I have always loved the inroduction scenes of Tramp. They start with a shot of the "other side of the tracks" as far as Lady's world is concerned. This gorgeous layout drawing depicts a kind of countryside setting. The final version shows the outskirts of a small midwestern town around 1909.
Again...the artistic caliber at the Disney Studio is astonishing. From layout sketch to background painting to the character animation that follows. Admittedly, during the 1950s other studios were experimenting with more modern graphic styles. Disney had started to dabble in modernism with the terrific short film Toot, Whistle. Plunk and Boom from 1953. And a fresh graphic change would take shape at the studio starting with the release of Sleeping Beauty in 1959.
But you can't knock this old fashioned Norman Rockwell-like styling. At least I can't.
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Although I have a soft spot for the more modern approach that we see in "Sleeping Beauty" and "Toot Whistle Plunk and Boom", this take is still gorgeous. I find it interesting that, in a time of change (historically speaking, not just artistically), they decided to go for a more traditional and old-fashioned look and feel with this film, even though America already looked quite different at the time it was released. I think the key word here is nostalgic. This movie almost makes me feel nostalgic for a time and place that I've never known.
ReplyDeleteI love this style, and how solid it is. I like the later styles too, but I really love the solid perspective-based drawing, the tasteful squash in the animation, and how polished it all is.
ReplyDeleteMaybe just because the trend in '2d' today is to go with flat styles, I'm getting impressed by solid styles because I don't see it as much now
I like how in this scenes characterization of Tramp begins before I see him. So this old fashioned Rockwell-like styling is a nice and an important part of it. :)
ReplyDelete„...to character animation that follows“ Yes, the difference between professionel teamwork animation and solo hand drawn graphic works. :)
Thanks for your post! :)