An absolutely charming and unique T. S. Sullivant illustration. And as usual full of surprising poses, expressions and textured like work. A visual treat!
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Jungle Encounter
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Steps in the Making of the Jungle Book
Disney created educational panels like these off and on to help promote a new upcoming animated feature. They were hung in the main hallway of the animation building, ground floor, or at the movie theatre where the film premiered.
I recall seeing Steps in the Making panels for Sleeping Beauty, The Aristocats and The Rescuers.
For The Jungle Book the character of King Louie guides you through the animation process.
Sketches by Ken Anderson, storyboards, and animation drawings by John Lounsbery and Frank Thomas help explain how Louie makes it from early development to final cels on to the screen.
All pretty basic stuff, but still lots of fun to follow nevertheless.
Milt Kahl is featured in the photos, and yes, I do own his animation desk.
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Marc Davis Bambi Research
A few sheets with beautiful development drawings for Bambi by Marc Davis were recently offered at S/R Labs auctions.
They remind me of what Frank Thomas once said, that without Marc's thorough deer studies quality character animation would not have been possible.
Marc found just the right balance between realistic anatomy and human expressiveness.
He developed appealing designs that could be animated.
Animated by only a few artists who were willing to take on this challenge of studying the heck out of deer anatomy, then adding subtle caricature and acting.
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Another Great Marc Davis Sketch
I forgot how long Marc Davis worked on story for Bambi. He told me once, I think it was about five years. Marc skipped Pinocchio and Fantasia in order to focus on the challenge to develop sequences with realistic but expressive animal characters for Bambi.
In this particular sketch it's Thumper who just kills me. What an appealing, gorgeous, all around wonderful caricature of a rabbit.
I this photo, years later, Marc is pretending to work on Lady And the Tramp.
As a matter of fact, he skipped this film as well, so he could do designs for the next Disney film Sleeping Beauty. Marc created endless characters for crowd scenes, but as you all know, focused on Aurora and Maleficent.
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A Pinocchio Story Problem
I remember years ago when I had a conversation about Pinocchio with Frank Thomas.
As usual I was gushing over the film and its animation.
Frank recounted certain sequences he was involved with in terms of animating the title character.
When it came to the section where Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket returned home after escaping treasure island, Frank got suddenly agitated.
He really disliked the way the two characters were informed about Gepetto's absence and his whereabouts.
They re-introduced the Blue Fairy as a dove, dropping a written message right in front of them, Frank remembered. "I thought that was a terrible idea" he complained.
It didn't work for him way back, and it didn't work for him still.
I had seen the film numerous times and never questioned this story issue, but I realized Frank had a point.
How else this information might have gotten to Pinoke and Jimmy I won't even try to elaborate on.
Here are a couple of Frank's rough animation drawings from that sequence, followed by their corresponding film still.
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Woolie's Gaucho Goofy
Woolie Reitherman's animation of Goofy as a Gaucho in Saludos Amigos, 1943, is astonishing!
In this slow motion scene the audience is supposed to find out about the gaucho's hunting technique on horseback.
These are clean up drawings over Woolie's roughs. You can see clearly how the animator "messed" with his animation. Multiple color passes, erased positions and re-timed numbering.
The end result is broad, highly comical motion that somehow remains believable because of solid drawings based on real anatomy.
A masterpiece!
Click on the images 2x. For some reason they become sharper that way.
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Rare Marc Davis Drawings
Here are a few of Marc's drawings from three Disney feature films that haven't been circulated online.
A couple of his polished story sketches for Bambi show his thorough understanding of animal anatomy as well as a feeling for entertainment. I believe Marc spent a total of six years on the film. Most of them in story, then in animation (Flower, the skunk).
One of those mysterious doodle sheets. On the right of course is Flower, a motion study with structural accuracy. The other sketches look like telephone doodles to me.
Color designs for Cinderella's Fairy Godmother and the Prince.
The inscription is wrong, Cinderella already premiered in 1950.
It's interesting, the Fairy Godmother looks pretty much like Milt Kahl's final animation.
An animation drawing of Aurora which was later redrawn for the film with a stronger jawline.
Here she looks sixteen years old, in the movie more like twenty-six (still beautiful though).
Maleficent turns away from the King and Queen after finding out she had not been invited to the princess' Christening. "Well, in that event, I'd best be on my waY".
Marc underlines the ending of the word "way" to remind himself of the proper mouth shape.
Thanks to my friend Wil for providing scans of these beautiful drawings.
I am recommending this book on Marc Davis' art:
MARC DAVIS: WALT DISNEY"S RENAISSANCE MAN
And the upcoming book on Marc's work as an imagineer:
MARC DAVIS IN HIS OWN WORDS: IMAGINEERING THE DISNEY THEME PARKS
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Over 50% in Color
We recently hit a milestone on our production of MUSHKA. We have about 16 min. in final color, including effects, highlights, shadows etc. That's more than 1/2 of the 30 min. film.
Color backgrounds with character colors are coming in fast and furious.
I just need to hold on to my recently hired talented BG painters. They both make a difference in speeding up production.
Also, I am looking for a couple of local, seasoned character animators. My footage pay is not top, but nearly top.
I need people who can help to take this project to the finish line. If I have worked with you in the past...great. Just leave your email in the comment section.
Richard Sherman loves our project, so does Kathryn Beaumont as wells as Robert Reitherman.
It's my post Disney statement, and it is very personal.
C'mon ad join the MUSHKA Crew.
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Rare Milt Kahl Drawings
Milt Kahl did mostly clean up drawings on the Prince in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
This guy was even more difficult to draw than the title character. As soon as the team found out about Milt's power of subtle draughtsmanship... as Milt himself put it:
"I got stuck with the clean up job on the guy." Needless to say he didn't enjoy this assignment at all. But he knew his superb artistry was needed to pull this character off.
Next is a Pinocchio drawing he did for a Les Clark scene.
A great doodle sheet featuring Thumper. Let's call 422 and see who answers.
A great sketch of adolescent Bambi. Still, I am not 100% sure if the head turn works with this definition of the neck.
I loove this scene of a cow turning away from camera in the 1950 short film The Brave Engineer.
There is no way you can animate a scene like this one in a more entertaining way.
The weights shifting is what it's all about!
Earlier I posted a drawing from this scene here:
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BNhA0ZlELnw/WW2iNvTnVAI/AAAAAAAATfA/V-hviqEHOA4kSjJEXzjoB_uv4stoR_wFwCLcBGAs/s1600/SD1.jpg
Milt's final model for Alice.
But who is this lucky Evangelina person ??
Ok, I just googled her, she was a famous Mexican actress:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangelina_Elizondo
One of Milt's Peter Pan roughs, clearly based on live action footage.
This is a sketch Milt did for a Frank Thomas scene.
Look at the beautiful curvature of the dog's spine, supporting a roll over position.
My thanks again to Wil for providing hi/res scans of these stunning drawings.
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Lounsbery Dogs
Lady & the Tramp is one of those films in which John Lounsbery's talents fired on all cylinders.
I would say that after his work on Fantasia (Ben Ali Gator) this is another high in his career.
Brilliant drawing and acting on Bull, with moving flesh, wrinkles and all. Beautifully timed to the voice of Bill Thompson.
Louns also animated all scenes with Tony and Joe at the Italian restaurant.
https://andreasdeja.blogspot.com/2013/10/tony-and-joe.html
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I would say that after his work on Fantasia (Ben Ali Gator) this is another high in his career.
Brilliant drawing and acting on Bull, with moving flesh, wrinkles and all. Beautifully timed to the voice of Bill Thompson.
Louns also animated all scenes with Tony and Joe at the Italian restaurant.
https://andreasdeja.blogspot.com/2013/10/tony-and-joe.html
This whole sequence at the zoo's entrance was also animated by Lounsbery.
A few years later he drew scenes with Danny, the great dane, voiced by George Pelling.
Thanks again to Wil for the scans of these terrific drawings.
Here is the link to my first post on John Lounsbery from 2011:
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More Rare Milt Kahl Drawings
These two beautiful clean up drawings from the short film Mickey's Circus, 1936, were likely drawn right on top of Milt Kahl's rough animation.
This might have been Milt's first production scene he ever animated. It is part of the film's opening sequence in which Mickey is introducing Captain Donald Duck and his seals.
Gorgeous animation - right from the start - and lovely clean up work. Solid and appealing.
This is probably a tossed animation rough, because it isn't numbered. The Llama from the 1943 short Lake Titicaca. One of Marc Davis' favorite Milt Kahl characters.
From 1945 a couple of Milt's roughs for Pablo, The Cold-blooded Penguin.
With all these items attached to Pablo, this would be a challenging scene to animate, and a very difficult scene to in-between. So much line mileage.
Rough drawings of the King in Cinderella.
Milt animated the Duke as well as the King. Reflecting on his work years later, he thought they weren't particularly interesting characters, but that they did their job ok for what the movie called for.
Go figure!
More on this character here in an earlier post:
https://andreasdeja.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-king-and-royal-lackey.html
Thanks yet again to Wil for the scans of these great drawings!
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Jock by Ollie Johnston
This is rough animation by Ollie. The character of Jock is responding to Lady who is saddened because Jim Dear had called her "That Dog !"
Jock: ("Well, now, Lassie...I wouldna worry mah haid about that.)
Remember, they're only humans after all."
This is Scene 68 from sequence 2.0, and the length is 4-08 ft.
It is a little bit surprising that Ollie chose to animate the eye wink so early in the scene.
What happens during a scene's first few frames doesn't register much to viewers. Your eyes always need a moment to adjust to a new scene.
I love Ollie's simplicity. While Jock is talking, his scull is leading the forward head motion, while the muzzle follows through.
A little bit of animated gold!
Again, my thanks to Wil for letting me post these gorgeous rough drawings.
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Jock: ("Well, now, Lassie...I wouldna worry mah haid about that.)
Remember, they're only humans after all."
This is Scene 68 from sequence 2.0, and the length is 4-08 ft.
It is a little bit surprising that Ollie chose to animate the eye wink so early in the scene.
What happens during a scene's first few frames doesn't register much to viewers. Your eyes always need a moment to adjust to a new scene.
I love Ollie's simplicity. While Jock is talking, his scull is leading the forward head motion, while the muzzle follows through.
A little bit of animated gold!
Again, my thanks to Wil for letting me post these gorgeous rough drawings.
Be sure to click on each image 2x, in order to enjoy each drawing large size.
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Hercules in Live Action ?
I found this casting proposal by someone online, but I am not sure if Disney is considering such a project.
Still, this lineup for the lead actors is pretty inspired, but I don't know if these actors can actually sing Alan Menken songs if this would be a musical like our 1997 animated film.
Thinking back, I really had a great time animating this guy. After three Disney villains in a row, Hercules presented a new welcomed challenge.
And I very much enjoyed working with Ken Duncan (Meg) as well as Nik Ranieri (Hades).
Here is a link to an earlier post about my work on Hercules:
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Mickey at the Walt Disney Family Museum
It is so much fun watching kids (and adults) as they sketch their own version of Mickey Mouse at the W. Disney Family Museum in San Francisco.
As I mentioned before I had the pleasure of guest-curating the exhibition, which runs until January.
One of the most fun things I did for the show was recording a commentary track to a large number of Mickey Mouse film clips with none other than Eric Goldberg!
We did this one Sunday afternoon as we dove back into Disney history and the creation of those cartoons. From Steamboat Willie and The Little Whirlwind all the way to Get A Horse.
These clips can be seen and listened to on a large interactive monitor.
An original cel set up from The Nifty Nineties.
A large section covers Mickey on TV, including The Mickey Mouse Club phenomenon.
An original cel from the animated title sequence.
Mickey in Modern Art includes this amazing painting by Austrian-Irish artist Gottfried Helnwein.
The evolution of Mickey in the Disney theme parks over the years.
Here is my earlier post on Mickey Mouse: From Walt to the World
Banners with infos about the exhibit all over town.
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Medusa is Interrupted
While studying the treasure map, Madame Medusa is suddenly disturbed by loud noise. She pauses for a moment before getting up from her chair to proceed toward the direction the commotion is coming from. (The alligators Nero and Brutus are out of control as they are chasing Bernard and Bianca.)
This terrific story sketch is by Vance Gerry, who boarded a few sequences involving Medusa.
It was Milt Kahl's job to animate this scene. There was no live action footage to help with her walk in perspective toward camera right. A piece of cake for an animator of Milt's stature.
I love the way Medusa pushes herself upward off her chair and transitions immediately into the walk.
Drawing #37 is that transitional drawing, and by itself it looks a bit odd. But in motion everything works absolutely beautifully.
Nothing more enjoyable to watch than Medusa being irritated and angry!
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More Color!!!
© Andreas Deja
Each new color scene for our film MUSHKA feels like a Christmas gift. Background paintings and character levels combined result in gorgeous images. These colors here are still too vibrant.
But after we add a color pencil texture plus some film grain everything turns out looking balanced and more muted.
We are closing in on more and more finished color sequences.
In this scene Sarah asks her father if she can keep the tiger cub. To find out about Dad's response you need to stay tooned.
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Ward Kimball Article
This is an article from STORYBOARD magazine, 1991.
Ward is in good form here, though real Kimball fans probably won't find too much new information.
Earlier this year this book by Todd James Pierce came out. A great read:
Of course we are all waiting for Amid Amidi's epic "Kimball Tells All" volume.
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Remembering Eric Larson
Photo by Dave Block
It's not easy finding original animation drawings by Disney animation mentor to so many, Eric Larson. So I am grateful again to my friend Wil for providing scans for most of these beautiful sketches. Eric had a knack for communicating animation techniques as well as Disney's philosophy on entertainment to students. I remember his classes as if it were yesterday.
His articulate and passionate words of wisdom that some of us weren't able to comprehend until much later.
One of his comments which he repeatedly brought up was that Walt always gave you more than you expected. And that he lifted everybody up who worked with him.
When the Disney company entered regular TV animation during the early 1980s, Eric was not a happy camper.
The quality wasn't good enough for him, and he knew it wouldn't be good enough for Walt.
For those of us who were lucky enough to go through Eric's animation training program, he was a mix of magic link to Walt Disney, the grandfather you never had and Santa Clause.
There are many posts regarding Eric Larson on this blog, here is the link to one of them:
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1994
Mouse by Brian Ferguson, Simba by Mark Henn and Scar by me.
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Peregoy's Jungle Book II
An interesting pre-production color sketch by Walt Peregoy. As you can see the style is much looser here than the eventual final look of the film. I am not sure if Peregoy thought this should be the look of the production BGs or if he just set the overall color mood in this piece.
Interesting, too, is that Mowgli's poses are from an actual (rotoscoped) scene in the film, which at that time was already animated. To paint his loincloth red instead of white was a smart decision.
Here is another early Peregoy Jungle Book study:
https://andreasdeja.blogspot.com/2014/02/walt-peregoys-jungle-book.html
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