13 Best Animation Books

Richard Williams presents the underlying principles of animation through illustrated lessons drawn from his master classes. The manual explains how to create convincing movement across animation methods, with guidance on difficult subjects such as animal action and using live-action reference.

Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston recount the development of Disney character animation from their experience inside the studio. Drawings and production examples explain animation principles, working methods, and the artistic choices that gave characters distinctive movement and personality.

Hayao Miyazaki’s essays, interviews, and recollections trace his early career and the development of his ideas about animation. The collection discusses childhood influences, creative work, and the founding of Studio Ghibli, offering insight into his approach to filmmaking.

Ed Hooks applies acting theory to creating animated characters with believable emotions and intentions. He examines scene structure, character development, and the connections between thought and physical action, helping animators consider how a performance communicates meaning to an audience.

Preston Blair explains how to design cartoon characters and bring them to life through movement. Drawings and diagrams demonstrate character construction, poses, walks, runs, facial expressions, and dialogue, connecting drawing skills with the principles of traditional character animation.

Michael Barrier examines the development of American studio animation, following Disney, Warner Bros., and their contemporaries. Drawing on interviews and archival research, he considers how artists, production practices, and studio decisions shaped animated cartoons during their formative decades.

Harold Whitaker and John Halas explain how timing gives animated movement weight, mood, and dramatic effect. Illustrated examples address the number, spacing, and duration of drawings, showing how animators shape motion and coordinate actions with speech and storytelling.

Eric Goldberg combines instructional drawings with explanations of character animation techniques. He examines acting, design, staging, timing, spacing, weight, and facial expression, showing how these elements work together to give animated characters personality and make their movements convincing.

Francis Glebas explains how filmmakers organize images to communicate a story. Illustrated examples connect storyboarding, staging, composition, and the viewer’s attention, showing how visual decisions shape emotion and clarify action in animation and live action.

The first volume of Walt Stanchfield's Disney lectures, edited by Don Hahn, explores gesture drawing and observation for animation. Illustrated lessons examine how artists capture movement, weight, and the essence of a pose, alongside reflections on creativity and artistic practice.

This second volume continues Walt Stanchfield's collected teaching notes from his years mentoring Disney artists. Edited by Don Hahn, the illustrated lectures develop his ideas about gesture, observation, and expressive drawing, linking animation practice with broader reflections on art and life.

Fraser MacLean traces the development of animation layout through studio artwork, production examples, and interviews. The book explores how artists establish environments, perspective, composition, and camera placement to create the spaces in which animated stories unfold.

Mike Mattesi presents his FORCE approach to figure drawing, using rhythm, shape, and line to communicate energy and movement. Illustrated examples explain how to observe the body dynamically and translate that understanding into drawings for illustration, animation, and related work.