Examining Storyboards + More Wolf And Sheep Drawings

 

I want to examine some storyboards I downloaded on my save files. 

This past year I was so invested into learning more about how animation works. Right now, storyboards are the next thing I'm wanting to study.

Here's a unique one with Huckleberry Hound.

What I like about this is when to use certain sound effects when something happens in a scene, like the middle picture on the bottom. This is especially interesting because Huckleberry Hound is known for it's somewhat limited animation, so the style their going for in these storyboard sketches fit perfectly well.

Next is the Brer gang. Brer Fox, Rabbit, and Bear. I love all three of them, I find them quite memorable and energetic. 

These are some of my favorite animated bits from the final version of the Song Of The South film. 

Alot of expressive acting and narration involved here. You can see in a matter of time, the buildup gets more intense. 

It's really challenging to search Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry storyboards, but I immediately looked for one that was nice and that's from a cartoon called Jerry's Cousin (1951), this was at a time when the Tom and Jerry cartoons themselves were more violent and rubbery as ever, so this is especially amusing. 

Muscles is one of those characters in the entirety of the franchise that actually talks, so this entire storyboard isn't all explaining what the animator needs to do in a singular scene. 

I showed you all some of my storyboards in previous posts, but I did make a new one yesterday.

01 - This mainly focuses on the boy interacting with the sheep and deciding to go on a peaceful walk with a shepherd crook.

02 - Focuses on The Wolf's house, inside showcases some grotesque imagery of animal parts and roasted animal food, and the Wolf's laboratory. 

So alright, yeah, the storyboards, the illustrations may be just your average sketches, mostly alot quicker to develop, but what's great is that once it's completed, I think the next main priority is to start drawing, and animating the construction of the characters that look more detailed and vivid. 

Whenever I draw The Wolf, it makes me feel like a better artist.

Here's a construction model for the sheep. He's got a more playful, nice attitude.

If I can think of more concepts, storyboards, and inventive characters, similar to this, I'll definitely post it in the future. 

Sherwood Forest/Robin Hoodwinked (1958)

 

Here's a Tom and Jerry short called Robin Hoodwinked (1958) that has quite a few astonishing backgrounds.

I always had a genuine taste for forest scenes in animation because they always have the best natural colors. 

I like how it tells us where the story begins. The font is really nice.

There's just something about the way the trees and whole atmosphere looks that makes these scenes pleasent and comforting.

In most openings of Tom and Jerry cartoons, it usually starts off with the usual chases or takes place at a normal house. It's good to see a little variety this time especially because it's rather soft and has more of a focus.

My thoughts on the cartoon itself, it's nowhere near levels of comedic genius as other robin hood parodies like Robin Hood Daffy, or Disney's feature length version of it but it's still got some moments, the slapstick is amusing enough and the plot is fairly simple.

Robert Gentle and Richard Bickenbach are credited for designing the backgrounds and layouts. 

Nostalgic Appeal - The Sequel

 

It's officially been a month since I did a Nostalgic Appeal post. You can find the first one here by clicking the link.

https://sngexplorationblog.blogspot.com/2025/04/nostalgic-appeal-looney-tunes-disney.html?m=1

Anyways, this time I'm going through a Clifford book and other animated shorts that peeked my interest.

But first things first I have a selection of old pictures I took on my Nintendo 2DS. It barely works nowadays but it was still able to show my random yet fun screenshots from the camera mode.

The reasons as to why this is considered "nostalgic appeal" it's because it really does, to me at least. Not all of you guys really have had a bedroom like I did when I was 7. 

Of course I loved Sprout and had a Chica Show plush. I think I still have it somewhere in my toybox.

These pictures I took are from 2014 if you wanna know.

What's so great and fascinating about having toys is that you can imagine having one character from a Nickelodeon show interact with a other studio character like a Disney one. It's kinda quirky but it's really fun.

Here's Swiper exploring for once and visiting Disney Princesses and their playhouse.

Chilly has my old deceased TV remote.

One of my oldest invented characters Super Sweiol fighting against Mr. Pirate, oh wait, "Mr. Pirete"

I remember cuddling up with this alien human hybrid for a long period of time back then. This is Po's shot on playing the light guitar, she's too lazy to play it though.

In a near future post, I want to make a post talking about Uglydolls. My parents loved the heck outta these guys and I still collect them. They're not as a populated brand like Funko or Sanrio but I think that's for the best, these were just cute and likeable.

I chose the pictures that weren't over-the-top shaky because I have over zillions of pictures where I couldn't focus or I took the pictures while I was running like crazy. 

It's really upsetting that almost all of these toys I have are gone especially my books and magazine covers. 

However when it comes to me taking pictures in a normal light I somewhat go for more surreal and unpleasant approaches. When I first saw you could take pictures in a negative effect, it stayed it's welcome on my photo gallery. Oh the memories.

What's at least interesting is that I can still see the Sprout logo on the bottom right. Love that lil thing.

Now that's over with I'll now get onto the actual stuff that you might have more of an interest in, this book was very special to me when I was little, for some stupid reason I got rid of it but to me it'll never be forgotten. 

I loved Clifford and I remembered when we had library class in preschool I would often buy these and take them home. But this one I definitely had for a few years. 

This is sorta of a remodeled version of the original 1977 story. This to me is better because the older one has limited colors. 

The watercolors are extremely pleasing, you can look closely at small details of Clifford's red fur and there's more to the environment. The greens and yellows absolute pleasure.

The pinks have a cotton candy essence as well as the yellow and lime greens, they don't expose too much brightness whatsoever. 

The whole book has a ball pool charm to them.

Don't know what to call the aesthetic but it's definitely been used before and especially nowadays. 

Here's a Tom and Jerry cartoon, The Duck Doctor (1952), this cartoon wasn't that good, but I'm on the complete opposite when it comes to the backgrounds. 

The whole layout is gorgeous. Can't you even be shocked for a moment by how good this looks? 

This reminds me of when my parents would walk around the neighborhood in the evenings. 

If your only looking at the character, bud, we're not friends. 

Here's another, Little Quacker (1950)

This is how I really like life. The skies are massive, well-built houses, not minimalistic, trees are wealthy, this is so real that it comes close to Edward Hopper or Maxfield Parrish levels of talent. 

These are my all time favorite colors meshed in together. The perfect frame!

Last but certainly not least is Foul Hunting (1947). Yet another Disney production. Just like with The Duck Doctor (1952), the best part about it is the scenery, I also didn't really think this cartoon was anything enjoyable either but I do love a bit of Goofy shenanigans so I'm not complaining too much. 

You cannot go wrong with these colors!

Even his house is really calm and nice. 

Also to end it off, Happy Mother's Day. 🌸

The Best MGM Animator

When it comes to classic animators, I love alot of them. Rod Scribner, John Sibley, Ward Kimball, Preston Blair you name it. 

But is there someone that I feel forced and influenced to the most? 

Yes. 

I was on a spree watching animation reels, Kenneth Muse astounded me the most. He animated most of the 40s Tom and Jerry shorts and was a master of tone and expression in his drawings.

Tom and Jerry may not be the most flawless cartoon in my personal opinion but it's definitely the most witty and lively of the bunch. There's so much unique techniques and principles to the characters. 

What makes Ken Muse's work so much fun is how expressive and action-packed some of his scenes are. He first worked at Disney's. He animated the best Mickey Mouse shorts in my opinion. It's cinematic yet fast and rubbery.

After he left Disney, it was his big chance to prove his animation skills at MGM. He animated more of the slower, dramatic and methodical scenes of the Tom and Jerry shorts. That's what makes him utterly enjoyable and entertaining. When it comes to wacky animators like Rod Scribner and Ward Kimball, they're more or less always funny the way you look at the frames. 

Ken Muse had such maturity to his scenes. 

I think it's important to learn about these people, it's not easy as it sounds but it was completely staggering and geniuely a work of art. It's strength, it's extreme emotion, the way characters interact, Muse is perfect at that.

I'm going to watch Anchor's Aweigh next week. It's 2 hours and 20 minutes. Honestly all I'm here for is some good fun and of course Gene Kelly. He's one of the best dancers of all time.

I love this spin dance Gene does in this movie.

These will always be funny to me. Whenever Tom hits Jerry, Jerry does a funny face and lays flat. It's comedic to the max.

I've seen this in The Cat Concerto and it was also funny too.

Ken Muse is the best MGM studio animator. His animation skills are beautifully influential. He's definitely well loved by other people, and I'm one of those fans. 

There's this unique video of a guide to identifying animators. Tom's design is so cute in one of these clips from the video. While not all of it speaks "special" or convincing, it's still cool to experience for yourself. 

The channel who made this video is one of my favorites. 

Go to the channel. 

https://m.youtube.com/@ibcf