Josh Ellingson

I love good books about art, creativity, and anything else that gets the fire going. One of my favorite bookstores in San Francisco, Stacey's Books, is having a hard time competing with the big chains and websites. You can help keep independent bookstores alive by ordering one of these from their site. Below are some books that I think you'll really like. But don't take my word for it!

• The Animator's Survival Kit: A Manual of Methods, Principles and Formulas for Classical, Computer, Games, Stop Motion and Internet Animators(Applied Arts)(Paperback)
  by Williams, Richard - Get it here!
• True Norwegian Black Metal: We Turn in the Night Consumed by Fire(Hardcover)
  by Kugelberg, Johan - Get it here!
• Russian Criminal Tattoo Encyclopaedia, Volume I, II, and III(Hardcover)
  by Baldaev, Danzig - Get it here!
• Stacked Decks: The Art and History of Erotic Playing Cards(Hardcover) - Get it here!

Okay, so the website is a little slow. Maybe put on some downtempo, make some tea. Lean into it. It's all for a good cause. Better still, maybe make a trip to downtown San Francisco (map) and stop into Stacey's Books in person. They have a great magazine selection.

Here's a great excerpt from an ASIFA archive video of animation pioneer Ralph Bakshi at Comic Con Int'l 2008. When asked how he weathered the economic turmoil in the animation industry when he was starting, Bakshi launches into a rant about determination, technology, and the lack of inspiration that keeps creative people from knuckling down and making great works.