Books, What are you reading? Options

[oliverandjazz]

I know this isnt a 'book' but has anyone seen 'orphan'? I love scary movies, I want to see that one and 'the collector' ...those both look like they are going to be great scary movies..

[Toni.x]

I know this isnt a 'book' but has anyone seen 'orphan'? I love scary movies, I want to see that one and 'the collector' ...those both look like they are going to be great scary movies..

I've saw 'Orphan' in preview a few weeks ago, and I seriously recommend it. It has some badly presented parts, but it's overall a really good (creepy) movie.

[Toni.x]

I'm currently reading a very creepy book. It's called
"'I' - The creation of a serial killer" By Jack Olsen.
It's about Keith Hunter Jesperson, or 'The Happy Face Killer' as he is known, and he has told the writer of the book, why he killed, and why he enjoyed it so much. Extremely weird stuff.
I'm on page 40, and it's increadibly disturbing so far. Nevertheless, very fascinating.

[dcorc]

I am currently reading "Drawn to Life" by Walt Stanchfield.

From the 1930s to 60s were regarded by many as the first golden age of animation. This was due in no small measure to the efforts of Walt Disney, who established very active on-job training and research groups among his staff to try to advance understanding of the basis of effective character animation. Rapid progress was made across these years in knowledge, and the had clear results in the quality of the films released.

However, by the 1970's, Walt Disney was dead (1966) and many of his veteran staff were also retiring or dying. In the later 1970s it was realised that young staff were no longer getting the sort of training which formerly occurred, and that this was adversely affecting the quality of the output, and ultimately the box-office. Furthermore, it was realised that there was a relatively short window of opportunity to make amends for this, as veterans were becoming very elderly. A policy was enacted to make a new strong push for an educational environment, veterans were encouraged to write up their knowledge (one result of this was Thomas and Johnston's book "Illusion of Life:Disney Animation" started in 1977 and published in 1981) and retired animators were brought back to mentor and teach.

One of these was Walt Stanchfield, who ran evening classes for Disney animators from 1980 until his death in 2000. The classes took the form of short-pose drawing sessions and discussion, and were accompanied by handouts of notes, and these acquired legendary status (I remember hearing of them when I was doing some computer animation in 1999, from online contacts I had with professional computer animators) but they were not available. Now, in 2009, (I've been waiting a decade to read these books) they have at last been published, in the form of 2 substantial (but relatively inexpensive) volumes.

They are rather informal, they don't provide a course in animation (for that, you'll want Thomas & Johnston's"Illusion of Life" mentioned above, and Richard Williams' "Animator's Survival Kit"), but are packed with good information, much of it to do with gestural drawing, capturing the life of poses and actions, visual storytelling, and of the importance of constant practice of core drawing skills. They are very readable (though sometimes a little rambling and repetitious - but there's so much good stuff in them, that can be readily forgiven), and I'd highly recommend them for all interested in drawing figures from life or imagination, anyone interested in visual storytelling in drawing/painting or animation, and all who are interested in cartooning or caricature.

Dave

[oliverandjazz]

dave that sounds like something i would be interested in putting in my drawing library, I love figure drawing.. you are always packed with the best info..

Toni, that reminds me of the first book like that i read as a youngster, my very first 'true' serial killer book i ever read, was the 'son of sam' it made a very lasting impression on my young brain, not for the better either..I was about 11 or 12, didnt even understand it all, but what i did stuck there..it is true that kids are impressionable for sure.. i shall have to give that one you are reading now a try too.

[Songsparrow]

dave that sounds like something i would be interested in putting in my drawing library, I love figure drawing.. you are always packed with the best info..

I was gonna buy this but Dave's ruined it by giving away the plot now!

[oliverandjazz]

lmao..

[dcorc]

[Mystic Sea]

I'm currently reading a very creepy book. It's called
"'I' - The creation of a serial killer" By Jack Olsen.
It's about Keith Hunter Jesperson, or 'The Happy Face Killer' as he is known

I think the book called Angel from Darkness written by Dennis McDougal is a very similar stuff, too; you may try it, if you are interested in such kind of genre.

What I am reading right now, are Italian renaissance novels - the stories are quite funny sometimes.

[Toni.x]

I think the book called Angel from Darkness written by Dennis McDougal is a very similar stuff, too; you may try it, if you are interested in such kind of genre.

Just borrowed it from the library
And now I'm creeped out again.

Toni.

[Mystic Sea]

Just borrowed it from the library
And now I'm creeped out again.

Toni.

Heeeellou Toni,
how about Angel from Darkness, what do you say - did you like it or..?

[Mystic Sea]

Currently, I am reading the book called Infidel and it is written by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who is a Dutch activist, intellectual, writer, and politician.

It is an autobiography - she writes about her childhood and youth in Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia and Kenya and about her trip and life in the Netherlands.
I think it is a very emotive (and sometimes a sad) book; it describes the way of life of those women, who live in strict Islamic society.

[Toni.x]

Heeeellou Toni,
how about Angel from Darkness, what do you say - did you like it or..?

I loved it! Very, very strange book. Really interesting when considering the psychology behind it.
Thanks for the recommendation.

Toni.

[Songsparrow]

Testing.

[conte]

The book im reading now is called Charles Bargue Drawing Course.

The Bargue-Gerome Drawing Course is a complete reprint of a famous, late nineteenth century drawing course. It contains a set of almost two hundred masterful lithographs of subjects for copying by drawing students before they attempt drawing from life or nature.

Charles Bargue

[dcorc]

The book im reading now is called Charles Bargue Drawing Course.

The Bargue-Gerome Drawing Course is a complete reprint of a famous, late nineteenth century drawing course. It contains a set of almost two hundred masterful lithographs of subjects for copying by drawing students before they attempt drawing from life or nature.

Charles Bargue

The Bargue book is excellent, but expensive. However, you will usually find it at a better price from the Dahesh Museum:
http://www.daheshmuseum.org/museumshop/ind...p?productID=285
(the organisers of the republication) than from Amazon.

Bargue plate copies, done very accurately, are widely used as part of the training program at modern Ateliers.

My good friend Paul Foxton details how to go about doing a Bargue copy at home, in his blog:
http://www.learning-to-see.co.uk/bargue-5-1


Dave

[dolphin-paradise]

I'm re reading Marked a house of night novel by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast I'm re reading the whole series so I can read Tempted the newest book.