Rating: 
Summary: Revised and up-to-date
Review: A great textbook on many aspects of being an animator, from making an independent short film to finding distribution. Very good sourcebook. Includes new information about computer animation!
Rating: 
Summary: Very general, not enough updated info
Review: Although it is almost impossible for a book to provide the most up-to-date info, this book tries it's best. I really think that an animation book should be specified (ie 2d, stop-motion, 3d, etc) in order to not "cheat" the reader out of more intense knowledge. However, if a broad introduction is what you seek, then this book will work (but there are less expensive books that will do just the same).
Rating: 
Summary: Good introduction to Animation
Review: I am using this book for background info for an animation unit I teach with my graphics students. It gives you a good overview of many different animation techniques. It answered a lot of my questions. This book is a good start, but you might also want to check out animation by preston blair, and Animation from script to screen by Shamus Culhane. Shamus will make an animator out of you by the end of his book.
Rating:
Summary: I adore this book.
Review: I make short films and teach film and video, (as well as computer art), and "The Animation Book" made me weep gentle tears of joy. Not only is it full of the information that both the beginner and the more advanced animator will use, it is an inspiration. It has stills from some of the best independent animations around, as well as pages Laybourne prompts the reader to draw in and rip out. After reading the intro and flipping faster and faster through the pages, I felt a very powerful need to animate - right now! I haven't felt this excited about what I do in years, and I can't say I've ever found a book that has thrilled me so. Just to make certain I wasn't being overly sentimental, I put this book in the hands of several non-animating, and highly cynical individuals. One by one, each succumbed to the charms of the little drawings of equipment and then distractedly searched around for a pencil, so they too could begin the exercises. This was written in 1979, and Laybourne does quite an admirable job of discussing computer technology of that time. But this book rightly focuses on hands-on, experimental work with garage sale equipment; the wonderful animations an individual can make in his/her kitchen. I want every student, every friend, to get this book, especially those working with new technology. It's a terrific antidote to the superficiality so often imposed by the ever-changing computer. "The Animation Book" encourages playing with ideas and aesthetics, a delightful reminder of what makes moving images amazing.
Rating:
Summary: I adore this book.
Review: I make short films and teach film and video, (as well as computer art), and "The Animation Book" made me weep gentle tears of joy. Not only is it full of the information that both the beginner and the more advanced animator will use, it is an inspiration. It has stills from some of the best independent animations around, as well as pages Laybourne prompts the reader to draw in and rip out. After reading the intro and flipping faster and faster through the pages, I felt a very powerful need to animate - right now! I haven't felt this excited about what I do in years, and I can't say I've ever found a book that has thrilled me so. Just to make certain I wasn't being overly sentimental, I put this book in the hands of several non-animating, and highly cynical individuals. One by one, each succumbed to the charms of the little drawings of equipment and then distractedly searched around for a pencil, so they too could begin the exercises. This was written in 1979, and Laybourne does quite an admirable job of discussing computer technology of that time. But this book rightly focuses on hands-on, experimental work with garage sale equipment; the wonderful animations an individual can make in his/her kitchen. I want every student, every friend, to get this book, especially those working with new technology. It's a terrific antidote to the superficiality so often imposed by the ever-changing computer. "The Animation Book" encourages playing with ideas and aesthetics, a delightful reminder of what makes moving images amazing.
Rating:
Summary: First book to read about animation!
Review: I was very happy with this book.
Rating:
Summary: I was lost until now!
Review: I'm familiar with animation in theory. I had experience in using some techniques but never translating any animation into a recorded movie or a digital format movie. This book explained me few things I was asking myself for a very long time. I mostly liked the table included in the book for what is the hardware configuration for a budget you have, as well as a table for best computer programs - today you can produce everything through a computer. If you think you know alot, but something IS STILL missing from your knowledge, grab the book!
Rating:
Summary: Broadly Scoped book
Review: In my opinion, the amount of topics this book tries to cover is too large. The book jumps from topic to topic without going into any majort detail on a particular topic. For istance, there is a chaper on 3d Animation which provides so little information that it is virtually usless.
Rating:
Summary: its not that great
Review: In some areas there isn't a lot of depth of how things are done. It describes many techniques of animation though, but needs to elaborate more. Fine for beginners
Rating:
Summary: Most definitive guide to animation of every kind
Review: Kit Laybourne should be commended for gathering the most up to date (as of 1998) and comprehensive information about animation of EVERY kind. I hope that there will be updates of this book. The animation field is exploding and transforming constantly.
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