Editorial Reviews
Product Description:Motion Graphic Design and Fine Art Animation teaches aesthetic visual concepts and practical techniques used by todays motion graphics and animation professionals. Its cutting-edge layout and rich visuals provide a comprehensive investigation of how images and type are choreographed over time and space, providing artistic inspiration and establishing a basis for individual creative development.
Since the early 1900s, fine artists have embraced the power of animation in motion pictures. Since the late 1970s, graphic designers have explored motion in the televised medium. More recently, animation has become a powerful force in interactive digital media. Today, fine artists and graphic designers have the opportunity (and are often expected) to be animators, as well.
Inspirational and informative, this book is intended for practicing artists, graphic designers, educators, and students who are new to the incredible world of animation both independently and commercially.
This book offers an historical and critical overview of how animation has evolved as an artistic and commercial practice in film, television, and digital media. It also explores conceptual processes by which fine art animators and motion graphic designers develop creative ideas, and it investigates how aesthetic principles apply to animation.
Jon Krasner offers a thorough investigation of common processes such as frame-by-frame animation, interpolation, and compositing. In addition, he explains how designers can approach progressive phenomena, such as motion and transition, and choreograph them to enhance artistic expression and conceptual impact.
As film, television, and digital media introduce certain standards that must be honored during production, this book provides innovative solutions for overcoming the challenges often presented by these conventions.
*Engage yourself in a technical and aesthetic investigation of 2D motion graphics for digital media design
*Grow your understanding of timeless design concepts with a straightforward explanation that you can apply to future projects
*See the rich, full-color illustrations of work by leading motion graphic designers and fine art animators
*Play the DVD to view a full motion gallery of international creative work from studios and major designers of the 21st century, as well as interview clips with graphic design professionals
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
almost an all-encompassing motion design book, August 28, 2005
By
o. russell (kingston, jamaica)
I have several other animation books and this book condenses most of the information into a well organized and well printed book. I am alos impressed with the DVD that is included as it gives several examples of motion graphics and fine art animation. I am using this book to teach a tim-based media course at an art school and it is a great resource which combines animation and commercial motion design principles in a way that will be easier for students to understand.
The book unlike other book which should really be printed in colour is beautifully printed and bound-not cheap at all. This perhaps explains the price. I do wish however that the author would have included more about some of the early fine art animators like Norman McLaren and Oskar Fischinger. I guess 'Experimental Animation' by Cecile Starr and Robert Storr cover this but that book is black and white and doesn't provide av examples. Overall however it is a good book that takes a slightly new direction.
A Natural Introduction to Motion Graphics, May 3, 2005
By
Stephen Goldstein (Boston, MA)
Jon Krasner's approach to motion graphics is a natural for learning the medium as an artform and commercial process. Rather than simply teaching tools and how to mechanics as most books are prone to doing, he builds an understanding of the media from the bottom up-from ideas to execution with an experienced eye for the use of tools and special effects. The emphasis is on how to organize ideas and build a coherent, interesting visual animation using the tools.
This book has the added advantage of retracing a history of motion graphics that will introduce the reader to the ideas and artists that pioneered the form and its evolution to the desktop digital environment. The author then introduces the reader to a wide array of processes and software applications for developing varied approaches to animation.
It is as good an approach to the subject as I've seen, and a valuable introduction to motion graphics animation.
Great book for basics and beyond, April 27, 2005
By
A. HarrisMaybe like me, you remember the days when Desktop Publishing was in its infancy and millions of ugly pages were created by people who had no talent or experience in design, but did own new software that would let them create those ugly pages very quickly.
But not all designs just sit on a page; they move across screens large and small. And again, as hardware and software become ever more powerful, we're in danger of being deluged with video and motion graphics that suffer from a lack of understanding of the fundamentals of good design and production.
But this book just might keep history from repeating itself. The writer offers insights into the history of motion graphics and then shines a spotlight on groundbreaking examples of more recent work. He talks about concept & design (and even how to come up with good ideas) and then takes you through production and distribution of the work. Some of it is pretty basic, but that's what happens when you're trying to create a book that covers ALL the bases. This guy is apparently a teacher and there's definitely a method to his approach.
And BTW, the accompanying DVD alone is worth the price of the book! It's got a great sampling of work and then the creators of that work talk about what they did and why they did it. You might not recognize the names, but you will certainly recognize some of the images.
If you're looking for a how-to book tied to a specific piece of software, I don't think this book is for you. But if you want a clear and complete understanding of the past, present and future of motion graphics you, this is one is a winner.
How else can you describe boring?, October 16, 2004
By
Chris Carson (London UK)
This really is a very good book, but it has it's limitations and requires a narrow audience (not for everybody). It's written by a Propeller-Head who does little more than state the obvious. If you've been away on the planet Mars for awhile, then this book is a good introduction to the genre. Although it might stimulate some ideas, although there again it might not. If you've already got a good fix on where you're going and where you're coming from, in motion graphic design, look for something else with a little more depth and breadth.
New Twist On Learning, August 23, 2004
By
S. Detrie (Los Angeles CA USA)
i really enjoyed the approach of this motion graphics book. If you are
familiar with books that come out in this area, they are all generally
geared towards either learning software or recording the latest and greatest designs being done. Nothing wrong with that kind of approach,
but this book takes on some new territory, including a look at the history and roots. Even more importanly it tries to cover the toughest element
of all- having an IDEA. This book does a good job explaining that
motion graphics start with ideas, not knowing which buttons to push.
Of course everyone in the this area needs solid information also,
which a number of writers do well with. Still, a well rounded approach
makes beginners and professional consider the big picture. History, concept and practical information all in one.
I would highly recommend this.
