Animation Drawing
A pencil drawing on animation paper, created by the animator and used as the basis for an image on a cel.
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Animator
An artist who draws characters in motion.
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Aquatint Engraving
An artist creates a clean graphite line, which a master printer uses to make a plate to capture the subtle nuances of the original drawing. The aquatint plate is created by dusting powdered resin on a separate plate in a free-form design and then allowing acid to eat away the plate surface from around it. Once the two plates have been cut, the depressed areas are filled with ink and the non-printing surfaces wiped clean. This image is then transferred to premium quality acid free paper by being pulled through the etching process.
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ARTISTS: ALLYSON VOUGHT
Allyson Vought began her career in art like most young artist, finger painting or crayons on the wall and of course the obligatory hand in the clay or mud as it were, the usual kids stuff. Unfortunately her talent would lie dormant for much of her adult life.
In 1973 Allyson sculpted her first piece as a get-well offering for her significant other. Manipulating the clay, there soon appeared a caricature of a bunny rabbit holding flowers. This proved to be so popular; other critters were soon popping up as gifts for friends.
Allyson?s love of Disney?s Fantasia, and the rich history of the Disney Studio was the inspiration for her first sculptures. Allyson began creating bronzes of her sculpts that were offered as limited editions through the Disneyana convention and Walt Disney World. Allyson later collaborated with Disney Legend, Carl Barks to create art tiles based on Bark?s famous miserly duck, Scrooge McDuck and the feisty Donald Duck.
Her most recognized work, and the one that is still her favorite, is the 10 character panels for the Warner Brothers flagship Store in NYC. Each panel measured 10? long by 5? high and depicts Warner Brothers animation thru the years. She likes to call it her Mt. Rushmore of projects.
Allyson created bronzes, ceramic art tiles and paper sculptures for the Warner Brothers Studio Stores as well as commissioned pieces for art galleries worldwide.
In addition to working with animation legends like Carl Barks and Chuck Jones, Allyson created a 6 foot bronze Lear Jet for the Lear foundation in Reno NV.
Allyson is currently working on new bronze sculptures, art tiles and an exciting new series of fine art, limited edition coffee tables and end tables.
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ARTISTS: DICK DUERRSTEIN
As a young child growing up in the San Fernando Valley north of Los Angeles, Dick Duerrstein was always drawing. He loved to draw battle scenes and cars, especially cars that had been designed and painted by the iconic Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth. His mother's shopping list always included a note to buy him another ream of white paper, as he quickly filled every inch of both sides of each sheet with his meticulous graphite drawings. After high school, he studied at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena while working for a graphics firm.
His passion for art, along with his love of Disney comics and movies, fostered in him the dream of someday working for the Walt Disney Studios and in 1976 he began his career at Disney as Creative Director for their Consumer Products Division. Designing Disney merchandise for the national market, Duerrstein worked alongside many of the foremost animation artists of the 20th Century, including Ward Kimball, Marc Davis (and incidentally, with Chuck Jones at Warner Bros.) For the next 22 years, Dick had the opportunity to use his talent in many diverse ways, developing his own unique style that is prevalent in his paintings today.
His experience at Disney working on a wide variety of projects has given Dick a world-class sense of design. His artwork has adorned everything from record album covers and clothing to fine collectible items such as cel portfolios, art glass and furniture. Some of his published works include a series of three children's books that he illustrated, and a fine art serigraph series of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Donald Duck. Dick began perfecting his current style of painting over fifteen years ago. Finding inspiration in the work of contemporary artists such as Keith Haring, Andy Warhol and David Hockney, he has imbued his paintings of cartoon characters with new life.
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ARTISTS: JAMES COLEMAN
James Coleman - a name synonymous with sweeping skies, tropical rain forests, rich deep woods and silent deserts. The images created by this talented man continue to delight all that view them.
James Coleman was born in Hollywood, California in 1949. As a youth, his creative abilities seemed to dominate his world. Though he lacked the athletic skills of his young friends, he more than made up for it with imagination and ingenuity. As a young man, his interest in filmmaking and fine art would mark the beginning of a long, successful career in animated films. Coleman began his career with Walt Disney Studios in the summer of 1969, when his mother, who had been working as a secretary with Disney since the Hyperion days, got him a job in the studio's mailroom. His big break came when he entered one of his paintings in the studio art show. Several of the Disney artists viewing his work, saw his potential and realized he had an untapped ability and encouraged him to go into animation background painting.
Walt Disney Productions welcomed his creative energies. His first film, "Winnie, the Pooh and Tigger, too", sparked his interest not only in painting backgrounds but also in background design and color styling.
After completing, "The Rescuers", his first feature film, he was promoted to Background Department Supervisor, a position he held for nearly seventeen years. During that time, he personally hired and trained a select group of artists, whom he would work with for most of his career at Disney. While at Disney, James styled and worked on twelve films and over thirty short subjects which included "Mickey's Christmas Carol", "The Fox and the Hound", "The Great Mouse Detective", "The Black Cauldron", "The Little Mermaid", and Academy Award-winning, "Beauty and the Beast". All of which came to life with James Coleman's background images gracing the silver screen.
In 1991, after twenty-two years with Disney, James left to pursue a new career. He was ready to devote
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ARTISTS: JIM SALVATI
The art of illustration is multifaceted and requires extensive training as well as artistic ability. It is only natural for a great illustrator to be able to switch their style with little effort, growing an incredible portfolio and several types of artwork that demand attention.
This is apparent when you see the work of Mike Kupka. Whether painting well-known rock stars like Ozzy Osbourne, or adding new depths to the classic horror characters of Frankenstein and Dracula, to his amazing depictions of the Disney Villain's. His affinity for the darker characters in life has developed into quite a scary portfolio.
As with most artists the desire was there to draw early on, he would wait all week for the Sunday comics and eagerly copy the latest Beatle Bailey. Mike started to paint during his time at duCret school of art in New Jersey when he found his mentor Peter Caras. He has not put the brush down since.
Even at the young age of 32, Michael's artwork captures more than a likeness of the characters he paints, his work creates old world flair. Bringing together all the ingredients necessary to make a painting work, which is why he attracts the eye. With the soft lines and rustic palate, The villains he depicts have always shown a greater range of emotions whether Captain Hook's eyes are boaring into you sizing you up or Cruella dreaming about the newest batch of puppies for her next fur coat. One thing is for sure you know that the characters he renders are so glad to be bad.
Shadow, mood, composition, and color, his style lends to it and as he says about why villains, "You get more!" You can see from his works he is right.
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ARTISTS: JOHN ALVIN
Creating the promise of a great experience" is how John Alvin describes his role as the preeminent designer and illustrator of cinema art in the entertainment industry today. In a business where you are only as good as your last job, Alvin is prolific. He has designed and illustrated some of the world's most widely recognizable movie art.
Of the more than 120 film campaigns he has created, E.T. - the Extra-Terrestrial is the most satisfying to Alvin, and appropriately so, as the movie is one of the most successful in cinema history. In addition to receiving the Hollywood Reporter Key Art Awards' grand prize, Alvin's E.T. was the only movie art ever to be honored with the Saturn Award from The Academy of Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy Films.
Alvin has produced many special works for Lucasfilm Ltd.'s Star Wars phenomenon. His Star Wars Concert and Star Wars Tenth Anniversary poster are among the most collectible Star Wars art in the market today. Additionally, The Smithsonian Museum, Washington D.C., exhibited Alvin's The Phantom of the Paradise as one of the best posters of the 20th Century.
The ability to infuse art with feeling was one reason Disney wanted Alvin for The Lion King and the "adult campaigns" for many Disney animated classics. The adult campaign will usually be more elegant, more symbolic, and in Alvin's masterful hands, imbued with a moody, almost magical aura. "His work inspires us," say the Disney marketing execs. "Alvin brings emotion into his artwork that can only be captured in an illustration. We call it 'Alvinizing'."
Alvin much prefers being involved in the total campaign - including designating what the image will be rather than just illustrating. Thus, at times the right solution for a film may be photographic, or a combination of photography, traditional illustration and digital manipulation, decisions Alvin is not adverse to making and personally executing. His diversely extensive portfolio is a testimony to Alvin's consistent
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ARTISTS: JOHN ROWE
John received his training at Art Center College of Design and began his career as an illustrator. His paintings have appeared on movie posters, books, billboards, magazines and advertisements throughout the country and around the world.
Seeking an additional outlet for his creative vision, John began his Horse Series, bringing together equine beauty and power with emotions of the human spirit. When the publishers of Walter Farley's The Black Stallion saw John's work, they were inspired to re-issue this classic series, commissioning 24 new paintings by John for the covers. He has also been part of the rerelease of the books of Marguerite Henry. He is also responsible for some wonderful finished movie posters, including for the movie "Miracle".
"My artwork is meant to recall the beauty, majesty and mystery of the life we live, and the world we live it in. Painting the small delicacy of the light on a child's face, or the overwhelming power and grace of the sky at sunrise, is my attempt to capture some of that wonder. Through my work I hope to remind you and myself how truly wonderful, complex, and vivid life is. Whether we are looking into the eyes of someone we love, or struggling just to breath, life is a priceless gift."
John has maintained a successful painting career for nearly 20 years. His studio is in La Canada California, where he lived with his wife and two children. He received his art training at Art Center College of Design, and has worked with clients throughout the United States and around the world.
His limited editions of interpretive Disney art are some of the fastest selling images at Disney World and Disneyland.
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ARTISTS: MARK CHIARELLO
Mark Chiarello has done freelance illustration for the National Basketball Association, Topps Inc., LucasFilm Ltd., Disney, DC Comics, and Universal Pictures. He has also received the comic book industry's Eisner, Harvey, and Reuben awards. He is the author of The DC Comics Guide to Coloring and Lettering Comics (2004), and illustrator of the book "Heroes of the Negro Leagues" (2007), which was inspired by a set of baseball cards he and his co-author Jack Morelli created that is believed to be the first comprehensive color set of cards to honor the players of the Negro Leagues.
A Yankee fan and watercolorist, he is currently the Art Director of DC Comics, and lives near New York City, with his wife and family.
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ARTISTS: MARY GRANDPRE
GrandPré has illustrated all of the American editions of the Harry Potter novels. She was one of the few people who were able to read the Harry Potter books before they were released to the general public. When she received each new book, she read the story through once, highlighting descriptions that she felt would do well as an illustration. She then created various sketches as ideas for the cover and chapter art, before sending her favorites to the editors to decide which should appear in the final publication. GrandPré is very careful to make sure that her illustrations give hints as to what will happen in each chapter or within the book, without making it very obvious where the plot is headed. GrandPré does not collaborate with J.K. Rowling at all.
Mary GrandPré was born in South Dakota, but spent most of her life in Minnesota.[1] She began drawing when she was only five years old, beginning with a reproduction of Mickey Mouse.[1] By age ten, she was imitating Salvador Dalí, experimenting with stretched objects painted with oils, before graduating to copying black and white photos from the encyclopedia. GrandPré graduated from Pomona College with a degree in fine arts, and in her mid-twenties chose to go back to school, earning a degree from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.[2]
After her graduation, GrandPré spent several years as a waitress while working to be noticed by ad agencies and attempting to find her own style. Her drawing evolved into what she calls "soft geometry," featuring pastels used in a "colorful, light-hearted, and whimsical" manner. Her work is created completely by hand, without using a computer.[2]
[edit
In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, GrandPré depicts the character Severus Snape as a balding man with a goatee, even though he is constantly described as having greasy, shoulder-length black hair. GrandPré's influence for Harry Potter's glasses throughout her illustrations for the character come from her husband's...
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ARTISTS: MIKE KUNGL
After completing art and design school M Kungl applied his graphic design education to achieve a successful career in advertising. Spending nearly two decades creating award winning logos, package design and illustration for companies such as Panasonic, Johnson & Johnson, Toshiba and Nissan Motors, Kungl then focused on fine art full time.
Soon into his new career, Kungl never suspected that success on one coast would lead to recognition on another. Within just two years the California artist was selected to create the official artwork for Miami Beach's 25th annual Art Deco Weekend.
The Miami honor is just one of many in a succession of developments that highlight Kungl?s growing reputation as a recognized collectible artist across the country and around the world. In addition to strong domestic sales of his images, Kungl?s works are rising in popularity throughout Europe, Japan and Australia. His work is featured regularly in magazine articles, how to books and television shows.
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ARTISTS: MIKE KUPKA
The art of illustration is multifaceted and requires extensive training as well as artistic ability. It is only natural for a great illustrator to be able to switch their style with little effort, growing an incredible portfolio and several types of artwork that demand attention.
This is apparent when you see the work of Mike Kupka. Whether painting well-known rock stars like Ozzy Osbourne, or adding new depths to the classic horror characters of Frankenstein and Dracula, to his amazing depictions of the Disney Villain's. His affinity for the darker characters in life has developed into quite a scary portfolio.
As with most artists the desire was there to draw early on, he would wait all week for the Sunday comics and eagerly copy the latest Beatle Bailey. Mike started to paint during his time at duCret school of art in New Jersey when he found his mentor Peter Caras. He has not put the brush down since.
Even at the young age of 32, Michael's artwork captures more than a likeness of the characters he paints, his work creates old world flair. Bringing together all the ingredients necessary to make a painting work, which is why he attracts the eye. With the soft lines and rustic palate, The villains he depicts have always shown a greater range of emotions whether Captain Hook's eyes are boaring into you sizing you up or Cruella dreaming about the newest batch of puppies for her next fur coat. One thing is for sure you know that the characters he renders are so glad to be bad.
Shadow, mood, composition, and color, his style lends to it and as he says about why villains, "You get more!" You can see from his works he is right.
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ARTISTS: NOAH
Born and raised in the heart of Orange County, California, the artist known simply as Noah has been creating amazing artwork - locally and worldwide - for many years.
His art career flourished while still in high school, creating signs and banners for the school, family and friends. With no formal training but a ton of raw talent, Noah began taking on commercial work of every variety. As recognition grew, so did his roster of clients (Levi's, Alpine, Lexus) and collectors including CEO's and celebrities. In 2004 Noah was asked to paint the famous pink ôSukiö car in Universal Pictures ô2 Fast 2 Furiousö. One of his most recognized achievements are his rolling canvases for Alpine Electronics. These radical vehicles have won numerous automobile awards such as ôBest Paintö at SEMA in Las Vegas four years in a row.
Growing up in Orange County exposed Noah to one of his greatest artistic influences, Walt Disney. ôI spent my days as a child wandering Main St. in Disneyland enjoying the magical world Walt Disney created,ö explains Noah. ô I have been blessed with the unique opportunity to create art that helps carry on the legacy and heritage of Walt Disney's dream. My goal is to continue to impact the lives of both young and old with the magic I have been so fortunate to take part in."
NoahÆs original Disney character portraits, crafted in his signature Asian-influenced, monochromatic paint style, are proving to be extremely popular among collectors of Disney Fine Art. He carefully renders the composition first, and then over-paints with more exuberant effects. "I like to mix photorealism with drips and texture. It contradicts itself and works to the very end û the organic and natural contrasts beautifully with the structure of the photorealism."
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ARTISTS: RODEL GONZALES
Rodel Gonzalez is an artist of inspirational talents with a keen eye for seeing the beauty in the commonplace and grace in the ordinary. His story starts with an initiation into the art business through the tutelage of his father, Rick Gonzalez and grandfather, Felix Gonzalez, at the age of 9. “Growing up my father would always tells me to not be intimidated by the paint and be 100 % sure about my intentions on my first stroke at the canvas” says Rodel. His explorations of color, form, and composition ignited a lifelong passion for the arts in its many forms.
He studied at the University of Santo Tomas, with a major in painting and went on to earn a degree in Interior Design from the Philippines School of Interior Design. This early training required perseverance in acquiring the skills and discipline that would prove to serve him well in future endeavors on his path to artistic freedom.
His artistry became evident in the field of music and at 20 he founded "Side A" in the Philippines. The band is still active today and is currently the longest-lived band in Manila. Rodel was the lead singer and the band's most prolific songwriter. His success in the music industry fulfilled a part of him, but exposed a desire for a more meaningful and deeper connection with his audience.
In 1994, Rodel embarked on a new journey. His talents were manifested as a minister in the service of others. Although busy with his official duties, he maintained his connection with art by doing commissioned portraits, murals, and sketches for friends and acquaintances. In 2002, Rodel began in earnest his dreams of pursuing a fine art career. With inspiration and influence from his brother, Rudolf Gonzalez, and support from his cousin Roy Gonzalez Tabora, he has a newfound energy and dedication for his artwork.
When asked about his latest works for the Disney Fine Art portfolio, Rodel has said, “Having the opportunity to create Disney paintings is such a treat because Disney was definitel
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ARTISTS: STEVE CHORNEY
Steven Chorney has created some of the most recognizable art images in the world during his 36 year career in the entertainment art field. Raised in Buffalo, New York and with no formal art education, Chorney pursued his dream of working in the arts when he moved to Southern California in 1972 and landed a job animating and designing television commercials for a small independent agency. In 1976 his entry to the Chicago International Film Festival garnered the First Place Award for Animated Television Commercials.
His innate talent, at once sophisticated and yet charmingly nostalgic, was soon noticed by the marketing departments of the major Hollywood studios and is reflected in his diverse accomplishments in entertainment art.
In just a three year period, 1983-1986, Chorney created dramatic final art for over 50 TV Guide ads for CBS and NBC television programs, including, Dynasty, Miami Vice, Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer, T.J. Hooker, and Cagney and Lacey. In 1987 his work on the popular television series Designing Women won First Place in The Hollywood Reporter Key Art Awards for television.
Chorney’s considerable talents have been applied to over 120 motion picture campaigns for many of the major studios including Disney, MGM and Warner Bros. Recognized for his design and conceptual abilities, Chorney has frequently been asked to develop the direction and design of the final One-Sheet concept for movies as diverse as Who Framed Roger Rabbit, License to Kill, Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade and many more.
Steve Chorney’s reach into the pop culture field includes illustrating books such as the popular Star Wars young reader series as well as creating works for Universal Studios Parks, Paramount Parks, and Knott’s Berry Farm. The artist's work has been commissioned by the states of California, Nebraska, Texas, and Wyoming, even the Union Pacific Railroad, to help design and promote public attractions of historical importance.
Currently, Chorney and his wife l
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ARTISTS: TIM ROGERSON
As a rising star in the art world, Tim Rogerson casts his artwork with a very evident energy and passion. Inspired by the works of Edgar Degas and Malcolm Liepke, the North Carolinanative has embarked on an artistic journey that has taken him from Degas to Disney to darling of the industry.
Born in Kissimmee, FL, Mr. Rogerson was forced to move with his family to North Carolina at the age of four because of family health concerns. His father, who at the time, was employed by Walt Disney World as Show Director in charge of managing and maintaining all of the performances in the park, made every day a magical adventure for the future artist, even though they no longer had the safety umbrella of Disney.
Mr. Rogerson grew up living the everyday life of a kid, playing outside and "hanging out" with friends, however, the artistic urge to create was always present, compelling him to apply the pictures and images in his head to paper and canvas.
Every child has a dream. For Mr. Rogerson, it was to be an artist as well as satisfying his desire to return to his home-state; back to the magical kingdom from which he came. Of course being surrounded by the whimsical images of Disney characters, even after his family moved to North Carolina; his father was an avid Disney collector and supporter, didn't help curb his appetite for the Sunshine State. However, it was these images that helped form some of Mr. Rogerson?s style, which has begun to earn him critical acclaim.
Fulfilling his dream of returning to Florida, Mr. Rogerson was accepted as a student at the prestigious Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, majoring in Illustration. "I was a very traditional art student and explored all works; from the old masters to modern art," says the artist. "My influences include Degas and John Singer Sargent; with his perfect, confident brushstrokes?their work has allowed me to push the envelope with my own abstraction of life."
Using the medium of oil paints, Mr. Rogers
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ARTISTS: TOBY BLUTH
A multifaceted artist, Toby writes, directs and designs. He is a veteran of the American musical stage and has performed in, directed or nearly one hundred musical comedies. He has worked both Broadway and stock theater with such stars as Juliet Prowse, Andy Devine, Raquel Welch, Robert Morse, Tammy Grimes, Jane Powell, Cathy Rigby and John Raitt, to name a few. Most recently he served as art director on the development of The Three Musketeers for the Walt Disney Studios. Having already worked in that same position for The Tigger Movie.
Recently, he was tapped by Disney once again, to create panels for the most recent release of the Pinocchio and Snow White dvd/blue ray discs, a distinct honor!
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ARTISTS: TREVOR CARLTON
Monte Trevor Carlton was born in 1972 in Olympia, Washington State. Although he took up painting in high school, the first artistic passion that Trevor embraced was acting. He decided to forgo an art scholarship in favor of attending a dramatic arts scholarship at Skagit Valley College.
Trevor next attended the Lee Strasberg Acting Workshop. The following year he relocated to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. Amidst the chaos of auditions and call backs, Trevor paid the bills by working in a custom furniture store, specializing in antiquing and faux finish designs.
It was here that a style was born. Using reclaimed lumber as his "canvas", he started painting images of vintage Americana with subjects ranging from pop icon celebrity to the hey day of jazz.
After numerous gallery shows in Los Angeles and private commissions he has now combined his unique style to that most American of symbols, MICKEY MOUSE. Along with a series of classic lobby card paintings, he has also created a performance piece that has him painting a large canvas of our favorite Disney characters in a matter of minutes.
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ARTISTS: WILLIAM SILVERS
William was born in the small town of New Bremen, Ohio. As far back as he can remember he was painting every chance he got. Inspired by his father who was also an artist, William went to Bowling Green State University where he received a BFA in Graphic Design at the age of 21. After working 2 years in an Ohio in-house ad. agency, William moved to New York and worked for 5 years for ad. agencies,
In 1990 he moved to Cleveland, Ohio and worked for an illustration studio before co-founding Live Wire Studios, a full service art studio.. In 1995, after 6 years as Vice President and Creative Director of Live Wire Studios, William was offered a position with Walt Disney feature Animation as a Background artist. William painted backgrounds for the movies Mulan, Tarzan, Lilo & Stitch, and Brother Bear. In 2004 William worked as a matte painter for Industrial Light and Magic on Day After Tomorrow and Star Wars Episode III. After ILM William art directed NCAA Football 06 & 07 for EA Games.
Now a full time painter, William Silvers has a great passion for painting. He won several awards including Region I at the 2005 Arts for Parks and Founders Favorite at the 2001 Arts for the Parks annual contest in Wyoming. He has also been a member of Society of Animal Artist for the past five years and in 2005 had a painting accepted in the 45th Annual Exhibition.
William lives in Clermont, FL., and continues today to work as a gallery artist.
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Background
The opaque painting that serves as the scenery behind the animation. Thousands of cels may be photographed over a single background to create one scene in an animated film.
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CAPS
Computer Animation Production System. Stop motion animation: Inanimate objects are made to move on the screen. Hand created figures are moved almost imperceptibly for each shot of film. The technique requires one image per frame, twenty four per second, unlike regular animation, which sometimes can get by on "twos", the same image on two frames.
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Cel
From Celluloid, referring to the plastic sheet on which the animation is drawn. An outline or line drawing of a character, and sometimes certain special effects, either hand-inked or xerographically transferred onto a clear sheet of cellulose acetate, or nitrate cellulose. The image is then painted on the backside of the sheet. Cels are mostly in two standard sizes: a 12-field, about 12 x 10 inches; or 16-field, approximately 16 x 12 inches.
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Cel Set-up
One or more cels overlaid on a background. Xerography: An electrostatic process adapted for transferring animators' pencil drawings to cels. It was tested in Sleeping Beauty, and then used for the first time in a feature with 101 Dalmations. The process was used through The Little Mermaid, after which the computer obviated the need for cels.
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CGI
A term meaning computer graphics imagery, used by Disney, for example, in the crowd scenes in The Hunchback of Notre Dame to create thousands of individual characters moving simultaneously by computer.
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Clean-up
The process of refining the lines of rough animation and adding minor details.
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Clean-up Sketch
The animator's drawing used as the finished image to be transferred to a cel.
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Color Model
A preliminary cel of a character or prop, created to establish the colors and values to be used in the film. The final color model becomes the guide for inkers and painters.
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Concept Art
Defined as any preliminary art on paper contributing to the finished product of the animated cartoon including the conception of character, mood, scenery, and story.
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Courvoisier
Refers to the gallery in San Francisco owned by Guthrie Courvoisier that marketed all the cels for Disney from 1938, with the first full length feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, through 1947, with Song of the South. These cels were released with backgrounds ranging from original backgrounds from the studio to simpler airbrushed backgrounds made by the artists at Disney or the Courvoisier Gallery, to cels with backgrounds made of wood-veneer or even a piece of wrapping paper. They ranged in price from a few dollars to $75 for the most elaborate pieces. These set-ups are highly sought after in the current market.
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Giclee
Based on the French term meaning spray of ink, it describes a print made through a process where four precision nozzles spray up to a million microscopic droplets of ink per second on to fine art paper. A variety of sizes can be outputted without compromising detail or color vibrancy. The result is an image that mirrors the original to a stunning degree. There are giclees available of Warner Brothers characters now, and Disney is getting ready to release their premiere images next year.
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Hand-Inking
The outline of each drawing is traced onto the surface of a cel by hand, using different ink colors. This technique was used exclusively through Sleeping Beauty, (although there was a test of xerography in a small part of the film-can you find it?) and was used to enhance xerographic cels where needed. For example, Ariel's liplines and all the bubbles in The Little Mermaid were created with hand-inking.
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Key Set-up
The combination of original production cel or cels and the original background on which these cels belong, making the complete picture as seen in the film. Generally the rarest and most valuable of any studio's art.
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Layout
The black and white rendering done by a layout person that determines the basic composition of the scene.
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Limited Edition Cel
This term is used to refer to cels created by hand in the studio of the character or film's origin made in limited number, usually between 200 and 750 pieces, generally made from original drawings from a film, either xerographically lined or hand inked but always hand painted. Each one is an original in the sense that it has been hand painted, but it was not used to make a film. Some collectors prefer limited edition cels because they are chosen from a cartoon's best scenes, painted with today's highest quality paints so damage and restoration is not a concern, and the price is set by the studio of origin. They are far more affordable than some older Disney production cels, and some production cels from Warner Brothers cartoons are entirely unavailable because of a fire in their warehouse in 1968. Many collectors determine their favorite characters, their budget, and then choose to buy production cels and limited editions accordingly.
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Mat Set-up
A cel set-up released through the art corner at Disneyland between 1955 and 1968, having been trimmed to a standard size and placed in a thin single mat against a lithograph or colored mat, with a bronze and burgundy seal behind the backing declaring it to be an original cel. These were originally sold for between $1.00 and $2.75, and are often stuck to their backgrounds. Many great cels from the fifties are found with these identifying marks of authenticity.
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Matte Painting
A special effect whereby an object or landscape, for example a castle or an island, is painted on glass and set in front of the camera so that both the real setting and the painting are filmed as one.
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Model Sheet
Drawings of a single character or grouping of characters, in a variety of attitudes and expressions, created as a reference guide for animators.
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Nine Old Men
Walt Disney called his key animators in the 1950s his Nine Old Men, after FDR's Nine Old Men on the Supreme Court. They were Les Clark, Marc Davis, Ollie Johnston, Milt Kahl, Ward Kimball, Eric Larson, John Lounsbery, Woolie Reitherman, and Frank Thomas. Drawings created by any of these influential men at Disney are highly desirable. These men are responsible for many of the classic characters created at Disney from the beginning through Robin Hood. Two animators that predate this time period but are reknowned are Bill Tytla and Freddie Moore--many collectors seek drawings only by these men.
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Production Background
Original backgrounds actually used in the production of a film.
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Production Cel
Any cels used in the making of a production. This may include cels that were meant to be used, but were cut from the film. That is why it is important to find the exact location of the production cel you are considering in the film of its origin. (Remember Tinkerbell could be not from Peter Pan but from the Wonderful World of Color, and must be priced accordingly!) Some cels are rarer for their being cut, as in the case of the scene of Jessica Rabbit applying a garter to her upper thigh considered too hot for the film. Production cels are an essential part of any animation collection.
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Restoration
Many older cels have paint that has cracked or separated off the cel. While ArtInsights tries only to deal in cels in mint condition with the original paint intact, there are some cels that require restoration out there in the market. If we are offering a cel that may require restoration, we show the cel in its original condition first, so the client can see what will be required. Most of our clients would rather have a cel in its original condition for aesthetic reasons. When being restored, a cel can either have its paint wetted and reapplied, (which is not so bad, since it is still the original paint) or new paint of the appropriate color is mixed and applied to the cel. That new paint can be either gouache or acrylic. The biggest problem is that many galleries have cels restored without telling the collectors who may purchase the piece. Although the value of a restored piece is considered the same as one in original mint condition, to our minds this is an unethical practice. Also some restorers are better than others, and some use the wrong colors or may even re-ink a piece, which is really unacceptable. If considering a cel for purchase always ask if it has been restored (many vintage Warner Brothers cels have been restored, and it is more acceptable because they have usually been through a lot more than the average Disney cel) and if the damage is in the plastic itself, i.e., there is a rip or a crack actually through the plastic near or on the image, it is unrestorable. Do not purchase that cel. If you have a cel that needs restoration, we can guide you to an ethical restoration artist.
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Rough Sketch
The animator's drawings used in the process of creating the finished image to be transferred to cel.
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Sericel
This term refers to cels, usually created from a film's original drawings, where lines and colors are transferred one color at a time onto a cel through the fine art process of serigraphy (each color is forced through the silk screens as the cels are hand-fed through the printer, one color at a time). Sericels are the least expensive of the animation art collectibles. With edition sizes usually ranging from 1500 to 5000, they are priced between $150 and $650 depending on the size and number of characters on the cel. Disney just recently began adding backgrounds to their sericels, making their appeal much greater to the animation collector.
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Storyboard
A large board on which are pinned sketches telling a story in comic-strip fashion. The storyboard serves as a preliminary guide for those working on the film.
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Storyboard Drawing
A sketch made for the storyboard, which conveys the original plot and action.
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