Tuesday, December 15, 2015

I have not yet watched The Good Dinosaur. Unfortunately The Art of The Good Dinosaur did not inspire me to rush to the theater, even though I heard that the latest Pixar is quite a good movie.

The Art of The Good Dinosaur is a beautifully produced book, as is always the case with Chronicle Books, but I can't manage to find the artwork interesting. To be totally honest, though, dinosaurs do not excite me much as potential animated characters and this book did nothing to change my mind.

Of course, I have all of Chronicle "art of" books, so I was really glad to add this one to my bookshelves.

Monday, December 14, 2015

LOOKING FOR DISNEY CONCEPT ART

Do any of you own any piece of Disney concept art from the 1930s to the 1950s? If so, could you please email me ASAP? I have started working on They Drew As They Pleased - Volumes 3 and 4 and am trying to locate as much artwork as possible from James Bodrero, Martin Provensen, Jack Miller, Campbell Grant, Johnny Walbridge, Joe Grant, Mary Blair, etc...

You can email me at didier.ghez@gmail.com

Friday, December 11, 2015

The Art of Sanjay's Super Team is the other one of the three Chronicle Books volumes that I received this week and that I thoroughly enjoyed. The sheer idea of producing a whole art-book about the making of a short is intriguing in itself. When one sees Sanjay Patel's artwork, though, one understands why the publisher could not help but embrace that odd idea.

This book really put a big smile on my face, as did the one of Pixar's gag drawings which I mentioned yesterday.

Thursday, December 10, 2015

I have just received review copies of three new books from Chronicle Books. One of the two that I really love is Funny!: Twenty-Five Years in the Pixar Story Room. It is an unpretentious little book which collects some gag drawings and storyboard drawings created by the Pixar story team. It is enjoyable from start to finish and is definitely a great gift for this Holiday Season.

Wednesday, December 09, 2015

This just in from Heritage Auctions:

[Classic ‘Lady and the Tramp’ animation cel paces Animation Art Auction in Dallas
At Heritage Auctions, Dec. 13-14, 2015; featuring rare and iconic Disney animation, “Simpsons” couch gags cels, Superfriends, Bugs Bunny and more
DALLAS – An outstanding hand-inked, hand-painted Lady and the Tramp Production Cel with Master Pan Background Setup (Walt Disney, 1955) is expected to prove why vintage Disney is still king when it comes to original animation art and possibly bring $35,000+ as the centerpiece of Heritage Auctions’ Dec. 13-14. 2015 Animation Art Signature® Auction.

“It's simply the most iconic image from the entire movie and one of the most beloved of all Disney images,” said Jim Lentz, Director of Animation Art at Heritage Auctions, “in the scene where Tramp takes Lady on a romantic date in the alley behind Tony's Ristorante for dinner. The spaghetti kiss is one of the sweetest scenes ever filmed in a cartoon.”

Another early Disney lot will inspire equal passion in the hearts of collectors as an extremely rare hand-inked, hand-painted black and white Mickey Mouse “Mickey's Man Friday/Monkey Melodies” Production Cel and Production Background Setup (Walt Disney, 1935/1930), a throwback to the earliest days of the Disney empire, is expected to bring $35,000+. As well.

One of the finest black and white Mickey setups to show up at auction in recent memory, the (extremely rare) 12 field nitrate hand-inked, hand-painted black and white cel features a fantastic action shot of a full body Mickey from the Dave Hand directed theatrical short released on Jan. 5, 1935, one of Mickey's last B&W theatrical shorts. The background is from the 1930 black and white Silly Symphony short “Monkey Melodies,” released on Sept. 26, 1930.

A modern classic offers a worthy rivalry to the Disney ascendency at the top of the auction as a Production Cel Setup from one of the most notable Simpsons Couch Gags (Fox, 1993), a hand-painted cel of the entire Simpson family from the “Rosebud” episode, the "Citizen Kane" parody that guest-starred The Ramones, is estimated at $25,000+. The opening credits to every episode of The Simpsons ends with a unique "Couch Gag" showing the family rushing to find their seats in front of the TV. This time, another "Simpsons" family has beaten them to it. The gag has since been used for syndicated reruns of the first five seasons.

Collectors and animation fans going deeper into the auction will delight to find treasures from across all eras of animation available, including an extraordinary 1941 “Superman – Mad Scientist” original hand-painted production cel of the mad scientist’s buzzard assistant on a Key Master hand-painted production background of the lab – a cel from the very first Max Fleischer Superman cartoon (estimate $10,000+) along with a superb and rare Popeye and Wimpy Production Cel with Production Background (Max Fleischer, 1937) from the cartoon “Organ Grinders Swing” (estimate: $5,000+), an Alex Toth Challenge of the Super Friends Bumper Card Original Art and Episode Title Card Production Cel Group of 2 (Hanna-Barbera, 1978), sure to appeal to Gen-X collectors (estimate: $5,000+) and two superlative cels from Warner Brother’s 1957 classic “What’s Opera Doc,” one with Bugs Bunny as the comely Brünnhilde and the other with Elmer Fudd as Siegfried (estimate: $5,000+).

Further Disney highlights include, but are not limited to:

Mickey Mouse Fantasia "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" Production Cel Courvoisier Setup and Framed Award Letter Group of 2 (Walt Disney, 1940): Mickey Mouse cels as the Sorcerer's Apprentice (his most famous role) are highly sought by collectors. Best of all, this cel features an authentic Walt Disney signature – very hard to obtain! Estimate: $25,000+.

Mary Blair Peter Pan Peter Pan and Tinker Bell Concept Art (Walt Disney, 1953): A masterpiece from one of Disney’s greatest conceptual artists. Estimate: $15,000+.

Eyvind Earle Sleeping Beauty Dragon Concept Painting (Walt Disney, 1959): Fantastic original concept/color key painting of Maleficent as a dragon from the dramatic finale of the film, painted by one of the greatest Disney artists of them all. Estimate: $11,000+.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Publicity Drawing by Fred Moore (Walt Disney, 1937): An original one-of-a-kind oversized publicity drawing of Snow White and all seven Dwarfs from the hand of Fred Moore, one of Disney’s original “Seven Old Men.” Estimate: $10,000+.

Pinocchio at Disneyland Pinocchio, Gepetto, and Figaro Animatronic Figures (Walt Disney, 1960s): A very rare chance to actually own a part of Disneyland, an original Pinocchio-themed animatronics display of Geppetto, Pinocchio, and Figaro the cat celebrating Pinocchio becoming a real boy! This was originally on display in a window on Main Street, in Disneyland. Estimate: $5,000+.

Steamboat Willie Mickey Mouse Animation Drawing (Walt Disney, 1928): A pair of 12 field 2-peghole animation drawings by Ub Iwerks of a “Full Figure” Mickey Mouse and Pete from this historic piece of cartoon history – Mickey’s very first sound-synced cartoon. A true piece of animation history. Estimate: $5,000+.

Heritage Auctions is the largest auction house founded in the United States and the world’s third largest, with annual sales of approximately $900 million, and 950,000+ online bidder members. For more information about Heritage Auctions, and to join and receive access to a complete record of prices realized, with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit HA.com.]

Monday, December 07, 2015

Two projects that I will try to study in more details in years to come are the two abandoned Mickey projects from the early 1940s: The planned color remake of Mickey's Man Friday and the Mickey feature: Happy Valley / Mickey and the Beanstalk. I found online recently those two model sheets from the first of these two projects and thought that you might enjoy them.

Friday, December 04, 2015

To say that this year has been oustanding when it comes to Disney history books would the understatement of the century. Considering the volume and the quality of the output, there is no way to create my usual top-5 list, so I will simply list here all the books released in 2015 which I consider as "must haves", in no particular order.

J.B. Kaufman: Pinocchio: The Disney Epic published by Walt Disney Family Foundation Press; 2015.

Didier Ghez: They Drew As They Pleased - The Hidden Art of Disney's Golden Age published by Chronicle Books; 2015. 

Don Hahn and Tracey Miller-Zarneke: Before Ever After: The Lost Lectures of Walt Disney's Animation Studio published by Disney Editions; 2015.

Andreas Deja: The Nine Old Men: Lessons, Techniques, and Inspiration from Disney's Great Animators published by Focal Press; 2015.

Dave Bossert: Dali & Disney: Destino: The Story, Artwork, and Friendship Behind the Legendary Film published by Disney Editions; 2015.

Garry Apgar: Mickey Mouse: Emblem of the American Spirit published by Walt Disney Family Foundation Press; 2015.

Eric Larson: 50 Years in the Mouse House published by Theme Park Press; 2015.

Pinto Colvig: It's a Crazy Business published by Theme Park Press; 2015.

David Lesjak: In the Service of the Red Cross - Walt Disney's Early Adventures published by Theme Park Press; 2015.

Didier Ghez: Walt's People - Volume 16 published by Theme Park Press; 2015.

Jim Korkis: The Vault of Walt: Volume 4: Still More Unofficial Disney Stories Never Told published by Theme Park Press; 2015.

David Gerstein (editor): Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse Vol. 7: "March Of The Zombies" published by Fantagraphics; 2015.

David Gerstein (editor): Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse Vol. 8: "The Tomorrow Wars" published by Fantagraphics; 2015.

Thursday, December 03, 2015

Two stunning auctions coming up soon:

Heritage Auctions on December 13 and 14 and

Profiles in History on December 10.

Check out their catalogs. It is really worth it.

Wednesday, December 02, 2015

Not sure what this book is worth, but some of you will want to know that it exists.

Tuesday, December 01, 2015

SIGNED AND / OR PERSONALIZED COPIES OF THEY DREW AS THEY PLEASED

Many of you have asked how to get Signed and / or Personalized copies of They Drew As They Pleased - The Hidden Art of Disney's Golden Age.

If you live in LA, contact Gallery Nucleus or Stuart Ng and you will be able to get signed copies.

If you do not live in LA, contact Cathy at Books and Books in Coral Gables (Florida) at cathy@booksandbooks.com. She is the manager of a great bookstore situated very close to where I live. She still has a few signed copies, but more importantly, if you give her one or two weeks and request personalized copies she can get me to personalize them for you. And I believe they offer free postage to any place within the US.

Monday, November 30, 2015

I am glad to say that John Musker has just sent me the cover drawing for Walt's People - Volume 17. The book should be released in a few weeks. It contains quite a few treasures :-)

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

This book is revolutionary. It is the best account of the early days of Disneyland ever. It will be released in March next year and will be one of the great events of the year from a Disney history standpoint. Can't wait!

Monday, November 16, 2015

The blog will be updated again on November 25, 2015.
Heritage's next big auction will take place on December 13 and 14. The quality of the artwork on sale is simply astounding: never-seen-before pieces from Bambi by David Hall (above) and Retta Scott (below), concept paintings by Mary Blair, JP Miller, and Retta Scott, and on and on it goes. This is an event that should not be missed in any way, shape or form, and I will feature it on the blog at least once or twice again in the next few weeks.

Friday, November 13, 2015


My brother just sent me the catalog of this exhibition which recently took place in Beijing and Shanghai. It's a beautiful catalog, but not one that is worth tracking down: 70% of the content is linked to recent animated features and most of the artwork from the "vintage" titles has already been seen often.

Thursday, November 12, 2015

And another good read from Theme Park Press is, of course, Secrets Stories of Walt Disney World by Jim Korkis.

According to the publisher:

[The Rosetta Stone of Disney Magic

Warning! There be secrets ahead. Disney secrets. Mickey doesn't want you to know how the magic is made, but Jim Korkis knows, and if you read Jim's book, you'll know, too. Put the kids to bed. Pull those curtains. Power down that iPhone. Let's keep this just between us...

If you've come expecting more of the same Disney trivia, you're in for a surprise. This is not a Disney trivia book. It's a book of Disney secrets, each exactly two pages long, and each brimming with backstage lore. Jim Korkis gathered these secrets when he worked at Walt Disney World as an instructor at Disney University. They're all true. They're all cool. And they include:

- How the popularity of Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach meant the doom of an important piece of Disney history

- United Arab Emirates, Equatorial Africa, Costa Rica, and other planned Epcot pavilions that never were

- Disney's original plans for Figment, how corporate politics turned him purple, and why the Dreamfinder shrunk

- Wilderness Junction, the Alpine Resort, the Enchanted Snow Palace Ride, and other abandoned attractions

- Beacon Joe, the character you've never heard of, even though he appears numerous times throughout Disney World]

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Here is another extremely exciting new book from Theme Park Press.

The publisher, Bob McLain says:

[The Ogren book (Together in the Dream: The Unique Careers of a Husband and Wife in the Early Decades of Walt Disney World) contains stuff that no one has read before, including interactions by R.J. Ogren (a Disney World artist) with Leota Toombs, Marc Davis, Alice Davis (who wrote the foreword), and others.

R.J. painted Animatronic figures and "plussed" attractions. Suzanne drove monorails, marched in parades, and entertained as Sleepy the dwarf. Together, the Ogrens brought their unique skills to Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom during its formative years. This is their story.

R.J. and Suzanne were indeed "together in the dream": their adventures as husband-and-wife cast members spanned the backstage areas of iconic attractions, Main Street parades, and Disney executive offices. They worked with celebrities, Disney artists like Marc and Alice Davis, and the fun-loving, creative geniuses who called the "Animation Art Studio" home.

Among the stories the Ogrens tell:

- Working underwater at the old 20,000 Leagues attraction, aboard the pirate ship in Pirates of the Caribbean, and in the "jungle" of the Jungle Cruise

- How Disney trains its monorail drivers, and the surprisingly rigorous tests they must pass to qualify

- Life in the "Dwarf unit", the tight-knit group of cast members who perform as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in the Magic Kingdom

- Why some Animatronic characters don't wear pants

- Repairing bullet holes in the Haunted Mansion, replacing Dopey's stolen head, and other examples of Disney guests gone wild]

This is clearly a "must have" for Disney parks historians and enthusiasts.

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Not directly linked to Disney History, but I know that many of you will be interested to know that Think Pink: The Story of DePatie-Freleng by Mark Arnold has just been released. I will definitely pick up a copy.

Monday, November 09, 2015

I am actively working at the moment on research for They Drew As They Pleased - Volume 3. Once of the artists who will be featured in that upcoming volume is the astonishing Ecuadorian Eduardo Sola Franco, who worked at the Disney Studio for a few months in 1939, tackling chiefly on the abandoned Don Quixote project.

Sola Franco's complete illustrated diaries have just been released a few days ago in book form in Ecuador and while browsing through them yesterday I found quite a few drawings of his Disney colleagues, including the two below. The first one shows his friend and fellow concept artist Fini Rudiger. The second one features mostly members of Disney's Character Model Department: Martin Provensen, Fini Rudiger, James Bodrero, Art Heinemann (not a member of the Model Department) and sculptor Duke Russell.