There have been a lot of animation guides, but not one I could have easily used to animate my own film, or create a comic with. Most animation guides are a bit too rigid and advanced for someone of my skills so it was a blast to read “Animation Unleashed” a comprehensive and very helpful guide that tackles all bases of the animation and comic book medium.
From form, motion, and action, to shadows, right down to clouds. It’s a quick and fun read that will prove to be an asset to any of the aspiring animators or comic artists looking for help on taking their one dimensional characters or figures and turning them in to living breathing beings.
Filled with incredible art by Bryce Hallett, the premise to Ellen Besen’s guide is to instruct only the bare essentials of the art form and then let Hallett do the work with her to provide truly crystal clear examples of what she’s attempting to explain. Most animation guides are boggled down with technical aspects, but Besen keeps her audience in check the entire time and relies on our intelligence to get through simplistic instructions with some truly excellent tips for the artists just starting out. One thing I loved about this guide was that Besen and Hallett appeal to the artist who may want to confront both structures of the art form.
Want to draw a realistic human character? They have it covered. Want to exaggerate the human form and make your world into a beaming caricature? They have it covered pat. There’s also a very valued and useful system spread out with Examples of a certain tip in animation, why their rules can be broken by anyone willing to do so, and why their tips can be improved upon or changed. As an animation buff who prides himself in being quite keen to the art form, this was a comprehensive how-to guide that works at bringing the artist to the next level, and it may do so for so many people out there who pick up this book.