Customer Reviews

The Flash Animator

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I must say, I was hesistant at first when I heard about this book. I figured it was going to be similar to the awful Flash Cartooning Book from last year. Upon opening it, I realized I was wrong. This is not your typical flash book. The structure of the book is very unique, I didnt feel like I was reading some technical manuscript. The author's tone was very light and easy to understand. I have been using Flash for some time now. After reading the first three chapters, I found myself going back to my old projects and trying these techniques. Chapter 4 was particularly insightful, especially how the author explains the concept of reusing animation was terrific. The idea of reusing not only "parts" but the actual "motion" was a whole new concept for me. And I must say, the "Stella" file on the CD was an impressive demonstration the chapter's title..."reusing and recycling".

-The artwork and interviews, absolutely hilarious and insightful.

This is by far the best book on the market for anyone interested in using Flash as an animation tool. It is superbly written BY an animator, FOR animators!!! Final, a book that cuts throught the technical mumbo-jumbo and gets to the heart of what artists, not programmers, need to know. The author obviously has a deep understanding of animation as an Art form and relays tips and tricks on how to use Flash for what it is... a FANTASTIC tool for animators!

The book is filled with amazing artwork and clear illustrations (not to mention great characters!) I have not seen a book out there that can compare.

From the computer savy to the traditionalist, if you are an animator this book is an absolute MUST!

I have read several other introductions to Flash cartooning. In this area, unfortunately, many books are written on dubious pretences -- by authors who have never been professional animators, or by authors who have a poor grasp of the strengths and weaknesses of Flash. The books by Mark Clarkson and Ibis Fernandez are both weak in this regard, and offer little inspiration.

Sandro Corsaro is a real animator with both the education and the job experience to offer sound advice. His own work is highly professional (and exemplary.) This book contains both useful practical tips and valuable discussions of the general topic. There are also interviews with some of the most influential animators.

I am finding this book a real source of ideas, and that is what I shelled out my hard earned $$$ for! Highly recommended.

Sandro Corsaro is a talented individual with an unmistakable and extremely expressive animation style, and for the first time he discusses his method in print! Sandro covers traditional animation techniques and how they can be applied to the Flash authoring environment in order to create captivating and entertaining web content. Though Sandro is not the only author to tackle this topic, his dynamic style and solid method shed an atypical light on the subject which will give you insight and innovative ideas you never would have had otherwise. All in all this book should be looked at as the ultimate "how to" for anyone interested in cartoon style animation for web and broadcast.

In the two years since this book appeared, Flash's popularity has skyrocketed. Professional studios now use it for broadcast. Numerous independent animators use it to show their work to millions on the web. The term "Flash" has even become an unindelible part of web nomenclature. Not only that, it has liberated countless wannabe animators. It has made the once impossible possible.

To a person just starting out in animation, the immense learning curve involved may not make itself readily apparent. Not only should animators know how to draw (on paper or on a computer) but they should also know some basic animation principles. On outlining these principles, this book does a pretty good, but not indepth, job. When discussing the use of Flash, it's even more sketchy. There's a reason for this. In the introduction the author states: "This book is intended to teach you about animation first and Flash second." So the focus on animation theory shouldn't come as too much of a surprise.

So no, this book won't teach anyone everything they need to make incredible Flash animation. No one book can do that. However, it will give wannabe animators a great basic foundation for continuing on with Flash animation. Consequently, the book's title seems a little vague and could mislead people who don't skim the introduction before buying it. Those who buy the book thinking that THIS IS ALL I NEED!!! will likely end up disappointed.

Still, the book covers a lot of ground. Lots of juicy stuff gets introduced here for newcomers. The most important of which include: some basic animation history up to the time of Flash; Stretch and Squash; basic character design; flexibility and follow-through; staging; exaggeration; arcs; walk and run cycles; dialogue. Also, regardless of the author's "Flash second" claim a lot of Flash topics get discussed: timeline; drawing; tweening; frame rates; symbols; Onion skinning; tips on special effects (fire, water, lightning, glass); file size issues; sound. The final chapter on preparing Flash for broadcast is probably a bit dated by now, but again it includes some useful information.

Also, the book attempts to be version-independent. Flash 5 is mentioned in chapter 10, but apart from that no references to versions appear. This fits with the overall goal of the book: to give a bird's eye view of what it means to use Flash for making animation.

The interviews that scatter the book don't elucidate much. They really only give a cursory view of working in animation. Unfortunately, the audio interview with Iwao Takamoto (on the CD) contains a lot of noise. Parts of it are unlistenable.

In the end, "The Flash Animator" would satisfy a beginner who wants to learn about the various principles underlying animation. Knowing these principles will improve anyone's animation abilities. Readers who have animated in Flash and have already read books on animation may pick up some tips or new ways to go about accomplishing an effect, but no new startling revelations will bop the cortex.

Sandro Corsaro is truly blazing new trails for media experts anxious to take digital animation to higher levels. Corsaro has clearly and crisply presented how traditional animation can be creatively expanded. He is the master Flash Animator who has earned his well-deserved reputation. This book is a treasure. The quality of exhibits and the clarity of the technology explanations makes this book a must have for those interested in animation.

This book is very different from any other flash book out on the market. The author is obviously a talented artist who knows the difference between illustrating and animating.....a concept with which many people seem to have confused with the advent of flash.
The writing was really handled well. The book does a great job of breaking down an animation principle first and then explaining it's direct correlation into flash. The artwork was realy top notch and quite varied, unlike other books. Like many readers have expressed I believe that the success of this book is due to the keen layout design and unique knowledge of the author. I hope to see more flash animation books like this in the future.

I only contributed to one of the more technical chapters in the book, but once I received my free copy (lucky me) I realized that the rest of the book would be very good for me. My Flash work is mostly focused on database connectivity and programming, so Sandro's animating book has taught me a lot about making nice animations that can bounce and feel crisp and clean. I really do love this book! And I do not get royalties, so you know I'm telling the truth.

Compared to the other books out there, this one is well worth the price. I especially liked the interview sections because the author didnt just interview flash animators, but all types of artists & animators. It's quite a compilation of talent. I also dug the various styles the author used through out the book. Whether it was intentional or not, the wide range of artistic styles he created kept it really engaging. I have always thought flash's animation's biggest asset was its maleability in terms of art direction.

I'm hardly an "animator" as the author so boldly defines it, but this book has really given my flash design work some -ummpf-! Its amazing how making the smallest little changes to an object can drastically fool your eyes!

This is a great book for all of us techie guys using flash. It really shows how to add that extra professional touch that can only come from an artistic perspective. Easy to understand, informative, and entertaining, this book is a great asset to anyone using Flash.