Model Sheet Monday: Eleanor

 

In honor of New Years Eve I bring you Eleanor from the 1980's version of Alvin and the Chipmunks....yeah I know that doesn't make any sense....Happy New Year Everyone!

 

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and God Bless Us Everyone!

Model Sheet Monday: The Grinch

Since it's Christmas Eve, todays model sheet is from the Dr. Suess and Chuck Jones Christmas classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

 

Artist Spotlight: Thomas Nast

Thomas Nast (September 27, 1840 – December 7, 1902) was an editorial cartoonist who is considered to be the "Father of the American Cartoon". He's credited with creating the Republican Elephant, popularizing the Democratic Donkey and Uncle Sam, and most importantly creating the modern image of Santa Claus. From 1863 to 1886, Nast drew Santa annually for Harper's Weekly, basing his design on Clement Moore's description of the jolly old elf from his poem "A Visit From Saint Nicholas," which would later be known as "The Night Before Christmas." Nast's Santa was a supporter of Lincoln and the Union armies during the Civil War and was often depicted wearing the colors of the American Flag. Beyond the wartime appearances, Nast is credited for some very well know attributes of the Santa lore including his North Pole home, children writing to Santa, the naughty and nice list, and his red and white suit.

 

 

The 75th Anniversary of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

In 1933, there was a letter written that stated that as far as animation is concerned, it should be limited to short subjects with funny animal characters because animating humans properly was beyond understanding. A year later Walt Disney accepted the challenge and began work on the first ever full length animated feature, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." No one thought it should be done, even Walt's brother Roy and wife Lilian did not think that anyone would sit and watch a full length animated film. But Walt soldiered on insisting he could do it for $250,000. As time passed that number sky rocketed to $1,488,422.74, a massive sum for a feature film in 1937. The news media called it  "Disney's Folly" while it was in production. Walt fought to get it made, mortgaging his house in the process to help finance the film. Walt hired a total of 750 artists to work on the film. Over 2 million sketches were made and the final film featured a whopping 250,000 pictures. The animators most of which had a background in newspaper cartooning were given grueling anatomy courses to be able to animate the human form and live models and dancers were brought in to be studied. All of this resulted in the creation of whats been called the greatest animated film of all time by the American Film Institute.
The film premiered on December 21st, 1937 at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Hollywood to a wildly receptive audience, many of whom that had dubbed the film "Disney's Folly", and received a standing ovation from the audience comprised of the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Shirley Temple, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Judy Garland, Ginger Rogers, and Jack Benny to name just a few. The film became the highest grossing film ever but became displaced by Gone With the Wind in 1940. Walt received an honorary Oscar featuring a full sized statuette and seven tiny ones presented to him by Shirley Temple. So today we honor possibly the greatest achievement in the history of animation, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Happy 75th Anniversary.

Model Sheet Monday: Piglet

Here's a beautiful model sheet of Piglet from 2011's Winnie the Pooh film.

 

Model Sheet Monday: Bucky O'Hare

Here's a bit of an obscure one. Bucky O'Hare from the 1991 animated series of the same name....based on the 1980's comic series of the same name.

 

Model Sheet Monday: Rocko

 

This week I bringing you a sheet from one my favorite Nicktoons of all time. Straight outta the early 90's comes Rocko from Rocko's Modern Life. Here's a bit of animation trivia for you, Dan Povenmire and Jeff Marsh, creators of Phineas and Ferb, met while working on this show.

 

Model Sheet Monday: Spike Spiegel

Spike Spiegel is one of the amazing main characters from the 1998 anime classic Cowboy Bebop. Spike is a bounty hunter (cowboy) as well as a master in firearms and hand-to-hand combat. Here's a nice little turn around with some holster detail. Have a Merry Model Sheet Monday!

 

Artist Spotlight: William Joyce



William Joyce has written and illustrated over fifty children's books including Santa Calls, Rolie Polie Olie, Dinosaur Bob and his Adventures with the Family Lazardo, George Shrinks, The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs and A Day with Wilbur Robinson. Many of his works have been adapted into feature films and television shows including Disney's Meet the Robinsons and the brand new Rise of the Guardians from Dreamworks, based on his Guardians of Childhood series. He worked as a concept artist on Pixar's Toy Story and A Bugs Life, co-created the film Robots, and wrote and directed the Academy Award winning animated short film The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. Enjoy a small sampling of his amazing talent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Model Sheet Monday: Charlie Dog

One of my favorite Looney Tunes characters is the little used Chuck Jones creation Charlie Dog. Here's a look at the many faces and outfits of this hilarious puppy.

Model Sheet Monday: Superman the Animated Series

Here's a turn-around model of Superman from the 90's Superman the Animated Series.

Model Sheet Monday: Baby Dino

Remember The Flintstone Kids? I sure do, so today I bring you Dino from the aforementioned Flinstone Kids cica 1986.

Trick or Treat

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

Halloween Parade of Villains Countdown number 1

We come to the end of our countdown with arguably the most evil villain on the Disney roster...the devil himself Chernabog! So at number 1 we give you Night on Bald Mountain form Fantasia...Happy Halloween everyone!

Model Sheet Monday: Gossamer

As we get ever closer to Halloween, Model Sheet Monday brings you the Looney Tunes resident big hairy monster Gossamer.

 

Halloween Parade of Villains Countdown number 2

We near the end of our countdown with a song that in its own right belongs at number 1....but unfortunately falls at number 2 for this countdown. Without further delay...Scar with Be Prepared...from the Lion King of course.

Halloween Parade of Villains Countdown number 3

We continue our countdown of Disney Villains songs will Ursula's Poor Unfortunate Souls from The Little Mermaid.

Halloween Parade of Villains Countdown number 4

The parade rolls on by Mardi Gras Style with a little diddy by Dr. Facilier from the Princess and the Frog

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Halloween Parade of Villains Countown number 5

At number 12... Here's a particularly evil song by Frollo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Halloween Parade of Villains Countdown number 6

We have now come to number 6 on our countdown with The Mob Song from Beauty and the Beast. As a kid this song made me want to punch Gaston in the face.

Halloween Parade of Villains Countdown number 7

We march on with the very powerful Savages from Pocohantas.

Halloween Parade of Villains Countdown number 8

You can't have a Disney Halloween countdown of any kind without the Headless Horseman song from The Adventures of Ichabod and Mister Toad.

Model Sheet Monday: 2011 Mumm-Ra

We bring you more Halloween worthy model sheets with the 2011 version of the villainous Mumm-Ra from Cartoon Networks Thundercats reboot. Enjoy!

 

Halloween Parade of Villains Countdown number 9

At number 9 we bring you one of the greatest Disney villains of all time...Cruella De Ville.

Halloween Parade of Villains Countdown number 10

We couldn't have this countdown without the Boogy Man himself...Oogie Boogie from A Nightmare Before Christmas.

Halloween Parade of Villains Countdown number 11

The Villains keep marching by...or in this case slither. This is Kaa attempting to eat a certain man-cub in The Jungle Book.

Halloween Parade of Villains Countdown number 12

Definitely not the scariest villains on the countdown....unless you're Winnie the Pooh.

Halloween Parade of Villains Countdown number 13

Today we begin our countown of the top 13 Disney Villains songs! These little devils always rubbed me the wrong way....which is something you would never want to do to them.

Halloween Parade of Villains

Beginning tomorrow, we're counting down the top 13 Disney villains songs in what I like to call....The Halloween Parade of Villains. So be sure to check us out every day for another of your favorite songs.

Model Sheet Monday: Beetlejuice

Back in the 1989 Tim Burton's Beetlejuice made the leap to the animated world in a very memorable series which first ran on ABC and finished its run on FOX in 1991.

Model Sheet Monday: Scooby Doo

We continue Halloween month with a character synonymous with spooky monsters, Scooby Doo!!!

Artist Spotlight: Mike Mignola

Since it's Halloween month I thought it would be fitting to spotlight the amazing artwork of Mike Mignola, creator of the likes of Hellboy and The Amazing Screw-On Head.