CARTOON ANIMATION - by Preston BLAIR

chapter 3 menu

IN A PENDULUM BALANCE, THE ARMS SWING AS A REACTION TO THE THRUST OF THE PENDULUM LEG ACTION OF A WALK OR A RUN. THE EXTREME OF THE ARM SWING IS NOT ON THE LEG CONTACT DRAWING BUT ON THE RECOIL. THE LEG MOVES BACK AND STRAIGHTENS IN THE PUSH-EXTREME. AS A BALANCE TO THE LIFTED LEG, THE ARMS MOVE FORWARD IN A LOWER ARC THAN THEIR RETURN.

A VERTICAL THRUST UP OR DOWN CAN CREATE A VERTICAL REACTION. THIS ACTION IS IMPORTANT IN DIALOGUE MOVES OF THE HEAD AND ARMS AND IN ANTICIPATION ACTION DRAWINGS OF A HUNCH-CONTRACTION INTO A THRUST. WHEN THE LEG LIFTS, THE HEAD AND THE ARMS REACT BY LOWERING. IN A HEAVY DRAFT HORSE ACTION THE HEAD LOWERS AS THE LEG LIFTS IN A PULL.

THE BASEBALL PITCHER GOES THROUGH AN ELAB0RATE BALANCING ACT AS HE LIFTS HIS FOOT IN A WINDUP BEFORE A LEG SWING THAT HAS BEEN EXAGGERATED IN FORESHORTENING AS HE STARTS THE PITCH, THE ARM IS DELAYED TO GIVE MORE VIOLENCE TO THE ACTION. SINGLE-DRAWING DRAFTSMANSHIP IS ABANDONED FOR THE DRAFTSMANSHIP OF A SERIES WE SEE IN LESS THAN A SECOND.

BUY THIS BOOK !

Cartoon Animation (The Collector's Series)

by Preston Blair

" I've been in or near the cartoon business for 50 years and Preston Blair's "Cartoon Animation" played a big role in my education. "