Animator's Survival Kit Now Released for iBooks

Animator's Survival Kit - now on iBooks

Faber and Faber has just announced the launch of the Animator's Survival Kit for iBooks.  The new edition brings together the complete 'Expanded Edition' of The Animator's Survival Kit with over 100 animated examples from The Animator's Survival Kit Animated DVD box set. It will be available globally, priced at £19.99/$28.99.  What does this mean for students of animation? It means you can now use the ASK on your Mac laptop - you don't need an iPad.

From Rabbits to Robots - Matt Novak Introduces his latest book

I first met Matt Novak working at the Disney Florida animation studio, known back in the late 1980s as the Disney MGM Studios. We were both working on Rollercoaster Rabbit, and we were part of the Magic of Disney Animation ride, called by everyone who worked in it (safely out of earshot of anyone important) as The Goldfish Bowl, a walk-through animation installation where the public could witness actual animated films being made.

For me, just 19 years old and still studying at University, it was a paradise, an absurdly lucky break into one of the top studios in the animation business. I was there in the summer of 1989, and Matt had already started a career as an illustrator, having published his first book Rolling back in 1986.

We got on famously, joining in obligatory trips to the local karaoke lounge, and even making it down to the Florida Keys, before my golden summer at Disney finally ended and I returned to England to continue my studies. Matt stayed on, but eventually left Disney to become a full-time writer and illustrator. Now, with around 20 books to his name, Matt has just published his latest book: Little Robot.

A Lazy Elf for Christmas

Thomas Bo Huusmann is a graduate of the excellent Animation Workshop in Denmark, surely one of the very best places to study animation in Europe. The school encourages its students not just to find work as employees in animation companies, but to be entrepreneurs, starting up small businesses and media enterprises. Since graduating in 2011, Thomas has founded his own independent company Huusmann Media. He has just published a new eBook - Lazy Elf - just in time to solve FLIP readers' last minute Christmas gift crises. Phew!

The Art of Caricature - DreamWorks animator Jim Van Der Keyl reveals his secrets

Jim Van Der Keyl is a caricaturist and animator who has worked on many of the biggest animated hits from DreamWorks in recent years, including Kung Fu Panda, Kung Fu Panda2, Flushed Away, and Over the Hedge. In 1999 he was nominated for an Annie award for his animation on Brad Bird's masterpiece  The Iron Giant. He also writes books and DVDs on the art of caricature - truly a renaissance animator. FLIP asked him to reveal the secrets of the craft - how does an animator become a great caricaturist?

Stephan Franck's graphic novel Silver - just launched!

Con-men, crypts, buried treasure... and zombies

In March we interviewed animator, story board artist and director Stephan Franck, who has just published his first graphic novel - Silver. Until now it was only available from the Dark Planet Comics website, but Stephan's new book now has a commercial outlet - you can download the complete eBook for just $1.99 from comixology.com.

The Animator's Survival Kit - now an iPad app

FLIP has been granted a sneak peek at the latest animation app to hit the iPad - The Animator's Survival Kit. We have now road-tested the new digital ASK: below is our thoroughly biased and not at all independent view of this new electronic addition to the animator's library.

Vladimir Todorov's eBook released at last

Vladimir Todorov is an animator, and designer (and friend of FLIP) whose credits include Harry Potter, Beowulf, Eragon and Polar Express. He has just released his much-anticipated book Moon Rock at amazon.com You can buy the book here, and read our interview with Vlad about how Moon Rock was put together, here. Many congratulations to Vlad on getting his book to market.

---Alex

A photo interview wuth Uli Meyer and his new children's book "Cuthbert was Bored"

Uli Meyer at work - photograph copyright Richard Keith Wolff

Photographer and friend of FLIP Richard Keith Wolff visited veteran London-based animator Uli Meyer at his Kentish town home, to talk animation and children's books. Uli discusses his much-anticipated new children's book - "Cuthbert was Bored", and the inspiration he drew from Ronald Searle, while Richard photographs the artist at work.

Vladimir Todorov reveals the secrets of the eBook

 
Vladimir Todorov is an animator, designer and story board artist who has worked on many Hollywood feature films including The Polar Express, Harry Potter, Beowulf and the forthcoming Jack the Giant Slayer. In 2009 Vlad published a book titled Moon Rock which is about to be released an an e-book.