The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation is an epic tome by two of Disney’s greatest animators, Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston. This 575 page book covers every aspect of traditional animation and tells many stories about how the artists, writers, directors, musicians, and technicians at Disney developed their animated films. Beyond technique, it is also an amazing collection of Disney art that include many character sketches, storyboards, concept art, and stills from the final film.

This book would be of special interest to film buffs interested in an inside view of creating Disney’s animated movies in the golden years of animation. It’s also a great collection of art for artists. For animators, it offers a wealth of tips and techniques for traditional animation.

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