Well,
This book is wayyyy out of my league.
If I had majored in animation or was currently majoring in Animation, no doubt I'd purchase it.
I used to have Preston's Blair "Cartoon Animation".
At least I remember having access to it years ago.
I also checked out Tony White's "The Animator's Workbook a few years back from a local library.
I think I'll just stick to the flash cartooning books that I already have.
I can see why this book is recommended.
It's definetely thorough.
Oh yeah, if I were going to purchase "The Animator's Survival Kit", it would be from www.Amazon.com and not from a local Borders or Barnes and Noble.
Yes, the Animator's Survival Kit is very thorough. I am a beginner myself, and I didn't find it hard reading.
I started out with Preston Blair's "Animation" and "How To Animate Film Cartoons". The next book I got was the "Survival Kit". It really isn't too high a level......perhaps because you were skimming through it in a bookshop, it may have seemed overwhelming.
It is a very helpful text for timing and spacing, and for intelligent in-betweening.
I am currently reading "The Illusion of Life"...very good.
Williams' "Survival Kit" is the book I dip into most, though.
Eva
Doc, most of what Williams talks about in A.S.K. applies as much to Flash animation as it does to other forms. The difference between it and the books on Flash animation is that Williams' book is about universal animation principles, rather than how to use a specific software tool.
I'd strongly recommend having another look at it and seriously consider buying it. You may feel it's out of your league right now, but if you study it and apply the principles, you'll find before long your work will be in a different league. A better one.
Yeah, Williams' book is really good. It goes into a lot of principles of animation and heavely delves into walks. I wouldn't get this as your first animation book as it kinda throw's in into the deep end right away. I would recogmend starting with either White's or Blair's books, and start at he begining and work on the exercises.
DSB's right, all the principles taught in those books apply to Flash animation. The thing with Flash animation books, is that they are usually, dare I say always, written by people who aren't animator. They know Flash and some animation principles, but they don't understand them and thus don't do a good job of explaining them to others. Just my little rant.
Oh and don't feel bad, I get overwhelmed by Williams' book too. I still go back to it because things haven't sunken in even after the 20th time of reading it. :P
Aloha,
the Ape
...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."
Yeah, I was just wondering how many people who's full time job isn't animation or don't have a BA in animation or fine arts that have have purchased this book.
I'm a computer field tech/network admin and I just felt overwhelmed by William's book. I have to give it to you guys who do animation for a living.
My hats off to you.
This is going to sound crazy but in my opinion, me buying this book is like a professional animator buying a how to repair pcs or build your own pc book.
I'll probably end up getting the Tony White book (eventually).
Tony's book is also very good, and it's better suited to a beginner's approach since it starts basic and is very gradual, and of course ends off each section with miniature assignments. What it lacks is the before-and-after padding to put the information in a context. In Williams' book you understand not only that a principle is important but why, and then how to use that. The format of Tony's book simply isn't conducive to that. I own them both.
I'm going to second the skimming comment. Even for genius professionals, a comment I hear/read very often is that you read -through- it an absorb, take it all in, and the thread of continuity running through it all shows you that it isn't so much a reference book as an exploration of ideas and a challenge to use those formulas as a starting point to move from understanding to making and breaking your own great things.
Oh, and slightly-related, I am getting farther into life drawing because I was mis-managing my time and it is always so important. When I first kicked it up a notch I was actually stale. There are things you subconsciously keep with you when you do it often and consistently, and I hadn't re-gripped those. In a few weeks time I am really feeling it and seeing a difference that pleases me. Perhaps it's just a few weeks with that book, even if you just read it and don't touch a pencil or a camera, before you look back to this post and go "Wow, now that wasn't so bad, was it?" Best of fortunes.
Yeah, but not fully a field tech/net admin, are ya? You've got some artist in you, or you wouldn't have been in that section of Borders. ;)
Animation's like any new field of interest. It's overwhelming when you start, but once you get rolling the information gets assimilated much more easily.
I understand what you mean though - I've got books on HTML and ActionScript that I only understand parts of. But I accumulate more of those parts every time I pick one up.
I borrowed the Animation Survival Kit from the Library and it is a great book. I love the way it's almost intirely hand-writern (clear, comic-book style) and nearly all pictures, which I find very welcoming. Richard almost never recomends doing anything the easy way - it's hardly a surprise that most of his films went over budget - and the book seems to more about techneque than survival (wich I would imagen had more to do with advice for getting film funding, etc etc) but even so - top quality book.
Mike Futcher - www.yogyog.org
Well, I've been in the computer field a very long time.
I majored in computer science at Spelman College.
I won't say how old I am but it's been a while since I've been out of school.
I'm a female computer techie/network admin by the way.
I've been a Novell CNE for quite some time and would love to get my MCSE but I want my company to pay for it.
I broke down and purchased Tony's "Animator's Workbook".
Maybe someday I'll get "The Animator's Survival Kit".
Sorry; wasn't trying to impune your credentials. I just meant that there's an artistic streak in you.
Personally, I value techs like you. Those who understand the artistic side of the house are few and far between.
I guess I'm just one of those sensitive females (sometimes).
I love cartoons, so I guess that makes me artistic.
I guess what I should have said to you is, "What are you talking about football head!" - Helga from "Hey Arnold".
Once I get Tony's book, I would hope that whatever I create will look decent.
At least a C+ anyways.
Hey, what did you think about the Apple announcement?
I would love to be able to install OSX on my clone pc but I think Apple won't allow that.
Someone said you will still be limited to Apple roms being on the motherboard.
Oh well.
I guess you're talking about developing chips with Intel.
Not to drag the thread off-topic, but Apple has always maintained that they're a hardware company and basically developed their OS as a means of selling equipment. It would be surprising for them to allow their software to run on less expensive machine.