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More Kley Illustrations
I just came across these beautiful Heinrich Kley drawings. I hadn't seen them before. The first one features a theme often applied by Kley, modern progress against nature. I know lizards can grow their...
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Ollie Johnston's thumbnail sketches
These are very small thumbnail sketches Ollie did before going into full animation on the "Mowgli meets Baloo" sequence from The Jungle Book. He worked of storyboard drawings, but went further in terms...
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Roger Does Chaplin
At least that's what it looks like to me, as Roger Radcliff hops toward Anita while finishing a verse which denounces Cruella De Vil. "This vampire bat, this inhuman beast. She ought to be locked up...
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Distortions
Distorting parts of a character is an old staple in pencil animation. It was perfected by Disney artists as well as other studios during the mid 1930s. During fast character movement a particular...
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Something is Missing
The character of course. I was told by a Disney background painter, who worked on most of the classics, that a BG should look like an empty stage set. Waiting for the character to enter and give a...
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Fantasia
I love a lot of the artwork produced to promote Fantasia. Look at the cover illustration of this book, published around the release date of the film in 1940. Classy and elegant, capturing the essence...
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The Moore That Got Away
In 1996, while bidding on these two drawings at auction, I had to realize how popular and revered Fred Moore had become. These character design sketches depicting Grace Martin from the 1946 short film...
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Peter Pan Mix
Peter Pan remains one of my favorite animated films. Right from the opening scenes (above) you find yourself in a dream-like world. The lighting in these background paintings is phenomenal. There is...
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Spectacular Kley
I believe this piece by Heinrich Kley was offered on Ebay a while ago. And it sold for a lot!But for all the right reasons, as this really is a magnificent drawing.Kley used to occasionally copy his...
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Bambi Sketches
Some wonderful deer studies have been offered on Ebay recently. They were all produced during animal drawing classes at Disney in preparation for Bambi. The teacher was Bernard Garbutt (who I utterly...
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Mother Goose Goes Hollywood
Mother Goose Goes Hollywood is one of the last Disney Silly Symphonies. It was released in December of 1938.Wikipedia says: "The film parodies several Mother Goose nursery rhymes using caricatures of...
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The Nine Old Men Exhibition
Caricatures by Mel ShawThere is still time to catch the incredible exhibition on The Nine Old Men at the Walt Disney Family Museum. The show continues until January 7. As I mentioned before, this is a...
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Xerox Color Models
These are not actual production cels. You might notice that most characters aren't depicted in theirestablished film colors. Disney used to have many color versions for an upcoming character painted on...
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More on Milt's Duchess
Milt Kahl rarely had his animation re-drawn, after all he was authority on the the Disney style. Most animators at the studio at one time or another asked Milt for "drawing help". Just one or two of...
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More of my Black Cauldron Designs
It's so interesting to see drawings you haven't looked at in decades. Heritage Auctions is again offering concept art from The Black Cauldron (from the film's producer's estate.) These are from another...
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Prince & the Pauper
This is a cel from one of my scenes from Disney's 1990 featurette The Prince & the Pauper.I remember working very hard to distinguish the TWO Mickeys. One is a prince, one is a pauper. Same look,...
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Ollie's Birthday
Ollie Johnston's birthday is on Halloween. Next week would be his 106th. He was the longest living member of the Nine Old Men.I love this photo of him (by Mark Kirkland), because this is just how I...
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Fabulous Fantasia
A collection of amazing model sheets are being offered at Heritage Auctions. Created by Disney's character model department they show a versatility of styles and artistic approaches, depending on the...
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Anatomy and Structure
Animator Bill Justice drew this scene with the character of John from Peter Pan.Without thorough knowledge of the human body via life drawing this type of animation would fall apart. Spine, shoulders,...
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Alice and the Queen
A great Frank Thomas drawing of the Queen of Hearts which was recently offered at auction, and is now available on Ebay. Classic Disney villains are often portrayed in a subtle manner, like the Queen...
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