The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation (Disney Editions Deluxe)

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We hope that some readers will be stimulated to carry on these traditions and elevate this art form to an ever-higher level. Within the chapters succeeding “The Principles of Animation”, the authors really emphasized how Disney and his team grew to experiment and pushed animation to its limits, given the current technology. But what is certain is that in the next tens or even hundreds of years, Disney will be a monument to countless animators’ hearts.

It contains 489 plates in full color, as well as thousands of black-and-white illustrations, ranging from storyboard sketches to entire animation sequences. From the perspective of two men who had an important role in shaping the art of animation, and within the context of the history of animation and the growth of the Disney studio, this is the definitive volume on the work and achievement of one of America’s best-known and most widely loved cultural institutions. If something is going to happen, people have been quite familiar with it, so they can prepare in advance.

In all regards, the book, The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation, by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnson, is an insightful read for any aspiring animator as it provides wisdom and experience from one of the most successful animation companies of all time. As a person who needs an extra kick to keep focus, it was really refreshing to have such personal, what felt like actual conversation, wording in this book. The way this opinion was stated really put me off from reading the book at first, as there are many films, by other studios, that I prefer over any Disney film.

The most interesting character in the world is not very exciting when sitting and listening to a symphony concert. His last full work for Disney came with The Rescuers, in which he was caricatured as one of the film's characters, the cat Rufus. I loved the continuous flip book in the upper right hand corner of this tome, and I spent countless hours of my childhood looking at images of the Disney films I loved, and photographs of the people who made them. Many will look to this book to teach them the secrets of Disney animation so that they can become instant successes. I don't think I'll read it cover-to-cover again, but I'm sure I'll reference it for specific chapters.

Since I used to show it to my HS animation classes, I've seen it dozens of times, but find something new every time I view it again. The book felt inspiring and more like having a fun conversation, especially nearing the end, than just some old textbook that is telling you how to feel and what to think.