Customer Reviews

Elemental Magic, Volume I: The Art of Special Effects Animation

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I've been hoping for years that someone would write a comprehensive book on 2D effects animation. Something more than the little "how to draw and flapping flag" or "how to make a fire cycle" bits that get tacked on in other animation books.

Disney veteran Joseph Gilland has finally given us that first book dedicated to 2D effects animation. He's broken down effects into four broad categories (water/liquids, fire/smoke, props/solid objects and magical effects) and laid out the principles needed to bring them to life on paper.

Since every real-world splash and flame is unique, Elemental Magic isn't so much of a "how to draw" type book as it is a "how to approach" book. Gilland breaks down the basic behaviors of different types of matter and the working methods needed for an animator to capture the dynamic essence of an effect without being tied to a hyper-real style or getting bogged down in an unmanageable level of detail.

And this book doesn't solely apply to hand-drawn effects. Each section on a type of matter includes several pages on how to apply these classical animation principles to digital effects work. How to get the most out the computer's ability to do the heavy lifting on effects.

Hopefully this isn't the last book ever published on 2D effects animation. Gilland himself mentions that he's only scratching the surface with this book and that water, smoke or any other element could warrant a full volume treatment.

I hope someone takes him up on that offer, and with Elemental Magic we now have a solid foundation to build on.

*Aesthetic criticism

*What's inside, Thematic material reviewed

*Secrets of capturing Disney-esque animation revealed

*Who's this book for?

If the old adage, "Never judge a book by its cover," holds true, then Elemental Magic certainly reinforces this notion. If there's any concern, it's that the wonders of this book may be passed up because of this nondescript cover layout. I also feel the author could have come up with a more intriguing sub-title.

When I first opened this soft cover, rectangular book, and I thought "OMG!" Inside, this book looks like an illustrator's private sketch book. Hundreds of beautifully hand-drawn, colored sketches: some segregated from the text, others used as a background (watermarked) with the text overlaid.

Next to each illustration is a brief, but thorough explanation of the process. And, the key to understanding this message is summed up in one word: energy.

Joseph Gilland, the author, is a 30-year animator and has worked on some of the biggest animation features over the past 20+ years including Mulan, Lilo & Stitch, Tarzan, Pocohantas and a few others. Some of the sketches that became film cells are reproduced with his notes below the art!

The book is outline with two (2) brief chapters before he introduces the philosophy of animation: The Preface and The History of Classical Animation. The remainder of the book gives step by step analysis not of how to sketch a flame or construct an iceberg, for instance, but of the techniques of how to get in touch with what he refers to as the "energy of the elements." How does one capture the essence of a burning flame? Shattered glass? A wisp of smoke or the pixie dust floating through gust of wind? There is a way to see it, Gilland explains, and it is connecting to the unique movement ("energy") of that natural (i.e., fire, water, rocks, lava, smoke, flame, glass, frost, liquids, etc.) element.

I've been a fine artist and an illustrator for more than 30 years and more recently a graphic artist. Over the years, I've collected many books by celebrated artist, but this is the first by a Western artist that stresses the spiritual dimension of the subject in order to identify with its characteristics. His words and explanations are quite refreshing. I found myself thinking, "How come I hadn't figure that out!"

Okay... who's this book for?

All fine artists.

Any digital artist who may be interested in motion capture or Flash-based software.

A children's book author.

Those who love to collect coffee-table books.

Those who love the art of classic Disney animation.

I LOVE THIS BOOK! I LOVE THIS BOOK! I LOVE THIS BOOK!

Again, if I may offer one slight bit of constructive criticism and that is: Change the cover design! It would be a shame if people, particularly, fine- and digital artists walked by this book without knowing the priceless text inside.

Joseph Gilland has done a great service by creating this book, which intricately details both the thought process and raw mechanics behind traditional, hand-drawn effects animation - a discipline that rarely takes center stage in a character-oriented animation industry. I've been looking for a resource like this for years, and there really hasn't been anything like it before this book. I can whole-heartedly recommend it for any animator with an interest in broadening their understanding of effects, the drawings contained within are worth the price alone.

Length:: 0:16 Mins

Joseph Gilland is an animator with over 30 years of experience. He has worked with Disney and other studios on movies like Lilo and Stitch, Mulan among many other titles.

When he wrote this book, there wasn't any book dedicated to classical hand drawn special effects animation. It's great to be able to highlight the work done by special effects artists, who are usually the unsung heroes of animation -- if their work is good, nobody notices!

This book focuses more on dealing with liquids, fire, smoke, explosions and (other-worldly) magic. The chapters are broken down into the order of covering design concepts, discussing scale and perspective, then moving to breakdown the energy, action path and timing.

Joseph Gilland presents his topic with examples on his own, complete with tips and common mistakes to avoid. You'll learn stuff like how animators can remove details and yet keep things realistic. For example, when dealing with liquids, he would talk about the different factors that affect animation, like water density, force, gravity, viscosity, after splash, etc. The various examples include the simple water droplet to creating waves on which surfers surf on.

There's also a chapter on props. These are stuff like breaking branches, falling leaves, moving fabric, crumbling clay, etc. Animating special effects is essentially animating energy. Throughout the book, there are a lot of detailed explanation on how different elements and objects interact with one another.

While the book is on classic hand drawn animation, there are also some non-technical writeup on how you can use computers to aid in creating these effects.

Elemental Magic is a tremendously helpful resource that aims to help animators think through their approach before execution, to save time and effort without sacrificing quality. Even if there are other special effects books out there, this one definitely stands on its own.

Animators should find this book very useful.

(More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)

Special effects animation in a 2D media format is really about problem solving. It is not the job of the 2D special effects animator to create the most realistic effects, but to capture the essence. It provides a methodical challenge to the artist's eye that can be quite daunting. Simplify a tidal wave? How does a complete novice even begin to do such a thing?

This book is a lot like attending your first math class back in grade school. It teaches you the essentials of training your eye and your hand for the medium and then encourages you to challenge yourself with new problems and puzzles. There were moments in the book where I would think "Of course! The solution was right in front of me!"

So, is this book for you? I would recommend this title to artists who devoted to learning aspects of animation other than characters, and even to non-animators who wish to make their environments more alive. If you see yourself strictly as a character animator, I would still consider at least thumbing through the book as it provides a great way of making yourself more educated.

I gave this book to my daughter as a gift. She attends a famous digital arts college and is in the animation program. She loves this book so much that she carries it with her wherever she goes. She says it's better than most of the textbooks they've been required to purchase. Other students have asked to borrow it and she's told them to buy their own. She said it's written in a way that you can get into the mind of the animator and think their thoughts, something she's found invaluable. She gives it 5 stars.

For those who have had the opportunity to learn from animators who have worked on major films, the knowledge you take from these instructors, these individuals can last a life time. Not only are they inspiring but they also are inspirational in helping one decide whether or not the animation field is for them.

There are many things that one must learn and when it comes to animation, the look of liquid and water, to the flames of a dragon or a burning inferno and various other animation that relates to the elements are important for one's career.

"ELEMENTAL MAGIC: The Art of Special Effects Animation" is a magnificent book that brings that knowledge that people pay a lot of money for (to learn from those who worked on major animated films) to learn more about special effects animation dealing with those elements courtesy of Joseph Gilland, an experienced animator who has worked on films such as "Pocahontas", "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", "Hercules", "Mulan", "Tarzan" , "Lilo & Stitch" and "Brother Bear".

The book is broken down to the following chapters:

* CHAPTER 1: A BRIEF HISTORY OF CLASSICAL ANIMATED SPECIAL EFFECTS

* CHAPTER 2: THE ART OF DRAWING AND ANIMATING SPECIAL EFFECTS

* CHAPTER 3: THE SPECIFIC EFFECTS CATEGORIES

* CHAPTER 4: LIQUIDS

* CHAPTER 5: FIRE, SMOKE and EXPLOSIONS

* CHAPTER 6: MAGIC

* CHAPTER 7: PROPS AND EVERYTHING

* CHAPTER 8: THE LAST ELEMENT

Gilland is quick to inform people on the preface that "ELEMENTAL MAGIC" is not a history book (though he does touch on some of the history of special effects animation), nor is this a book about the "camera trick" aspects of special effects animation or the deep technical side of special effects animation, the compositing, the art direction, the selection of exposures, densities or colors but the goal is how to draw and understand special effects animation.

Gilland helps the reader learn how splashes, explosions, an object smashing on impact or a lightning bolt hit. How we have seen these in real life but for animation, there needs to be an exaggeration and stylization to make these situations look more appealing.

As animation becomes more advance, the animator must also know the environment and be able to make things look realistic. We come to a point in time with modern technology where water effects, may it be the ripples through the water, the crashing waves must look vibrant and incredible on the big screen and on your television. Gilland helps the viewer through his in depth and detailed writing to comprehend that.

The book goes through element-based special effects quite thoroughly and if anything, for any one who wants to become an animator, this is one book that is just magnificent and is deserving to be on your book shelves.

Elemental special effects is not the easiest but for those who grasp the knowledge, especially what you are being taught in the book through various high res pictures and many examples, this is a well-planned book. And bare-in-mind, many students pay an arm and a leg for this type of advice and thus, Joseph Gilland and Focal Press are doing future animators an incredible service by releasing this book.

Overall, "ELEMENTAL MAGIC: The Art of Special Effects Animation", of course, is still a book and it all comes down to the person's patience, creativity and their willing to learn from an experienced special effects animator. But there is no denying that this book is absolutely fantastic!

Highly recommended!

"Elemental Magic" is one of those few books that give you more than you expect. Joseph Gilland has put together a great book for those wanting to capture the energy of fire, water, wind, earth, and nature. It is important to remember that animation, both hand drawn or computer animated, is simply a series of individual drawings that change slightly over time. That being said, in presenting realistic motion and energy, each basic frame needs to be able to be more than a static drawing but rather something that coveys power to the viewer. It is truly amazing how using the techniques Gilland illustrates can transform flat and boring drawings to alive and powerful artwork.

Both my wife and I have taken art lessons over the past few years and have been able to produce a few acceptable works in color pencil that we use for our small business or framed in our house. Gilland's style works well for pencil artists and, since I have taken to using a Bamboo (Small) Pen Tablet with Pen Only, I can also say that it is good for computer artists using programs like Corel Painter 11 where pencil strokes can be emulated.

It should be noted that Joseph Gilland is a Disney animator and if you like this style book, you might also like the excellent Drawn to Life: 20 Golden Years of Disney Master Classes: Volume 1: The Walt Stanchfield Lectures by Walt Stanchfield who was also a Disney artist.

Highly Recommended!

To be honest, I did not enjoy this book as much as I had hoped - but that's not a comment on the book's quality. Rather, I'm not really in the target audience. While I enjoy animation art writing, and books written for animation artists (as this is) once in a while can appeal to a broader audience, this book does not quite make it there, as did "Drawn to Life: 20 Golden Years of Disney Master Classes" Drawn to Life: 20 Golden Years of Disney Master Classes, Volume 1: The Walt Stanchfield Lectures. Where Drawn to Life hits an enormous range of animation topics, including Disney characters, Elemental Magic deals with a handful of effects that are particularly difficult to pull off realistically ... and touches on characters not at all.

The bulk of the book is taken up with the specifics of hand-animating water, smoke & fire, explosions, and pixie dust! These topics are very thoroughly treated, and the techniques (e.g., 3d surface modeling, layering) are clearly laid out and exceptionally well-illustrated (as you would expect!). A lot of attention is given to understanding reality from careful observation as well as typical cliches and how to recognize and get by them.

The comment on reality and modeling deserves particular attention, as it encapsulates the heart of the problem, which is that portraying complex phenomena using simplified line drawings requires the artist to really know something about the physics of the phenomenon in order to reduce it to essentials. The result can be startlingly realistic, even in cartoon form. The author, Disney animator Joseph Gilland, makes it clear that the time and effort levels required to do it right can be very high - this is not a quick tricks book.

One interesting side comment in the book that I found interesting was that the high-level quality of hand animation was hard to match using computer graphics. That was especially true with pixie dust which is, of course, something that only existed in the hand animation realm, unlike real things like smoke. There are comments on the use of CGI throughout the book, but the book's focus is hand-drawn animation.

I would say this book is a must-read for any serious animation artist, but of more casual interest to the typical fan.

I'm no artist by any stretch of the imagination. I got this book primarily out of curiosity. I've noticed that things like water and fire often feel fake and unnatural when animated but I've never really been able to tell why. It seems like the things that should be easy to draw/animate are actually the hardest. I've always been interested in movie special effects so I thought I'd pick this book up and see what I thought of it.

It was amazing.

Maybe it's just because I've never had art lessons before, but just about every page in this book taught something new about art that was concrete and easy to understand. Even though I don't draw anything more detailed than stick figures, I now understand why my lightning bolts always look so silly, my trees look fake and my clouds look unnatural. I'll still need to practice if I want to get better, but now I know what I have been doing wrong. The principles are really quite simple--things like "avoid parallel lines" and "break up any symmetry." There are loads of great illustrations for each principle.

Most of this book teaches techniques that are medium independent--you could use a pencil and paper or a computer program and the principles are exactly the same. It isn't until page 219 that digital animation is really brought up (and then we discuss that for the last 80 pages or so).

A very interesting read. I can find no reason to take any stars off my rating. I really can't say if a seasoned artist would find anything useful in it or not (because I'm not one), but there were some real gems for me. If you like drawing, it's certainly worth checking out.