Tex Avery - Les Dessins

 

I got this book after graduation and while I was flipping through the pages, it felt like I was living in an alternate place.

These drawings look so polished like I own them or something.

My favorite era of the Tex Avery cartoons in particular were from the early 1940s, very well-drawn but also behind it had some of the best gags, slapstick and energy.

Tex Avery's cartoons mainly focused on what was believed to be in a cartoon rather than going for realism. So he came up with these ideas that wouldn't work well in live action. I personally like realism a bit more than believabilty because it can give us a deeper perspective of one's character and motive but I do say, I am mixed. I also do like this style of humor as well.

Tex is a very influential animation director. I respect his work and I used his cartoons for inspiration sometimes, even with the likes of Preston Blair who worked on such shorts like Screwball Squirrel and Red Hot Riding Hood. 

One time, I enjoyed the Red scenes the best because of the movement and the songs were catchy and upbeat to listen to.

I have talked about his cartoons in the past before, but one cartoon that stood out above the rest was Slap Happy Lion (1947) most prominently the opening scene of the lion roaring and the scene starts to shake.

The mouse has some of the most underrated movements I seen in a Tex Avery short. He's super cute too. He definitely has a different distinctive look than the lion does and I like that.

I'm a very curious person and I like to look into concept art from these cartoons. Even behind the scenes, I can allow a few chuckles. This was taken from a model sheet. Lil' Tinker (1948) 

It dates back on June 5th 1946. It would be interesting to see the skunk play Bing Crosby since he didn't do so in the final version.

This is probably the first time I was aware of the red pencils being used in animation drawings, I guess they were used for in-betweens, so the characters wouldn't move every frame. 

Just like with other golden age animators and directors, they experimented new styles. Whatever was popular for the era was used in these animated shorts. Sometimes it didn't always work, but I do kinda like the UPA styled cartoons from the 50s. The most recognizable short is Symphony In Slang. It's mostly filled with interpretations. It's not outstanding or anything but it's definitely something unique. 

Lastly, I want to talk about layout background art. I always loved how the Tex Avery cartoons looked sometimes blending in realistic environments into more cartoony characters.

This is a great find. It's translated in french, but you could understand more of the pictures since the words aren't that important. I consider buying it if your interested in Tex Avery's work and love drawings like I do, pretty expensive though.

12th Grade School Doodles

Let's take a break on the oldies and focus on the newies.

First is the dancing sketches from a cartoon It's A Cat's Thing where it has inspiration from all sorts of classic cartoons I appreciate.

I would call them animation samples. Just like with music samples. These were inspired by Bugs's meltdown scenes in Tortoise Wins By A Hare. 

I made a bunch of doodles of Floppy. He's described as the old-fashioned trickster. Wouldn't say Bugs Bunny but more or so The Dodo from Porky In Wackyland with those dot eyes.

Assumingly, last autumn, I was experimenting more on what Dredd and Szac's personality would end up being. I sorta sketched them doing on-stage performances. 

Then I did another half where Dredd is portrayed as a medieval knight fighting for life hosted by Ox Fisher played as a Roman emperor.

I seen many versions of this done decently, but with Ox Fisher starring the role, it's like if Billy Gilbert came yelling aggressively to everyone in a gladiator arena. 

I still haven't thought about an actual name to give this clown besides something like Cluster but I don't know. I hate that name alot, apologies to anyone named Cluster, it just doesn't sound pleasing.

These are supposedly storyboards, but they don't have the squares to feel like their ordered correctly.

This is in fact in order and I managed to come up with my intro to the shorts I plan to make, I have a secret love for those smiley face heads, and the short is called Layin' Eggs. The main character, Henrietta Hen is Mr. Cockedee's wife. This has brief inspiration to Tex Avery and Clampett expressions. Y'know, what a classic cartoon should do.

Holy cow, I forgot I made this much duos even since I first drawn my first ones Dutcher and Ben Obvious.

I mean, I love Abbott And Costello, and Laurel and Hardy, so I was just all in it for the two pair cliche in cartoons. 

These are all scrapped ideas of a cat and kangaroo and what I think of just based on the drawings, is that the cat is friends with the kangaroo but wants to eat him. And here the cat is doing all of these Bugs Bunny Rod Scribner expressions.

This was me trying to copy several frames of the black cat in Kitty Kornered saying "Ah! I think I've got it!"

One of the few characters I managed to capture the Looney Tunes style is Ralph Cat. This was definitely made at the start of 12th grade, and just by looking at it, you can see a bunch of changes like the conservative stiff poses and him saying Bye-A like with my first few posts.

Kitty Kornered is one of the best cartoons of all time. When I was 16, I used to replay that beginning part where Porky kicks the cats out of his house and laughing every single time Porky says "four". It seriously gets me every time I hear it. And so does the designs of the characters, they are easy to draw. 

You see Wags Watson, Astro-Cat and Sly C from the Northern Alley Cats, basically the common household pets are all in one drawing. But I did manage to practice drawing those expressions from a Tex Avery cartoon Droopy's Double Trouble. 

Next I wanted to redesign a character I made back when I first designed Dredd and Szac, his name is Karl.

I always have time to revamp some of my characters to make them look original and simple as possible. Back then these guys looked abstract and crinkly as possible, so when I researched into more cartoon studios and Preston Blair I realized that, if you just make your characters look more detailed and full of form and life, people will find it much better to appreciate your work. 

I look into my old work from 2018-2019, and man I'm not happy. Good thing I have this blog so that everyone can freely appreciate how my artwork has improved nowadays.

Happy Birthday Tex Avery!

 

Today marks the 117th birthday of one of my heroes, he did everything he could to entertain millions of people including me.

Tex Avery wasn't only just an animator, he was a very influential person. I admire almost every single one of his MGM cartoons because they changed how I experience humor, also note the expressions given in one of these cartoons are fantastic.

I would assure to say that he's more powerful than Disney. That may not be an agreement with you guys, but to me I had alot of fun watching all his short films.

Not only did his expressions influence my drawing style, but so does his straightforward, chaotic and zany nature.

Why I Respect Tex Avery 

Hey, I gotta appreciate and love other people besides my parents. Tex Avery was an exaggerated genius who loved breaking the 4th wall at times. I love to draw and his characters are too easy to steal and use, and like I said in a previous post, he isn't too keen on adding filler to his cartoons. Barely any dialogue is added, and if it does, it makes sense so does other classic studios. 

While Avery hasn't been with us for 45 years, I don't want anyone to forget about this amazing person for a very long time.

Wanna experience some goodies in honor to pay tribute?

Here's some funny clips.

Iconic song!

Love this one too! The bear's performance is hilarious.

His work at Warner Bros. is severely underrated, this is my favorite Looney Tunes cartoon by his and has the most hilarious character in it voiced by Tex himself!

In appreciation I made a drawing with one of my main characters.

Happy Birthday Tex Avery, your a legend, and you'll never be missed. 🎉 🥕 

Tortoise And The Hare - Part 2

 

As previously mentioned in Part 1, I had a little flipbook with my tortoise and the hare project.

You'll be seeing the rest on paper.

Enjoy!

Yep. All finished. Hoped you really liked it. 

I would like to talk about what went into this cartoon.

This cartoon is paying homage to those Tex Avery fairytale cartoons. The beginning is sorta like Torotise Beats Hare (1941) mixed in with Red Hot Riding Hood (1943). 

While talking about Tex Avery, I also love the Bob Clampett animation. His best films were from 1943-1946. It's so sad that he never got a chance to make more cartoons after 1946, he would've been unstoppable like Chuck Jones.

Falling Hare is probably my most influential out of Clampett's cartoons, that doesn't mean it's the best though. I just love the animation when Bugs fights with the gremlin. 

If they won't allow me using dynamite in the actual cartoon, I'm going to be pissed.

This is also the first time we get to see Cedric The Cat. He's one of my main characters. And this is my first drawing of him.

Well, that's it for now. Here's the official poster. It's also inspired by those outstanding classic animated posters.