Animated cartoons : $b How they are made, their origin and development

"Animated Cartoons: How They Are Made, Their Origin and Development" by E. G. Lutz is a detailed publication on animation techniques and the historical evolution of animated cartoons, written in the early 20th century. The work explores the processes and artistic endeavors involved in creating animated films, providing insights into the technical aspects of animation as well as the creative principles behind it. The book aims to educate readers on both the artistic and scientific elements that contribute to the emergence of animated cartoons as a distinct medium. The opening of the book introduces the concept of visual representation and motion, explaining the phenomenon of how moving images are perceived by the human eye through a series of still frames and the magic-lantern technique. Lutz discusses the fundamental principles of persistence of vision and how these relate to the creation of animated cartoons. He sets the stage for the exploration of various historical methods, including magic-lanterns and early motion-picture devices that led to the modern understanding of animated film production. The introduction lays the groundwork for a deeper investigation into the specific processes of creating animation, including the use of drawings, photography, and the potential educational applications of motion pictures. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Edwin George Lutz was an American artist and author. As an illustrator, he contributed cartoons and human interest articles illustrated with his drawings to several magazines and newspapers. Under the name E.G. Lutz, he authored 17 books. Most were how-to manuals dealing with art and drawing techniques, but two were about aspects of the film industry, which was rapidly developing in the early years of the 20th century. One of his most popular books was Drawing Made Easy (1921), which was written for young artists. Perhaps his most influential work was Animated Cartoons (1920), the first book to describe what were then state-of-the-art animation techniques. A 19-year-old Walt Disney discovered the book at his local library and used it as a guide during his first years in his animation career.