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Illusion Of Life, The by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston
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Illusion Of Life, The

Disney Animation

By Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston

By Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston

Best Seller

Part of Disney Editions Deluxe

Category: Performing Arts | Art

Hardcover $60.00

Oct 19, 1995 | ISBN 9780786860708

Illusion Of Life, The by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston
Hardcover $60.00
Oct 19, 1995 | ISBN 9780786860708

Buy from Other Retailers:

  • $60.00

    Oct 19, 1995 | ISBN 9780786860708

    Buy from Other Retailers:

Buy the Hardcover:

About Illusion Of Life, The

The most complete book ever written on Disney character animation from the 1920s through the 1970s—by two long-term animators and Disney Legends.

This delightful inside story describes the evolution of the animation art from and the ways Disney characters got their unique personalities.
 
Authors Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston worked with Walt Disney and other leading figures across five decades of Disney films. They animated leading Disney characters and worked with others who helped perfect an extremely difficult and time-consuming art form. This illustrated volume is a “how-to animate” book crafted for anyone to enjoy. Frank and Ollie irresistibly charm readers with original drawings used in creating some of the best-loved characters in American culture, including Mickey Mouse and Cinderella. The authors showcase early sketches used in developing memorable sequences from classic movies such as Fantasia and Pinocchio. With the full cooperation of the Disney company and access to the studio’s priceless archives, they choose the precise drawings to illustrate their points from among thousands of pieces of preserved artwork.

Film buffs, students of popular culture, and fans who warmly respond to Disney animation will adore this collection.

Some films Frank and Ollie feature:
• Shorts starring Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and Donald Duck
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 1937
• Pinocchio 1940
• Fantasia 1940
• Dumbo 1941
• Bambi 1942
• Cinderella 1950
• Alice in Wonderland 1951
• Peter Pan 1953
• Sleeping Beauty 1959
• One Hundred and One Dalmatians 1961
• Mary Poppins 1964
• The Jungle Book 1967

Frank and Ollie share Easter eggs, behind-the-scenes stories, and fun facts about:
• The history and core principles of animation
• People who directly worked on and influenced the films
• The uses of live-action footage in drawing humans and animals for the films
• The roles of artists, voice cast, and songwriters in preparation for the films
• Story and character development processes to final frames

Read An Excerpt

Product Details

Category: Performing Arts | Art

Hardcover | $60.00
Published by Disney Editions
Oct 19, 1995 | 576 Pages | 10-1/4 x 11 | ISBN 9780786860708

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Praise

One of “5 must-read books on animation design Flip through these to understand the history and principles of animation . . . The authors of this book, Frank and Ollie, created animated masterpieces like ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’, ‘Bambi’, and ‘Pinocchio’. This book looks at the way the duo played a role in turning the Walt Disney Studios into a powerhouse and highest standard in animation. By using simple language and avoiding jargon, the book looks at the 12 rules of animation the duo created, where an emphasis on characters being realistic, while having their own essence is explained.”
—Tini Sara Anien, Deccan Herald, 2022
 
One of “My Seven ‘Desert Island’ Animation Reference Books . . . Everything that could have already been said about this book has been said. Suffice to say, if you can own just one book about Disney animation, this is it. The development of the studio’s approach to character animation has never been more clearly documented.”
—Amid Amidi, Cartoon Brew, 2013
 
One of the “Three books that mean a lot to me.”
—Rob LaDuca, Disney animation guru, Variety, 2008
 
“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.’
—Library Journal, Reed Business Information, Inc., 1996

Author Q&A

Q: What is your book about?
 
A: This book is about Disney character animation, an art form that created such world-famous cartoon figures as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. . . . Our original intention had been to write a book on how to animate, hoping we could offer inspiration rather than something to copy, but as we did our research it became obvious that there was a greater need to record just how this special kind of animation had developed. Those times were unique and will never be duplicated; yet much of what was learned had been valid in the theater for several hundred years and continues to be valuable wherever there is communication with an audience.
 
Q: What makes Disney animation such an interesting topic?
 
A: Disney animation makes audiences really believe in those characters, whose adventures and misfortunes make people laugh—and even cry. There is a special ingredient in our type of animation that produces drawings that appear to think and make decisions and act of their own volition; it is what creates the illusion of life.
 
Q: Who do you want to read your book?
 
A: This book is written for the student who wants to know how Disney animation was done; for the artist who has never realized the potential of animation as a profession; for the general public who still wonders, “What really makes them move?” We hope that some readers will be stimulated to carry on these traditions and elevate this art form to an ever-higher level.

Table Of Contents

              Preface
              Acknowledgments
1.           An Art Form is Born: 13
2.           The Early Days 1923–1933: 29
3.          The Principles of Animation: 47
4.          Discovery 1934–1936: 71
5.          Cartoon Comes of Age: 93
6.          Appeal and Dynamics: 119
7.          Hyperion: The Explosion: 141
8.          Burbank and The Nine Old Men: 159
9.           Our Procedures: 185
10.         How to Get It on the Screen: 243
11.         The Disney Sounds: 285
12.         The Follow-up Functions: 303
13.         The Uses of Live Action in Drawing Humans and Animals: 319
14.         Story: 367
15.         Character Development: 393
16.         Animating Expressions and Dialogue: 441
17.         Acting and Emotions: 473
18.         Other Types of Animation—and the Future: 509
            Notes
            Appendices
            Index

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