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.

Advanced animation - Learn How to draw animated cartoons.

The Cartooning titles in the How to Draw and Paint Series are packed with fundamental cartooning and animation techniques, along with practical information and helpful tips to get beginners started quickly and easily. Each book covers a variety of cartooning styles and teaches readers how to render residents of the cartoon world with simple step-by-step instructions.

Learn the basics of cartoon animation from acclaimed cartoon animator Preston Blair! Join acclaimed cartoon animator Preston Blair as he explains and demonstrates the magic of cartoon animation. Learn to develop a cartoon character’s shape, personality, features, and mannerisms; how to create movements, such as walking, running, skipping, and sneaking; and tips on using lines of action and creating realistic motion. From cartooning basics to more advanced animation techniques, Animation 1 is a welcome introduction for artists ready to bring their drawings to life. Designed for beginners, the How to Draw & Paint series offers an easy-to-follow guide that introduces artists to basic tools and materials and includes simple step-by-step lessons for a variety of projects suitable for the aspiring artist. Animation 1 allows artists to widen the scope of their abilities, demonstrating how to animate a character, from character development to movement and dialogue.

This classic guide by a master animator and cartoonist — and long time Disney artist — is now available for the first time since its original publication in 1946. Author Ken Hultgren instructs by example in a guide that's suitable for beginners and advanced students alike. The comprehensive range of instruction covers features and expressions, animals, foreshortening, perspective, lettering, caricature, animation, and various other aspects of cartooning. All subjects include step-by-step guides, several examples, and helpful hints and suggestions. Blank pages allow lots of room for drawing practice. Professional and amateur animators, cartoonists, caricaturists, and artists dealing with characterization will find this timeless manual an excellent and instructive companion.

Cartooning: 100 Faces & Expressions covers the fundamentals of creating cartoon heads and faces. This 32-page book includes instruction on selecting face shape, rendering features, exaggerating, and modifying features to suggest mood and personality. The title also features a wide range of step-by-step cartoon heads so beginners can practice a variety of expressions before applying them to their own characters. Additionally, readers will benefit from inspiring tips on the animation process and information on using computer programs to enhance or color the characters.

Provides lessons on the art of cartooning along with information on terminology, tools, techniques, and theory.