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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 Internet Animators + Cartoon Animation (The Collector's Series)
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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 Description

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.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 576 pages
  • Publisher: Disney Editions; Rev Sub edition (October 5, 1995)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0786860707
  • ISBN-13: 978-0786860708
  • Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 10.6 x 1.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 6.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #5,941 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
    #3 in  Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Cartooning
    #1 in  Books > Children's Books > Sports & Activities > Games > Magic
    #2 in  Books > Entertainment > Movies > Genre Films

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More About the Authors

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Ollie Johnston
Ollie Johnston
Frank Thomas
Frank Thomas

Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
Man always has had a compelling urge to make representations of the things he sees in the world around him. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
story department, secondary action, grand duke, brave little tailor, story sketch man, inspirational sketches, supervising animator, clear staging, exposure sheet, personality animation, young animators, one animator, layout men, layout man, multiplane camera, story reel, experimental animation, background painter, entertainment potential
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Snow White, The Rescuers, Fred Moore, Robin Hood, Prince John, Wilfred Jackson, The Jungle Book, Peter Pan, Ken Anderson, New York, Ollie Johnston, Frank Thomas, Marc Davis, Ward Kimball, Sleeping Beauty, Les Clark, Bill Peet, Milt Kahl, Ham Luske, Bill Tytla, Ben Sharpsteen, Sir Hiss, Donald Duck, Dave Hand, Norm Ferguson
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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This book cites 57 books:
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32 books cite this book:
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Inside the Dream by Katherine Greene
 

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation
68% buy the item featured on this page:
The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation by Ollie Johnston Hardcover 4.7 out of 5 stars (75)
$43.20
The Animator's Survival Kit--Revised Edition: A Manual of Methods, Principles and Formulas for Classical, Computer, Games, Stop Motion and Internet Animators
16% buy
The Animator's Survival Kit--Revised Edition: A Manual of Methods, Principles and Formulas for Classical, Computer, Games, Stop Motion and Internet Animators by Richard Williams Paperback 4.8 out of 5 stars (127)
$21.60
Cartoon Animation (The Collector's Series)
7% buy
Cartoon Animation (The Collector's Series) by Preston Blair Paperback 4.7 out of 5 stars (39)
$16.47
Drawn to Life: 20 Golden Years of Disney Master Classes: Volume 1: The Walt Stanchfield Lectures
5% buy
Drawn to Life: 20 Golden Years of Disney Master Classes: Volume 1: The Walt Stanchfield Lectures by Walt Stanchfield Paperback 4.7 out of 5 stars (43)
$19.77
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Customer Reviews

75 Reviews
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 (65)
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 (3)
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Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (75 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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72 of 74 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The Animators Bible, January 28, 2000
By rareoopdvds (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   
This review is from: The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation (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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46 of 49 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Beware The Current Edition..., November 16, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation (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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25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars They say it's the first book to buy on animation. I agree., July 28, 2000
By Dewi Morgan (London, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation (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

1.0 out of 5 stars Item never received
I can't review this item, because it was never received. The seller has not replied to 3 emails. Item purchased from the seller thru Amazon.com.
Published 1 month ago by pippin

5.0 out of 5 stars Gift for Art Student
The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation
I purchased this book as a gift for my granddaughter who was graduating from high school. She loved it. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Elsie E. Ponce Leon

5.0 out of 5 stars best Disney book I know of
This book is a masterpiece. I have several impressive Disney books of this style on my shelf, and this kills all of them.

My version was printed in 1981. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Caraculiambro

5.0 out of 5 stars A book any animator will love.
I bought Walt Stanchfield's "drawn to life" books earlier in 2009, and They were good, but after reading this I appreciated Stanchfield's books so much more and understood the... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Cccc

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW I WAS BLOWN AWAY BY THE BIBLE OF ANIMATION!
I HAD HEARD THIS BOOK REFERRED TO AS THE BIBLE OF ANIMATION! IF YOU HAVE AN APPRECIATION FOR DISNEY ANIMATION THIS REALLY HITS SOME GOOD TOPICS AND EXPLAINS CERTAIN THINGS AND... Read more
Published 10 months ago by J. Petty

5.0 out of 5 stars A "must have" book for all animators
I've been studying animation at [...] and this book is by far what best describes this amazing art form. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Gonzalo Andres Toso

5.0 out of 5 stars Twitterpated.....totally!
I first saw Disney's Pinnochio as a six year old, and it changed my life. It lead to a life-long love of art, animation, ecology, whales, and the sea. Read more
Published 11 months ago by K. Rothko

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Reading and Illustrations too
This is a great find if you are a Disney fanatic or just into animation and its process. I highly recommend this product for anyone.
Published 13 months ago by Animation Student

5.0 out of 5 stars What to expect; what not to expect
Many call this book the closest thing to an absolute Bible for animation. I'm personally inclined to agree. Read more
Published 13 months ago by W. Card

5.0 out of 5 stars The Illusion of Life
This is an incredible book and I highly recommend it for anyone involved in animation, 3D or 2D. It thought me style that is timeless. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Rufus Rencher

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