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The ILLUSION OF LIFE: DISNEY ANIMATION [Hardcover]

Ollie Johnston , Frank Thomas
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (94 customer reviews)

List Price: $60.00
Price: $40.22 & FREE Shipping. Details
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2013 Children's Book Award Winners
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Book Description

October 5, 1995 1 and up

An out-of-print collector's item since 1986, the definitive account of the development of Disney animation explains what made Disney's style unique and features original sketches and drawings revealing the origins of Mickey and the rest. National ad/promo.


Frequently Bought Together

The ILLUSION OF LIFE: DISNEY ANIMATION + The Animator's Survival Kit--Revised Edition: A Manual of Methods, Principles and Formulas for Classical, Computer, Games, Stop Motion and Interne + Drawn to Life: 20 Golden Years of Disney Master Classes: Volume 1: The Walt Stanchfield Lectures
Price for all three: $85.95

Buy the selected items together


Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Thomas and Johnston, two of Disney's original animators, here give the inside scoop on how the studio created the works that have charmed the world. "The text is ambitious," said LJ's reviewer (LJ 12/15/81). The "authors simultaneously give a history of Disney animation and explain the processes involved in clear, nontechnical terms." Along with the splendid text are dozens of color and black-and-white photographs and illustrations. A "magnificent volume" that remains "essential for film collections and a feast for the most casual peruser."
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

  • Age Range: 1 and up
  • Hardcover: 576 pages
  • Publisher: Disney Editions; Rev Sub edition (October 5, 1995)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0786860707
  • ISBN-13: 978-0786860708
  • Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 1.5 x 11.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 6.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (94 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #17,983 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
84 of 88 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars The Animators Bible January 28, 2000
Format:Hardcover
Equivalent to a Holy relic, this masterpiece of a book has inspired me, not only to appreciate Disney's work, but also the animators and animation in general. If you are considering entering the animation field, in particular working for Disney, then by all means purchase this book and read it thouroughly. 2 of the Old Nine Men, Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas, wrote this book sometime in the early eighties. I read this in the early nineties. I was such a good read it amazed. Not only what they were writing about, but how good the writing was. It was humerous, witty, profound and informative in such a way that is easy to retain the knowledge which I found immediately applicable. By far the one book that has stood the test of time beyond all of Disney's "The Art of (Insert Movie Here)" books. Thomas and Johnston give step by step process of how Disney complete a picture from the inception of the first idea to the finalized product on Sunset Boulevard at the El Capitan. I cannot comment on this book enough and cannot reccomend this book highly enough. Five stars is the max, but I can say, of all the books I have read, no other book has inspired me more in my readings, and no other book I treasure more than this one. I say, the earlier edition of this book may have better prints and color, but its not the pictures that matter completely (however nice they are), its what the animators pass on to another animator. Inspiration for motivation and creativity.
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61 of 66 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Beware The Current Edition... November 16, 1999
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
It's a great book loaded with pertinent information for animators. Still, this edition is a reprint of a COPY of the original, as the negatives for the artwork collected in the original edition were lost. Thus, the current edition has extremely poor color quality.
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30 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I have, for several years, been a member of various computer animation lists, and that's where I'm coming from with this review. This is the one book which has consistently come up on those lists when dealing with general issues (the Principles of Animation, etc), simply because it is the best. It is not the best tutorial book, since it is not written as a tutorial: it is a history of Disney. If you want a tutorial on computer animation, go elsewhere. But that will probably NOT be as much help to you as reading this book, because after reading this, you will be inspired. I think this is why people are so religeously fervent when speaking about it - not because they found it useful for the large number of techniques and tips which are slipped in throughout (though very many of them are out of date or not applicable in the computer animation world), but because the book inspires. I thought it was expensive, but after I bought it and read it the first time, I realised it was cheap at the price. It is gorgeously produced, and filled with colour pics and examples of what it talks about. Worth buying if you are into animation, or if you are interested in the history of Disney.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars The book that started my journey, that will never end!
I rate this book in several parts...

The plates (color photos) in this book are somewhat decent to look at but are definitely not what they once were. Read more
Published 24 days ago by Atilla MullQueen
5.0 out of 5 stars My wife is a lifelong lover of Disney animation - I got this for her...
My wife has been a lifelong lover of Disney animation. When she was a kid she wanted to be a Disney animator. Read more
Published 1 month ago by DSeverance
5.0 out of 5 stars An Animator's Handbook
Whether just starting out or a seasoned animator, this is the book that will teach you all you need to know in understanding and creating 2D animation. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jamison64
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book!
Full of history and insight. Animation artists and fans of animation, do yourself a favor and get this! It's a great read and and a must have for any animation book collection.
Published 4 months ago by Jasmine Andrea Reyes
5.0 out of 5 stars Intimidating - but hard to put own once you stop
This book is required reading for a class I'm taking, and I often have a little trouble getting on board with required reading in classroom situations (even if its about a topic... Read more
Published 4 months ago by cornJulio
5.0 out of 5 stars A must for Disney fans
An amazing book. It is as if Ollie Johnston was teaching a class on animation or talking to me about animation. Great book. I love the book and the amazing printing
Published 4 months ago by C. Smith
4.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
This book came in a very timely fashion. Everyone loved this book! It's a great combination of written information and pictorial... Read more
Published 4 months ago by coolwhip1
5.0 out of 5 stars The ILLUSION OF LIFE: DISNEY ANIMATION - Animation bible..
5 stars... perfect, if you like animation this one is a must have.
Arrived very quick and in perfect conditions.
Published 4 months ago by Ricardo Libanor Mitsuoika
5.0 out of 5 stars A Must have
If you love or want to know about animation this is still the book to get. I would classify this as the Bible of animation anyone interested in this field, it would be a mistake... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Jeffrey
5.0 out of 5 stars A classic
A must for animators! It is a very rich source of knowledge about animation techniques and history, but more than that, it is also very beautiful, turning it into a piece of art,... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Phoinx
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