Excellent book

This excellent book is a manual of animation.
Everything about animation you can find on it.

Anyone who loves Disney animation and anyone who is learning the process of animation needs to get their hands on this book. It is long, it is detailed, but it is well worth it. This book mainly covers the essential Principles of Animation such as Squash and Stretch, Anticipation, Follow Through, etc. Go get it!

This is a really inspirational book! It takes you through the history of Disney animation and how the founding animators discovered their secrets and modeled their craft. You will learn all about the fundamentals of great animation and how to apply proven techniques to form your skill. It is easy to read and is full of great imagery and references. Highly recommended!

Wow!..First of all, the presentation of the book is amazing. The cover, the paper, everything. And wen you open the book, is simply what you need for start to see animation as an art...no, in my case, an "excuse" for use a software (I sarting to go to 3d animation). Buy this book!

The love produces animation! That book exhibition that! That amazes of book! That fantastic thing is the friendship and the production of those two geniuses of the animation! The life and the those two men's art is a thing that contemplates in all us, impassioned by animation. They are my life examples, and one day I would like cannot at least to arrive close to what did. That book, and the dvd about the life of the two, is obligatory things in any school, or shelf peculiar of any person that has feelings and sensibility to understand the beautiful things of the life. Wonderful? Spectacular? Grandiose? I don't have as defining that book. He is more than any definition that somebody can create. It is the love transformed in cartoons overflowing for the pages of that wonderful book. I will buy more a, to be in the shelf without nobody opens it, and my descendants only can you make it for they know a time and such some brilliant people and magics as these highlighted in that spectacular book.

Any artist - animator or otherwise, should read this book. It's not only about the craft of animation, but about the passion of pursuit in illustrating life accurately and in an engaging way.

Told from the perspective of two legends.

Highly recommended.

GET THIS BOOK! There is no questions ask that Frank and Ollie did an amazing job putting this together! It gives you a complete history and explanation of how today's feature animation began, with beautifully printed examples and explains the principles of animation! Great for young and old alike! This book should be the first one in your animation collection.

This nicely produced book is a must-have for animation fans.
It is a pleasure to read and look at the wonderful illustrations. I am very glad i decided to buy it.

This is a study in one of the worlds finest creative studios and finest creative minds. Forget the invaulable lessons in animation, this is an invaluable lesson into creative thinking and creative problem solving.

This book brings back the nostalgia of yesteryear and reminds you of what REAL animation is supposed to look like. Now don't get me wrong there is a lot to be said about cgi, but there's just something missing from the "new" stuff. In my opinion cgi leaves a lot to be desired. There was something so warm and wonderful about the animation the 9 old men created... they did such amazing work and this book helps honor them. Not to mention, it is a great way to see how the real masters did it.

For those people who wants to work with graphics, It's very important to have contact with newest technologies and media. But to have real growth, the basis is here. Beautiful book! Compared to price, is the best benefit in whole amazon site!

It's an amazing book! Everything you want to know about the business and the pure art and joy of being an animator from the masters.

This is a biased and officially licensed piece of pro-Walt Disney propaganda. The animation tips from Frank Thomas, one of the greatest animators who ever lived, are priceless. But he and his buddy Ollie Johnston (who was not nearly as talented as Thomas) are biased, and as a history, it is severely flawed.

Many vital artists to the Disney style of animation are given the shaft, which essentially anyone outside of the Nine Old Men. Fred Moore, Art Babbitt, and Bill Tytla are almost completely ignored. Director Jack Kinney and animator John Sibley, the team responsible for Disney's inarguably best short subject series, Goofy, are not even mentioned. They do a good job of erasing all of the 'bombs' such as Alice in Wonderland and Three Caballeros as well.

I also am repulsed at the lauding of such features as Robin Hood and The Rescuers, in favor of work by the studio many years earlier that was inarguably superior. And any tome this size that gives only four mentions to Dumbo is not worth owning.

Skip it.

This is a biased and officially licensed piece of pro-Walt Disney propaganda. The animation tips from Frank Thomas, one of the greatest animators who ever lived, are priceless. But he and his buddy Ollie Johnston (who was not nearly as talented as Thomas) are biased, and as a history, it is severely flawed.

Many vital artists to the Disney style of animation are given the shaft, which essentially anyone outside of the Nine Old Men. Fred Moore, Art Babbitt, and Bill Tytla are almost completely ignored. Director Jack Kinney and animator John Sibley, the team responsible for Disney's inarguably best short subject series, Goofy, are not even mentioned. They do a good job of erasing all of the 'bombs' such as Alice in Wonderland and Three Caballeros as well.

I also am repulsed at the lauding of such features as Robin Hood and The Rescuers, in favor of work by the studio many years earlier that was inarguably superior. And any tome this size that gives only four mentions to Dumbo is not worth owning.

Skip it.

Wonderful and very useful book, highly recommended for everyone who's interested in the world of animation and its history.

i bought this book for my husband as an addition to a large collection of animation/story board books. he loves it. every page is in its own right a masterpiece. i highly suggest this to anyone who has a love for animation, and a love for disney.

great shipping and good condition!
i think this book is very important for student who is studying animaion.

great shipping and good condition!
i think this book is very important for student who is studying animaion.

This book is amazing. What I have read so far contains history of Animation at Disney, and it is such a treat to read! Being an aspiring animator, this book is just awesome. If you expect to learn animation, this isn't the book, but if you want to learn Disney animation history and about the greats and the amazing old movies, this book is it.

i bought this book for my husband as an addition to a large collection of animation/story board books. he loves it. every page is in its own right a masterpiece. i highly suggest this to anyone who has a love for animation, and a love for disney.

All I can say is if your an animation student, get this book. I got it when I started my course four years ago and it was an encouragment for my first year.

Every animator, wannabe animator, or animation fan should own this book. This book could be (and probably is) its own college-level course of "how to" animate.

This also makes a great coffee table book for the casual animation fan.

I also recommend "The Animator's Survival Guide" by Richard Williams.

This book is the animators bible. Every animator, no matter what level, no matter what medium, needs to own this book.

I bought this book and opened it thinking that it wil be the strong version of The Animator Survival Kit, then after just 5 minutes I realized that it was a serial loose of my money because it not worth the money I paid. It has nothing that helps you to animate , is just the story of some Disney old animated movies. And the rest of it is to read a full scale of bla, bla, bla, bla that don't help in anything. But if you are a collector of Disney old stories it will be ok, so before buy it just think if you wanna draw to animate or just collect a big & heavy book with a Disney name on it.

I've never thought that this book can be as wonderful as it is. As a prospective animator, it was really useful to read it at the beginning of my studies, because it took me to the right direction. It takes animation so serious as I hoped. Unfortunately it hasn't been released in Hungarian, so I couldn't read it in my native language, but luckily it is easy to understand in English too.
It worths the money, because this is a handbook, that you don't read only once, but can be used anytime when it needed.
The Illusion of Life tells about everything: the theory, the process, and also the people behind all this magic.
It is absolutely wonderful!!

Speaking as someone who started animation awhile back and needed to learn from the best, I found this one book the most helpful. I was turned onto the book from one of the actual Disney animators and we were able to discuss being in the business. It's what he, and most of the others that work there, consider the Bible of Animaton. His words. The book itself is not for a quick read or a nightly read. It's an education and industry guide for the world of movies. As I'm working on any project, you can bet I reference this book a lot.
The book is great for people like myself to read straight up, but I get a kick out of those that say it's dry and boring. The book itself is full of the best wisdoms of the founding fathers of animation. The samples are great and it's full of great behind the scenes photos and stories. I really enjoyed the character sketches and quick animations. Definately not a book to miss if you are interested in getting into animation, both hand-drawn and computer. It applies to both because it teaches you the fundamentals of animaton, the timing, the story, and the overall production. It's a great foundation for anyone wanting to learn the craft.

Speaking as someone who started animation awhile back and needed to learn from the best, I found this one book the most helpful. I was turned onto the book from one of the actual Disney animators and we were able to discuss being in the business. It's what he, and most of the others that work there, consider the Bible of Animaton. His words. The book itself is not for a quick read or a nightly read. It's an education and industry guide for the world of movies. As I'm working on any project, you can bet I reference this book a lot.
The book is great for people like myself to read straight up, but I get a kick out of those that say it's dry and boring. The book itself is full of the best wisdoms of the founding fathers of animation. The samples are great and it's full of great behind the scenes photos and stories. I really enjoyed the character sketches and quick animations. Definately not a book to miss if you are interested in getting into animation, both hand-drawn and computer. It applies to both because it teaches you the fundamentals of animaton, the timing, the story, and the overall production. It's a great foundation for anyone wanting to learn the craft.

An absolutely gorgeous book, I stumbled across it in my university's library and curled up right there in the aisle with it and read for hours. I knew I had to have a copy of my very own once I got home for summer break and found myself longing to find myself back in that aisle. Beautifully done, it isn't just a bland history of Disney's animation--it's written by two men who were actually there through it all and who helped mold the art of animation with their very own hands. This book is a fun read and shows the reader just what makes every Disney film created such a masterpiece of artwork.

I did not receive this book. It is needed for a class I am taking in school. I received an email that the item was returned due to failed delivery attempts. I have no notice of any delivery attempts.

THE ONE THING ABOUT THIS BOOK IS, IT CAN PUT ANYONE TO SLEEP, IT IS SO BORING AND DULL WRITTEN. ANIMATION THAT CHANGED THE WORLD AS THE BOOK'S LOGO SAYS WAS WRITTEN IN A WAY TO PUT PEOPLE TO SLEEP.

I'm not an animator, but I know what I like. This book satisfied my curiousity about the magic that Disney has woven over the years with its animated shorts and features. Now I know exactly how some of my favorite films were produced. It's a shame that the older techniques are being abandoned now that computer graphics are replacing cel animation, but this book preserves the heritage in a form anyone can enjoy.

If you are an animator, this is a gotta have it type books. This, like other reviews stated, is the animator's bible. All the little tricks to do to make your animation look more realistic and belivable is right here. Worth every penny!

The Illusion of Life is one of the two books that every single person who wants to animate should own, the other being the Animator's Survival Kit. Written by two of the most influential men in the world of animation, this book goes over everything. Don't fool yourself into thinking this only applies to traditional (drawn) animation. On-stand, stop-motion, and computer animators should read this book, too.

if you are only interested in a how-to book, because that's not what its intended to be, especially now with cell animation being pushed out by CG. What it is a history of Disney even down to the everyday details of the process that created the movies we only know as the final production.
If you want a book, that will help you expand your 'creative thinking' and give ideas about building concepts, then you should find this book to be helpfull.

poopypants is unbelievably clueless. I first read this book when I was in high school, and it was out of print. The temptation to steal the book was overwhelming! About 8 years ago, it came back into print and I immediately bought it.

If all you're looking for is some hold-my-hand-and-teach-me-how-to-draft-sequential-drawings-book , check out Tony White's book, or Preston Blair's excellent text, or one in the Juvenile section of the library, but if you want to know how to *breathe life into your animation*, this books is a MUST HAVE. Period.

Also check out Richard William's "The Animator's Survival Kit" for a good "sequel" (in a way), and some advanced nuts & bolts stuff.

This is still the single best animation book available, and will be the animation "bible" for years to come. I'm at a loss as to why someone wouldn't be able to glean an amazing amount of wisdom from this book - it confounds me.

I have yet to read(well...fully..properly..) or for that matter even buy it(this book),but I have seen it in a local bookstore and are dying to get it.It is hellishly expensive,but I have my beady eye on it.
I have flipped through it many times ,and even read a paragraph or two,and I have to say,it is the best book on Disney and/or animation I have ever seen,and it is what I have been looking for ,for a long time.
Strictly speaking it is not a animation handbook,it is not supposed to be,but there is more than enough info on the why's and wherefore's of animation technique and principles to wet the appetite of any animator or lay person,and provide precious insight into the magic of Disney animation.
There is hundreds of photos,diagrams,demos,and stills within the book that will leave any serious animation fan sallivating..and gasping in wonderment....and I haven't even got the book yet..I can't wait to get it..it IS THAT GOOD !!!
This is NOT a book to be overlooked anytime soon.It is a MUST HAVE BOOK!!
Get it soon,get it today,get it NOW!!

I realize I'm alone on this one, so I don't think my voice will be heard very well against the crowds saying otherwise, but I didn't find this book to be very useful. I was so excited when I first got it because I've heard nothing but good things about it, but I was unfortunately dissappointed. It's really more of a history and recollection of "the good ol' days" told by two brilliant animators, but, in my honest opinion, it lacked very much the "how to" part of animation. I'm all for learning from the experiences of others, but after reading the book cover to cover I can't say I'll be a better animator for it.

A very comprehensive book about the development of Disney animation. Hundreds of drawings that show how individual characters were developed, what makes characters appealing, what worked and what didn't, how the animators came up with ideas, how to draw sequences -- this book covers every aspect of animation. It's more than a history of the Disney company, it shows how the individual departments (animators, inkers, stylists, storymen, sound studio, etc) worked together to create a 80-minute film that is made up of 460,000 finished cels, 2.5 million total drawings (including sketches), and takes an average of 3 and a half years to make. Examples come from all Disney films, such as Cinderella, Peter Pan, Jungle Book, etc. and show drawings, sketches, paintings, the animators who created the characters and pretty much everything one wants to know about animation. It is a wonderful book.

à avoir absolument dans sa collection! on y retourne toujours, une mine de reseignements...par de grands maîtres.

This is a GREAT book. If you are interested in the history of animation and/or the principles of animation this book is a must. Go and buy it!

If you are interested in animation, and want to really understand it then this is the book to get. Thomas and Johnston are fine writers and their love for their art is easilly apparent. It's a long, sometimes exasperating, book on the subject of animation; I'd advise the reader to take their time with this one, and perhaps skip the really technical stuff that may be too much for the average reader.
Whats really inspiring is the dedication all the young artists showed in exploring this new medium, and how Walt Disney's amazing gifts as a leader, visionary, and storyteller kept the "Disney Train" surging ahead even after Disney's death in 1966.

Not a professional animator, I bought this book as a young teen when I was into Classic Disney Animation, along with it's companion volume. I lost both of them in a house fire, and so when I saw The Illusion of Life at the Disneyland Gallery I put several other Disneyland items down to buy it. This book is that good!

Now that I do hand drawn line animation I have found this book to be very helpful and informative. It may not answer all your questions, but it brings up issues you have never thought of, and these small touches are what made Disney animation king for so many years. If you don't want your work to look like Saturday cartoons for the rest of your life, this is a must have.

With both color examples of the layers of animation along with many black and white examples of character movement, this book is for both the professional and Disney fan. More geared toward the professional than the Disney glossy books "The making of..." Illusion will be held dear on your bookcase for years to come.

This is truly the most important and transcendent book on animation ever. Anything anyone can tell you about this book is not even near of what you will see, learn and enjoy by reading it and experiencing it. This is not a book about exercises or animation techniques, if you are looking for that, get 'The animator's survival kit' by Richard Williams....

The two Authors of "The nine old men" knew what went on at Disney Studios. "A Prime source, you just can't read a better source than these authors! Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston's expertise, honored by the American Film Institute and other prestigious resourceszz; guide you through the characters in many animation movies; job descriptions of departments in the making of these movies, steps in animating a scence, ingredieants of a scene, principles of animation, story, character development, animating expressions and dialogue and more.

"Buy the book---no reservations"---the worst that can happen, you return the book to amazon.

Carl Santy.
C.S.

If you can only afford one book on animation, this is the book to own. It's a wonderful "oversized" high quality hardcover full of illustrations and wisdom that I feel are priceless. If you take just one bit of wisdom from this volume, it will have paid for itself. Every time I open it, it's as if I had one of the Disney masters sitting next to me. The principles discussed are a distillation of wisdom over many years from one of the premiere animation pioneers and will provide an excellent foundation as you explore the wonders of this art. I've paid much more for other books, which didn't even come close to the content in this one. It's really a treasure that you will reference time and time again even at twice the price!

As any animation student or fan would know, this IS the book he or she would admires and stares for hours. "The Illusion of Life" is not just a history book about the Disney studio, but it goes beyond the history and concept; it goes in deep into storytelling, character animation, background design, concept/script illustration, character design, and many more. The greatest thing about this book is the author and writer, FRANK THOMAS and OLLIE JOHNSTON!!! Two of the veteran and master of Disney animation. They have been working with Disney since Sleeping Beauty and Peter Pan... the 40s and 50s! The writing is also very descriptive and easy to understand. Not only they get to the point, they also reveal several secrets and tricks in animation.

I strongly suggest every animation fan and animator to get this book. It is expensive, but not rare to get. It is one of a kind! And do get it before it runs out of print!

This amazing and exhaustivly detailed book describes the magic of the Disney art animation process from the 1920s to present day with many beautiful images of the world's most beloved cartoon characters. Thomas and Johnston were employed from the mid-1930s to 1978 in the Disney animation department and retired to create this book. Essential for anyone involved in animation or the graphic arts !!

At every animation studio I've worked at, they had a copy of this book. Everyone in the buisness I know consider this as the definate animation book. Strange enough, a lot of top animators didn't own a copy because it was out of print. When I bought my copy about 15 years ago, I kind of stumbled over it in a bargain book store because the shop was selling it out for twenty bucks. Only years later it sort of got famous. Probably it didn't sell well because the average reader isn't in the animation buisness. But if you are already or you want to be in the buisness, try everything to get a copy. Even 150 bucks is still cheap compared to the value you get. I mean, a photographer pays ten thousands of dollars for his equipment. An animator only needs a pegbar, an electric pencil-sharpener and this book!

This is a great book and the truth is that it isn't really out of print . I think it is ridiculous to get this book at such a high price at ebay . If they are selling the first print or some autograph one , I had nothing to say . In fact , you can still order this book at ...at a very reasonable price . If you really want this book , I suggest you guy to check it out . BTW , I saw at least 20 copies of this book selling at a local San Francisco bookstore at (price)( still a little bit higher that the original price (price) but it is acceptable ) . I just wonder how come this book will treat as a out of print item ?

...then why is it out of print? I have been looking for this book for a long time. It only appears at used book stores or on ebay at high prices. If it is so great, why is it so hard to find?