Dream Worlds: Production Design for Animation Reviews

• Inspiring!

  
  By A10G4BPT5MGBHY on 2007-12-13
  Wow! I want to gaze in awe at every page of this beautiful yet practical book, which is filled with art. Dozens of backgrounds from "Bambi" show the stunning skill and style of those artists like you've never seen it before. Another section illustrates many creative ways to imagine a bird, from concept pieces from "Fantasia 2000." Other pages show thumbnails and composition notes from the early stages of "Lilo & Stitch." There's also a whole chapter on composition that combines a how-to manual with frames of Disney's "Brother Bear."
  
  I could go on forever, but suffice it to say that this book is an absolute must-buy. Anyone who wants to study the best artists in the animation business, or just loves to look at imaginative watercolors and stunning uses of color, will find it truly inspirational. Yes, it's nearly all Disney, but don't let that mislead you. This book is not published by the Disney company, and has no promotional feel.
  
  For more art from "Cinderella" check out Walt Disney's Cinderella. For a nice academic companion try To Infinity and Beyond!: The Story of Pixar Animation Studios.
  
  

• stunning

  
  By A2S6BWAC723BOW on 2007-12-30
  This book exceeded all expectations, and that means quite something if you've been looking forward to it for almost 2,5 years. It is filled to the top with pre-production artwork and designs. There is not so much text, but what's there is useful and informative. It's as much about the creative process as about pure practical knowledge and cinematic rules, the latter ones which often seems to be absent in graphic books like this one, but not here!
  
  

• Fascinating from start to finish

  
  By A2UWYJTIQ8HJZV on 2008-01-17
  I knew Dreamworlds had a good chance to be good, but I never realized it would be that good! I was afraid it might be a book purely aimed at professional artists. It isn't. If you are interested in the history of the Disney Studio during the last 20 years, if you love concept art, and if you want to discover concept paintings from quite a few of the discarded projects Hans worked on at Disney just before he left, like My People, Wild Life or Fraidy Cat, get this book now. This is a "must-have" and a "must-read" (there is also beautiful art from Beauty and the Beast, Mulan,...). More interesting artwork in this book that in quite a few "art-ofs" released by Disney recently.
  
  
  

• Lost opportunity

  
  By A1JSWEUO5LKXGL on 2008-04-01
  What a wonderful opportunity the publishers have squandered here. The author is clearly very informed and his own art work, outstanding. The illustrations are essentially wonderful too. So what's wrong? Lack of courage on the part of the publishers. A work of this magnitude needs to be reproduced at a size to fit its contents. The illustrations are very often way too small - little bigger than postage stamps at times - and even the full-pagers would have benefitted from a larger page to fill. The text is also far too brief - almost anecdotal and saying far less than it could. This book cries out for pages that are 2 - 3 times larger and the text demands a book of twice the length. It was extremely frustrating to peer at art work that so deserves to be reproduced at a good size on quality paper. Would I recommend it? Of course. Much of the art work has not to my knowledge been published elsewhere. Just make sure you have a magnifying glass to hand!
  
  

• Awesome Informitive and honest book

  
  By ASV8E7YNBZUSH on 2008-02-13
  Thanks you Hans Bacher for putting together his notes and thoughts from most of his experiences as an artist. As another artist it was really inciteful and refreshing to hear again what he had to say. Oh and the artwork is amazing. The fun he had doing all these pieces really shows.
  Highly recommend this book. It's just as helpful and easy to read as the Animator's Survival Kit by Richard Williams.
  
  
• Essential for anyone into animation production design
  By A16T2C41GZYAJZ on 2008-11-28
  Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1FVLNK3AHJ9MP This book is an invaluable resource for any production designer. It talks about how to go about setting the style and look for animation.
  
  This is a very practical book. While it talks on the production design process, it provides tons of examples from Disney's archive to support design concepts. There are many useful lessons, such as film analysis, visual development and research, camera rules, composition, staging and others.
  
  There are also dedicated chapters to films where Hans Bacher talks specifically on how production design was done.
  
  I bought this book primarily for the art but I've realised that there's more to all the art displayed. Many of the storyboards, while lacking details are visually strong because of the composition.
  
  Every example included in the book serves to emphasis design concepts. The clear and simple explanation provides another perspective into looking at storyboards, into understanding what the scene means and how it contributes to the story.
  
  This book is well worth the money, actually not just to production designers, but for every artist. The lessons taught are universal and can be applied in different fields if it's related to art.
  
  Let me end with a quote from Andrea Deja, the Supervising Animator of Walt Disney Studios:
  
  When it comes to color, composition and design, Hans is in a class by himself. Look through the pages of Dream Worlds and be inspired by Han's high standards and his art. It is a feast for the eyes.
  
  
  
  Here's the list of chapters:
  
  * Film Analysis
  * Beauty and the Beast
  * Visual Development and Research
  * Aladdin
  * Inspiration
  * Camera Rules
  * The Lion King
  * Composition
  * Hercules
  * Staging and Formats
  * Mulan
  * Rhythm and Style Variety
  * Lilo and Stitch
  * Value and Color
  * Brother Bear
  * Unfinished Disney Projects
  * Own Projects
  * The Masters -- Bambi
  
  There are more pictures of the book on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.
  
  
• Amazing contents presented in not so amazing presentation
  By A2CL4BREJEUPSX on 2008-04-19
  Everything in it is golden. The information is superb. Definitely a must have for production artist interested in animation field.
  I can see this book become the most sought book in animation field.
  Filled with nothing but legendary works of arts.
  Definitely a must have.
  
  Now i have praised everything that i need to praise about the content, let's deal with the bad.
  
  Everything will be perfect if only the publishers know the difference between a bad paper and a good paper.
  For a hard cover book, i do not expect such poor quality of papers to be used.
  
  It is a bit insulting to see maestro works such as Eyvind Earle's and many others to be presented in a low quality paper. The book is as guilty as Leonardo Da Vinci's glorified failure of his "Last Supper", if you know what i mean.
  
  Everything is great but the presentation and the medium used ruin the supposedly a glorious victory.
  
  
• Exhilirating and inspiring!
  By A35GKAUGQ7W9V on 2008-01-12
  The long awaited book now finally in English! This book is a must-have for all animation students and people who work in the animation industry. The book is filled with a great variety of production designs from the Disney movies such as: "Beauty and the Beast", "Aladdin", "The Lion King" and "Mulan" to name a few.
  
  Bacher is a master in creating the right moods and compositions. The abundance of images are exhilirating. The images are interweaved with small explanatory text. The chapters: Camera Rules, Composition, Staging and Formats, Value and Color, are real eye-openers. Bacher explains every aspect of what makes a great design.
  
  Dream Worlds is an inspirational guide book that makes you want to create!
  
  
• A Treasure Chest!
  By A1MBQHWOSGL2DY on 2008-05-05
  Hans Bacher's retrospective of his years at Disney should be in every animation professional's library, actually it should be in every filmmaker's library. This is all the work that goes on behind the scenes to create the beauty we see on the screen. Hans is a genius when is comes to screen composition, color, visual motif.
  
  
• A tremendous resource for animators
  By A30JHTE49FGPMB on 2008-05-20
  I've been looking for a book like this for years! I've been able to find some great books about the principles of moving an animated character around and the "Art of"-type of books about a particular movie can be very inspiring and educational in their own right, but a book that deals with the thought process that goes into the production design of an animated film is long overdue. I wish it could have delved deeper into the more theoretical "nuts and bolts" of things like setting up camera shots for both 2D and 3D animation--I guess I'm looking for something more technical, where this book still has a "coffee table" feel to some of the individual chapters on particular films--but it's already had a big impact on the way I lay out scenes in my own work. I have a feeling this one is going to be on my drawing table for a long time!
  
  

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