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Cartoon Animation (Collector's Series) Paperback – January 1, 1994

by Preston Blair (Author)

4.8 698 ratings

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In Cartoon Animation, acclaimed cartoon animator Preston Blair shares his vast practical knowledge to explain and demonstrate the many techniques of cartoon animation. By following his lessons, you can make any character—person, animal, or object—come to life through animated movement!

Animation is the process of drawing and photographing a character in successive positions to create lifelike movement. Animators bring life to their drawings, making the viewer believe that the drawings actually think and have feelings. Cartoon Animation was written by an animator to help you learn how to animate. The pioneers of the art of animation learned many lessons, most through trial and error, and it is this body of knowledge that has established the fundamentals of animation. This book will teach you these fundamentals.

Animators must first know how to draw; good drawing is the cornerstone of their success. The animation process, however, involves much more than just good drawing. This book teaches all the other knowledge and skills animators must have. In chapter one, Preston Blair shows how to construct original cartoon characters, developing a character’s shape, personality, features, and mannerisms. The second chapter explains how to create movements such as running, walking, dancing, posing, skipping, strutting, and more. Chapter three discusses the finer points of animating a character, including creating key character poses and in-betweens. Chapter four is all about dialogue, how to create realistic mouth and body movements, and facial expressions while the character is speaking. There are helpful diagrams in this chapter that show mouth positions, along with a thorough explanation of how sounds are made using the throat, tongue, teeth, and lips. Finally, the fifth chapter has clear explanations of a variety of technical topics, including tinting and spacing patterns, background layout drawings, the cartoon storyboard, and the synchronization of camera, background, characters, sound, and music.

Full of expert advice from Preston Blair, as well as helpful drawings and diagrams, Cartoon Animation is a book no animation enthusiast should be without.

Length

224
Pages
Language

EN
English
Publisher

Walter Foster Publishing
Publication date

1994
January 1
Dimensions

10.5 x 0.8 x 9.3
inches
ISBN-10

1560100842
ISBN-13

978-1560100843
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Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

The Collectors Series books offer a selection of popular projects form best-selling titles in the How to Draw and Paint series. The Collectors Series books cover fundamentals and explore the techniques of featured artists. Each title provides in-depth instruction and numerous illustrations. All are perfect for the coffee table or reference library.

About the Author

Preston Blair (1910–1995) was a native Californian who studied art at the Otis Art Institute, as well as illustration under Pruett Carter at Chouinard Art Institute (now California Institute of the Arts). As a member of the California Watercolor Society and the American Watercolor Society in New York, he exhibited work all over the country. Preston was a fine artist during the early days of full-length feature animation. For the Disney production Fantasia, he designed and animated the hippos in "The Dance of the Hours." He also animated Mickey Mouse in The Sorcerer's Apprentice, portions of the classic film Pinocchio, and the famous scene in Bambi when the owl talks about love in his "twitterpated" speech. At MGM, Preston directed Barney Bear short films, and he was well known as the designer and animator of one of Tex Avery's epic shorts Red Hot Riding Hood. Preston later moved to Connecticut, where he produced television commercials, educational films, and cartoons, including TheFlintstones. Before he passed away, he worked as an inventor of interactive TV programs, such as teaching reading through animation and virtual reality games featuring full-sized animated opponents.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Walter Foster Publishing; Collectors edition (January 1, 1994)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1560100842
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1560100843
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 10.5 x 0.75 x 9.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #283,248 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #149 in How to Create Anime & Cartoons
- #1,797 in Art History & Criticism (Books)
- #2,343 in Fiction Satire

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4.8 698 ratings

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Preston Blair

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Preston Blair was a native Californian from Redlands. He attended Pomona College, then studied art at the Otis Art Institute and illustration under Pruett Carter at Chouinard Art Institute (now California Institute of the Arts). He exhibited widely as a member of the California Watercolor Society and the American Watercolor Society in New York.

Blair was one of the fine artists of animation. With the Disney Studio, he designed and animated the hippos in "The Dance of the Hours" and animated Mickey Mouse in the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" (both in Fantasia), parts of Pinocchio, and the segment in Bambi when the owl tell about love in the "tiwitterpatted" speech.

At MGM, Blair directed Barney Bear shorts, and is well known as the animator and designer of Red Hot Riding Hood in the Tex Avery epic shorts. Later, Blair moved to Connecticut and produced television commercials, educational films, and half-hour cartoon episodes (including the Flinstones) for West Coast producers. More recently, he was an inventor of interactive TV systems using animation methods to teach reading or to provide full-figure game action that simulates reality--for example, playing tennis with an animated opponent.

Blair died in April 1995 at the age of 85.

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4.8 out of 5

698 global ratings

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Jonhayashi1

Classic cartooning book from an animation master!

Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2013

Verified Purchase

In the 1980s, when I was a Pratt student in Brooklin, I was experimenting with a super 8 camera. (Who remembers super 8 now, right?!) But with that I was able to try out the information on movement from veteran animater, Preston Blair! I love the old Disney classics, Pinnochio, Fantasia, etc. as well as the warner Brother cartoons and MGM cartoons and Blair contributed to Golden age of cartoons in the 40s and 50s! His drawings from Fantasia( the dancing hippo) and "Red" the sexy girl from "Red hot riding hood" are so inspiring to any wanna be animater! No one book can have everything you need to be a great animater and it takes a fasination with how people and animals move as well as dedication to finishing the work to improve but Blairs drawings are clear with simple direct communication! I have the original How to animate cartoons vol 1 and 2 and I have worn out the covers so it's great to have this later edition that combines the 2 books with new illustrations from this master animater! Pages 80 to 87 include drawings of a wicked witch, cute kids and a pretty heroine that are not in the earlier volumes. The witch drawings have strong "wicked" attitude with evil poses and hand gestures that say "witch!" while the heroine drawings have that pretty Dorothy damsel quality from the Wizard of Oz! I also think of Wendy from Disney's Peter Pan. Blair made what he did look easy when it certainly wasn't but the pages make the art of animation accessable and understandable and fun to draw! Pages 184 and 185 show his drawings of the Honeymooners and the character and attitude of Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton are clearly there! And we all know that the Flintstones are Hanna and Barbera's stone age version of that classic series. The pages that show run , walk, gallop, sneak cycles etc are drawn so they can be easily adapted to any character you can imagine and draw! I'm so glad to have this mint condition book to go with my earlier Blair vol1 & 2 on animation at a good low price! There is great nostalgia in looking at these techniques today in the midst of all the CGI hype! Thanks Amazon. com!

7 people found this helpful

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romero-leo

Nice drawings and principles

Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2023

Verified Purchase

It's nice how it shows the structure in space (drawn 3D), of the basic shapes of the characters for a more solid drawing. This is esential.

Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2023

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My Plan is to do every single excise and lesson in this book to become an Animation KinG!!!!!!

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S. E. Morris

The essential book for a new animator

Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2013

Verified Purchase

When my brothers and I were boys, long ago, our Mother purchased many Foster publications
that guided our efforts to paint and draw, and then to animate. These books were cheap,
well laid out and easy to follow. At one count we owned 25 Foster art books.
The Preston Blair series on animation were my favorites.
I happily purchased Cartoon Animation collector's series on Amazon because it
is a valuable reference. In my animation library, this is the book of choice.

There are many books designed to show animation beginners the way.
Many are pale imitations of this book, replete with characters that
look like anyone with little to no experience imagine they can draw.
And are authored by people who envision an additional revenue stream.

If you were stranded on a tiny island with a heartfelt desire to learn
animation, and your only possessions were paper, pencils and this book, and if you
applied yourself, in time you would possess all you need to draw animated stories
with attention getting movement. Of course there is more to creating animation than
line movement. But the principles in this book are timeless and invaluable.

Some reviewers here express dissatisfaction with Blair. I liken them to
the example of Bart Simpson, who, in an episode of the Simpsons, obtains an electric
guitar and within a minute or so, quits the guitar because he cannot wail on it like Otto.
You cannot skim through this book and automatically animate images.
Animation is labor intensive. It demands an eye, a gift of sorts, to draw forms that
move in compelling ways. Everyone cannot be an animator, regardless of what teachers said.
The truth is, you cannot always be anything you want to be- and excel.
But with application and imagination, you can be animating ably with Cartoon Animation by Blair.

5 people found this helpful

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NJB

This book rocks if you want to learn cartoon drawing!!

Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2016

Verified Purchase

This book rocks if you want to learn cartoon drawing!! Every page guides you, showing you how to start with basic shapes, then how to further define the shapes by adding lines and details, to more shaping and detail, to the finished drawing. There are focus sections on how to do basic faces, how to do cartoon character hands in different poses...and they all show you the starting rough sketch and the finished drawing. And they do it realistically - we've all seen 'how to's' that begin with say, two over lapping circles - and then the next step is a virtually finished drawing - with no guidance of how you got from the beginning to end. This book does NOT do that!!

Yes, the pics and the style are a bit dated, he was active in the 1930s thru '70s, so you're not going to get Anime or Manga here!! Because he worked for Disney Studios, the focus is very much on animal characters. But he does include drawing cartoon kids and cartoon character adults. Thanks to this book I'm finally able to take the 'circle head, bean body' as a starting point and develop it into virtually any character! No other how to's got me there consistently!! Preston Blair...you are (were) a god among men!!

2 people found this helpful

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Fitness Enthusiast

Gotta love the instruction and layout

Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2023

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Well done timeless instruction. Even though it is from 1994, the information is still very pertinent to today.

One person found this helpful

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José R.

Ótimo guia de estudo!!

Reviewed in Brazil on June 12, 2022

Verified Purchase

Adorei o livro.
Qualidade material surpreendente
de ótima referência pra projetos.
Recomendo.

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Leon K

Großartiges Buch, leider leicht beschädigt angekommen

Reviewed in Germany on February 23, 2023

Verified Purchase

Inhaltlich ist das Buch fantastisch. Die Erklärungen sind klar formuliert und die Schaubilder groß und sehr gut gezeichnet wie man es von alten Disney Filmen kennt.

Leider kam das Buch leicht ramponiert an was vermutlich auch daran liegt dass es von Texas(USA) bis hierher verschifft wurde. Zum Glück befinden sich die Schäden nur am Einband und sind eher kosmetische Fehler. Dennoch ziehe ich dafür einen Stern ab.
Das Buch ist perfekt, Amazon nicht. MfG

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N

Industry standard book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 9, 2020

Verified Purchase

As an animator I can say this goes everywhere with me. I choose it over the Richard Williams book any day (personal preference). Its alot less mechanical and more about the re-tinkered character designs Preston Blair used to illustrate these teachings. It has clear drawings which harken back to Golden Age Animation (you can see what characters hes reworked to not look like Tom and Jerry!). Had my copy since 2003 but bought this for my 6yo Nephew as hes started drawing alot more. This book is a treasure...Ill probably be buried with it! XD

3 people found this helpful

Miss P

Dated

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 25, 2022

Verified Purchase

This book is good to understand animation but feels dated. I prefer Richard Williams one.

Gabriele

Nicht nur für Animationen geeignet

Reviewed in Germany on April 12, 2017

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Ich mache überhaupt keine Animationen, habe aber ein Buch gesucht, in dem man Cartoon-Figuren in verschiedenen Posen finden kann. Ganz wichtig war mir dabei zu sehen, ob z. B. der Fuß bei einer bestimmten Stellung der Figur nach links oder nach rechts zeigen muss. Neben der Gestik war mir auch die Mimik sehr wichtig. All das und noch einiges mehr habe ich hier gefunden. Die Figuren sind nicht nur sehr süß, sie sind, dank der guten Anleitungen, auch sehr einfach nachzuzeichnen, bzw. kann man schnell und einfach eigene Figuren damit entwickeln. Anhand von einigen Beispielen wird auch gezeigt, was man falsch machen könnte.

Für mich ist dieses Buch eine wertvolle Hilfe mit der ich meine Skizzen schnell und einfach erstellen und dann in Illustrator als Grafik umsetzen kann. Daher kann ich das Buch auch Leuten empfehlen, die keine Animationen machen sondern wie ich einfach nur zeichnen möchten.

4 people found this helpful

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