A world without books

Still getting used to a generation of animation students who don't rely on books. While there is a huge amount of material and tutorials online, I wonder how they "index" it all in their minds.

And I don't just mean bookmarking websites. Growing up with books made me learn how to "index" which specific material was in which particular book. My point is, what will they do when they are in a situation where they might be cut off from the web? Of course that might be in the midst of a huge natural disaster. Don't mean to be so gloomy, but what will the human race become?

 "Books? Yes, we have books."

(screenshots from George Pal's Time Machine, copyright 1960 Galaxy Films, Inc. Originally distributed by MGM, now handled by Warner Home Video )

Tove Jansson

I stumbled across a copy of "Who will comfort Toffle" while on an expedition to Hi-De-Ho Comics in Santa Monica last week. I had seen some of the Moomin books before, but it never quite clicked in my head that it was all written and drawn by Tove Jansson.

 

Anyway, there were some interesting characters in Jansson's work, besides the Moomins. Earnest, yet surreal at the same time, Jansson's characters grapple with the mysteries of life, along with the humdrum chores that go with it. And also some very strange neighbors:

 

from

http://www.drawnandquarterly.com/blog/2006_11_01_archive.php

Something about the work made me feel young again, as corny as that sounds. It took me back to when I was little, and all ladies were lovely, mysterious giants.

(all artwork copyright Tove Jansson)

Sorry I didn't find these books sooner. But it made sitting on the 405 with an overheating radiator worth the trip.

www.tovejansson.com

Digital Village Radio on KPFK

Check out Digital Village on KPFK.

 http://www.digitalvillage.org/

Even though they hardly discuss animation, this show is a good source of info regarding how people and technology can work together.