Elemental Magic: The Art of Special Effects Animation |  | Author: Joseph Gilland
Publisher: Focal Press
List Price: $49.95
Buy New: $29.28
as of 11/22/2009 01:03 CST details
You Save: $20.67 (41%)
New (27) Used (8) from $29.28
Seller: 3drteest
Rating:  24 reviews
Sales Rank: 170388
Media: Paperback
Pages: 328
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.4
Dimensions (in): 10.7 x 8.6 x 0.9
ISBN: 0240811631
Dewey Decimal Number: 741.58
EAN: 9780240811635
ASIN: 0240811631
Publication Date: March 4, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Create amazing animated effects such as fiery blazes, rippling water, and magical transformations. Animation guru Joseph Gilland breaks down the world of special effects animation with clear step-by-step diagrams and explanations on how to create the amazing and compelling images you see on the big screen. 'Elemental Magic' is jam-packed with rich, original illustrations from the author himself which help explain and illuminate the technique, philosophy, and approach behind classical hand drawn animated effects and how to apply these skills to your digital projects.
* Create stunning animated effects such as sparkling pixie dust, roaring tidal waves, and raging fires
* Apply the theory behind effects animation to your traditional and digital animation projects
* Written by animated effects guru, Joseph Gilland, who has worked on such feature films as Lilo & Stitch, Brother Bear, Pochahontas, Tarzan, and Mulan.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 24
 Limited in the modern animation context. November 20, 2009
Mike (CA)
This book provides a comprehensive description of how a master animator approaches creation of hand-drawn animations. There is nothing really surprising (eg: keep a sketch book/camera close at hand to capture reference material) for anyone with some familiarity with drawing and animation. I found the spiritual/new-age mumbo-jumbo speak a bit distracting at times and felt after finishing the book, that in the modern context of animation (CGI), the book was of limited value to a professional artist. It is not a beginners guide, as it assumes a good technical competence and so doesn't delve into the basic mechanics, but also does not cover the modern techniques and tools used for modeling, texturing and rendering.
It reads like a slightly indulgent professional biography. A coffee table book for a niche audience.
 A must for anyone in the Industry September 17, 2009
Patrick Krebs (Burbank, CA United States)
If more visual effects artists studied the principles in this book, modern special effects would be much much better. I'm not saying that flashing backgrounds behind speed racer, or blowing up Indiana Jones in a refrigerator isn't cool. Ok, yes I am. However I'm also saying that if artists spent time studying the principles of light, traditional art and motion the way they did in Italy 600 years ago, or even in Burbank 50 years ago we'd lend witness to a higher quality product.
Reading this book is like studying the masters. 30 years of experience boiled down into the key fundamentals every special effects artist should know about the human mind and how it interprets and finds pleasure int he patterns and asymmetrical nature of... well nature. These techniques can't be learned anywhere else.
This book is essential.
How to solve problems August 28, 2009
Amy Myatt
Special effects animation in a 2D media format is really about problem solving. It is not the job of the 2D special effects animator to create the most realistic effects, but to capture the essence. It provides a methodical challenge to the artist's eye that can be quite daunting. Simplify a tidal wave? How does a complete novice even begin to do such a thing?
This book is a lot like attending your first math class back in grade school. It teaches you the essentials of training your eye and your hand for the medium and then encourages you to challenge yourself with new problems and puzzles. There were moments in the book where I would think "Of course! The solution was right in front of me!"
So, is this book for you? I would recommend this title to artists who devoted to learning aspects of animation other than characters, and even to non-animators who wish to make their environments more alive. If you see yourself strictly as a character animator, I would still consider at least thumbing through the book as it provides a great way of making yourself more educated.
 unique hand drawn animations August 20, 2009
Daniel Mall (San Gabriel, CA United States)
This text has some unique content on hand drawn animations. The pretty color pictures also make this a coffee table book. Classigy this one as introductory since depth and context is lacking.
Good book and the history of animation August 20, 2009
Patrick Holt (San Antonio, TX USA)
Basically you can sum this book up as an lesson on how the old-fashioned way of animating special effects such as smoke, fire, waves of water etc, are still relevent to the computer age. The author show many example from concept to cell on how a particular effect was achieved by hand drawing, and alsot he process the animation artists used to better improve it.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 24
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