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Books
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Animators Survival Kit - Richard Williams: A comprehensive guide to animation techniques and principles by legendary animator Richard Williams. I still refer to this book from time to time to revisit the basics of animation
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Acting for Animators - Ed Hooks: Offers insights into how animators can use acting principles to create more believable characters. His approach to acting has been highly influential in the animation industry.
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Drawn to Life - Walt Stanchfield: A collection of lecture notes from Disney master animator Walt Stanchfield, focusing on dynamic drawing for animators. Stanchfield is one of my favourite artists/authors, going deeper than the 12 principles of animation, and really focusing on what makes a good drawing in animation.
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The Illusion of Life: An essential resource on the principles and history of Disney animation, written by legendary animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston.
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Directing for Animation - Tony Bancroft: Provides practical advice on directing animated films from pre-production to final edit. I first understood a bit of story and structure when reading this book
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Force: Dynamic Life Drawing - Michael Mattesi: Focuses on capturing the dynamic, energetic quality of life drawing, crucial for animators. Encouraging artists to view the line as a force on the page is a very useful approach to gesture drawing.
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Simplified Drawing for Planning Animation - Wayne Gilbert: Offers simplified techniques for planning and structuring animation drawings. Nicely packaged and easy to follow!
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Understanding Comics - Scott McCloud: Analyzes the structure and storytelling techniques of comics, relevant to animators for visual storytelling.
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Making Pictures Speak - Jay Senetchko: Explores the relationship between image and narrative in visual art. Jay was an instructor at Centre for Entertainment Arts where I was his teaching assistant. I credit a lot of my knowledge of drawing from watching him draw.
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The Visual Story - Bruce Block: Discusses the elements of visual storytelling, crucial for animators in creating compelling narratives. He breaks down the elements of visual storytelling into various visual components such as line and shape.
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Animals in Motion - Eduard Muybridge: A classic reference book with detailed photographic sequences of animals in motion.
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The Animation Book - Kit Laybourne: A comprehensive guide to the art and techniques of animation, covering both traditional and digital methods.
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Character Animation Crash Course - Eric Goldberg: Disney Animator, Eric Goldberg, offers practical tips and techniques for creating engaging and expressive character animation.
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Directing the Story - Francis Glebas: Provides insights into visual storytelling and storyboarding for animated films.
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Elemental Magic 1 and 2: Explores the art and techniques of special effects animation.
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Queens of Animation: Chronicles the untold story of women who played a crucial role in Disney animation history.
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Nancy Beiman's Animated Performance: Offers a deep dive into character animation and the subtleties of performance.
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Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain - Betty Edwards: Teaches drawing skills by tapping into the creative, right side of the brain.
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Anatomy for Sculptors - Uldis Zarins: A detailed reference book on human anatomy, tailored for 3D artists.
Online Courses
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Animation Mentor: Offers online animation courses taught by industry professionals.
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Schoolism: Provides a variety of art and animation courses from top artists in the industry.
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New Masters Academy: Offers extensive art education, including drawing and animation courses, through online videos.
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The Gnomon Workshop: Specializes in high-end training for the entertainment arts, including animation and visual effects.
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Coursera: Provides access to numerous online courses, including those on animation and drawing.
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Skillshare: Hosts a variety of online classes, including many focused on animation and digital art.
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Udemy: Offers a wide range of online courses, including those on animation and related software.
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21 Draw: Provides instructional content on character design and animation by industry professionals.
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Masterclass.com: Features courses taught by renowned experts, including animation and filmmaking.
Software & Tools
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Adobe Creative Cloud: A suite of software for graphic design, video editing, web development, and photography, including tools for animators.
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Maya Autodesk: A leading 3D animation software used in film, television, and game development.
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Blender: A free and open-source 3D creation suite supporting the entire 3D pipeline.
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Toonboom: A professional animation software used for creating primarily 2D animations.
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TV Paint: A software designed for digital 2D animation and storyboarding.
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Krita: A free and open-source painting program used for concept art, texture and matte painting, and illustration.
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Procreate and Procreate Dreams: Digital illustration apps for the iPad, widely used by artists for drawing and painting.
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Keyframe MP and Keyframe Pro: Professional playback tools for animators and video editors.
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Animschool Picker: A tool that simplifies character rig selection for animation in Maya.
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Atools and Animbot: A collection of tools designed to enhance animation productivity in Maya.
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Studio Library: A free tool for managing animation assets and pose libraries in Maya.
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Syncsketch: A collaborative platform for reviewing and giving feedback on animations and videos.
Websites, Video Tutorials, & Channels
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Animator Island: Provides articles, tips, and tutorials on animation techniques and principles.
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Animation Buffet: Offers a collection of free animation rigs and assets.
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Artstation: A portfolio platform for artists, including many animators and digital artists.
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Prorigs: Offers professional rigs for animators to practice and enhance their skills.
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Frame by Frame: Features breakdowns and analyses of animation sequences.
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Animprops: Offers high-quality props and assets for animators.
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Proko: Provides drawing tutorials and resources, useful for animators looking to improve their drawing skills.
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Living Lines Library: An archive of animation drawings and reference materials
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Lineofaction.com: Offers tools and resources for life drawing practice.
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Animation World Network: A comprehensive resource for animation news, articles, and events.
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Animation Magazine: Provides news, reviews, and articles on the animation industry.
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Cartoon Brew: A blog covering animation news, trends, and industry insights.
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Cartoon North - Canadian Animation Resources Blog: Focuses on the animation industry in Canada, providing news and resources.
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National Film Board Animations: Offers a collection of animated films and resources from the National Film Board of Canada.
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Trick Film: A website dedicated to indie animation, including access to animated content, and ways of fundraising your indie film.
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Creature Art Teacher - Aaron Blaise: Offers tutorials and courses on drawing and animation by former Disney animator Aaron Blaise.
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Animate with Arran: Provides tutorials and resources for animators.
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Alan Becker’s 12 Principles of Animation: A video series explaining the fundamental principles of animation.
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Toniko Pantoja: A YouTube channel providing animation tutorials and tips.
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Jazza: A popular YouTube channel offering tutorials and entertainment for artists and animators.
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@figisisters - Georgina Cahill Productions: Features drawing, animation tutorials and art education content.
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Mitch Leeuwe: Provides tutorials and process videos on drawing and animation.
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Jean-Denis Haas: Shares tips and tutorials on character animation and performance.
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Sir Wade Neistadt: A YouTube channel focused on animation tutorials and industry insights.
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Stephen Silver: Offers drawing tutorials and advice for aspiring animators and artists.
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Kevin Parry: Stop-mo animator shares animation tutorials and behind-the-scenes content.
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Alessandro Camporota: A YouTube channel providing animation tutorials and resources.
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Deja View: Legendary animator Andreas Deja's blog sharing animation gems.
Reference Libraries & Databases
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Filmgrab: A database of high-quality film stills for visual reference and inspiration.
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Shotdeck: A comprehensive database of movie shots for reference and inspiration.
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Animation Screencaps: A resource for high-quality animation screenshots from various films.
Job & Industry Resources
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Industry Job Spreadsheet: A comprehensive spreadsheet of job listings in the animation industry.
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Linkedin.com: A professional networking site with job listings and connections in the animation industry.
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Indeed.com: A job search engine that lists opportunities in animation and related fields.
Professional Organizations & Societies
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ASIFA: A global organization promoting the art of animation and connecting animators worldwide.
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Women in Animation: A non-profit organization dedicated to advancing women in the animation industry.
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Rise Up Animation: Provides support for underrepresented groups in animation.
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Spark CG Society: Focuses on supporting women and minorities in the visual effects and animation industries.
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ACM SIGGRAPH: A professional organization for computer graphics and interactive techniques, including animation.
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The Visual Effects Society: Represents the global visual effects community, offering resources and networking opportunities.
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IATSE: A union representing workers in the entertainment industry, including animators.
Events & Festivals
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Annecy Festival: One of the most prestigious international animation festivals, held annually in France.
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Ottawa International Animation Festival: A major event showcasing the best in animation from around the world.
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Annie Awards: An annual awards ceremony recognizing excellence in animation.
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