Unlocking Animation Layout ― Expert Techniques for Effective Backgrounds

From his days working under the Nine Old Men and creating layout for Disney classics like Aladdin and Hercules to more than a decade of teaching animation to the rising generation at CalArts, Dan Hansen has accumulated a lifetime of knowledge and is sharing it with you in Unlocking Animation Layout. Acting as your personal mentor, Hansen walks you through all of the elements of design and layout you’ll need to become a successful layout artist. Each chapter discusses a new concept using actual layout drawings from real films, includes a list of film examples of the idea in action, and offers an assignment that, once completed, can become part of your portfolio.

While other books get in depth about the technical aspects of perspective or animation pipeline, they won’t bring you any closer to becoming a better artist. But Unlocking Animation Layout does just that, focusing on the design and art skills you’ll need to affect the viewer’s experience and help the director tell the story. Packed with information you won’t find anywhere else, this book is an invaluable resource for students and professionals who are interested in improving their animation layout skills.

Dan Hansen earned his BA degree in Motion Picture and Television Production from the University of California at Los Angeles. After graduating from UCLA he attended Art Center College of Design where he was recruited by Walt Disney Pictures in 1975. For 27 years he was a layout artist, artistic coordinator, layout department supervisor and art director with Walt Disney Feature Animation where he worked on 12 animated features including Aladdin, Pocahontas, Hercules and The Emperor's New Groove. While working full time at Disney Dan taught night classes at CalArts from the mid 1980s through 1990. His students include Mark Andrews (co-director John Carter, Academy Award winner for co-directing Brave for Pixar), Brenda Chapman (Academy Award winner for co-directing Brave for Pixar, Head of Story on Lion King), and Pete Docter (Pixar director Monsters, Inc., Academy Award winner for UP). In 2002 he returned to CalArts where he taught full time 2002-2014, and was Program Director of Character Animation from 2008 to 2014.