Paul Wells, Understanding Animation Review

Overall Rating

The book disects animation into its components and makes some interesting points.

The author writes in an over academic style that at is excessively pedantic and obscures his points rather than clarifying them.
This book could really use a good going over by an impartial editor. In its present form it annoying to read.

In Paul Wells, Understanding Animation, the author breaks animation apart and discusses all aspects that go together to make it into the unique art form that it is.
He first presents a definition of animation and then proceeds to what makes animation significant and worthy of study.
The meat of the book is in the third chapter where the author lists and describes (with specific case studies) the special language of animation that supplies it with a powerful voice (when used with intention).