unfortunatly they are not as complete as one might have it. However, the overall is terrific.

It should be the Warner Brother Ltd. Ed. collectors' bible. 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

It provides the information about different types of animation art such as production cel, sericel, limited edition. The reader can use this book to check the original prices and edition size of many WB limited edition cels.

Every animator and animation fan must own! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

If you like to own some really cool prints of Bugs Bunny, Tweety, or just the old folks from the Warner Bros. Studio, this is the book! It goes through the history of the animation studio and its founders. Chuck Jones is similar to Walt Disney, he had his own crew of animation masters to create a whole new perspective of cartoon.
One disappointing about this book is that its published date is 1997. Sadly "The Iron Giant" (released 1999) and "Cats Don't Dance" (1997) did not make it to the book; two of the most successful WB animated feature film. However, it is still a book to own and look for inspiration.

Editorial Review:

Published to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the Warner Bros. Studios, this album features authentic animation art of everyone's favorite characters. More than 300 color illustrations trace the evolution of the uniquely American art form through the development and growth of the Warner Bros.

In the Future...: Entertainment Design at Art Center College of Design

Jonathan Bach, Darren Bacon, Peter Chan, Marcus Collins

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Stdent work after all... 2 out of 5 stars.
5 of 7 people found this review helpful.

This book sis exactly what it aspires to be, a collection of class exercises by talented students at the Art Center in Pasadena. The artwork and layout are competent and anybody looking for a benchmark or an achievable target for their own artwork and technique could benefit form this "syllabus". But it does lack a measure of originality as one work looks pretty much like the next and the themes that give origin to the pieces are somewhat pretentious. It is a reflection of a school were undoubtedly students feed of each other's creativity and try to meet a look which is standard in the industry. The results are professional but cookie-cutter in the best of cases. Some works are a little undeveloped but may give a glimpse into the diversity of talents in a single group of students. I would use this book as a first approach or a teaching tool but not as something I want to get attached to.

Editorial Review:

In The Future... showcases the first student work created in the new Entertainment Design program at the prestigious Art Center College of Design. Entertainment design requires strong industrial design, architectural and illustration skills, as the designers create characters, environments, vehicles and props. Examples of class work from such courses as Originality in Design, Character Design, Architectural Design, Visual Development and Color Theory are presented. This stunning collection of sketches, renderings, and models created by the inaugural class of entertainment design students is a "must-have" for any fan of entertainment design and for those who have enjoyed the first Art Center student book, The Skillful Huntsman.

Designing Disney

John Hench, Wendy Lefkon, Peggy Van Pelt

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

superb explanation of how the Imagineers operate 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

This is a fascinating look into the mind of the premier Disney designers. Hench explains how every single detail of the Disney parks is designed to fit into a great whole: color, form, space, and even time must reinforce a narrative theme in every single ride or experience, as if the viewer had entered a film sequence. All detail is foreseen - with storyboards! - discussed, and built with this kind of total consistency of experience in mind. I was astounded that the parts were so much more deeply planned than I had imagined.

I read this as part of my research for a writing project on Disney. For this, it was extremely useful and informative. It strikes me that the imagineering method is of great relevance to all managers.

While easy to read quickly, this book will give anyone who likes Disney a fascinating new perspective on one of the great American success stories. Warmly recommended. The writing is clear and to the point, while elegant.

Editorial Review:

Designing Disney sets into history and puts into context the extraordinary contributions of John Hench, who, at the age of 94, still comes into his office at Imagineering each day. His principles of theme park design, character design, and use of color have made him a legendary figure, not only for Disney fans but also for students and aficionados of architecture, engineering, and design. Designing Disney reveals the magic behind John's great discoveries and documents his groundbreaking work in several key areas, including the values, attitudes, aesthetics, and logic that went into the original design concepts for Disney theme parks. Hench details the essence and various meanings of colors and how they work in the parks, and lets the reader in on how and why of the Disney character's inherent popularity-their timeless human traits, archetypal shapes and gestures that suggest their qualities graphically, and their emotional resonance in our lives.

Art of Walt Disney

Christopher Finch

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A few words of caution before you buy it... 3 out of 5 stars.
7 of 8 people found this review helpful.

This book gives good insight into the story of the Disney company. It was nice to hear an honest account of whether each movie was a success or failure with critics and audiences, though I feel some were a little shortchanged. A book of this size should have had a chapter (or at least a full page) dedicated to each movie. And while it is heavily illustrated, the text does not in any way rely on the pictures. I guess screen shots from the movies or brochure style pictures of the parks are "art" but based on the title I was expecting more unique in depth imagery like preproduction and concept art, storyboards, construction photos (from the parks).

If you have the older Concise edition of this book, then I don't think this one is necessary. So there are stills from a few more movies, but all the classics up to Fantasia 2000 are covered in the smaller book. Besides, the best of the new movies covered is Finding Nemo, and who doesn't have that on tape or DVD? Don't spend this much money on a few screen shots, just watch your movie. And I was particularly interested in seeing some of the new parks that weren't in the other book (California Adventure and Tokyo DisneySea) but alas they accounted for about 3 pages. Just a warning because the annoying shrink wrap prevents anyone from flipping through to decide based on the contents whether or not to fork over that much money (and the cover is so enticing...).

If you have never read anything about Disney this is a great place to start, but if you already have a collection of Disney books (especially this one's concise ed.) then this one doesn't have much more to offer. And if your true passion is in the theme parks, don't let this deceptive title make you believe that equal emphasis is given to the "Magic Kingdoms". There are way better (and cheaper) books on that subject that will give you much more insight.

Editorial Review:

The first revision of the standard, profusely illustrated history of Disney covers the making of The Lion King and additions to the Disney theme parks, and includes previously unpublished concept art, background paintings, and animation cels.

The Complete Animation Course: The Principles, Practice and Techniques of Successful Animation

Chris Patmore

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

Editorial Review:

Desktop computer artists will find a wealth of information in this heavily illustrated book. It instructs in the principles, practice, and techniques of successful animation. The author covers all forms of animation, starting with the basics of making sketches in flip books, and concluding with the latest developments in computer-generated imagery. He demonstrates with practical examples that utilize key areas of modern animation—cell art, stop-action with clay or plastic models, and 3D computer-generated and web-based animations. This volume’s six chapters cover the following topics: The art of story telling and storyboarding . . . How to create stop-action animation . . . Simple cell animation, the technique for simple movie cartoon sequences . . . Full cell animation, as used by Disney, Warner Brothers, and similar studios . . . Web animation for showcasing your skill over the Internet . . . and Computer modeling and animation, including 3D modeling. The book’s concluding sections discuss modern hardware and software, with emphasis on affordable beginners’ equipment. Also provided is an overview of the animation industry and its applications to movies, TV, and computer games. More than 250 instructive illustrations enhance this fascinating how-to volume.

Anime Essentials: Every Thing a Fan Needs to Know

Gilles Poitras

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

An excellent starting place 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I'm too old to have discovered Japanese manga and anime in my youth, but I've made up for that the past few years. Being interested in Japanese culture and literature generally, I had some understanding of why anime is the way it is, and why it's so much different from American or European graphic art, but reading this well-written book, I found there was a great deal I had missed. Poitras writes from the fan's point of view, so he knows what questions he should be addressing -- everything from the "big eye" mania, to the difference between hentai and mainstream manga, to the nervousness among the U.S. morals police about "foreign" art, to actually setting up and publicizing a fan group, plus the ins and outs of model kits, imported publications, and so on. There's also an excellent rundown of recommended anime titles and series, which I've photocopied as a checklist. This book doesn't tell you everything you need to know, but it's a good place to start.

Editorial Review:

What makes Japanese animation Japanese? What are the top, not-to-be-missed films? Who's got the anime goods? What's it all mean anyway? Answering just about every question a fan (or curious parent) has, Anime Essentials is an easy-to-read and fun-to-look-at overview of the pop culture phenomenon sweeping America. It discusses the major players, where to get your anime fix, otaku (devoted fan) etiquette, how to run an anime club (and get pre-release screenings!), how to "talk" anime to outsiders, and lots more of interest both to veterans and newcomers.

One of theNew York Public Libary's 2001 Books for the the Teen Age List.

"Overall, this book opens its welcoming arms wide to newcomers, so that more people can enjoy anime's story qualities, human element and cinematic, artistic effects. A valuable book!" -- Protocultue Addicts

"For the anime beginner, this is a great place to start." -- Dreamwatch