Animation

The Animation Book: A Complete Guide to Animated Filmmaking--From Flip-Books to Sound Cartoons to 3- D Animation
$25.95
Great book where you can find all possible types of animation. A book that you should always have with you as reference.

The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation
$60.00
I HAD HEARD THIS BOOK REFERRED TO AS THE BIBLE OF ANIMATION! IF YOU HAVE AN APPRECIATION FOR DISNEY ANIMATION THIS REALLY HITS SOME GOOD TOPICS AND EXPLAINS CERTAIN THINGS AND GIVES BACKGROUND(HISTORY) BEHIND THE CHANGES ETC. GREAT IMAGES AND THE TEXT IS REALLY LARGE AND THEIR IS EVEN FLIP BOOK IMAGES LOCATED IN THE TOP RIGHT HAND CORNER OF SEVERAL DISNEY CHARACTERS WHO CAN BE PUT IN MOTION. I"M REALLY HAPPY WITH IT!

Animation Unleashed: 100 Principles Every Animator, Comic Book Writers, Filmmakers, Video Artist, and Game Developer Should Know
$26.95
100 key principles of communicating via animation explained and illustrated.

Filmmaker and author Ellen Besen discovered these principles as she analyzed classic animated films. She began to see things that made certain animated films "leap off the screen".

She identified specific story telling techniques, camera angles, special effects, and backgrounds that were uniquely suited to animated films. She realized she was "tapping into the essence of how animation functions." Animation Unleashed explains and illustrates 100 of these techniques.

The writing is clear and concise, with delightful illustrations by Bruce Hallet to illustrate each of the techniques.

For example, on page 44 Besen says, "An animated script should create a platform for a performance. To achieve this, write for action first." She then shows how visual actions drive a good animation, and how--if the writer starts by writing dialog--the script can end up as a series of talking heads.

I liked the book because it introduced me to a filmmaking world that I knew little about.

After reading the book, I began see animation everywhere. On a flat screen at the grocery store checkout stand, on television, at the movies, and on most of the websites that I visit. It is fair to say that Animation Unleased increased my visual literacy and my enjoyment of animation.

Recommended for: animators (from beginning to advanced), film buffs, and anyone who needs to communicate visually.

Timing for Animation, Second Edition
$29.95
Timing for Animation is the best choice for those who would like to have a clear view of animation-timing. It delineates the basics very concisely, which are long enough to understand, but short enough to run through anytime when needed. Has a good partition, right examples and illustrations, contains only practicable things which makes it very easy to read and highly practical. John Halas has made a good job, happy to be his compatriot :)
Would recommend to anyone.