Line, Shape and Form

…all of those in a magnificent balance for this moment from the film 101 Dalmatians. 

"Melody first my dear, and THEN the lyrics."

So many graphic lines are directed toward the main business of Roger's finger touching Anita's nose. Her long neck, the lines in her hair and the curve of her nose clearly point to the subtle contact about to happen. Roger's whole body leans forward toward Anita's face, and every line, from folds in the fabric to his basic anatomy, leads the viewer's eye to the specific area of interest.

Then there is the background's layout. Look at how those lines defining the wooden edge of the sofa seem to move upward toward the characters' heads. 

(I love the perspective change of the sofa's right side, it's flat and dimensional all at the same time!)

There is an absolute unity between the shape language in the background and in the characters. It feels like ONE artist is responsible for the entire image. 

We all know that Disney animation is about family entertainment, but vintage stuff like this is also high art.

Milt Kahl animated both characters in the scene. Below is an out-take rough drawing of Roger. 

One of Milt's countless masterpieces. 

The Reluctant Dragon

I was thrilled to discover the other day that NetFlix has started streaming a beautiful HD version of Disney's Reluctant Dragon. This is the whole feature, which includes the Robert Benchley backstage tour as well as the Goofy short How to Ride a Horse and The Reluctant Dragon.

The photo below shows John P. Miller, who storyboarded the famous Baby Weems section of the film. It looks like Miller is still at Disney's Hyperion studio, working on designs for Pinocchio and Dumbo.

Here is a link to a previous post on Baby Weems:

http://andreasdeja.blogspot.com/2012/06/john-p-miller.html

A couple of Miller's charming story sketches.

Baby Weems meets Albert Einstein in this Miller sketch and the maquette from Joe Grant's character model department.

Ward Kimball is featured in this story sketch for his live action appearance.

A poster from the 1941 movie.

French Sketchbook

I wasn't quite sure what kind of stuff I might post today. Then I noticed a pile of old sketchbooks in a corner of my studio. One of them dates back to 1994 , when I spent some time in Paris to work with Disney's French studio on the Mickey short Runaway Brain. My fabulous apartment was on the Ile Saint- Louis with walking distance to just about everything. Occasionally I would take my sketchbook and walk along the Seine to the beautiful Musee d'Orsay. I sketched sculptures I saw  along the way, and then inside the museum. 

One day I noticed a little booth on the museum's lower level. A sign said that a special discount was available for professional artists who wanted to purchase an annual pass. So I told the lady behind the booth's open window, that I'd like to buy an annual pass. She asked me if I had any documentation that would indicate I was a "professional artist". I quickly pulled up my official Disney ID and explained that I was an animator. The lady held the ID card in front of her, paused for a moment, and then….busted up laughing, out loud!!  She literally couldn't control herself. I thought: What the…. when she turned to her buddy in the back of the booth and showed him my Disney ID. Then HE laughed hysterically, with her!

I stood there like an idiot, not knowing what's going on. So the lady finally calmed down to inform me  that the discount was only available to REAL artists who paint in oil or do watercolors. (My French was good enough to understand what she was saying). I briefly tried to explain that animators study art, too….but she wouldn't have it. I walked away fuming (she was still chuckling), but suddenly had a thought: Looking at my Disney ID the lady probably thought I worked at Disneyland Paris, and that I held a job as a costumed character, like Winnie the Pooh or Grumpy. 

Here are a few pages from my Paris sketchbook.

Go here, if you want to check out pages from my (mostly) Rome sketchbook:

http://andreasdeja.blogspot.com/2011/06/old-european-masters.html

Jungle Book Studies

Ken Anderson and background painter Al Dempster had something to do with these color studies for the Jungle Book. The beautiful cel above of Mowgli and Bagheera is a Milt Kahl drawing.

There are endless ways to portray the Indian Jungle, including this early version by color stylist Walt Peregoy:

http://andreasdeja.blogspot.com/2011/11/early-jungle-book.html

As you know, Walt Disney opted for a light, airy jungle, since the story included mostly comedic sequences. Dark, mysterious backgrounds would have worked for a more dramatic story treatment.

Test Screening

Looks like Walt Disney is getting ready for a screening in one of his sweatbox theaters on the Burbank studio lot. The photo was probably taken in the early to mid 1940s. 

And look at the audience, men and women in equal numbers. I wonder what film they are about to watch.

John Lounsbery Characters

There certainly isn't enough art by animator John Lounsbery shown on this blog.

This unassuming man never gave any filmed interviews, he never wrote a book, as a matter of fact, he just wasn't into self-promotion. Lounsbery just focused on his work (and raising a family outside of Los Angeles). His contributions to Disney Animation were enormous. His amazing performance of Ben Ali Gator in Fantasia's Dance of the Hours sequence made him a break out animator at the studio.

The photo shows him animating Willie the Giant from Mickey and the Beanstalk, around 1947. 

Here are just a few examples of characters who came to life through Lounsbery's touch.

A great key drawing of the policeman arguing with the professor in front of the zoo's entrance from the film Lady & the Tramp. Look at how Lounsbery feels that strong pull. Every line defining the professor helps to support that pull. Amazing!

Jasper from 101 Dalmatians threatens to kill the puppies. Beautiful definition of fabric in his jacket, and great feeling of stretched skin on his face.

A few key drawings of Sir Pelinore's dainty walk from The Sword in the Stone.

Frank and Ollie said that Louns could come closer to Milt Kahl's type of drawing than anybody else.

I think this sheet proves that point.

A couple of key drawings from The Aristocats, involving the mouse Roquefort, Scat Cat and Italian Cat. Great staging in both of them.

More on John Lounsbery in this earlier post:
http://andreasdeja.blogspot.com/2011/06/john-lounsbery.html

"You Old Goat…"

"…if I ever catch you in my kitchen again, I'll…!" yells the Scullery Maid to Merlin, the magician, who just left her kitchen in a complete mess. A short scene with a character, who only has a small part in the film The Sword in the Stone. But leave it up to Milt Kahl to make the most out of this moment. The maid approaches Merlin utterly upset with no fear at all she might become a suspect to the magician's powers. 

I love her walk and the way she she moves her shoulders back and forth throughout the scene. She is voiced by actress Martha Wentworth, who isn't even trying to sound differently from Madame Mim who she is also responsible for. 

The maid's fantastic design is another example of Milt's line of chinless wonders (The Lackey from Sleeping Beauty and Madame Medusa fall in this category as well).

The photo shows an assistant who is in-betweening the scene for Milt. Perhaps Floyd Norman is able to point out who the gentleman is.

To me 101 Dalmatians and Sword in the Stone represent a modern golden age of Disney character designs.