The Nine Old Men: Lessons, Techniques, and Inspiration from Disney's Great Animators: Lessons, Techniques, and Inspiration from Disney's Great Animators

Over the past 25 years we've seen lots of books written by great fans of animation. This is the first done by a great animator who-- as a result of Divine Fate or cocked up luck-- arrived on the art scene just after the Golden Age of animation had sadly ended. Fortunately for us, Andreas sees himself as the chronicler of that great age, the age of the fabulous Nine Old Men. As is the case, I'm sure, with each of Andreas' hardcore fans, my copy of "The Nine Old Men" was pre-ordered the moment I discovered it was available---and I anticipate waiting at the door soon to greet it with the words, "Hello my new friend, welcome to Hawaii." But in the meantime, forgive me for jumping the gun somewhat to review Andreas' book based on the utterly remarkable "See Inside the Book" appearing above. "The 9 Old Men" appears to be a typical Deja production--- and by that I mean, a pure delight. Anyone who has visited Andreas' blog "Deja View" (itself one of the Wonders of the Modern World), knows this man/boy is possessed of the deepest appreciation for 2 dimensional animation ---so deep, in fact, that his live lectures come across as art events themselves ---somewhere in between poetry readings and improvisational theater. All that enthusiasm and affection is present in the pages of "The 9 Old Men" ---the meticulous selection of extraordinary artwork, the heartfelt exposition (spiced with Andreas' clever "asides"), the astute delineation of the process by which drawings are made to move (in both senses of that word). In 100 years, if anyone wonders what that thing called 2 dimensional animation was all about, all they'll need to do is consult this lovely gem of a book. Actually, as I think about it, Andreas has done something more than that. Something more beautiful. I read once that Gustave Dore, interrupted work on his long planned masterpiece, The Veil of Tears, to design a sculpture for the tomb of his friend and hero, Alexandre Dumas ---a magnificent D'artagnan, sword drawn, standing guard over Dumas' soul for all eternity. This is, in essence, what Andreas has done ---delaying completion of his own labor of love, the short film Mushka, to undertake a similar gesture of friendship to departed friends --only he's erected a safe resting place for 9 great souls, not just one.

AAAAAAAAAAAA

The Nine Old Men, the key animators of the 1940's and 50's, continue to inspire many up and coming animators. Andreas Deja, one of the leading Disney animators of the Renaissance era, knew and was taught by most of the Nine Old Men and writes about their careers and contributions to Disney Animation. Unlike Canemaker's earlier book which chronicled the lives of the Nine Old Men, Deja focuses on their skills and animation style while providing many animation sketches of a few scenes from a given film. I love the craft of these animation drawings. For up and coming animators, this should provide inspiration and insight on how to approach various animation aspects. Deja has hinted on writing about the other "earlier generation" of Disney animators (a book that needs to be written) as well as coffee table books on individual animators such as Milt Kahl (which would be a real treat). A great read for animators and Disney enthusiasts.

I own many books about animation, specifically Disney animation. This one is quite frankly the best. It’s so pure in its delivery and poignant in its content, it’s hard to think of one better. The quality of binding and paper is also second to none. If hand drawn animation is an obsession, like it is for me, or if you’re one that finds history and commentary on style interesting, then this should already be on your shelf.

The book is a classic to keep forever. The shipping of the book could have been better with more cushioning or packing around the book to keep it from banging in the box because it came with dented corners. Because the book covers are white it would’ve been nice if the book was wrapped because the book ended up dirty when I opened up the box.

Love love love this book! I have been a long-time fan of the Nine Old Men and of Andreas Deja's blog, and I know this will be one of my go-to books from here on out. This book is *all* about the art. There is artwork on every page and layouts that compliment the drawings. Plus pages and pages of rough animation drawings in sequence for each of the Nine Old Men. The drawings are gorgeous, and it is so great to see them in sequence on the page (and numbered so you can imagine the timing and inbetweens!) If you're a Disney fan, a hand-drawn animation fan, or just a fan of beautiful things, this book is no-brainer.

Simply Brilliant! This book could NOT have been written by ANYONE else. Andreas KNEW almost all of them. So these are FACTS, not opinions. I worked at Disney Animation many years ago. And I have been waiting along time for a book like this! The way Andreas fills the page with heartfelt stories, and techniques and using negative space to fill with beautiful images. BREATHTAKING! If you're a fan of a Walt Disney, Andreas Deja or animation you MUST buy this book! I can't wait to sit down and start sketching! Not that I can hold a candle to any of these artists. But you can't help to be utterly inspired. Thank you Andreas! A legend animator creates a legendary book!!!

I waited a good long time for this book to finally come out. I have been fascinated with Disney's 9 old men and their work for quite some time. I also have been following Andreas Deja's blog, also being a big fan of his storied life's work. I finally received my copy of the book and was not disappointed at all! What a great resource for fans of traditional 2D animation this book is! The insights of Andreas Deja are like no other, he knew these men and worked closely with most of them during his apprenticeship and career with Disney. If you are a fan of Disney, this book is a must have. If you know someone who aspires to me an animator, again this book is a must!!!

Beautiful sketches from Classic Disney animations.

This is a wonderfull book if you a that kind of person who love the disney animators. So I recommend this book.

If you want to learn about animation but aimed for characters that act more realistically than TV series, this is a book that shows you what made unique each of the nine old men and has illustrations that show their designs and animated scenes to know better what made them so legendary. If you already own The Illusion of life by Disney's legends Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston (two of the nine old men) this is the best companion to it.

Whether you're pursuing a career in animation, trying to be a better character designer, artist or simply want to know more about the guys who shaped animation. This book is for you. One of my favourites. The paper is quite delicate, so you will need to treat it with care, but it's just beautiful.

Handled with care, thank goodness, as it is a gift