Here's a clip that I love of some great animation by Disney legend Les Clark. It's the type of fun and entertaining scene you just don't see anymore.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Animaland - "The Ostrich"
I was rather surprised to see that in a relatively short time that the last Animaland short I posted reached a thousand views on Dailymotion. I don't know if it's because some other blog or site linked to or if it's that they're just not as well known and people are curious. Either way here's another one that I really enjoy. "The Ostrich", released in 1949, seems more "Lantz" like than even some of the other Animaland shorts. I don't know if it's the song, "Dont Hide Your Head In The Sand" or if it's the father ostrich's design that just make me think of mid forties Lantz cartoons directed by Shamus Culhane and Dick Lundy. I think they're great cartoons and recommend the DVD to anyone slightly interested in them. Here's a few model sheets to go along with the cartoon.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
"Pluto's Blue Note"
I'm a sucker for Pluto cartoons. There's always a great walk cycle or two in them. In this case there's a really great dance scene with Pluto. This one was nominated for an Academy Award in 1948.Sunday, April 20, 2008
Animaland - "It's A Lovely Day"
Here's some more fine animation from David Hand's Animaland series and some model sheets to go along with it. Though I prefer my cartoons wilder than this, I love the solid craftsmanship in these cartoons. I can't even draw these characters right, let alone move them around. Anyone else think "Ginger Nutt" should be a porn star's name?
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Bill Wray's King Crab
(I uploaded the cartoon again, so this is a repost.)
Bill Wray is one of my favorite artists. I love his background paintings in Ren and Stimpy, Samurai Jack and the many comic book covers he's done. Please do yourself a favor if you haven't already and check out his site bigblownbaby.com. If you haven't read his comics of the same name track them down. They're hilarious. There's also a Hellboy Jr. trade out which is really funny. There's a Baby Huey spoof called "Huge Retarded Duck" that's sick and twisted. He has to be one the finest inkers I've ever seen. His dry brush technique is incredible. Enough ass kissing, let me get to this cartoon. This aired on Cartoon Network's What A Cartoon Show in 1999. I read in an interview that King Crab was to originally be a part of Cartoon Network's night time adult programming, what would later end up being Adult Swim. But the idea of an expensive original show scared them off. It's a shame, I really think this show had the potential to be a big hit. "I... I've never been comfortable... in the men's room." Hilarious stuff. I believe that Bill has had the rights to the character returned to him fairly recently so maybe there's a chance he'll sell it to a different network. Bill also has a blog where he posts his beautiful landscape paintings, check it out here. There's a fantastic interview with art and a painting lesson in Mike Manley's DRAW! magazine, issue 6. Pick it up if you can. The awesome Stephen DeStefano, who also King Crab with him is also interviewed.
Bill Wray is one of my favorite artists. I love his background paintings in Ren and Stimpy, Samurai Jack and the many comic book covers he's done. Please do yourself a favor if you haven't already and check out his site bigblownbaby.com. If you haven't read his comics of the same name track them down. They're hilarious. There's also a Hellboy Jr. trade out which is really funny. There's a Baby Huey spoof called "Huge Retarded Duck" that's sick and twisted. He has to be one the finest inkers I've ever seen. His dry brush technique is incredible. Enough ass kissing, let me get to this cartoon. This aired on Cartoon Network's What A Cartoon Show in 1999. I read in an interview that King Crab was to originally be a part of Cartoon Network's night time adult programming, what would later end up being Adult Swim. But the idea of an expensive original show scared them off. It's a shame, I really think this show had the potential to be a big hit. "I... I've never been comfortable... in the men's room." Hilarious stuff. I believe that Bill has had the rights to the character returned to him fairly recently so maybe there's a chance he'll sell it to a different network. Bill also has a blog where he posts his beautiful landscape paintings, check it out here. There's a fantastic interview with art and a painting lesson in Mike Manley's DRAW! magazine, issue 6. Pick it up if you can. The awesome Stephen DeStefano, who also King Crab with him is also interviewed.
Update-I forgot to mention the awesome King Crab sculpture by Jason Peltz and Bill Wray. It can be ordered on Bill's site, here. Check out more of Jason's sculptures and illustrations.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Heckle and Jeckle - "Blind Date"
This is one that I posted about two years ago before Youtube closed my account. There's a couple of really great and goofy walks in this one. I'm going to try and post some of the cartoons that were originally on Youtube, so forgive me if I repeat myself.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Chuck Jones - "Case Of The Missing Hare"
I forgot I posted this on Dailymotion the other day. Does anyone know if Art Heinemann was still part of Jones' unit when this short was made? The color styling seems very similar to his other work with Jones and even with Shamus Culhane at Lantz. If not his influence is rather obvious.
Dexter's Lab - "Changes"
I haven't posted many recently, or somewhat recently made cartoons since Bill Wray's King Crab. Which I have to go back and repost since it was taken down from Youtube. I like Dexter's Lab but I really wish the whole series would've have maintained the livelier animation that was done in the pilot episodes. Watch this episode and compare it with one that will probably be on during the "Cartoon Cartoon" show this weekend. I think you'll surprised how much better this one is. I believe the first season was released on DVD in Australia and Europe recently, but why not here? I'd buy it. Hell, I love those Justice Friends cartoons.
Monday, April 07, 2008
Popeye - "Klondike Casanova"
I'm a pretty big fan of most all the Famous Studios shorts I've seen, in spite of the shortcomings of a lot of them. Though during the first few years after the studio's formation they released some pretty damn good cartoons. The animation is really great in a lot them. The early Popeye and Little Lulu shorts being the best, IMO. "Klondike Casanova" has some great animation in it, courtesy of Johnny Gentilella. Popeye's voice was provided by Harry Foster Welch as Jack Mercer had been drafted by the Army.Sunday, April 06, 2008
Tubby
I'm too tired to upload a cartoon tonight so here's a few chuckles at Tubby's expense. I love the line work in the Little Lulu comics.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Scribner Story Sketches
I haven't had much time to post lately because I was in the process of moving. Now that we're all settled in over here maybe I can pay this blog a little more attention. Here's three scans of Rob Scribner's story sketches from "Coal Black And The Sebben Dwarfes". These just so happen to coincide with one of my favorite scenes that Scribner animated.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Riff Raff and the Catillac Cats
Forget Bugs Bunny and Chuck Jones. Clampett, Avery, Mickey Mouse, Andy Panda, all those famous names and shorts are nothing compared to the greatness I've posted today. I think 80s TV cartoons are where it's at and are under appreciated. I can't wait to sit down and study this cartoon frame by frame.