Book learning:
English language books.
Translated books.
For most or you visiting the 2D Academy self-motivated study will the only option available to you. There will probably not be the time, the money or the opportunity to study in the conventional way with a teacher. So it is through books that you will have to gain your knowledge.
Unfortunately there are poor books that can lead you off the track and there are great books that can inspire you and give you a solid foundation on which to build upon. The problem for the beginner is in knowing which is which. Books such as Richard Williams’ “The Animator’s Survival Kit” (the ‘animator’s bible’) and Frank & Ollie’s “Illusion of Life” (great wisdom from the Disney stable horse’s mouth) are obvious suggestions among so many options. But in all honesty these are quite advanced for the raw beginner to take on board, especially if you have no experienced and knowledgeable instructor to guide you.
Some of the earlier books I have written are meant to be a solid bridge between no knowledge at all and the kind of sophisticated knowledge the above listed books contain. My more recent writings on the other hand, do carve out a unique path of their own – ones that are able to stand alone in what they offer as subject matter. I think therefore it will help if I give you a breakdown of what I think each book can offer you, so you are better able to choose the one that most suits your particular needs at whatever point of the animator’s journey you are at.
Before that however, I have to say to you that no book, however good they are, can make you an animator. You and you alone have to do that! Books will give you information yes. But unless you put that information into practice and work – then re-work – the principles they teach, you will never develop significantly. It is only by constant effort and iteration - and the triumphing over initial failures - that you will really learn to animate.
In the absence of a master animator you can sit beside, watch and learn, you will have to study under the guidance of the harshest teacher of all – bitter experience. This is because as you try new things you will almost certainly fail at them the first time around. But if you persevere constantly and try over and over again so succeed in what you are attempting, you will ultimately learn the lesson that experience has to teach. It is really only this way that you can become a master animator yourself in the fullness of time.
Tony's intro to his eBook on iTunes, "MOTION COMICS ~ How to Animate Graphic Novels, Comic Books and Cartoons".
MOTION COMICS ~ How to Animate Graphic Novels, Comic Books and Cartoons:
I am most excited by this, my more recent eBook for iPad and iTunes users. With the demise of the 2D animation industry in the USA after Disney closed its traditional studio down in 2002, it was hard to see a paying future for animators of the hand-drawn tradition. However, with the arrival of motion comics I believe a brave new horizon now awaits the self-motivate independent 2D animator. Like the revolution of the music industry when technology arrived not too long ago, it is now possible for indie animators to write, design, animate, market and sell their work via the worldwide web. Seeing this I developed a course on animating graphic novels and comic books, which proved so successful that I decided to write this book for everyone on the processes involved. So, if you are already an animator and want to explore this new possibility, this is definitely the book for you. Alternatively, if you are an established illustrator, artist or cartoonists who wants to see your work move, this is also the book for you.
You can buy your copy of 'MOTION COMICS' here!
(Note: Serious students of this book can write to me to obtain an academic copy of the required software, ToonBoom Studio, for $10 off the listed academic price!)
I am most excited by this, my more recent eBook for iPad and iTunes users. With the demise of the 2D animation industry in the USA after Disney closed its traditional studio down in 2002, it was hard to see a paying future for animators of the hand-drawn tradition. However, with the arrival of motion comics I believe a brave new horizon now awaits the self-motivate independent 2D animator. Like the revolution of the music industry when technology arrived not too long ago, it is now possible for indie animators to write, design, animate, market and sell their work via the worldwide web. Seeing this I developed a course on animating graphic novels and comic books, which proved so successful that I decided to write this book for everyone on the processes involved. So, if you are already an animator and want to explore this new possibility, this is definitely the book for you. Alternatively, if you are an established illustrator, artist or cartoonists who wants to see your work move, this is also the book for you.
You can buy your copy of 'MOTION COMICS' here!
(Note: Serious students of this book can write to me to obtain an academic copy of the required software, ToonBoom Studio, for $10 off the listed academic price!)
JUMPING THROUGH HOOPS ~ The Animator’s Job Coach:
A few years ago I taught a senior class at a large BFA program college. The class I devised was called ‘animation for portfolio’ – meaning that I would review each animation students’ portfolio work and then suggest polishes or new assignments to balance out the portfolio work they had. As and adjunct to this I did a great deal of independent research on what the industry needed and how my students might better prepare for it. The objective of the exercise was to talk to every aspect of the animation industry I could reach – film, games, medical and even forensic animation – then give each student a copy of all the definitive notes I had accumulated, so they could more productively work with them. However, the information and feedback I got became so valuable and extensive that I decided to expand it into a book, which I traditionally published via Lulu and later created as the eBook above. Essentially the book explains what a graduate needs to know to get into the animation industry, what they need to do to stay in the industry and even how to choose a good school that will prepare them well to get into the industry. Clearly this is a book for any beginner or novice animator who is considering a career in animation.
You can buy your copy of 'JUMPING THROUGH HOOPS' here!
A few years ago I taught a senior class at a large BFA program college. The class I devised was called ‘animation for portfolio’ – meaning that I would review each animation students’ portfolio work and then suggest polishes or new assignments to balance out the portfolio work they had. As and adjunct to this I did a great deal of independent research on what the industry needed and how my students might better prepare for it. The objective of the exercise was to talk to every aspect of the animation industry I could reach – film, games, medical and even forensic animation – then give each student a copy of all the definitive notes I had accumulated, so they could more productively work with them. However, the information and feedback I got became so valuable and extensive that I decided to expand it into a book, which I traditionally published via Lulu and later created as the eBook above. Essentially the book explains what a graduate needs to know to get into the animation industry, what they need to do to stay in the industry and even how to choose a good school that will prepare them well to get into the industry. Clearly this is a book for any beginner or novice animator who is considering a career in animation.
You can buy your copy of 'JUMPING THROUGH HOOPS' here!
The Animator’s Notebook:
When I heard that my first ever book, “The Animator’s Workbook”, was going to be out of print in 2012 I decided to try to write a definitive book that covered the same core principles of movement for the contemporary world that the ‘Workbook’ covered in its previous era. Consequently I decided to write this book in a notebook format, implying what it would be like if an apprentice animator found a master animator’s personal notebook and what it contained. This book therefore is a good acquisition to have for any beginner animator starting out –a perfect bridging leading on to the more advanced works mentioned above.
You can buy your copy of the 'ANIMATOR'S NOTEBOOK' here!
When I heard that my first ever book, “The Animator’s Workbook”, was going to be out of print in 2012 I decided to try to write a definitive book that covered the same core principles of movement for the contemporary world that the ‘Workbook’ covered in its previous era. Consequently I decided to write this book in a notebook format, implying what it would be like if an apprentice animator found a master animator’s personal notebook and what it contained. This book therefore is a good acquisition to have for any beginner animator starting out –a perfect bridging leading on to the more advanced works mentioned above.
You can buy your copy of the 'ANIMATOR'S NOTEBOOK' here!
How To Make Animated Films:
I originally wanted to call this book “How to be an Animator and Make Animated Films”. However the publisher wanted to name it the way it is now. I still prefer my title as the basic material of this book is contained in two halves – i.e. the first half teaches many of the core principles of animation and essentially explains to the reader how to be an animator. The second half then carries on from there – i.e. now you are an animator, how to you go about making an animated film with the skills you have. The information contained in the second half of the book is both based on my own extensive experience of producing/directing commercials, short films and TV Special creation, and the extensive notes I made when discussing animated filmmaking with respected colleagues who had worked at the highest level on a number of mainstream Disney movies.
You can buy your copy of 'HOW TO MAKE ANIMATED FILMS' here!
I originally wanted to call this book “How to be an Animator and Make Animated Films”. However the publisher wanted to name it the way it is now. I still prefer my title as the basic material of this book is contained in two halves – i.e. the first half teaches many of the core principles of animation and essentially explains to the reader how to be an animator. The second half then carries on from there – i.e. now you are an animator, how to you go about making an animated film with the skills you have. The information contained in the second half of the book is both based on my own extensive experience of producing/directing commercials, short films and TV Special creation, and the extensive notes I made when discussing animated filmmaking with respected colleagues who had worked at the highest level on a number of mainstream Disney movies.
You can buy your copy of 'HOW TO MAKE ANIMATED FILMS' here!
Pencils to Pixels ~ Classical Techniques for Digital Animators:
‘Pencils to Pixels’ was written to explain everything I possibly could about animation, the animation industry and many other things related to it - such as storytelling, the language of film and scheduling, budgeting, distribution, etc. It also touches on the world of both Flash-based and CG-based animation. On the disk included at the back of the book I additionally give a blow-by-blow breakdown of my 80-scene short film homage to the rise and fall (and hopeful rise again) of traditional 2D animation – “Endangered Species”. I also uniquely give advice on natural methods of preventing the curse of all sedentary artists and office workers – ‘repetitive stress injuries’ such as carpal tunnel syndrome, sore back, stiff neck, aching eyes, etc. I still don’t believe there is such a comprehensive overview of the industry and its effects on our daily lives out there.
You can buy your copy of 'ANIMATION FROM PENCILS TO PIXELS' here!
‘Pencils to Pixels’ was written to explain everything I possibly could about animation, the animation industry and many other things related to it - such as storytelling, the language of film and scheduling, budgeting, distribution, etc. It also touches on the world of both Flash-based and CG-based animation. On the disk included at the back of the book I additionally give a blow-by-blow breakdown of my 80-scene short film homage to the rise and fall (and hopeful rise again) of traditional 2D animation – “Endangered Species”. I also uniquely give advice on natural methods of preventing the curse of all sedentary artists and office workers – ‘repetitive stress injuries’ such as carpal tunnel syndrome, sore back, stiff neck, aching eyes, etc. I still don’t believe there is such a comprehensive overview of the industry and its effects on our daily lives out there.
You can buy your copy of 'ANIMATION FROM PENCILS TO PIXELS' here!
The Animator’s Workbook:
My first ever book, now out of print. This book was amazing for me. It sold well over 80,000 copies and was still selling well until publisher Watson-Guptill took it out of print in 2012. It presents the basic principles of movement in simple, accessible ways, although it was written in the mid 1980’s when the old cel animation process was still prevalent. Still owning the rights to all its contents, I hope to offer a free eBook copy of this to all my animation students in the future - for nostalgia reasons if nothing else.
You can often buy a used copy of 'THE ANIMATOR'S WORKBOOK' here!
My first ever book, now out of print. This book was amazing for me. It sold well over 80,000 copies and was still selling well until publisher Watson-Guptill took it out of print in 2012. It presents the basic principles of movement in simple, accessible ways, although it was written in the mid 1980’s when the old cel animation process was still prevalent. Still owning the rights to all its contents, I hope to offer a free eBook copy of this to all my animation students in the future - for nostalgia reasons if nothing else.
You can often buy a used copy of 'THE ANIMATOR'S WORKBOOK' here!