Publications

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Composition for the 21st century book covers

Composition for the 21st century (2 volumes)

These two volumes explore the possibilities of design and composition for both the animated frame and character. The covered topics provide the reader with a wide scope of artistic options, with each examining the impact on the animated frame. These educational volumes assist the animation artist in making creative choices based on the foundation of design and narrative.

These two volumes include 750 colour illustrations.

Volume 1: Image-making for Animation

ISBN 9781138740891
482 Pages 750 Colour Illustrations

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Composition for the 21st ½ century: Image-Making for Animation focuses on composition and its technical and artistic application in animation, illustration, games, and films. It covers all aspects of design and discusses in detail their artistic applicability and impact on image and narrative. Emphasis is placed on the ability of each aspect to support and affect the narrative. Additional case studies explain the successful use of these concepts in films and animation. This book is geared toward students; however, it is also reader-friendly for professionals. Composition for the 21st ½ century: Image-Making for Animation’s goal is to comprehend composition as an artistic tool and as a significant part of the professional image-making process.

  • Teaches the complexity of composition in image-making
  • Closes the gap between praxis and theory in animation
  • Explains how to produce images that support the narrative in their visuals
  • Discusses the need for artistic reasoning in image-making
  • Presents case studies that assist the reader in understanding the process as they progress through this book

Volume 2: Characters in Animation

ISBN 9781138740907
362 Pages

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Composition for the 21st ½ century: Characters in Animation focuses on characters and their application in animation, illustration, games, and films. It covers various technical aspects of character design and their artistic applicability. This book analyzes in detail the purpose of these character design features and provides examples of their impact. Emphasis is placed on each aspect and how it affects and is affected by the narrative. Additionally, complex case studies that assist in explaining the successful use of these concepts in films and animation are included. This book is geared toward students; however, it is also reader-friendly for professionals. Composition for the 21st ½ century: Characters in Animation’s goal is to comprehend composition as an artistic tool and as a significant part of the professional character design process.

  • Teaches the complexity of composition in the professional character design process
  • Closes the gap between praxis and theory in character design
  • Explains how to produce believable characters that express their narrative in the visuals
  • Discusses the need for artistic reasoning in character design
  • Presents case studies to assist readers in understanding the process as they progress through this book