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All images are from Producing Independent 2D Character Animation: Making and Selling a Short Film by Mark Simon. Reprinted with permission.

This is the first in a series of 12 adaptations from Mark Simon's new book Producing Independent 2D Character Animation: Making and Selling a Short Film. This book is a full-color concept-to-pitch guide that teaches animators, students and small studios the art and business of producing short, cel animation films. Animation producer Mark Simon has detailed the process in an accessible how-to manner using his award-winning series, Timmy's Lessons In Nature, as a guide. This 432-page book features over 600 full-color images, interviews and a CD-ROM containing sample animation, animatics and sample softwares described in the text.

Everyone learns or discovers some trick to help them in production. Some tricks are simple, and others are a bit more complex, but they all help us do our work. Following is a sample of decades of experience from many animators around the world.

Drawing Tools

Keep toys around for reference. Workout Barbie flexes just like a human and is much better reference for poses than the old Woody art store figures.

Tools of the Trade (clockwise from top left): Pencil extenders; a three-way switch which allows quick switching between top and bottom lights; reference figures of Workout Theresa (Barbie's friend) and the classic "Woody" poseable; and peg bars.