The Noble Approach: Maurice Noble and the Zen of Animation Design

301 Pages·2013·34.03 MB·English

by  Tod Polson

Foreword copyright © 1987, 2013 The Maurice Noble Estate.
Preface copyright © 1987 by The Chuck Jones Center for Creativity.
Text copyright © 2013 by Tod Polson.
Page 174 constitutes a continuation of the copyright page.
“LOONEY TUNES” including “BUGS BUNNY,” “DAFFY DUCK,” “ROAD RUNNER,” “WILE E. COYOTE,” “PEPE
LE PEW,” “ELMER FUDD,” “SAM SHEEPDOG,” “MARVIN THE MARTIAN,” and “RALPH PHILLIPS” used
courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.
ISBN 978-1-45212738-5
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Polson, Tod, 1971—
The Noble Approach: Maurice Noble and the Zen of animation design / by Tod Polson.
pages cm
Includes index.
ISBN: 978-1-4521-0294-8
1. Noble, Maurice. 2. Animated films--United States.
3. Animation (Cinematography)--United States. I. Title.
NC1766.U52N637 2013
791.43’34092--dc23
2012031595
Designed by Cat Grishaver Chronicle Books LLC
680 Second Street
San Francisco, California 94107
www.chroniclebooks.com
Contents
9
PREFACE
Chuck Jones
BY
10
FOREWORD
Maurice Noble
BY
13
PROLOGUE
14
INTRODUCTION
16
SCHOOL DAZE
18
SLUMMING IT AT DISNEY’S
21
THE DISNEY STRIKE
23
THE WAR YEARS
25
DEVELOPMENT OF THE WARNER BROS. STYLE
27
DEVELOPMENT OF THE NOBLE STYLE
27
COMPARISONS TO UPA
28
3-D AND JOHN SUTHERLAND PRODUCTIONS
30
THERE AND BACK AGAIN
33
THE END OF AN ERA
34
THE MGM YEARS
38
RETIREMENT
44
A NEW BEGINNING
46
LEGACY
48
STEP 01
Getting Started
48
WORKING WITHIN YOUR LIMITATIONS
50
WORKING AS A TEAM
54
STEP 02
Story
55
VISUAL STORYTELLING
60
STEP 03
Breaking Down the Elements
61
STORY BEATS
61
STORY ELEMENTS
66
STEP 04
Research and Inspiration
67
USING REFERENCE
80
STEP 05
Design
81
THUMBNAILS
83
WORKING IN THE CORRECT ASPECT RATIO
85
SUPPORTING THE CHARACTERS
85
SWEATY FUN
86
THUMBNAILS TO WORKING DRAWINGS
88
VALUE
91
TESTING VALUE
91
STACKING VALUE
93
FRAMING WITH LIGHT
94
CONTRAST
97
SIMPLIFYING ELEMENTS
98
STEP 06
Color
99
THE BASICS
102
COLOR PERSONALITY
103
THE PALETTE
103
SIMPLIFYING THE PALETTE
104
COLOR THEMES
104
COLOR FOR QUICK CUTS
105
COLOR CHORDS
114
COLOR CHORDS AS THEMES
115
CHARACTER COLOR
116
VISUAL HIERARCHY
118
COLOR REFLECTING PERSONALITY
119
ANALOGOUS AND SPLIT-COMPLEMENTARY CHARACTER COLORS
120
COMPLEMENTARY CHARACTER COLORS
124
DESIGNING CHARACTER COLOR IN MODERN TIMES
124
SATURATION
124
DULL COLORS AGAINST BRIGHT
125
PAINTING WITH SPIT
126
COLOR SKETCHES AND COLOR KEYS
146
LIGHTING TESTS
148
STEP 07
Layout
152
GRIDS AND COMPOSITION
153
GRID ELEMENTS
153
HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL LINES
153
DIAGONALS
155
RHYTHM AND SPACING
155
COUNTER-RHYTHMS
155
COMPOSITIONAL THEORIES
155
THE RULE OF THIRDS AND RABATMENT
156
ABOUT THE RULE OF THIRDS
157
ABOUT RABATMENT