Disney Roughs

There have been some beautiful rough animation drawings offered at Heritage Auctions. In about 90% of the times I am able to identify the animator. 

Here is a Captain Hook rough by Woolie Reitherman.  

This is a clean up study by Iwao Takamoto. The draughtsmanship he brought to Lady and the Tramp is unbelievable. 

An rough drawing by Milt Kahl. Alice is straightening out the neck of the flamingo.

Frank Thomas animated Hook here as he is talking to Tinker Bell. Incredible acting.

A key drawing by Eric Larson, who did not mind working off live action reference. He said that there are plenty of things that need to be changed from what you see in the photostats in order to make your scene believable. 

Frank Thomas again. Here he blocks in the best possible staging for a scene with Jock and Lady.

Woolie animated a chunk of the fighting sequence with Peter Pan and Hook. He was certainly a great action animator, but Woolie was also capable of handling great acting scenes.

John Lounsbery almost dominates the film Lady and the Tramp. He animated quite a few characters, all brilliantly. Some of his career's best work.

This is bull in the dog pound. Lounsbery also animated the policeman and the professor in front of the zoo's entrance. And of course those wonderful Italian characters Tony and Joe.

An amazing scene by Ed Aardal. So many things to control in a set up like this. The end result looks totally natural.

This is a Marc Davis scene. He definitely had the drawing as well as animation chops to handle a character with so much realism.

Charming key drawings of Merryweather by Frank Thomas.

Lovely draughtsmanship in this drawing by Ollie Johnston.

I need to look up who animated Peter here as he jumps off the bed. Perhaps Eric Larson.

The early version of Robin Hood by John Lounsbery.

 

The way Frank Thomas handled the animation of the Stepmother is still so inspiring to me. He expressed so much with often very little movement. This character was all about subtleties.