Looking at stills or artwork from this 1953 Disney short reminds us just how great the need had become for graphic change at the studio. While quite a few short films from the 1950s showed a commitment and drive toward experimenting, the Disney animated features would continue the style that was established during the 1940s. It wasn’t until Sleeping Beauty came along in 1959 that a new modern approach toward drawing and animating became evident to audiences. Many Disney fans were disappointed with these flat graphic designs, but the Disney staff needed to go places, and modern art continued to influence the animated films.
Artists like Ken O’Connor, Eyvind Earle and Tom Oreb would lead the way toward re-shaping the Disney look. While animators like Marc Davis and Milt Kahl were delighted at facing these new challenges, others struggled at the beginning while trying to incorporate strong design into their animation.
