Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life

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In Once Upon a Studio, Olaf is shown sitting on a copy of the book to adjust his height for the desk he's drawing at. Provides additional minor secondary actions to support and give more depth to a primary action. 9. Timing The book gives many glimpses into the workings of the animation masters at Disney's during the Golden Age of animation. It is a frequently-used reference among professional animators. The book "The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation" was published in 1981 by Disney animators Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas. These principles are based on the work of Disney animators from the 1930s onward in their quest to create more realistic animation. Some have referred to the book as the "Bible of animation," and some of its principles have been adopted by many traditional studios. The important thing is to make readers feel empathetic and have similar feelings to animated characters. This means that animated characters must have their own soul and the inner world just like a real character. Really appeal to the audience's, is the soul of the character, idea.

rigid, non-dynamic movement of a ball is compared to a "squash" at impact and a "stretch" during the fall and after the bounce. Also, the ball moves less in the beginning and end (the "slow in and slow out" principle). The most complete book on the subject ever written, this is the fascinating inside story by two long-term Disney animators of the gradual perfecting of a relatively young and particularly American art from, which no other move studio has ever been able to equal . They set up a list of basic animation principles and focus on each one in turn. They go through each of the different departments, explaining what they contribute to a picture. They explain the particular challenges of the animator trying to put across different story and character points.I loved reading about Disney's animation from the viewpoint of two veteran Disney animators, as there were so many great anecdotes and in-jokes to be found here. The descriptions of animation and storytelling processes are both lively and informative, and the huge amount of pictures is just what is needed for a book on the subject. Not only are there animation drawings and film stills, but also concept art, candid photos, and staff caricatures. Though the latter aren't essential for understanding the animation itself, they are a great personal touch and give glimpses into the personalities of the caricaturists and their subjects. Follow through is the extra movements of a character or object after a certain action. On the other hand, overlapping action is the combination of 2 moving things commencing at different paces or times. 6. Slow-out and Slow-in Sometimes I am thinking, for those who have achieved fame, what is their purpose for writing books? Is it just for fame and wealth? This kind of motivation may be there, but I believe that one of their goals is to share their personal experiences selflessly. One of the purposes is also to hope that some of the future readers can be inspired by them, inherited by them, and share their dreams. The idea continues. Many will look to this book to teach them the secrets of Disney animation so that they can become instant successes. Unfortunately, this craft cannot be learned by just reading a book, and not overnight under any circumstances. ”

Osipa, Jason (2005). Stop Staring: Facial Modeling and Animation Done Right (2nded.). John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-471-78920-8. This principle is akin to staging, as it is known in theatre and film. [11] Its purpose is to direct the audience's attention, and make it clear what is of greatest importance in a scene; [12] Johnston and Thomas defined it as "the presentation of any idea so that it is completely and unmistakably clear", whether that idea is an action, a personality, an expression, or a mood. [11] This can be done by various means, such as the placement of a character in the frame, the use of light and shadow, or the angle and position of the camera. [13] The essence of this principle is keeping focus on what is relevant, and avoiding unnecessary detail. [14] [15] Straight ahead action and pose to pose [ edit ]

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The book answers everybody's question about how the amazingly lifelike effects of Disney character animation were achieved, including charming stories of the ways that many favorite animated figures got their unique personalities. From the perspective of two men who had an important role in shaping the art of animation, and within the context of the history of animation and the growth of the Disney studio, this is the definitive volume on the work and achievement of one of America's best-known and most widely loved cultural institutions. Nostalgia and film buffs, students of popular culture, and that very broad audience who warmly responds to the Disney "illusion of life" will find this book compelling reading (and looking!).

Timing refers to the number of drawings or frames for a given action, which translates to the speed of the action on film. [12] On a purely physical level, correct timing makes objects appear to obey the laws of physics. For instance, an object's weight determines how it reacts to an impetus, like a push: a lightweight object will react faster than a heavy one. [27] Timing is critical for establishing a character's mood, emotion, and reaction. [12] It can also be a device to communicate aspects of a character's personality. [28] Exaggeration [ edit ] Exaggeration is an effect especially useful for animation, as animated motions that strive for a perfect imitation of reality can look static and dull. [12] The level of exaggeration depends on whether one seeks realism or a particular style, like a caricature or the style of a specific artist. The classical definition of exaggeration, employed by Disney, was to remain true to reality, just presenting it in a wilder, more extreme form. [29] Other forms of exaggeration can involve the supernatural or surreal, alterations in the physical features of a character; or elements in the storyline itself. [30] It is important to employ a certain level of restraint when using exaggeration. If a scene contains several elements, there should be a balance in how those elements are exaggerated in relation to each other, to avoid confusing or overawing the viewer. [31] Solid drawing [ edit ] Willian (June 29, 2006). "Exaggeration". Blender. Archived from the original on February 7, 2009 . Retrieved June 28, 2008. Frank Thomas was born in Santa Monica, California, the US in 1912 and died in 2004. Studied at Stanford University. He is an animator and pianist. He is a member of Disney's top animator team. The team members are known as the "guru". Representative works: " The illusion of life " and so on.In essence, it is used to direct attention to the most important aspects of a scene. 4. Straight Ahead and Pose to Pose Animation Rotating a joint on a moving limb or throwing an object along a parabolic trajectory are examples of how this technique can be applied. 8. Secondary Action The book has been referred to by some as the " Bible of animation", [2] and some of its principles have been adopted by traditional studios. In 1999, The Illusion of Life was voted the "best animation book[...] of all time" in an online poll done by Animation World Network. [3] While originally intended to apply to traditional, hand-drawn animation, the principles still have great relevance for today's more prevalent computer animation. The 12 principles of animation [ edit ] Squash and stretch [ edit ] The squash and stretch principle: