Last night I was able to finally read through alot of the pages from the Disney Animation Illusion Of Life Book and it was really exciting because I always wondered what went behind the scenes into making the classic Disney movies. The animation felt like magic and almost impossible to do today.
I got this book on Christmas day last year. It was huge, definitely hard to carry. Has half a thousand pages. It was really exicting once I finally flipped through the pages.
I've been a classic Disney fanatic for about a year now. I collected various toys, and those books from the 70s-80s let me tell you some of these book covers aged poorly in terms of the illustrations.
I was expecting for the book to obviously have the original model sheets for the characters, and some interesting information about each principle. I was right.
When I looked into it, 500 pages may sound useless for a book about animation but I do understand why there is so many pages. The first page I stumbled across was this one.
To me this was really comforting to read through. You can tell that the artists and animators back then were realist individuals. They expressed and explored their feelings and creativity with media as much as I do. I love how practical and observant these people are and how minor details and expression help guide their careers in the real world.
Back then I didn't knew what to expect with Disney, were they funny? Were they as jam-packed as Looney Tunes and MGM was?
Were there any good cartoons?
I had to get used to these cartoons for about a few months and then I started to appreciate and praise alot of them.
This was at a time where I was faced with new classic comedy groups like The Three Stooges. I loved their slapstick and I think that was what Disney was trying to do with their cartoons. Imagine someone's first experience with the Disney shorts were those uninteresting educational shorts from the 60s.
I'm stunned that many of the animators especially the ones who are into the old stuff doesn't like Disney that much. They say it's not too cartoony enough. It kinda bugs me as to why they say that. I'm not really into cartoony stuff anymore. I mean I love Tex Avery and Bob Clampett but I'm not obsessed with too much cartoons. Most of them feel either redundant or unwatchable. I never really grew up with Walter Lantz, Popeye and Casper so I can't really discuss too much on those since I'm just not a fan of the characters and actions.
Some of my favorite animation studios use what they call, "storyboards" it's where a person directs and shows the scenes in order to show to the animators. It isn't just only a script. They would have a variety of distinct images and would have a selection of model sheets to draw the characters in a more polished and fine approach.
Seeing a character burnt out and frustrated is comprehensively funny but it's not entirely funny. Donald for example has alot of cartoons where he's known for having his short-temper much like in Cured Duck (1945) he goes insanely mad and wrecks Daisy's house, but it's fast, it's sharp, it has deep and mature emotion.
Every animation studio was trying to add a little tint of seriousness sometimes and ey it's how life is too. You'll have fun moments but also difficult challenges. Not everything in a cartoon means funny business. It was considered to be stated as far as early cinema goes. Everyone was distracted by what was happening. But they didn't always laugh, they wanted to see more action and character development.
I always loved these textured model sheets back when Disney was making their golden age movies. You can see alot of balance of shading and shadowing in one of these.
It stopped once it reached the war-time era and so on. I think these are more appealing because they feel completed and motivated.
These characters had alot of impact for a good reason. They were just lovable and relatable and had such lively designs.
I swear everytime I read a page I learn something new. I love the creative writing in this one. It's also important too. Thinking before your drawing something can be difficult. But it'll be easier if it's somewhat competent and worth your style.
I remember I kept this magazine for a few months now. I finally got a chance to check it out. This I believe came out in 1998 sensing that the Disney company started in 1923 and that was 75 years ago then.
Man, the 90s sure had alot of fun stuff. Nowadays magazines is loaded with too much popular modern trends and I think that sucks.
Had the phone numbers censored. Sorry people.
People like this were the coolest. Alexander Ross, I appreciate your enthusiasm with these legendary classics. I'm sure people found your gallery great.
Look at the solid colors, the beautiful pictures including the Mary Poppins one. So stylish and stunning for only one page.
Finally, I'll end it off with my recent drawings.
This was a test study of a knock-off Brer Fox wannabe mixed in with The Hungry Wolf.
Next is some Pixie Elf models. I loved drawing this creature. He's very easy to draw and memorable too.
I tried tracing my models and make them look like cel animated frames. Adding grain, and effects.
Some new additional characters I added.
The mayor is almost in similar vain to Wally Walrus from the Woody Woodpecker cartoons. He looks like a human, but is actually well, a walrus. If you wanna know a character I have no opinions on that inspired this character somehow, it's Sir Ector from Sword In The Stone. Yeah, sometimes I feel inspired by something I'm not able to like whatsoever.
Bo Peep deserves a series. Every short is her loosing a sheep and trying to find it.
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