Product Description

Character Animation Crash Course! is a veritable Genie's lamp stuffed with everything the aspiring animator could wish for! Renowned animator Eric Goldberg's detailed text and drawings illuminate how to conceive characters "from the inside out" to create strong personalities. Classic animation techniques are analyzed and brought to life through this unique book and its accompanying CD that offers readers animated movie examples that show, in real time or frame-by-frame, the author's principles at work. Add to this Goldberg's discussions of classic cartoons and his witty, informative observations based on the wealth of knowledge he's gained during his 30-plus years in professional animation, and you have a tour-de-force guide to character animation with the classic touch.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3822 in Books
• Published on: 2008-07-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 218 pages

Review
Best known for designing the Genie in Disney's Aladdin, Goldberg is a cartoon-comedy mater who's crafted a terrific how-to. This is not a coffee-table tome but a textbook, full of technical detail (and accompanied by a neat CD of visual examples). There's plenty to engage casual browsers, though. As he diagrams what makes great 'toons tick, whether hand-drawn or CG - the physics of double takes, the best way to splat a face into an immovable object - Goldberg will leave you bug-eyed at the intricacy of the medium. A- --Entertainment Weekly, September 19, 2008

From the Author
Foreword When I first started making films, books about character animation were rare, and most were written from the distant, historical perspective of an observer. Of the meager handful of books that actually discussed how to do animation, only two were really good: Walt Disney's Tips On Animation from the Disneyland Art Corner and the classic Advanced Animation by Preston Blair. In the half century since, many animation books have been written, but still few are considered indispensable to people interested in doing animation themselves. To that exclusive club we must add the book you now hold in your hand: Character Animation Crash Course. Among Eric's many achievements is the "Friend Like Me" sequence from Walt Disney Pictures' Aladdin, a chunk of pure cartoon magic so dense that it can be enjoyed two ways: at regular speed or one frame at a time... where every aspect of Eric's astonishing embellishments, caricature, and razor-sharp timing can be savored like fine wine. In this jam-packed book and CD Eric will show you the rules for getting the most out of your animation. If you learn them well, you'll be good. If you can internalize these rules to the point where you can call upon them without thinking, you'll be exceptional. And if you learn them as well as Eric, you might even be able to successfully break a few of these rules and add to cumulative knowledge of how to make pencil lines (or pixels, clay, stop-motion models, etc.) come to life. You might even become accomplished enough to write the next great animation book. Good thing the rest of us don't have to wait until then. We have this terrific book right now. Brad Bird -- Writer / Director, The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, Ratatouille

From the Inside Flap
"As Disney Animation great Ollie Johnston always told me, "It's not the tools that create great character animation, it's what you do with those tools." Eric's book is a terrific how-to that clearly explains the tools and the techniques for great animation in any medium. People always ask me, "How do I get started in animation?" Now I know the answer...read the Character Animation Crash Course book by Eric Goldberg!" John Lasseter - Chief Creative Officer, Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios

"Eric's book and CD are a first in the industry. They represent a one-of-a-kind bible for artists, teachers and fans of animation from one of the modern masters of the craft." Don Hahn - Producer, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast

"I can't think of anyone more qualified to put together a book like this. Eric covers everything, from basic nuts and bolts to advanced technique in a clear, simple, entertaining way, just like his animation. This should be on the bookshelf of anyone who wants to know more about this elusive art form." Ron Clements - Director, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules

Customer Reviews

Great Book!
Even if you've been in the animation industry for a long time and think you know it all, this book is full of great techniques and tips. Any artist needs to review these techniques from time to time. Well written, well illustrated, this is a welcomed addition to anyone's art arsenal with emphasis on animation.

A great book!
An absolutely great book and a must have for artist and animators alike. If you like cartoony animation, this book,the preston blair book and the animating the looney tunes way will do it. The principles stressed in this book can be applied to CG, stopmotion animation and just pure drawing in general. This book is a great read and source. I highly recommend it.

Best Animation Timing & Breakdown Manual published so far.
When I went to animation college 10 years ago, there were NO books to instruct you on actually HOW to practice weight balance, mass and volume in your character animation tests. Plenty of old books existed with great artwork, with the exception of Preston Blair's book Cartoon Animation (The Collector's Series) and later on (after I graduated) the great Richard William's book The Animator's Survival Kit. But there was nothing to actually show you step by step the principles of posing, timing and movement for hand-drawn animation, Richard's book had some nice technical stuff for walk cycles and timing, but Goldberg's book is a first for really outlining the basics efficiently.


This book IS the first and best book to lay out the principles of character movement; antics, overshoots, settles, squash and stretch, break downs, in-betweeing, timing, spacing and all the other basics needed for any classical or CG animator.

I highly recommend this book to all students, teachers and even veterans, because not only does it cover all the fundamentals but it goes beyond into more advanced concepts that ALL types of animators must know and practice, whether it be 3D, traditional paper, or stopmotion animation, this book is definitely worth it.