The Illusion of Life - (Disney Editions Deluxe) by Frank Thomas & Ollie Johnston (Hardcover)

About the Book

Written by the ultimate Disney insiders, this "bible" of animation has become a legend in itself. This volume seeks to explain the process that makes Disney's animation unique--what sets the work of the Disney studios apart from other animation products. Here are original sketches of best-loved Disney characters, how memorable movie sequences were made, and anecdotes about working with Walt. Full-color throughout. National ads/media.

Book Synopsis

The most complete book ever written on Disney character animation from the 1920s through the 1970s--by two long-term animators and Disney Legends.

This delightful inside story describes the evolution of the animation art from and the ways Disney characters got their unique personalities.

Authors Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston worked with Walt Disney and other leading figures across five decades of Disney films. They animated leading Disney characters and worked with others who helped perfect an extremely difficult and time-consuming art form. This illustrated volume is a "how-to animate" book crafted for anyone to enjoy. Frank and Ollie irresistibly charm readers with original drawings used in creating some of the best-loved characters in American culture, including Mickey Mouse and Cinderella. The authors showcase early sketches used in developing memorable sequences from classic movies such as Fantasia and Pinocchio. With the full cooperation of the Disney company and access to the studio's priceless archives, they choose the precise drawings to illustrate their points from among thousands of pieces of preserved artwork.

Film buffs, students of popular culture, and fans who warmly respond to Disney animation will adore this collection.

Some films Frank and Ollie feature:
- Shorts starring Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and Donald Duck
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 1937
- Pinocchio 1940
- Fantasia 1940
- Dumbo 1941
- Bambi 1942
- Cinderella 1950
- Alice in Wonderland 1951
- Peter Pan 1953
- Sleeping Beauty 1959
- One Hundred and One Dalmatians 1961
- Mary Poppins 1964
- The Jungle Book 1967

Frank and Ollie share Easter eggs, behind-the-scenes stories, and fun facts about:
- The history and core principles of animation
- People who directly worked on and influenced the films
- The uses of live-action footage in drawing humans and animals for the films
- The roles of artists, voice cast, and songwriters in preparation for the films
- Story and character development processes to final frames

Review Quotes

One of "5 must-read books on animation design Flip through these to understand the history and principles of animation . . . The authors of this book, Frank and Ollie, created animated masterpieces like 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs', 'Bambi', and 'Pinocchio'. This book looks at the way the duo played a role in turning the Walt Disney Studios into a powerhouse and highest standard in animation. By using simple language and avoiding jargon, the book looks at the 12 rules of animation the duo created, where an emphasis on characters being realistic, while having their own essence is explained."
--Tini Sara Anien, Deccan Herald, 2022

One of "My Seven 'Desert Island' Animation Reference Books . . . Everything that could have already been said about this book has been said. Suffice to say, if you can own just one book about Disney animation, this is it. The development of the studio's approach to character animation has never been more clearly documented."
--Amid Amidi, Cartoon Brew, 2013

One of the "Three books that mean a lot to me."
--Rob LaDuca, Disney animation guru, Variety, 2008

"Thomas and Johnston, two of Disney's original animators, here give the inside scoop on how the studio created the works that have charmed the world. 'The text is ambitious, ' said LJ's reviewer (LJ 12/15/81). The 'authors simultaneously give a history of Disney animation and explain the processes involved in clear, nontechnical terms.' Along with the splendid text are dozens of color and black-and-white photographs and illustrations. A 'magnificent volume' that remains 'essential for film collections and a feast for the most casual peruser.'
--Library Journal, Reed Business Information, Inc., 1996

About the Author

Two of Walt Disney's famous "Nine Old Men," Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston met as students at Stanford University and joined the Disney studio within a year of each other in the mid-1930s. In 1978, they retired from Walt Disney Productions and began work on this book. In that same year, they received the "Pioneer in Film" award from the University of Southern California chapter of Delta Kappa Alpha National Honorary Cinema Fraternity and further honors from the American Film Institute at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. As Frank and Ollie wrote first-hand about their Disney animation volume The Illusion of Life, "We hope that some readers will be stimulated to carry on these traditions and elevate this art form to an ever-higher level."