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The Noble Approach: Maurice Noble and the Zen of Animation Design Hardcover – October 1, 2013

by Tod Polson (Author), Chuck Jones (Preface), Maurice Noble (Foreword)

4.8 207 ratings

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This extraordinary volume examines the life and animation philosophy of Maurice Noble, the noted American animation background artist and layout designer whose contributions to the industry span more than 60 years and include such cartoon classics as Duck Dodgers in the 24 ½th Century, What's Opera, Doc?, and The Road Runner Show. Revered throughout the animation world, his work serves as a foundation and reference point for the current generation of animators, story artists, and designers. Written by Noble's longtime friend and colleague Tod Polson and based on the draft manuscript Noble worked on in the years before his death, this illuminating book passes on his approach to animation design from concept to final frame, illustrated with sketches and stunning original artwork spanning the full breadth of his career.

Print length

176 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Chronicle Books
Publication date

October 1, 2013
Dimensions

9.75 x 0.88 x 11.25 inches
ISBN-10

1452102945
ISBN-13

978-1452102948
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"one of the best animation books of the year...a fantastic look at the master artist's inspiring work process, providing a rich collection of artwork, notes, lovely anecdotes and valuable lessons about creating timeless toons."
- Animation Magazine

"The Noble Approach: Maurice Noble and the Zen of Animation Design ranks among the most unique and delightful animation books in recent memory. It goes without saying that the book's well-balanced mix of technical tips and anecdotal advice makes it a must-buy title for professional artists and students, but it should also appeal to fans of classic of animation who will surely gain a renewed appreciation for the Chuck Jones canon."
- Cartoon Brew

"The Noble Approach: Maurice Noble and the Zen of Animation Design ranks among the most unique and delightful animation books in recent memory. It goes without saying that the book's well-balanced mix of technical tips and anecdotal advice makes it a must-buy title for professional artists and students, but it should also appeal to fans of classic of animation who will surely gain a renewed appreciation for the Chuck Jones canon."
- Cartoon Brew

" an exquisitely designed art book...The Noble Approach: Maurice Noble and the Zen of Animation Design is a truly essential book that belongs in every animator's and animation fan's library."
- AnimationWorld

" an exquisitely designed art book...The Noble Approach: Maurice Noble and the Zen of Animation Design is a truly essential book that belongs in every animator's and animation fan's library."
- AnimationWorld

"The Noble Approach: Maurice Noble and the Zen of Animation Design ranks among the most unique and delightful animation books in recent memory. It goes without saying that the book's well-balanced mix of technical tips and anecdotal advice makes it a must-buy title for professional artists and students, but it should also appeal to fans of classic of animation who will surely gain a renewed appreciation for the Chuck Jones canon."
- Cartoon Brew

" an exquisitely designed art book...The Noble Approach: Maurice Noble and the Zen of Animation Design is a truly essential book that belongs in every animator's and animation fan's library."
- AnimationWorld

"'I've used the term "must-have" before - but I compel every one of you reading this site and this review to order this book immediately. You will not regret it."
-Cartoon Research

"'I've used the term "must-have" before - but I compel every one of you reading this site and this review to order this book immediately. You will not regret it."
-Cartoon Research

Holiday Gift Guide Pick
-Entertainment Weekly

Holiday Gift Guide Pick
-Entertainment Weekly

"'I've used the term "must-have" before - but I compel every one of you reading this site and this review to order this book immediately. You will not regret it."
-Cartoon Research

Holiday Gift Guide Pick
-Entertainment Weekly

"one of the best animation books of the year...a fantastic look at the master artist's inspiring work process, providing a rich collection of artwork, notes, lovely anecdotes and valuable lessons about creating timeless toons."
- Animation Magazine

"one of the best animation books of the year...a fantastic look at the master artist's inspiring work process, providing a rich collection of artwork, notes, lovely anecdotes and valuable lessons about creating timeless toons."
- Animation Magazine

Holiday Gift Guide Pick- Ain't It Cool News

Holiday Gift Guide Pick- Ain't It Cool News

Holiday Gift Guide Pick- Ain't It Cool News

About the Author

Tod Polson first studied design at Otis/Parsons, and animation at CalArts before apprenticing under pioneering animation designer Maurice Noble. Since then, he has worked extensively as a filmmaker, designer, and teacher. He lives in Wyoming.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Chronicle Books; First Edition Thus (October 1, 2013)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 176 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1452102945
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1452102948
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.8 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.75 x 0.88 x 11.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,901,955 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #716 in Animation Graphic Design (Books)
- #1,569 in Art Encyclopedias
- #3,571 in Artist & Architect Biographies

Customer Reviews:
4.8 207 ratings

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Parker

Amazing Book - Well worth the money

Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2022

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The book arrived in great condition. The pages are packed full of Maurice Noble's artwork (sketches, handwritten notes and final paintings) and design process explanations. It's amazing to read about his approach to animation design.

The book is broken up into sections on story, design, color, etc. I also really enjoyed learning about his job history, including the Disney strike. I recommend to any animator, illustrator, or visual artist. It's well worth the money. Reading just the color section is equivalent or better than a color theory course - but with thoughtful insights from Maurice Noble himself.

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Parka

Good book for those into animation and design

Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2013

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The Noble Approach is a book that's part biography and part animation design tips featuring the late great Maurice Noble.

As a kid, I would watch the Warner Bros cartoons and never think about things like art and design. They are good which is why people watch them.

Well, in this book, you'll go behind the scenes and look at the person who has a hand at creating some of these animated productions, and understand his design philosophies.

Author Tod Polson who has apprenticed under Noble has done a good job with the biography detailing the designer's life and career right from the start. It's an inspiring tale of someone who has gone through a tumultuous period, with the need to support his family while still young, going through various career changes, having the ups and downs with co-workers, while still maintaining the passion to put out good design for animation and screen.

The biography is about a third of the book. The rest are his philosophies on design. It's on how he handles story beats, story elements, using reference, contrast, simplifying elements, colour theory, perspective, layout, and more. The text and the illustrated examples are insightful. It's a collection of design principles he has learned and compiled over the 60 years he spent in the industry.

It's a good book for those into animation and design, or into traditional animation design.

(There are more pictures of the book on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)

29 people found this helpful

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Thad Komorowski

The New Bible of Animation Design

Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2013

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If you're reading this review, you obviously don't need an introduction to who Maurice Noble was. His contributions as a designer and layout man to such landmark animated films as RABBIT SEASONING, WHAT'S OPERA DOC?, DUCK AMUCK, ROBIN HOOD DAFFY, the Road Runner series, and DUCK DODGERS IN THE 241/2TH CENTURY make his name as firmly inseparable from them as the director Chuck Jones's.

Tod Polson was a protégé of Noble's who has finally realized his generous teacher's dream of putting all of Noble's notes and theories on animation design in book form. You'll first learn about Noble's history and find out how things were like in the ever-evolving Golden Age of animation, and then how things got so bad that Noble was afraid the wisdom he mistook for common knowledge would vanish into the ether - hence why he wanted his thoughts recorded in the first place!

If you want to know how Noble did it and how you can possibly instill some of his own virtues into your work, don't just watch the films. Let Polson take you on this very intimate journey and show you how Noble took care to make sure his design met the needs of every single element of an animated film and not the other way around. More importantly, the book is lavishly and colorfully illustrated to appropriately aid the instructions, driving home every point clearly and beautifully.

Anyone with an interest in animation, filmmaking, or art in general should buy this book without hesitation. It'd be the Noble thing to do!

34 people found this helpful

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Ken Rowe

Get hardcover while you can!

Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2019

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Hardcover is currently unavailable. That is a shame. I hope it's re-printed. Maybe I'm old-school, but his book deserves to be handled in print. There is a Kindle edition, and some reasonably priced (and insanely priced!) used copies. This is a terrific, beautifully produced book about my favorite animation production designer. Noble's work with Chuck Jones gave us some of Warner Brothers best cartoons - including What's Opera Doc? and Duck Dodgers in the 24th & 1/2 Century. The author gives valuable insight into Noble's processes. Great sections on design and color! I had the distinct pleasure of seeing some of Noble's original sketches and paintings at a recent George Eastman House exhibit. A real treat!

3 people found this helpful

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daniel Schier

This should be in your library.

Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2015

Verified Purchase

One of the best animation books I have. I've collected many animation books. This one is at the top of the heap. There's plenty of great art examples in this book from one of - if not the best animation bg designers of all time. Much of the art is in raw form to illustrate points - it's not just a series of pretty pictures. And you get to hear his perspective on design for animation and read insights into the business that are just as pertinent today - even more so, because today many talented young designers are clueless about the ideas Maurice expresses and would benefit greatly from them. In addition, it's an easy read: It's broken into subjects and the authors don't get too philosophical. Most of the material is clear, concise and helpful to anyone working in animation.

5 people found this helpful

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Hector

Amazing book

Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2018

Verified Purchase

This book was and still is simply amazing, so much information to be gained from this book, and it doesn't have to be animation alone either, it can help you become a better artist over all, or at least inspire you to try your hand at art, because this book motivates you to improve at any creative goal you may be working on, not sure what else to say, I loved it, and will definitely check out the other books related to this one. :)

One person found this helpful

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Gal

Interessante e informativo

Reviewed in Brazil on August 1, 2023

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O livro fala sobre Maurice Noble e apresenta bom conteúdo sobre animação para ilustradores, especialmente no que se refere à teoria de elaboração de background, a partir das obras de Maurice.

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Oriol

Excellent Book!

Reviewed in Spain on February 7, 2019

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Excellent book for learning layout for animation.

Brendan Rich

Fantastic read

Reviewed in Australia on January 12, 2018

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Good insight into what really went on behind some of the most iconic cartoons.
This book emparts simplified truths of process, technique on design in a quirky narrative way.

Eduardo Gala

La Biblia

Reviewed in Mexico on November 17, 2015

Verified Purchase

Es un pequeño comienzo para entender el diseño en la animación, me parece interesante saber cómo deducían sus diseños y aún de tener medios limitados en color y ser proyectos televisivos aún así cada detalle está totalmente controlado.

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TheHyperstation

Essential

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 11, 2016

Verified Purchase

One of the best Animation related books (which can be a dry, stodgy and ultimately frustrating lot) I've ever read. This is a sprightly, highly illuminating, practical breakdown of this master's inspiring design philosophy.

I have found the chapter on Mr Noble's colour theory revelatory and there are many, many more dynamite insights beyond this.

Fascinsting too to learn more about the man and the breadth of his life's work.

A must for the practicing/struggling animator or indeed any artist the author's clear style render the book approachable to the curious layperson as well.

Mr Noble's elegant dreamscapes have been thrilling me since childhood and it is a genuine boon to discover the pearls of wisdom contained within this essential volume as an adult.

2 people found this helpful

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The Noble Approach: Maurice Noble and the Zen of Animation Design Hardcover – October 1, 2013

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