The Animator's Survival Kit: A Manual of Methods, Principles and Formulas for Classical, Computer, Games, Stop Motion and Internet Animators Paperback – Illustrated, September 25, 2012

Wow! Got this as a gift for a friend.First off I was surprised by how thick and heavy this book was. It's definitely a must have for those interested in animation and really any art student that's working on dynamic movement.We're both artist, but he's much more into animation than I am. After flipping through the pages, I see that this is also just another good art book for anyone interested in dynamic movement and poses. It also has a couple of pages with a small focus on perspective.Secondly this whole book is just great quality. Glossy and thick pages. For nearly $35 and 380 pages, this is just a great deal. I may look into this for myself if the price were to drop though.I really appreciate how this is not just a technical book, but it's really easy to read. From what I'm looking at, there's no crazy jargon and or pretentious writing.

Bought this book for a college class. 10 years later I am still using this book when it comes to squash and stretch animation. The concepts are easy. Lots of illustrations and thought exercises. I have a few friends that animated for Disney and they keep this book at their desks.

I am mostly a self-taught 2D traditional animator. This book has a fountain of information. Most of the big animation studios have the first and second edition, in their information/reference library. You can learn how to animate, by using this book with the foundations and beyond to begin making your own animation.I just bought it not too long ago and started reading on day one; and being a 2D Animator for over fifteen years - there is so much more I have yet learned from this book. A definite must have for all old and new animators.

I needed a copy of this book for my computer animation class in college and didn’t think I would enjoy reading a required reading textbook but I sure did! The book offers many definitions, examples and things to know for all things animation. I love that it has actual drawn examples on how to maintain continuity in drawings and even has some guides to 3D animation. Awesome book!

Blessed to have this wonderful book.Extremely well done, precision.A must for anyone looking to Animate.

This book fleshes out the process of traditional (pre-computer) animation more than the Preston Blair book which I had purchased earlier. If you found that book useful, this one will be even more helpful in understanding overall workflow.A prerequisite for this book would be good fundamentals at sketching humanoids and understanding volume, especially with figures. Just a warning -- until you are able to draw shapes consistently, you will be stuck on the first few pages.Williams' book begins with an overview of moving simple volumes, but quickly dives into the complexity of making figures walk. He spells out similar-but-different nuts-and-bolts approaches to the traditional animation process through the construction of walk cycles, of which there are many examples. I am strictly a beginner, but for the seasoned animator, I expect this book would be a handy reference for walk cycles.Over the course of the book, Williams touches on virtually all key areas which animators have to deal with including fabric and mouth movements. The author also offers sagely advice from the colleagues he learned from over the years. The text is very readable and makes you feel like you are moving along, learning the business of animation from the inside out.This edition DOES NOT give detailed explanation of the nuts-and-bolts, tools, or workflow of COMPUTER animation as it is evolving today. HOWEVER, anyone who masters the fundamentals stressed in this book would be prepared for most any style of animation.This is not a book to give you quick-and-dirty shortcuts. The examples progress in a direction to build you into a total animator. I found the examples to be very clear upon studying and practicing them. The forms begin simple and gain complexity throughout. For someone who is very serious about the CRAFT of animation, I would recommend this book.

Came in great condition! Wonderful value! A must-read for anyone interested in animation!

My 10-year-old aspiring animator asked for this by name, and I'm all about supporting their passion for art.I was pleased to see it's the expanded edition! The pages are rich with image and text alike, and the stock/binding are sturdy. They're going to love it for the holidays.I'll update this review as I can, once they've dived in and given it a good read. I have the distinct feeling it'll be their go-to reference for all manner of animations.