Aurora by Marc Davis

An exquisite sequence of rough animation drawings is currently being offered at Heritage Auctions. Animator Marc Davis was a master of combining a bold graphic style with graceful motion in the service of personality. While actress Helene Stanley's live-action reference footage provided a crucial foundation, Davis made necessary creative adjustments to successfully translate a series of photostats into poetic, balletic movements. Through caricature, contrasting timing, and exaggerated weight, he transformed reference into pure graphic action, making scenes like this one a profound joy to watch.

The 9 Old Men Book

I am thrilled to see that my 2015 book 'The Nine Old Men" is still popular. At Amazon it has been hovering in the top 10 list of various categories.

Now back to the Milt Kahl book........

 To order a copy:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0415843359/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?psc=1&pd_rd_i=0415843359&pd_rd_w=P0g7z&content-id=amzn1.sym.af2be12d-373e-4c68-a933-d40df60554fe&pf_rd_p=af2be12d-373e-4c68-a933-d40df60554fe&pf_rd_r=7Y4A886Q41XTSTCTH1GG&pd_rd_wg=KV5iX&pd_rd_r=30f7a629-5e87-4bc3-b1d7-4d5b78abefcb&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWxfdGhlbWF0aWM

Scar Roughs

A few of my animation rough drawings arranged for a mini poster by a fan. I remember animating any one of those scenes.

Daveigh Chase

I am in disbelief at the passing of actress Daveigh Chase. Working on the character of Lilo was a profoundly moving experience for me as an animator. Daveigh’s voice performance was utterly unique and inspired, presenting a brand-new challenge and the perfect opportunity to bring an unorthodox Disney girl to life.

Here are a couple of photos with the two of us in my office at the Orlando Disney Studio.

Aloha and thank you, Daveigh.

Holly

 Congratulations to our friend Holly Sedillos, who's screen credit in Steven Spielberg's new film "Disclosure Day" is: Vocal Soloist.

We couldn't be happier. Holly is terrific in all of her vocal performances! In film and on stage!

Holly sang "Mushka's Lullaby" in my animated film MUSHKA. Check out this music video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ast84XT6-KI&list=RDast84XT6-KI&start_radio=1                    

Bad Guys

 Here is a poster I put together for an animation convention a couple of years ago.

Les Aristochats

Last year author Pierre Lambert issued yet another beautiful Disney art book in his long line of exquisite publications: The Aristocats.

There are many gorgeously reproduced images of designs, story sketches, animation drawings and cel set ups. I think many of you will enjoy flipping through the pages of this new book.

It is available at Amazon France:

https://www.amazon.fr/Pierre-Lambert-Aristochats/dp/2386400468

 

 

Garald Scarfe and Hercules

In last year's published book Hercules, The Art of Gerald Scarfe, Gerald explains some of the difficulties he and I had coming up with the final design for the character of Hercules.

I remember Hercules being the last character design to be approved for animation. Gerald had tried a stylized version as well as a realistic approach. In the end the two of us worked things out together on a few sheets of animation paper, as you can see in the sketches below.

I think you'll find his notes and observations interesting, and I found Gerald lovely to work with.

Gerald Scarfe is on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/officialgeraldscarfe/?hl=en

Walt Peregoy and Al Dempster

Walt Disney was very firm when it came to choosing a background style for The Jungle Book. He made it clear that the was displeased with the look of the previous film The Sword in the Stone. Those backgrounds were too bright and colorful as far as Walt was concerned. For the Jungle Book he asked for a more monochromatic and realistic approach to the color palette.

Walt Peregoy had just styled The Sword in the Stone, and he was ready to continue painting in his somewhat abstract manner.

Peregoy left the studio after Disney's decision, and retired background artist Al Dempster came back to the studio to take over The Jungle Book.

Here you see the different approaches of both men. 

If you ask me, I absolutely adore the way The Jungle Book turned out. Spending time in Dempster's beautiful jungle sceneries is a real treat. But I also know that Peregoy would have created a fascinating forest for this film as well.

Peregoy

 

Dempster

Another TS Sullivant Original

While the cowboy's action is not very nice, this Sullivant illustration is gorgeous. Remember, even though most of his art was published in Time Magazine (and others) in small size, the originals are quite large.

I recently found this one online, and I hope that the owner doesn't mind that I am posting his drawing here.

The caption: "Ye say ye lost yer powder-puffs, Miss? Jest a minute and I'll fix ye up with a new one."

TS Sullivant Animals

A reminder of how glorious Sullivant's animals are. Inventive and unparalleled in their design. And a joy to study!

More Joe Rinaldi Story Sketches

Joe Rinaldi's story sketches for Ichabod Crane are hilarious. For personality scenes like these (not necessarily in any order) he pretty much leaves out any background indications and focuses on the characters' attitudes and interactions. He gave Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston plenty of "Good stuff" to work with as far as visual springboards for their animation.

Sometimes we tend to give the animator all the credit for great poses and staging when in fact it was the story sketch artist who really came up with those things. 

Credit where credit is due. I remember my last assignment for Disney was animating Tigger for the regrettably titled feature film Winnie the Pooh. The studio had just hired a few very young story artists, and they were absolutely terrific. I was able to use most of the character poses they came up with. It sure helped me to go through my footage very fast, which was required because of the film's small budget.

But I digress. Here's to Joe Rinaldi, one of the best story artists Disney has ever had. 

Doris

A few sketches I made a while ago to be included into the exhibition Disney's Cats and Dogs at the Walt Disney Family Museum. This is our dog Doris...yes, named after the famous Hollywood actress. 

Today Doris is about 15 years old, and doing very well. Way back, when she was a puppy, my friend Kellie Hoover found her abandoned on the side of a road near a school in Utah. 

We were able to give Doris a home, and she became a family member. Like all dog owners we just love her, she is PURE JOY.

Cinderella's Patience

"Oh well, I guess my dress will just have to wait." Cinderella was about to begin creating her own dress for the ball, when her stepmother calls for her with more duties.

Actress Helene Stanley gives a nice performance here to help the animator in his work.

This is really the thing about Disney live action reference:

1 - The action and acting was always carefully planed and staged. And the actors were amazing performers, who understood what kind of footage the animators were looking for. They understood the characters' emotions deeply.

2 - The animators worked with the reference, they pushed the timing as well as the composition.The animation never seems "floaty", which would happen, if the photostats were simply traced. 

Below a few sketches by Marc Davis showing the dress the mice and birds made for Cinderella.

Warwick Reynolds

Two beautiful works of art by British illustrator/painter Warwick Reynolds, 1880 - 1926).

The first is an etching that served as a study for the final painting of two leopards.

 

MUSHKA Mini Review

 On Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Google Play.

Masterpieces

The ART of Disney Animation.  Two magnificent examples of how sophisticated Disney's animation had gotten 30 years after Steamboat Willie. Walt wanted "Moving Illustration" for Sleeping Beauty, and that's exactly what he got for this film.

My guess is that Iwao Takamoto drew this amazing clean up study over an animation rough drawing by Marc Davis.

The Maleficent sketch is most definitely by Davis. Marc skipped the production of Lady and the Tramp, so he could focus on designing and animating Aurora as well as Maleficent. 

Masterpieces.

Hans Martin Ruwoldt

Here is another artist who should be much wider known for his outstanding work in sculpture and drawing. Martin Ruwoldt lived from 1891 until 1969 in Hamburg, Germany.

During the Berlin Olympic Games in 1936 his art was showcased at a sculpture event, but a year later the nazies declared his work "Entartete Kunst' ( Degenerate Art). 

I am stunned at the fact that I keep discovering incredible artists from the past that are practically unknown today.

Disney animator Art Babbitt once said that an animator should be interested in studying art from Michelangelo to Ronald Searle. That kind of observation might inspire a whole new approach to your own art.

Are any of you animators doing this?