Hello All,
This is my first post but I have been following the forums for a few months now. Great place! I am a total newbie but I'm interested in animation as a hobby. I'm currently a software developer (pharmaceuticals) so I have no problem playing around with software, it's more the traditional technique I am interested in. I can draw but I would like to learn to draw correctly if that makes sense. I would appreciate recommendations for books on character design. I have checked out Larry's Toon Institute (great site) and have purchased The Animator's Survival Kit Book but I would like some more reading. All suggestions are welcome.
Thanks,
Courtney
For beginning character design for animation I would check out Christopher Hart's book, How to Draw Animation
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0823023656/qid=1087916547/sr=8-3/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i3_xgl14/104-8340049-7184702?v=glance&s=books&n=507846
and of course Preston Blair's book, Cartoon Animation.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1560100842/qid=1087916582/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/104-8340049-7184702?v=glance&s=books&n=507846
And of course a good animation has to know how to draw the human form, so check out Hogarth and Glenn Vilpuu
The Animation Survival kit by Richard Williams really gets into the nitty gritty of animation.
ed
Department of Computer Animation
Ringling College of Art and Design
Sarasota Florida
hey coder
here are two other fun books , worth a look into
cartooning . the head and figure by jack hamm
and
FUn with a pencil : andrew loomis
Great!
Thanks everyone for the advice!
Jack Hamm was a great guy. I got to spend the day with him at his house back about ten years ago. Before I left he gave me copies of every book he had ever written. His work still amazes me to this day.
www.jaredchapman.com
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All great. I can only add Kent Hultgren's ANimal Anatomy book. Deals greatlt with charcater design.
You might also want to check out "Glen Vilppu's Drawing Manual" at http://www.vilppustudio.com/books.htm This guy teaches that artist at all the big studio, so why not learn from the best.
Also take a peek at "Animation The Looney Tunes Way" by: Tony Cervone. That is if you like the current Warner Bros. cartoon look.
If you can find it, take a look at Stephen Silver's Book that just came out called "The Art of Silver." It's basicaly collections from his sketchbooks, but he has a pretty varied style. He is that guy that designed the characters for the animated "Clerks" cartoon, as well as Disney's "Kim Possible," one of my favorite shows.
Sorry, I'm gonna have to un-recommend the Christopher Hart's drawing book series. I feel he just has very bland, average style. To me they just look like designs from a first or second year student, and I would just assume to study from a higher level than that. That's just my oppinion.
The Ape
...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."