AuthorTopic: Books and tutorials specific to animation?  (Read 5492 times)

Offline Johasu

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 187
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • @johasu232
    • Johasu232
    • View Profile

Books and tutorials specific to animation?

on: April 23, 2014, 11:54:11 pm
I have been working on colors, backgrounds, and form for about 6 months now and am starting to feel a real lack of development in my animation ability. It is going to be my new target for the next few months until I feel more adequate in that region.
My own preference for learning is to do a ton of front end research before I get my feet wet.  A sort of gathering of raw materials for me to sift through as I develop an understanding of style and technique.  While I prefer pixel art as my medium of choice, I don't mind if the research material is focused on illustrations.  3D isn't really something I am ready to take a look at, currently so I would ask that you don't go too heavily into that realm unless you feel it would be of solid use in my current focus.

Things that I could imagine being useful are materials on the number of frames to use for animations with large and small sprites.
Methodology for different types of animation.
Particle effects
Frames per second considerations for video and video game quality.
Tools and tips for creating animations.

Direct Query:
1)  Are there any books that the community would recommend?  I am looking for materials that really struck you with potent content that altered the way you approached animating.  From basic to expert level is fine either way.  I am a quick study.

2)  Are there any specific tutorials anyone knows of within this forum or out in the ether which are useful?

3) Youtube(or similar service) tutorials or livestreamings that take place where I could soak up quality animation knowledge?

4) Other choice commercial materials such as dvd's or actual textbooks that are of real quality as well?

Thanks in advance for the info dump guys and gals.  I really appreciate the assist on this.   ;D
Gallery:  http://johasu.deviantart.com/gallery/
Twitter:  @johasu232

Offline HarveyDentMustDie

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 469
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • I dream too much.
    • View Profile
    • Deviant Art

Re: Books and tutorials specific to animation?

Reply #1 on: April 24, 2014, 12:41:02 am
First thing that everyone will suggest to you is "The Animator's Survival Kit - Richard Williams" this is the pure essence of knowledge. You could also break animations into frames and study them more carefully, that way you can spot all changes between the frames. I'm sure that there are a lot more books and tutorials out there. I remember that I've watched some lectures of Disneys best animators on YT, you can easily find them I'm sure. :)

Offline yrizoud

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 330
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Books and tutorials specific to animation?

Reply #2 on: April 24, 2014, 08:37:00 am
^ This book is a gold mine and your new best friend.
As a side companion and quick reference, look up the 12 basic principles of animation, by two other veteran Disney animators.

Offline Johasu

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 187
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • @johasu232
    • Johasu232
    • View Profile

Re: Books and tutorials specific to animation?

Reply #3 on: April 24, 2014, 11:00:16 am
Thank you both.  I will see if i can secure a copy of this magical golden book.

The 12 basic principles:   Are they explained in more detail within the book that is mentioned there?  The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation?
Gallery:  http://johasu.deviantart.com/gallery/
Twitter:  @johasu232

Offline PixelPiledriver

  • 0011
  • **
  • Posts: 997
  • Karma: +6/-0
  • Yo!
    • View Profile
    • My Blog

Re: Books and tutorials specific to animation?

Reply #4 on: April 24, 2014, 05:09:33 pm
Quote
The 12 basic principles:   Are they explained in more detail within the book that is mentioned there?  The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation?
The Illusion of Life is a history book, not an animation text.
While it does explain the principles, it will not give you a plethora of graphs, details, varied opinions, techniques, exercises, questions, answers, etc.
There is still some value in reading thru it, but I'd recommend you just check it out at a library.
It is not something you will place next to your computer and open up every couple hours.
And knowing that it is, we seek what it is... ~ Aristotle, Posterior Analytics, Chapter 1

Offline Johasu

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 187
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • @johasu232
    • Johasu232
    • View Profile

Re: Books and tutorials specific to animation?

Reply #5 on: April 24, 2014, 11:16:25 pm
Thanks for the heads up on that.
Does anyone have any general advice on how to practice animation from the ground up?

For example:  Things that you started out doing wrong that you wish you had known not to do from the get go and the opposite techniques you wish you would have started using from the beginning.
Gallery:  http://johasu.deviantart.com/gallery/
Twitter:  @johasu232

Offline HarveyDentMustDie

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 469
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • I dream too much.
    • View Profile
    • Deviant Art

Re: Books and tutorials specific to animation?

Reply #6 on: April 24, 2014, 11:33:24 pm
Animation isn't just set of rules that you can follow and create perfect animation. You learn to animate by animating, like everything else in life. Beauty is in mistakes.

And read the book first, a lot of advices that you'll get, are already there.  :)

Offline Johasu

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 187
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • @johasu232
    • Johasu232
    • View Profile

Re: Books and tutorials specific to animation?

Reply #7 on: April 25, 2014, 12:03:24 am
I understand this yes...  But starting out with basic art I was very....  uninformed and unaware of how to go about learning.  I began to just scribble and mess with things and to be honest it took many hours of total utter crap before I began to understand what I was doing wrong and even then the gains I made weren't as solid on my own as when I asked for critiques from more experienced artists who showed me what I was doing wrong and helped me along.

So I assume animation is at least partially in the same line.  I would rather spend a few solid hours researching the matter before jumping in so deeply and maybe wasting a lot of time on bad methods that don't work.

Perhaps that's just the way to go.  I like to go to work with a full toolbox though.   :yell:
Gallery:  http://johasu.deviantart.com/gallery/
Twitter:  @johasu232

Offline PixelPiledriver

  • 0011
  • **
  • Posts: 997
  • Karma: +6/-0
  • Yo!
    • View Profile
    • My Blog

Re: Books and tutorials specific to animation?

Reply #8 on: April 25, 2014, 12:34:09 am
Another good book is The Animators Workbook by Tony White.
He was one of the dudes I learned animation from in school.
It is similar to the Animators Survival Kit, as he learned from and worked with Richard Williams back in the day.
In some ways I consider it to be easier to read than Survival Kit, but they are both good books.
You can borrow this copy for a while if you like.

Some of the topics it covers can be ignored.
No you don't need to go buy a light table, camera station, and cels.
Unless you really have the time and money and that's just what you want to do.
Other things, like the dope sheet section, still have value in reading and understanding, but the digital alternative is quite a bit different.
Charting and frame order is a more important concept than dope sheets specifically.

Maybe post in this thread:
http://wayofthepixel.net/index.php?topic=16186.0
I've been way too busy to come back to it, but some motivation could help get people talking.
Or create your own.

Do exercises.
And post them.
Starting with the bouncing ball is skipping a few important things.
But it's a good place to start if you just want to draw some stuff and have fun.
And knowing that it is, we seek what it is... ~ Aristotle, Posterior Analytics, Chapter 1

Offline Johasu

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 187
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • @johasu232
    • Johasu232
    • View Profile

Re: Books and tutorials specific to animation?

Reply #9 on: April 25, 2014, 01:44:03 am
Super awesome PixelPiledriver.  Thank you for the resources. I will definitely drag some new activity into that thread in the next day or so.

I will read this book and soak up what I can too.  Thanks again.
Gallery:  http://johasu.deviantart.com/gallery/
Twitter:  @johasu232