Monday, August 1, 2011

More Character Panels

Here are two more character panels.
It's fun to see the range in design that developed over the years at Disney.
It's hard to pic a favorite, though I feel I could give a lecture on the drawing of Mowgli. All lines direct the viewer's eye toward the open hand, about to grab that twig. And the proportions are perfect.
The same goes for Brave Little Taylor Mickey. You just can't beat the appeal in this Fred Moore drawing. And look at the perspective, the hands are not "twinning", they both gesture outward, but are drawn differently from each other.
I like the simplicity in the Kahl drawing of Duchess. Milt knew everything that goes on anatomically inside that cat's body. But through his economy of lines he is able to give us the essence of that pose. I always am fascinated by how much Milt leaves out in a drawing.
The Snow White poster design gives you an idea of how Fred Moore would have handled the title character, a little more cartoony.
Look at the Medusa pose. That's one insane character you can't take your eyes off. That hair is like fire, her mouth shape stretched to the limit,  the hands
are masterfully drawn (as usual). Complex drawing, simple flow through the body.
Maleficent and her raven would be Marc Davis'  first crack at an idea for staging that scene. Your eye ends up looking at her finger touching the bird. Nothing else distracts from that. All lines support that thought.
And check out the warmth between Gepetto and Pinocchio. The feeling of:
-Something awful just happened, but I love you anyway- is so strong in that sketch. That's a Milt, too.
I will have a pencil test of that scene later.
The Queen of Hearts, Stromboli...study them all and form an opinion, one way or another.
I think your own work will benefit from it.