Book Ideas for Focal Press

Submitted by Teoh Yi Chie on

I received an email from a Focal Press editor looking for book ideas. Focal Press books are generally more instructional based, some of which I've reviewed.

If you have ideas regarding books on animation, 3D or digital art, share them in the comments section. Who knows your ideas may be used for their next book.

8 Comments

I would be interested in

Submitted by Ashley on

I would be interested in seeing a book that examines the changing dynamics in the relationship between artists and digital media and technology. I find it incredibly interesting when a digital artist makes the jump to physical media or when a studio artist begins to try and translate his or her work into a digital format. It's exciting to think that more and more artists are beginning to cross-pollinate and embrace new ways of creating art in order to produce some amazing work. As a printmaker, I have found using digital media incredibly useful for plotting out prints, so I would love to see how other artists are utilizing and expanding upon digital art.

All right, I've been reading

Submitted by Dirk Go on

All right, I've been reading all your reviews and I'm an avid reader but from the thousands of books that have been reviewed. There is no book that encompasses every aspect so I had this idea for a while now what if there is a book that is like a "kit" for beginners trying to become game designers, character designers or storywriters? You know, a book having a collection of all stuff along with the description and history of each item. For example: chapter 1 would be a list of armors: cuirass to lamellar armour to brigandine and so on; and chapter 2 would be clothing: from robes to cloaks to capes; and chapter 3 would be weapons: from spears, axe and types of swords ................and so on...............................................................................................................and chapter 7 would be a list of common mythological monsters : from chimera, to the phoenix to the cockatrice and the final chapter would be list of races common in games and stories : from the orcs to elves to dwarves to satyrs....

Pretty much you get the idea, if this book gets published it will really help how designers create characters with variety (unlike FF series) or it can even inspire a storywriter to be creative having this thousands of options available for him.

Right now I already have listed 7 groups from 2 years of research. If only I'm not active duty, I'll probably have researched 13 groups. Pretty much if no one applies my idea, ill design a book something like this.

Well, I guess I'ld love to

Submitted by LIRCH on

Well, I guess I'ld love to see a "complete guide for a complete digital drawing", which means gothering several professional artists, each one shows one art work, and explains how he created it.
So far it sounds like other "step by step" books we've all seen before, but in this case we really get a close look from "step 1 to last step"-
We learn how the artist makes his own personal digital brushes, and understand when to use each one.
We learn all the steps from sketching, inking, coloring, shadowing and even unique spacial effects each artist had developed by himself during the years.
We learn even the layers order, color pallets, and all those "small" tips which are so important.
What I'm trying to describe here is a more "deep" book, one which we can follow its foot steps and get the chance to create our own professional artwork.

BTW
If there is going to be a DVD with this book than.. Whoa :-)

a uptodate stopmotion

Submitted by JordanbAnimator on

a uptodate stopmotion animation book would be fab, from writing story to build models. also a books like behind the scenes at companys such as Aardman & Pixar, showing you the animation process, or more indepth making of book/art of books fro animation companys like Aardman & Pixar. i would love a Art Of/Making Of Shaun The Sheep book that would be awsome.

actually, i think that really

Submitted by raphael on

actually, i think that really good, profound instructionals are always a scarcity. thats because it is infinitely easier to just display some progress shots and have some "i did this, then i did that" commentary. you dont learn anything from that!

how about really dissecting, say, drawing? starting with shapes and lines, arranging them, and going into the big WHYs behind the HOWs. showing why this choice over the others is superior, not only "i chose this wide stance because it radiates strength", but going into why certain parts have soft lines and some have angular ones. how to dress up one shape in different lines for different effects - illustrate choices and their consequences - make a book that does not teach process but improves the consciousness for what goes into drawing.

also, good books on composition are not only rare but almost impossible to find. go get marshall vandruff (www.marshallart.com) and let him make something that really drives the point home. :)

oh, another idea: it was

Submitted by raphael on

oh, another idea:

it was focal press who published the hans bacher book and drawn to life - how about making a series of the style guides behind some big animated features of some time past?
the mulan style guide by hans bacher circulated around the web for quite some years and from what ive seen of it, its an incredible learning experience seeing what goes into crafting a look. the style guide for lilo & stitch would be incredibly interesting, for example :D chris sanders rocks!

My favorite focal press book

Submitted by vegastar on

My favorite focal press book is "force: dynamic life drawing for animators". I think another figure drawing book, but taught by a different artist would be nice. In a perfect world Claire Wendling would write a book and explain how she draws, because I would like to know.
And like somebody else mentioned, a lot of "digital art" books don't really go in depth in technique...or rather the instructions aren't clear. I have that problem with the "comickers" books.
My last suggestion: Most flash animation books have different projects for every lesson, so I'd like to see a flash animation book that gives you just one project (making an episode of a web cartoon for instance) and every chapter, you build on the project.

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