Books like The Illusion of Life by Alan Cholodenko

A classic inside look at Disney animation, The Illusion of Life details the studio’s history and techniques, compiled by veteran animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston.

A comprehensive guide to animation technique and practice, ideal for beginners and experts alike.

Presents a set of basic exercises designed to release creative potential and tap into the special abilities of the brain's right hemisphere.

"Japanese Animation: East Asian Perspectives makes available for the first time to English readership a selection of viewpoints from media practitioners, designers, educators, and scholars working in the East Asian Pacific. This collection not only engages a multidisciplinary approach in understanding the subject of Japanese animation but also shows ways to research, teach, and more fully explore this multidimensional world. Presented in six sections, the translated essays cross-reference each other. The collection adopts a wide range of critical, historical, practical, and experimental approaches. This variety provides a creative and fascinating edge for both specialist and nonspecialist readers. Contributors' works share a common relevance, interest, and involvement despite their regional considerations and the different modes of analysis demonstrated. They form a composite of teaching and research ideas on Japanese animation"--

Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life (later republished as The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation) is a book by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, two of the key animators at Disney during the Golden Age of animation. Topping the list of "best animation books of all time" in a poll at AWN, it is still used as reference on and source of inspiration for character animation.

An essential guide for artists and viewers alike, this book traces the evolution of animated cartoons from early optical toys to sophisticated filmmaking, explaining techniques, apparatus, and practical shortcuts for creating motion on screen.