Book description
Born from daydreams, meditations on color, character and form, and sheer inventiveness, Disney's pioneering animated films begin in the imagination of the "inspirational sketch" artist. Allowed to work with an unprecedented degree of creative freedom, these talented painters, designers, and illustrators attempt to conjure the "look" of a film -…
- Coming soon!
Why read it?
1 author picked Before the Animation Begins as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
I have always been fascinated by the artists who created Disney’s shorts and animated features. I was also looking for a book showcasing pre-production artwork I had never seen before.
John Canemaker’s seminal book, which explores the lives and careers of Disney’s “concept artists,” made my dreams come true. It is a volume that is both an absolute delight to read (Canemaker is one of the very best writers alive) and a feast for the eyes. This is the book that inspired me to write my own art books.
From Didier's list on The best books about Disney history.
If you love Before the Animation Begins...
December on 5C4
Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!
On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…
Want books like Before the Animation Begins?
Our community of 13,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Before the Animation Begins.
Share your top 3 reads of 2026!
And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.
181
readers submitted
so far, will you?
📚 If you like Before the Animation Begins, you might also like...
Sexy Selfie Nation
The problem is not with the actions young women take but with the toxic, sexist conditions they are responding to.
Tanenbaum found, based on six years of interviews with young people ages 14-30, that young women are navigating a culture littered with gendered dress codes, revenge porn, and sexually explicit…
In This Together
In This Together explores how we can harness our social networks to make a real impact fighting the climate crisis. Against notions of the lone environmental crusader, Marianne E. Krasny shows us the power of "network climate action"—the idea that our own ordinary acts can influence and inspire those close…
