The Art of My Father’s Dragon
Fans of five-time Oscar-nominated Irish studio Cartoon Saloon were thrilled when another beautifully crafted 2D project took wing on Netflix in November. Adapting Ruth Stiles Gannett’s classic books gave the artists under director Nora Twomey (The Breadwinner) a more contemporary setting than their Irish folklore trilogy, while still presenting a tender story at a refreshingly gentle pace. Author Ramin Zahed takes us behind the scenes to uncover the scaly secrets of the film’s storybook-inspired 2D animation, with lovely imagery and exclusive interviews with Twomey, producers Tomm Moore and Meg LeFauve and more. Producers Bonnie Curtis and Julie Lynn of Mockingbird Pictures penned the foreword. [Abrams | $45]
Animation Masterclasses: From Pencils to Pixels
Learn how to become a “Master Animator” with this artistic fundamentals-first guide, conceived and honed by veteran animator and instructor Tony White. The book is divided into four sections, beginning with core principles of movement (squash & stretch, timing, walk cycles, etc.), taking you through how to apply these principles to digital rigs, project pre-production and production. Having trained under toon legends like Art Babbitt and Richard Williams, White is an enthusiastic and passionate teacher of the craft, and his latest title is sure to become a classic text alongside The Animator’s Workbook and Jumping Through Hoops. [CRC Press | $60]
Strange World
Take home the whole Clade clan on disc this month! The Don Hall/Qui Nguyen-directed Disney adventure comes packaged with transportive bonus features, including behind the scenes featurettes on the making-of the film, a spotlight on the real science that inspired the artists, the creature of the Strange World and more, plus outtakes and deleted scenes. [Disney | DVD, BD, 4K | Feb. 14]
Legion of Super-Heroes
Journey to the 31st century with Supergirl (Meg Donnelly) in the latest DC Universe Movie, directed by Jeff Wamester. Demoralized by the tragedy of Krypton and the troubles of adjusting to a new planet, our heroine takes her cousin Superman’s advice and jumps through spacetime to visit the Legion Academy, where she makes new friends and enemies. [Warner | BD $30, 4K $40 | Feb. 7]
