"DRAWN TOGETHER ~ Its Time to Draw the Line!" animation book project.

The existence of traditional hand-drawn animation is becoming increasingly threatened by the digital revolution. Today the world’s increasing affection for new technology unfortunately means that there are far less opportunities for traditional animators to gain recognition or funding for their ideas anymore. It is even less possible for talented young students who want to learn traditional 2D animation to find places to study it! There so much real talent out there that its a serious disaster if that talent in not able to learn or express itself in the way it wishes to. So we hope that we can begin to change this situation with the publication of this beautiful new book in support of traditional animation and animators. We just need everyone's help to make it happen!

2DLIB.com has started an initiative where traditional artists and animators from around the world were asked to donate a drawing or illustration to a book - DRAWN TOGETHER ~ Its Time to Draw the Line - that will be published in support of traditional 2D animation.

The initial target we set for the book was just 100 donated drawings over a 6-week submission period. But so overwhelming was the support that in the end 222 amazing drawings were finally received – and many of these were from top art & animation talents from around the world. Contributors include Pascal Campion, Paul Chung, Don Crum, Gene Deitch, Paul & Sandra Fierlinger, Michel Gagne, Cedric Hohnstadt, Dattaraj Kamat, Thomas Liera, Dima Malanitchev, Silvia Pompei, Joanna Quinn, Tom Sito, Wouter Tulp and Dean Yeagle.

Other amazing drawings represent an entire cross-section of the art and animation community, right down to young students who are just starting out with their studies and a 9-year-old girl, Eleos Marso, who wants to be a 2D animator when she grows up!

Already, an eBook version of “DRAWN TOGETHER ~ Its Time to Draw the Line” - has been published on iTunes.

However the vast majority of traditional animators and traditional animation fans do not own an iPad or iPhone - or would prefer to own a printed hardcopy edition of the book anyway. Yet a printed color book with so many beautiful illustrations in it is extremely expensive to produce these days, unless you are a huge, corporate publisher that is! So we are sincerely asking the world's creative community to help us raise the necessary money to do this. If we can do it, then we'll be able to lay solid foundations towards preserving, teaching and evolving the art-form of traditional hand-drawn animation in this digital age. We will be able to do other exciting things too!

Help us get a printed copy of "Drawn Together ~ Its Time To Draw The Line" on the desks of the 25 top Hollywood executives too!

We believe that - first and foremost - this book will be an incredibly beautiful book to buy and own. But we also hope it will allow us to have our voice heard in the places that matter. We are therefore planning to get a copy of DRAWN TOGETHER ~ Its Time to Draw the Line onto the desks of the 25 top executives in Hollywood - to make them see what huge potential there is in traditional art, as well as the magic that can happen through that traditional art being brought to life through animation. Doing this one thing will allow us to demonstrate to the people who matter that traditional 2D animation has still barely scratched the surface in terms of what it can offer to animation-loving audiences around the world.

What exactly do we need the money for?

As indicated above, the costs of printing such a beautiful book with so many wonderful color images in it is huge - and certainly not within the reach of most individuals. So, the money we raise through this art community appeal will be 100% committed to the costs of just printing the book. However, if we can go even further past our funding goal, we will not only be able to include other goodies inside the book but will will start to do other things we would like to do, as indicated in the Stretch Goals listed below. Additionally, if we make 100% of our goal we will not need to ask for additional packaging and mailing costs to get your rewards to you - they can all be built into our reward costs.

Calendar

In terms of the rewards and their delivery, it is anticipated that once full funding has been received it will take approximately 10-12 weeks for the book to be designed, printed and shipped to us. This means that from the time our successful funding period has been completed, all your rewards should be ready to ship to you within a 3-4 months time period. (Note: With the first 25 copies of the book being shipped to the top Hollywood executives immediately!)

Stretch Goals

Should we exceed our initial funding goal, we plan to add additional objectives to the mission announced above. Things such a 'collector's hardback edition' of the book will be a high priority - plus an 'online animation course' that will make the cost and accessibility of top animation training available to everyone around the world.

But all of this depends on your generosity and support of course!

Do PLEASE do help us by donating to this fabulous project today!

More info

To find out more about this project and 2DLIB, check our website.

To visit our dedicated Facebook page, click here.

To find out more about the initiator of this project, Tony White, see his website.