"Before Ever After" book by Don Hahn and Tracey Miller-Zarneke -- UPDATED 11.19 w photos from book and 2 signings

If you were an animator during the early years at Walt Disney Studios, you would have been taking classes and attending lectures. The book Before Ever After gives you access to that unique art academy....

This book presents lectures and class notes distributed to Disney artists -- material published here for the first time. As you read this book, you'll see these documents presented as they were back in the day... reproduced from the originals on sheets of animation paper! Instructors like Don Graham from the renowned Chouinard School of Art created a way to shape and teach the art form that came to be known as animation.

You'll feel transported to that time as you enjoy all the riches in this collection. The book showcases the beginnings of the Disney style with behind the scenes photos.. storyboards... model sheets and live action reference.

See the vintage inter-office memo from Walt Disney to Don Graham. This 8-page document outlines the goals Disney had for improving the level of art.. not just at his studio... but for the nascent film genre of feature animation.

There are backgrounds on the artists. Of course the Nine Old Men are covered, but also the many others who contributed to origins of the Disney magic... names like Art Babbitt, Bill Tytla, Rico Lebrun and more are revealed in anecdotes and biographical sketches.

Plus, the physical book itself has a beautiful heft to it. It's a large format hardcover... over 400 pages... with lush paper stock to showcase all the images.

Unlike other Disney art books... this isn't just flashy color stills from the films. Before Ever After lets you learn from the same in-depth instruction that influenced the most legendary Disney artists.

Noted Disney animator and historian Andreas Deja wrote about the book on his blog "Deja View"
http://andreasdeja.blogspot.com/2015/11/before-ever-after.html

Before Ever After was written by Don Hahn and Tracey Miller-Zarneke.

Don Hahn's start at Disney included jobs along side notables like Nine Old Men member Wolfgang Reitherman. Hahn's own producer credits include films from Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King to the recent Maleficent. He has seen the Disney studio from the era of contemporaries of Walt's to the modern live-action re-telling of animated classics.

Tracey Miller-Zarneke has authored eight "Art of" animation books. She has a rare perspective on the genre with her credits as a voice talent on animated features such as Meet The Robinsons, in addition to her role as technical editor for an animation textbook. She is also Chair of Legacy and Archives for the industry organization Women in Animation.

Like authors Andreas Deja and David Leopold (featured on previous posts this month here on the blog) Don and Tracey have been appearing at studios to lecture on the book and sign copies.

Don Hahn will also be appearing and signing at CTNX....Nov 20-22... in Burbank http://www.ctnanimationexpo.com/

UPDATE 11.13 -- Here's a peek at just a few sections from the interior of the book...

Disney story artist Bill Peet drawing an elephant

Storyboards for Dumbo..

Table of contents..

Interview with artist Art Babbitt .... "Notes on Gag Manual Project"

Art Babbitt drawings of Goofy...

 Artist Bill Tytla...

Notes from Don Graham "Action Analysis Class" .. Graham's interview with Tytla

 Artist Dick Huemer

Notes from lecture "Dick Huemer on Timing"

Artist Rico Lebrun

Notes on Deer Anatomy and Locomotion ... by Rico Lebrun...

UPDATE 11.19 -- more photos from signings..

Just prior to CTNX... SNB supplied books and helpers for a signing after a lecture about the book... part of the on-going education opportunities for artists at DreamWorks. 

 Such a delight at signings like this to see authors work appreciated by artists working in the industry.

Earlier in November.... Stuart supplied books for a signing event held for artists and pros at the Disney animation building....

 In photo below of the signing table... author Tracy Miller-Zarneke seated far left.. author Don Hahn center... book seller Stuart in aloha shirt on the far right...