Fred Moore's 14 Points of Animation

"If a drawing looks clumsy, or lacks appeal, or no longer looks like the model, perhaps the animator is trying to show something that should not be shown.  

When Fred (Moore) was giving a talk on drawing Mickey, he was asked,  "How do you draw him looking right down on top of his head?"  Fred responded, "Why would you?"  If the appeal in the design was based on the balance of the ears to the nose and the relationship of the cheeks to the eyes and the head shape, Fred wondered why would you deliberately throw all that away?  

Why would you show a view that did not have much going for it as possible?  

- Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, The Illusion of Life   -  


"What happens is FACT.  TRUTH is what we think about. Write the truth."  - Robert McKee



People often like to cite the 12 Points of Animation as described in the Illusion of Life by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston. In this very same tome is their once senior animator, Fred Moore's 14 Points of Animation. 

Each has its own value and speaks for itself. But perhaps #6, 11-14 are the ones I'd like to point out when it comes to drawing.

 Fred Moore's 14 Points of Animation

1. Appeal in drawing

2.  Staging

3. Most interesting way?  (Why would anyone other than your mother like to see it?)

4. Is it the most entertaining way?

6. Are you advancing the character?

7.  is this the simplest statement of the main idea of the scene?

8.  is the story point clear?

9. Are the secondary actions working with the main action?

10. Is the presentation best for the medium?

11.  Does it have 2 dimensional clarity?

12.  Does it have 3 dimensional solidity?

13.  Does it have 4 dimensional drawing?  (Drag and follow through)

14.  Are you trying to do something that shouldn't be attempted?  (Like trying to show the top of Mickey's head)

There is another anecdote where the legendary Milt Kahl commented on dealing with "difficult drawings", "Why would you even draw it that way in the first place??" 

In the search of drawing what rings true about a subject....it's not about drawing what is literal about it, but rather, what is "true" about the subject.   "Truth", perhaps to be specific, "emotional truth"  is sometimes better served subjectively. 

My Dad, WALT DISNEY

Diane Disney Miller (1933 - 2013)  was the oldest and until recently the only surviving child of Walt Disney.  Diane Miller was a keeper of the flame not just for Walt's professional life but for also for the understanding that he was a human being and a family man.

Her dedication dates back as far as 1956 when she was only twenty years old and wrote for the Saturday Evening Post a profile sketch of what it was like to have Walt Disney living at home with her.

For the few of us who have parents in the public spotlight or who have gained some sort of fame (or infamy for that matter), they are not that public figure.  For us, they are just "Dad" or "Mom".  Truth, no matter what they are famous for, their achievements as a parent far more heroic, substantial and admirable than any bit of so-called fame they have.

So I asked a crucial question,  "Daddy are you Walt Disney?" 
"Yes, honey", he replied.
"I mean are you the Walt Disney?"
He nodded.  So it was true!

"Daddy," I said, "please give me your autograph."

- Story recounted by Diane Disney Miller, My Dad, Walt Disney, Saturday Evening Post Nov. 17, 1956

Every day is Milt Kahl Day

For the next forty years, Kahl was Disney graphic style, a fact he proudly touted:

I felt a little bit like the chess champion of the world at one time was a Franco-Russian by the name of Alexander Alekhine. Someone --- an onlooker --- mentioned to him, "Mr. Alekhine, that isn't a book move you made there." He said, "I am the book."

---- from John Canemaker's, Disney's Nine Old Men

He has been called the Michelangelo of animation and is usually seen as the greatest animator of all time.

Many people credit Fred Moore (who basically designed Mickey Mouse as we see him today) with the "appeal" ever present in Disney animation, but Milt Kahl, as far back as Pinocchio, has been regarded as the architect of refining graphically what is known as the "Disney style" in character animation.

There are many animation blogs that often pay tribute to him with a 'Milt Kahl Day", posting his pencil tests or drawings. Andreas Deja, Sandro Cluezo, and Jamaal Bradley's blogs are some of the most popular.

A couple of years ago I stumbled up an audio recording of what sounds like a CalArts lecture with Milt circa early 1970's when Disney's "The Rescuers" was in production. (I think this recording was available on sewardstreet.com, but it seems that it's down)

I found the recording greatly inspiring, insightful and loaded with helpful comments on staging, caricature, production and an artist's mindset towards his work. This recording is nothing new, but I noticed there wasn't anyone presently interested in sharing these valuable words online....so I figured I'd share it.

On that note, Clay Kaytis on his Animation Podcast website has a great post with another recording of Milt Kahl at CalArts also speaking about The Rescuers. Definitely worth listening to.

In addition to the eighteen sound clips I am re-posting, I am posting the pencil test of Madame Medusa which Milt references in the recording. Apologies for not being able to combine all the clips into one track.

If you listen carefully you'll hear who I believe to be Eric Larson sitting on on the lecture. If anyone out there has anything they would like to add about this recording, please feel free to comment below.

Hope you find this as inspiring and informative as I did. Enjoy.

Credit and thanks to Jaamal Bradley for posting the clip below.

Milt Kahl & Ollie Johnston from Jamaal Bradley on Vimeo.

Toyko International Anime Fair 2012 - Goro Miyazaki Wins Big

Japan doesn't have the ComicCon or WonderCon but what it does have is the Tokyo International Anime Fair. As one of the largest Japanese animation conventions in the world, animation, film and television companies, as well as toy and game developers will all converge on one place from Thursday, March 22 to Sunday, March 25.

This will be the 10th convention in its history as last year's was canceled due to Japan's Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster of 2011. Many of events this year will center around support for aid and recovery still needed in Japan's Tohoku region.

Anime director Goro Miyazaki, son of Hayao Miyazaki will receive the top award in the the category of Animation of the Year for "Kokurikokaza Kara" (コクリコ坂から Ani) English title: "From Up On Poppy Hill" . Dying to see how Disney is going to market a somber animated drama about Japanese high school students in 1963 struggling to move their lives forward as Japan picks itself up after World War II.

The Tokyo International Anime Fair should be prove to be interesting this year with symposiums on how Japan's animation industry will have to consider business with the China and India as they continue to grow economically. If that bores you there will be plenty of girls in anime costumes to keep you entertained.

Happy 110th Uncle Walt -The Greatest Artist To Draw Without a Pencil

It's a day late here in Tokyo, but December 5th, 2011 marks what would have been Walt Disney's 110th birthday.

This is not Disney-phile rhetoric, but Walt Disney was a great man. In my Disney history snobbery I've said too much about his drawbacks: his attitudes towards people of color and women, his business policies, his *cough*, draftsmanship.

But none of that is really important ultimately.

Even the people who had reservations about Walt quickly admit he was brilliant and his contributions to the institution of film (and yes, world culture), immeasurable.

As I like to say, Walt was greatest artist to draw without the use of a pencil.

Cartoon Brew has a worthwhile link and note to his birthday, here.

Animation School in the Palm of Your Hand Part II

I blogged earlier about how animator Clay Kaytis had made this amazing podcast called, "The Animation Podcast". Great and inspiring interviews with animators such as Glen Keane, Ray Harryhausen, Andreas Deja, James Baxter and Eric Goldberg. There were 30 podcasts in all. The last podcast available on iTunes was about three years ago.

For those going through Animation Podcast withdraw, I am sure you have found other great podcasts online. Animation Mentor has its newsletter and offers webcasts through its site. There's Toon In! made by the UPA Legacy Project. And of course there is the SplineCast from the Spline Doctors.

What stood out the most was TAG Blog's TAG Interview by Steve Hulett. TAG Blog is designed in the interest of promoting members of The Animation Guild, I.A.T.S.E. Local 839. Here, you just won't hear interviews with the household names in animation like Andreas Deja, Burny Mattinson or Andy Gaskill, but very noteworthy people in animation who might not be at the tip of your tongue. On TAG Interview people seem to be a bit more "frank" about their experiences in animation. See the Walt Peregoy interview for further clarification.

What people offer to say on the TAG Interview isn't always as "carefully phrased" or "self-censored" as in some other interviews. Realities of production, working with difficult or unscrupulous people, breaking in, and yes, what to do in the face of unemployment. You'll find a little of all that in the TAG Interview. A nice compliment to the other sources of what you can learn about animation online.

Nine Old Mad Men?

Just finally read John Canemaker's, "Nine Old Men and the Art of Animation". So well written and good reading. After reading this as well as several volumes of "Walt's People" edited by Dider Ghez, this just confirms for me how compelling and dramatic the lives and relationships of these artists were. I still say these stories (as well as other noteworthy people at Disney's) would make an awesome biographic miniseries. There's sexism, substance abuse, racism, backbiting, competitiveness but above all that you have this art form rising above all that to tell great stories.

Who wouldn't be interested in seeing the stories of the people who literally created modern animation as we know it? Especially noting the heavy drinking, chain smoking, foul mouthed, competitive atmosphere at the old studio in contrast to the "Mouse and Fairy factory" image the general public has.

Again as I noted this somewhere in some forum before but someone responded that today's Disney executives would probably never let it happen for those very reasons.

Anyway, it's an idea. That's where all things begin. Naysayers or no.

Nine Old "Mad Men", anyone?

Old News But Still Good News - Art of Disney Animation in Japan

One of the great things about being in Japan is stumbling on art related surprises from back home. Like the Norman Rockwell exhibition that came to the Fuchu Art Museum last year.

Or The Colors of Mary Blair exhibition OR even better the Mary Blair Store which opened in Ginza.

I first became aware of these rare treasures stumbling on a full-on Art of Disney exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo back in July of 2006.

It sounds like the thing to say but it was, yes....magical. I went twice.

Why aren't there more exhibitions like this in the USA?? The Museum of Metropolitan Art had a week long series of exhibitions and panel discussions about the metaphorical associations between modern fashion and the superhero genre of all things.

2006...

Someone discovers 250 pieces of lost original Disney production art in a janitor's closet at Chiba University. (What?) Production art from works as early as Flowers and Trees, Snow White and The Three Little Pigs. Other works included animation cells, storyboards, production notes, and sketches from works like Cinderella, Pinocchio, Lady and the Tramp and Sleeping Beauty.

These pieces were handpicked by Walt Disney himself to go on tour through 17 cities in Japan in 1960 to promote the art of the Disney studio and his then upcoming film: Sleeping Beauty. At the end of the tour, they wound up at Chiba University as an educational resource. (Whether this was meant to be permanent or temporary, I don't know---- but what DID end up happening was that the 250 priceless pieces ended up a janitor's closet.

Ultimately the discovery of these works prompted an exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo -- along with an additional 350 pieces loaned by Disney's Animation Research Library (ARL).

An awesome and well done exhibition. Open, interactive, intelligent as well as entertaining. It had the feeling of an interactive walk through one of Walt Disney's Disneyland TV series back in the day.

I just finally got my hands on the Art of Disney DVD as well at the 243 page museum catalog book featuring all the 600 pieces that were on exhibit. I didn't buy it at first because honestly, the exhibition was so intense, I just imagined the DVD and book just being pale in comparison.

I was happy to be proven wrong. Like the exhibition, the book and the DVD is filled to the brim and just cannot be digested in only one or two settings.

Over the next few days I'll do my best to post a few things from the DVD or the book. In the meantime enjoy some of these photos I ripped from the DVD.

Check out the commercial for the Japanese Art of Disney DVD. Here.

Walt Peregoy's Colorful Language

There was temptation to call Walt Peregoy a male Mary Blair.

No. Walt Peregoy is Walt Peregoy: Clear, honest, organic, holds your attention.

In a recent interview that particularly reflected in how he speaks... more on that later.

Along with Eyvind Earle, Walt was the lead background painter on Sleeping Beauty and was the color stylist and background painter for 101 Dalmatians. Two personal favorites for their appeal as "moving illustrations'.

His work can be found in tons of animation shorts and television series episodes with other studios. Some well known like Hanna-Barbera's Scooby Doo and Josie and the Pussycats...some not so well known but are more than worth revisiting. Such as his work on the animated Lone Ranger Series (1966) and The Shooting of Dan McGrew (1965).

In recent interview with the Animation Guild he recounts his experience working in the animation industry with....illustrated language.

Warning: You might want to excuse any small children from the room, before playing.

His work and technique is just inspiring. One of the industry's finest professionals and his work deserves study.

Along with Marc Davis, Eyvind Earle, and Josh Meadow, his sensitivity for detail and professionalism can be seen in the Disneyland TV series documentary: Four Artists Paint One Tree.

Very good stuff.

SATIN DOLL: Disney's First African American Princess

Just in time for Disney’s Snow White's 73rd Anniversary. Just in time for Black History month.

I was wondering if I should rename this blog: The Redemption of Coal Black and De Sebben Dwarfs.

In December of 1937 Walt Disney defines concept of the animated feature with: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

In 1943, after encouragement from Duke Ellington to make an all black musical animated cartoon, animation legend, Bob Clampett directs the infamous African-American parody: “Coal Black and De Sebben Dwarfs". Despite grossly racially offensive gags it is considered an animation masterpiece. Either way, it's widely regarded today as a animated dictionary of racial stereotypes of African Americans.

Merrie Melodies "Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs" (1943)
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In Clampett’s defense I doubt there was malice in his intention. In 1943 all ethnic groups (blacks, Asians, Jews, Native Americans, Irish, take your pick) were savagely satirized and caricaturized. Also the fact Ruby and Vivian Dandridge (mother and sister to Dorothy Dandridge respectively) supplied voice talent to the cartoon, possibly implies the cartoon (though sophomoric) probably was not meant to wound.

In 1946 Duke Ellington’s all black musical idea resurfaces again as “Cole Black and the Seven Dwarfs”. This time as a Broadway parody produced in partnership with none other than Disney. The musical was never produced but development for the production went as far with a book and lyrics written by Disney storymen, T. (Thornton) Hee and William Cottrell AND concept designs (sets and costumes) by none other than Mary Blair.

In stark contrast, and still a parody Cole Black on the surface looks like something pointing in the direction of “good taste” and "class" with a Harlem Renaissance sensibility present.

Apparently the production started in development as early as 1946 and went as far as 1955 when a full script was developed. However by this time Cole Black and the Seven Dwarfs was renamed “Satin Doll and the Seven Little Men”.

Was the name change politically correct move? Probably not. Was it Duke's idea? Who knows. The Disney Broadway musical was never produced. Four of Duke Ellington’s songs have survived the development limbo: “I Could Get a Man”, “It’s Love I’m In” , “Once Upon A Dream” and the title song “Satin Doll” which was released in 1953.

“Satin Doll” went on to being a Jazz classic and the production once known as “Cole Black and the Seven Dwarfs” men faded into obscurity. Pity. It really sounded like it could have been something great. Arguably if Satin Doll and the Seven Little Men made it to Broadway it could have been a hit especially with the name Disney attached to it.

If the production was successful, Satin Doll arguably might have been re-imagined in an animated medium making her Disney’s first African American princess, and not Tiana from Princess and the Frog some sixty-odd years later.

DISNEY's Golden Opportunity

This is going to be my last blog on "rescuing"hand-drawn animation from being called an anachronism. Promise.

How'd that Art Babbit anecdote from Richard Williams go? "I'm not a Luddite". A story how animator legend Art Babbit was contesting the use of new technology over traditional ways in animation.

I'm not on a mission to champion hand-drawn animation but, let me stop lying -- I am. But it's only because it's I feel it's one of the last mediums that people can truly say is "magical". Something that seems to be lacking in today's concept of entertainment.

People look at a fantastic CG film like a "Finding Nemo" or "Wall-E" and people say "Wow, how'd they do that?" But logic takes over and says , "Oh, it was done in the computer.....wonder what program they used...." (respect to all the artists who work in CG, of course it isn't that easy, but to the layman....I'd wager that's what many think).

People look at at "Beauty and the Beast", "Lion King" or "Bambi" (even by today's standards), people's suspend their disbelief for a moment and they say, "How'd they do that??" Yes, logic takes over and tells the layman, "Well...someone drew it." But then logic grabs hold again replies: "Yeah, I know they're drawings but....HOW'D did they do that??"

Magic. No program for that.

For those who are animators, draftsmen or illustrators, you know that "look of wonderment" people have when you grab a piece of paper, and like a magician, make a bunch of hand-drawn lines come to life and with personality. People still look at it as some kind of magic trick.

Looking at Disney Animation Studio's box office movie track record, they have a history of "breaking even". Films like "The Lion King" are an anomaly that the studios have desperately been attempting to replicate ever since.

It's virtually criminal how Disney's management literally threw the baby out with the bathwater in an effort to "keep up with the Joneses'" in CG animation.

With the exception of "Treasure Planet" and "Home On the Range" (I feel they just gave up on that one), Disney's hand-drawn films haven't done so badly. "Princess and the Frog" arguably did better at the box office than ALL of Disney's CG animated films. And with "Tangled" coming in at a budget of $250 million (second most expensive film ever made) ---- sad to say box office returns just don't look promising.

'Frog' had a better B.O. performance for their dollar than their CG films which basically broke even. (Which are still failures, because of the low profit margin) And if I'm right the animation for 'Frog' was done in Canada since there aren't any hand-drawn facilities at Disney animation anymore. Cost them even less money to be sure.

To the point, this is a golden, golden opportunity for Disney in this current market. Why doesn't Disney simply do what they do best? "Make moving , appealing films that yes, do have compelling and mature stories --- in traditional hand-drawn animation."

That's what Disney is MOST famous for, right? People say animation of ANY kind and Disney is what comes to mind. And especially "hand-drawn" animation. They have the market on that, and they have never had to apologize for it and they NEVER will.

When every studio is trying to make the next CG blockbuster, wouldn't it make more sense to make something that distinguishes you dramatically from your competitors?? Especially when it's something everyone looks to you on being the authority about, anyway?

Should I insert the "New Coke" vs. 'Classic Coke" business theory in here?

Looking at B.O. sales Disney should stop trying to compete with Pixar, Dreamworks, Sony, Blue Sky, Imagi, Animal Logic or whatever fly-by-night CG studio and go back to doing what they do best: compelling hand-drawn animation. If they are worried about being "left behind" technology wise that's a moot point since they own Pixar.

Films like "Finding Nemo", "Toy Story" or even "Shrek" did so well when they did is greatly because they were different. Yes, the stories were told well, but they also stood out as something attractively new. Something Disney could exploit dramatically right now.

But if they do, they will have to do better than "Winnie the Pooh" as a feature. (As much as I love Pooh) I am sure it will make money but that film has: "targeted for mothers babysitting kids between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm" written all over it. Winnie the Pooh offhand is not what most moviegoers would call a date movie. At least they way it's being marketed it doesn't seem that way. (If I am off or wrong, someone please call me out)

The movies that sell the most year round are comedies...and I'm sure romantic comedies. Isn't that right up Disney's alley? That's basically what everything from Beauty and the Beast, to Aladdin, to Mulan basically were. Comedies with a romantic element. That's why they worked not only as family fare, but were decent enough to be a date movie. (That is when the writing was up to snuff.)

It's one thing for Disney to expand into the CG territory, but doing it in favor to replace a medium that has fueled it's engine for over seventy years was a mistake. When they were at the top of their hand-drawn game, Disney was like the NY Yankees of animation. Who the hell could touch them when they could assemble the dream teams of their choosing?

Am I wrong, but are there dramatically more studios around today making CG animated features? Now that technology has somewhat leveled the playing field somewhat?

When all the studios are trying to impress audiences with CG and 3D this and that, it's hard to know, or care for that matter who is producing what.

Golden opportunity for a studio doing something different to truly stand out. There's a brass ring hanging out there waiting for Disney to reclaim ... again.

To Disney management: "You guys are in the magic business. Who ever thought of the catchphrase: Disney's "Digital Magic" is a moron....I mean, the word is an oxymoron. Digital concepts can be reasoned, explained understood logically.

Magic.... (the thing Disney virtually has the license on) ... magic never is explained so easily. Who knows where that stuff comes from when artists draw? It must be magic because most artists themselves can't explain it. You guys have a hot and rare commodity. Exploit it before someone else does."

Where's the Goddamm Warmth?!

Another ramble, but it's more a comment on American culture rather than the content of the films if anything. Every return home to NYC from Tokyo for me there's a culture shock. Going from one culture that can be overly self effacing---- to one that can be overly self-absorbed.

Starting in the 1970's, the hero was replaced with the anti-hero. John Wayne became "The Man With No Name". "Superman" became a lone killer called "Wolverine". Star Wars babies didn't want to be Luke Skywalker, but Han Solo. People started identifying with characters who can say or do whatever they want, get away with it, and look cool doing it.

As audiences become more sophisticated, movies must also become more sophisticated to keep their interests. Does sophistication = jaded and contentious?

The jaded, wise-ass, or bad-ass does have its appeal. To our enemies we want to be Clint Eastwood's "The Man With No Name", but when it comes to our friends, we'd rather be the powerful but benevolent, Superman.

So, "Where's the goddamn warmth?!" "It left with the money and the jobs." a friend noted. What was once "Rapunzel" has become "Tangled". (there's a pun in there somewhere) The name change for "Tangled" was a marketing decision to appeal to male audiences. Perhaps "The Princess and the Frog"' lackluster success had something to do with this. Who knows. But no one felt a need to change the title of "Beauty and the Beast" did they?

When "The Great Mouse Detective" was in development, the original notion was to go with something akin to parody and satire. Hence the caricature of former Disney CEO, Ron Miller's reaction by storyman, Joe Ranft.

Just an observation we see more satire than sincerity these days. And if we do see kindness, truth, or ethics often it's served or packaged with sarcasm for people to digest it.

Not to sound totally negative, Ratatouille and How to Train Your Dragon were great films ----(despite having seriously contentious female leads who bully the male leads throughout the film....if people are so worried about what kids read into, why doesn't anyone say anything about that?) ------I digress---- Both had plenty of sincere and honest moments.

But there's the converse with "The Princess and the Frog" which was ham-handed with communicating a "message" to the point of being didactic.

In Japan there is an expression: "平和ボケ" (Heiwa Boke) which means "Peace stupid". Japanese are not interested in being contentious because well....things are quite peaceful and balanced in Japan. "The Dark Knight" bombed with Japanese because frankly, "the anti-hero" is just not a popular concept and people usually just don't "get it". There's nothing really people feel a pressing need to fight for.

What does that say about Americans? Rebellion, discontent is in our blood and our culture. Our government is founded on that. However, what was once "Don't Tread On Me" in American thinking, became "We Can Do It!" optimism in the 40's and 50's, but it has become "Don't Tread On Me" again.

Ramble is over. I'm looking forward to seeing Rapunz--"Tangled". I'm sure it's going to be good. This observation is more on how films are being marketed to get people's attention, not so much the content. Rapunzel in the movie poster hands down the the "toughest looking, kick-ass" Disney Princess to date.

All characters can't be the "upright hero" of course that's dead boring and lacks contrast. But all characters can't be the "bad-ass" either. That gets to be passe also after awhile. "Where's the goddamm balance?!" That's all.

Bill Melendez

Maybe not a household name, but his work has been a staple of household pastime for over 40 years.

Jose Cuauhtemoc Melendez, otherwise known as "Bill" Melendez (a name "given" to him by folks at the Disney studio) was the first animation director to put together the first prime-time animated special for American television. It all started with " A Charlie Brown Christmas" in 1965 for CBS. The only man Charles M. Schulz would ever personally trust to bring to life Charlie Brown, Snoopy and mini-universe of characters in his comic strip, "Peanuts".

Bill Melendez was the director and producer all the animated Peanuts animated specials, movies and commercial projects while Charles Schulz was alive.

The Archive of American Television on YouTube has an amazing 4-hour interview with Mr. Melendez online. In this interview he talks about his beginnings in animation with Walt Disney's studio, his time at the Warner Bros. Animation Studio, work at UPA and finally establishing his own animation studio.

Art Babbit, Norm Ferguson, Bob Clampett, Chuck Jones, Frank Tashlin, are just some of the names that he goes into detail recalling his early experiences in animation. in this 8 part interview Bill Melendez explains his experience and participation in the Disney Animator's strike of 1941.

Bill Melendez played a part in developing my interest to draw and to communicate through art.

Bill Melendez passed away in 2008. Bill Melendez is responsible for creating the animated visualization of Peanuts. The image that people still have in their minds today. He deserves much more praise for the impact that he had on the television animation industry as well as the role he played in creating priceless childhood and family memories of watching the Peanuts animated specials.

In a Big Rush To Go...where?

iPhones. iPads. iMovies. iMmediacy.

Looking at the iPad (which looks great...I want one), I thought of ALL the features that are to supposedly "free up" and maximize our time....ebooks, infinite and instant music access, email, downloadable movies....just what are we doing with all this extra time we're supposed to be getting?

When was the last time you actually wrote a letter to someone? With pen and paper...? I saw an exhibition of the works of Pierre-Auguste Renoir and his sons Pierre and Jean here in Tokyo. The last piece was a handwritten letter written by one of his sons. The letter was nothing more than, "Hello papa, I'm taking a walk with my son today and I'm thinking of you." Simple, poignant, and most of all tangible because it was written with his own hand. A precious moment (now historical because of these two great artists) that we had the the privilege to share.

Imagine what would have been lost if that was sent as a text message.

Filmmaker Ken Burns noted the things that we appreciate most....accrue in duration. "The things we have given our best attention to.....the human eye can receive an image in a fraction of a second, MTV tells us that all the time. But what does that mean? Does it have meaning at all? I'm suggesting it doesn't."

People are not being allowed to really to digest. To fully taste.

That magic you feel when you give your FULL attention to a film you're watching has been lost to stopping it anytime you want, uploading it to your iPhone or iPad and watching the rest on the way to work. Think of your favorite movie going experience. (Do people have these anymore??) During that time you were a "captive" for those two hours. No pause. No fast forward.

If you had stories read to you as a child. It was somewhat magical in a way. Because you couldn't stop the story or fast forward it. You had to take it in and listen. And we did so very willingly.

I predict at some point people and the way they decide to receive media HAS to slow down.

I wonder if this is contributing to the fact that movies are so superficial these days. Are filmmakers developing their films with the mindset that ultimately their works will be reduced to iTunes content? Bad movie or not, even I don't think J.J. Abrams wanted people's first experience with "Star Trek" to be on an iPod, much less an iPad.

That was one brilliant thing about Disney (can't seem to make a blog post without mentioning Disney) re-releasing films only once every seven years created a sense of "magic". The fact you had to wait until the next time came to theaters made people's anticipations higher and their memory of the film even greater. Reducing it to a 700MB. file gives people kind of "disposable ownership". And it's easily disregarded.

Anyway, next time you come away hyped from the last movie trailer you just saw, or fast cut movie --- try asking, "What did all that mean?"

"No, no, don't cut (away)....look. Hold...hold. The meaning accrues in duration."

- Ken Burns

Frank Frazetta (1928 -2010)

Frank Frazetta, hands down, heavyweight champion of fantasy artists/ illustrators of the 20th century passed away today. His work permeates the fabric of what modern fantasy art and illustration is today. The influence of his work can be seen and felt in the composition of countless other fantasy or sci-fi illustrations and comic magazines. Whether it is said or not, films from "Conan the Barbarian" to "Disney's Tarzan" and even "Avatar" owe credit to Frank Frazetta's work.

His paintings like "The Barbarian" (called by some "the illustration of the 20th Century"), greatly contributed to the image of the "anti-hero" replacing the face of heroism in the past 40 years.

His only screen credit was as the producer (and art designer) of 'Fire and Ice", an animated feature he collaborated with animator Ralph Bakshi in 1983. Film producers such as Dino De Laurentis, John Milus, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and even Disney have all either attempted (and failed) to get him to work with them or admitted they were great admirers of his work.

Without Frank Frazetta, fantasy/ science fiction, in every medium, art, illustration, comics, animation or film would not be what we know it as today.

Mr. Frazetta, thank you so much.

Sculptural Drawings

"Does your drawing have weight, depth and balance?" Basic principle of three-dimensional drawing. What does that mean exactly? It's the art of creating an illusion of depth.

Animation maquettes are used by animators as a three-dimensional "model sheet" to help the artist stay on model and with the visualization of the character. A feat less daunting for animation that is being done digitally.

Animator Marc Davis sculpted perhaps on of the first maquettes for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Whether it's CG or hand-drawn art, artist have the desire to get their hands "around the model" from every aspect, whether that be literal or implied.

Kent Melton is a sculptor who did absolutely amazing sculptures for Disney's Treasure Planet. The rolling, heavy masses and volume of Glen Keane's John Silver and the almost fragile S-curves of Ken Duncan's Captain Amelia were reproduced flawlessly by Melton in three-dimensional forms.

Artists aim for truth in their work ultimately. Sculpture is tangible almost literal way to capture the truth about a subject. The concept of "sculpture" needn't be limited to clay or tangible materials. It is a concept that should be ever present in the work... especially if it's being hand-drawn on paper.