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• Revised version of “Timing for Animation” now features the best of the past & the future

  Jim Hill reviews the how-to book that many animators consider to be their Bible. Which has recently been revised and updated by animation teacher & historian Tom Sito Read More... Posted Wednesday, December 09, 2009 12:00 AM | 0 Comments Filed under: animation, book, CG, Christmas, animated character, Tom Sito, animation student, animated feature, Shrek, Christmas present, cartoons, animated short, holiday shopping list, animators , animation community, animation industry, CG studio , student, cartoon series, how to, holiday, animation historian, holidays, Christmas gift, animated film, animated films

• “Walt Disney and the Good Neighbor Program” book is a really great read

  Jim Hill reviews J.B. Kaufman’s “South of the Border with Disney.” Which does a brilliant job of illuminating & expanding this often under-reported aspect of Disney Company history Read More... Posted Wednesday, December 02, 2009 12:00 AM | 2 Comments Filed under: animation, book, Disney, Walt Disney, Disney Editions, Mickey Mouse, Mary Blair, Burbank, Southern California, South of the Border with Walt: Walt Disney and the Good Neighbor Program 1941 - 1948, Christmas, 2009, animated feature, Christmas present, holiday shopping list, animated features, Ted Thomas , paintings, artists , animators , December , Walt & El Grupo, animation fan, J B Kaufman, South American , Saludos Amigos, Don Hahn , 1948, Donald Duck, holiday, holidays, holiday sale, Christmas gift, The Walt Disney Family Museum, 1941, Kuniko Okubo, animated film, animated films, animation fans

• “The Art of the Disney Princess” artfully re-imagines classic cartoon characters

  Jim Hill reviews this new Disney Editions book. Which features all sorts of unconventional takes on your favorite Disney Princesses Read More... Posted Wednesday, November 25, 2009 12:00 AM | 2 Comments Filed under: animation, book, Disney, Disney Consumer Products, Beauty and the Beast, Disney Editions, The Haunted Mansion, Disney Princess, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Ariel, Glen Keane, animated character, D23, 2009, animated feature, Belle, Jasmine, Aladdin, The Princess and the Frog, The Little Mermaid, D23 EXPO, Haunted Mansion, animated film

• “Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol” book is sure to be a hit with baby boomers

  Jim Hill reviews Darrell Van Citters’ making-of book. Which takes you behind-the-scenes on the production of TV’s first animated holiday special Read More... Posted Wednesday, November 04, 2009 12:00 AM | 1 Comments Filed under: animation, book, Disney, A Christmas Carol, CBS, NBC, Robert Zemeckis, television, ImageMoversDigital, Christmas, UPA, 2009, television program, holiday season , holiday story , A Charlie Brown Christmas, holiday special, Christmas special, holiday classic, 1962 , animated version, holiday treat, 1964, television show , performance capture, Charles Dickens, holiday, holidays, ImageMovers

• Toon Tuesday: Glen Keane goes back to the drawing board

  Jim Hill shares some shots from Comic-Con. Where this master animator revealed that he had just ended a six month sabbatical and was now returning to work at Walt Disney Animation Studios Read More... Posted Tuesday, August 11, 2009 12:00 AM | 2 Comments Filed under: animation, book, Disney, convention, CG, Drawn to Life: 20 Golden Years of Disney Master Classes , Beauty and the Beast, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Tarzan, drawing class, WDAS, Burbank, Glen Keane, Rapunzel, Eric Goldberg, Tom Sito, panel discussion, 2009, animated feature, character animation, Disney Feature Animation, panel, animated features, drawings , animation fan, character , CG feature, train, 2010, Don Hahn , Walt Stanchfield, drawing classes, San Diego Convention Center , San Diego, convention center , Comic-Con , Comic-Con International, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Walt Stanchfield lectures, stylization, Ruben Procopio

• "The Archive Series: Story" features a stunning selection of art from Disney's Animation Research Library

  Jim Hill reviews this impressive new hardcover from Disney Editions. He also talks up Don Hahn's book signing tomorrow night at the Barnes & Noble at the Americana at Brand Read More... Posted Wednesday, December 10, 2008 12:00 AM | 1 Comments Filed under: animation, book, Disney, Walt Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Samuel Goldwyn, Jeff Kurtti, Disney Editions, Walt Disney's Legends of Imagineering and the Genesis of the Disney Theme Park, Cinderella, Animation Research Library, ARL, WDAS, featurette, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Los Angeles, Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, Song of the South, Glen Keane, LA, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Christmas, film, 2008, feature film , Disney Feature Animation, The Fox and the Hound, short, holiday shopping list, Joe Ranft, Hans Christian Andersen, Chris Sanders, December , Mulan, animation fan, shorts, Don Hahn , Fantasia 2000, archives , Barnes & Noble, The Little Mermaid, Steamboat Willie, films, The Alchemy of Animation: Making an Animated Film in the Modern Age, Lilo & Stitch, story, Lilo and Stitch, holiday, feature-length cartoon, Highlander, Bill Peet, Brizzi Brothers, Gaetan Brizzi, Paul Brizzi, The Americana at Brand , In the Bag, Humphrey the Bear, Hellfire, What's This, Firebird Suite, Walt Disney Animation Studios The Archive Series: Story, storyboards, storyboard, story sketches, story sketch, boards, board, featurettes, 1930s, artwork, Malibu, sketches, signing, Christmas gift

• "The Art of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" details how DreamWorks Animation's latest came together

  Jim Hill reviews Jerry Beck's new book, which takes a look at the artistic development at both "Madagascar" movies Read More... Posted Wednesday, November 05, 2008 12:00 AM | 2 Comments Filed under: animation, book, DreamWorks, DreamWorks Animation, Glendale, Jerry Beck, 2008, October, behind-the-scenes stories , animated feature, feature film , coffee table book, 2005, animated features, Insight Editions, lion, African savanna, design team, director , Development , Madagascar, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, behind-the-scenes , hippo, art of books, DW, art of book, feature-length cartoon, animation historian, artistic development, technological development, DWA, Little Golden Books, Henri Rousseau, stylization, Melman, Gloria, Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath, Disney Photo Library, directors, Ben Stiller, Africa, artistic choices, storytelling, giraffe, zebra, Marty

• "Disney Dogs" showcases canine cartoon stars

  Jim Hill reviews this new hardcover from Disney Editions, which takes a detailed look at all of the dogs who have appeared in Disney animated shorts & features over the years Read More... Posted Wednesday, October 29, 2008 12:00 AM | 2 Comments Filed under: animation, book, Disney, Walt Disney Pictures, Beauty and the Beast, Lady and the Tramp, 101 Dalmatians, Hidden Mickey, Peter Pan, Walt Disney Productions, The Aristocats, Lady, concept art, Animation Research Library, Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, Bolt, 2008, Mouse House, animated feature, 2007, The Fox and the Hound, animated short, animated features, Goofy , visual development, model sheets, model sheet, butler, conceptual paintings, conceptual painting, Pocahontas, The Little Mermaid, The Art of Bolt, Disney Dogs, Disney Book Group, The Disney Book Group, Pluto, Perdita, Freckles, Lucky, Penny, Patch, Pepper, The Great Mouse Detective, thumbnails, rough animation, Nana, canine, canine cartoons, canine cartoon, canine cartoon star, canine cartoon stars, Hollywood Hound, Hollywood Hounds, Mouse House Hound, Mouse House Hounds, Rolly, Edgar, Ratigan, Basil, Dodger, The Dodger, Melissa Mathison, Tod, Max Azria, Basil of Baker Street, Percy, Ratcliffe, Governor Ratcliffe, Little Brother, Baker Street, Zero, footstool, dog

• A special "May the (Stephen) Schwartz Be With You" edition of Why For

  Jim Hill's back with even more answers to your Disney-related questions. This time around, he talks about "Enchanted" 's score evolves over the course of that motion picture, where Stephen drew his inspiration for "Out There" as well as talking up an event that's being held at Woodbury University this coming Monday night Read More... Posted Friday, October 17, 2008 12:00 AM | 2 Comments Filed under: animation, book, Disney, music, Broadway, musical, Disney Theatrical, Beauty and the Beast, Alan Menken, Kevin Lima, Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Sleeping Beauty, James Baxter, James Baxter Animation, Stephen Schwartz, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Paris, Kiss the Girl, ASIFA-Hollywood, panel discussion, stage version, ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive, 2008, October, animated feature, 2007, Happy Working Song, So Close, That's How You Know , animators , Mulan, Belle, Warner Bros. , 2010, Don Hahn , stage, Woodbury University, Pocahontas, Broadway-bound, The Little Mermaid, Snow White, Disney Music , Carol de Giere, Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz from Godspell to Wicked, Enchanted, The Alchemy of Animation: Making an Animated Film in the Modern Age, Craig Lucas, James Lapine, Cathedral of Notre Dame, Out There, Quasimodo, Hunchback, Mike Belzer, Nik Ranieri, Fletcher Jones Foundation Library, Fletcher Jones, Ever After, Ever

• "Character Animation Crash Course !" is a terrific how-to-toon book

  Jim Hill reviews Eric Goldberg's 25-years-in-the-making instructional manual, which shares this animation master's secrets on how to do great character animation Read More... Posted Wednesday, September 10, 2008 12:00 AM | 1 Comments Filed under: animation, book, Disney, Brad Bird, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Hollywood, DVD, Eric Goldberg, animation student, 2008, September, hardcover, pencil, California Institute of the Arts, CalArts, character animation, hand-drawn animation, animation industry, high profile project, character , August, Comic-Con , Comic-Con International, key franchise, Woodbury University, RISD, SCAD, Ricardo Mestres, school, school supplies, pencils, erasers, lined paper, son, daughter, paperback, Barnes & Noble, art of books, hardcovers, conceptual paintings, preproduction art, would-be animator, medium, Character Animation Crash Course !, Silman-James Press, nuts-and-bolts, instructional book, craft, timing, how to, break down a scene, squash & stretch, squash, stretch, instructions, lessons, teacher, Genie, Aladdin, Care package, East High Wildcats, bookshelf, fledgling, foreword, professionals, beginners, Hercules, satyr, Phil, ASUS, industry vet, The Princess and the Frog, Donald Duck, Pink Panther, classic cartoon character, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, supervisor of animation, Pocahontas, co-director

• Jerry Beck to be honored at this year's Annie Awards

  Jim Hill pays tribute to this noted author & historian, who will receive the June Foray Award next week for the positive impact that he's had on the animation industry Read More... Posted Wednesday, January 30, 2008 12:00 AM | 5 Comments Filed under: animation, book, DreamWorks, CG, DreamWorks Animation, Nickelodeon, television, Jerry Seinfeld, ASIFA-Hollywood, animated character, Jerry Beck, The Hanna-Barbera Treasury, October, comedian , animated feature, 2007, feature film , Chronicle Books, cartoons, coffee table book, hardcover, animated short, short, animated features, animators , books, article, articles, magazine article, magazine articles , Cartoon Brew , Amid Amidi , writer , historian , animation community, animation industry, June Foray award, June Foray, spotlight , November, Insight Editions, Saturday morning cartoons , Saturday morning cartoon, HB, Hanna-Barbera, William Hanna, Joseph Barbera, model sheets, model sheet, comic book, comic books , tchotchke , high profile project, movers , shakers , jaded, animation fan, Viacom International, Viacom, DK Adult, DK, Nickelodeon Studios, animated series , SpongeBob SquarePants, Rugrats, Not Just Cartoons: Nicktoons!, process , production phases, ironic , detail , character , show business , household name, Hollywood history, library, James Brown, the hardest working man in show business, hardest working man in show business , store shelves, 20th, 25th , The Art of Bee Movie , production history , CG feature, feature films, shorts, gaming, UCLA, Royce Hall , 35th , Annie Awards

• "Dream Worlds" offers look at abandoned Disney animated features

  Jim Hill reviews Hans Bacher's new "Production Design for Animation" book. Which features visual development art from "My Peoples," "Fraidy Cat" and "Wild Life" Read More... Posted Wednesday, January 23, 2008 12:00 AM | 6 Comments Filed under: animation, book, Disney, Broadway, Andreas Deja, Disney Theatrical, Beauty and the Beast, 101 Dalmatians, Dinosaur, Walt Disney Animation Studios, France, WDAS, the New World, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, LA, Germany, film, Broadway musical, stage version, animated feature, 2007, Disneyana fans, Walt Disney Feature Animation, Hans Bacher , logo, visual development, visual development artist , production designer, paintings, drawings , inspirational material , artists , animators , Dream Worlds: Production Design for Animation , Focal Press, December , Wales, China Doll, emperor, series finale, My Peoples, Elgin's Peoples , Angel and Her No Good Sister, Once in a Blue Moon , A Few Good Ghosts, Fraidy Cat, Alfred Hitchcock , crime story , London, development art , Wild Life, The Secret Lab, urban, hipster, George Bernard Shaw, Pygmalion, story points, school rivalry , edited, massaged , Disney Publicity , production notes, European version, Loire , generic-looking , Mulan

• Tons of Toontown's secrets revealed in "Animation Magazine: 20 Year Collection"

  Jim Hill reviews this new coffee table table that commemorates the 20th anniversary of this very popular publication. Which includes some great behind-the-scenes stories from animation industry vets Read More... Posted Wednesday, January 09, 2008 12:00 AM | 2 Comments Filed under: animation, book, Disney, Walt Disney, John Lasseter, Ratatouille, Walt Disney Animation Studios, coffee table book

• "To Infinity and Beyond!" is an entertaining look back at Pixar's first two decades

  Jim Hill reviews Karen Paik's inspired (more importantly, inspiring) new history of Pixar Animation Studios. Which offers a lot of insight about how John Lasseter became the Big Kahuna of the CG world Read More... Posted Thursday, November 29, 2007 12:00 AM | 4 Comments Filed under: animation, book, Disney, movies, Pixar, computer animation, CG, John Lasseter, John Musker, Cars, Ratatouille, Leslie Iwerks, Brad Bird, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Ron Miller, Toy Story, Toy Story 2, WDAS, featurette, Monsters Inc., The Pixar Story, To Infinity and Beyond: The Story of Pixar Animation Studios, Karen Paik, Ed Catmull, Steve Jobs, Walt Disney Studios, film, movie, Mouse, Disney / Pixar, 2007, Tis the season, feature film , Chronicle Books, The Art of Animation, Bob Thomas, cartoons, epiphany, coffee table book, hardcover, church, pew, gourd, sermon, pencil, pencil time, award, The Headless Horseman, The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr Toad, station wagon, Casper the Friendly Ghost, California Institute of the Arts, CalArts, character animation, Walt Disney Feature Animation, Disney Feature Animation, calcified, middle management, The Fox and the Hound, old guard, Tom Wilhite, Maurice Sendak, picture book, Where the Wild Things Are, Thomas M Disch, The Brave Little Toaster, banners, Lucasfilm, The Adventures of Andre & Wally B, SIGGRAPH, animated short, short, character comedy, cutting-edge technology, money pit, Jane Eisner, Roald Dahl, James and the Giant Peach, human costs, keyboard, repetitive-stress injury, The Art of Ratatouille, aspiring animator, holiday shopping list

• "Walt Disney's Cinderella" is a picture-perfect picture book

  Jim Hill reviews this new hardcover from Disney Press. Which features a spectacular selection of Mary Blair's concept art for Walt Disney Productions' 1950 release Read More... Posted Thursday, October 04, 2007 12:00 AM | 4 Comments Filed under: animation, book, Disney, DVD / Video, movies, Walt Disney, traditional animation, Disney Press, Peter Pan, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Productions, Walt Disney's Cinderella, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Mary Blair, concept art, Newbury Medal, Cynthia Rylant, Animation Research Library, ARL, Jon Scieszka, WDAS