For the cover art of Lion King 2, I was put into a conference room and told "draw". Draw what? I was given no reference - no screenshots, no brief, no anything. I was then told "it's Lion King but Simba has a daughter". That's why it is what it is.
#Disney
#animation
#history
June 5, 1998 - 23 years ago today, Disney's animated Mulan was released into theaters. She still brings honor to us all.
#Disney
#animation
#history
#OTD
Rest In Peace Bud Luckey, known for his animation work at PIXAR, Disney, & Sesame Street and as a voice actor (Eeyore, Agent Rick Dicker, Chuckles the Clown and more). You'll be missed Bud.
#Pixar
#Disney
#animation
So I tried to recall what I found iconic about Lion King - Mufasa's head in the sky - and added young Simba (the daughter). It all came together when I added the silhouettes of the characters below, which gives it scale.
I once made a proposal for added magic that could’ve been rolled out across properties, but ultimately it got shut down because we knew that the cones would be stolen and that would create safety issues. Prototypes from my collection.
#Disney
#history
I was an undernourished "starving artist" of 23 - only weeks away from getting more steady work for the mouse. Had been bouncing around Hollywood from production to production til this point. Mr. Spielberg was quite encouraging to this curious kid.
Throwback Thursday: Going thru my reference library and came across this artifact- a Disney licensing guide from the early 80’s that includes character models, guidelines, and product suggestions for licensees. From my collection.
#Disney
#history
✨June 9, 1993 - 30 years ago - Jurassic Park premiered. Was privileged to visit the WB stage 16 set. The T-Rex animatronic remains the most incredible prop I've ever seen created. Still recall the chill thru my body standing under it's open jaws.
#Hollywood
#magic
#Memories
Digging thru the closets and discovered this
@OriginalFunko
Mystery Pop! Box of Fun with three rare & sought after Funko Pops inside - limited to 96 pieces each. Unsure if eBay is the best venue for these? Suggestions?
#Funko
#Funkopops
Reminded of Ratatouille’s anniversary today brought to mind a couple of unique items from my collection: 1. The rare Ratatouille wine - bottle signed by
@pattonoswalt
, 2. Promotional chef’s jacket.
#Disney
#Pixar
Besides getting to visit a few Spielberg sets, Steven introduced me to Stan Winston & his art director Rick Carter. At one point Steven had my portfolio for a whole 6 months! Years later I was invited into the Amblin offices to pitch my own project.
✨Some more pics from last night's WISH cast & crew screening and wrap party. So much fun to see so many friends and colleagues... and no, I'm not wishing for more hair.
#Disney
#animation
#history
#Disney100
Today would've marked Roy E. Disney's 88th birthday. As Floyd Norman says: "the nicest billionaire I've ever known". I agree. Believe it or not, I would often run into Roy waiting in line at
@tacobell
.
#Disney
#History
✨October 16, 1923 - The Walt Disney Company was founded as The Disney Brothers Studio.
A colorized photo of Lillian, Walt, Ruth, Roy, and Edna Disney pictured outside the Disney Bros. Studio in Los Angeles, CA.
#Disney
#animation
#history
He was ever so kind and every single encounter or chat we had I never stopped being in awe of him. A personification of true magic. Goodbye Richard. Rest well.
My moral compass (a partial list):
1. Not every animated film needs to be turned into live-action.
2. Not every animated film needs to be CG.
3. Not every villain needs a back story.
4. Not every theme park attraction needs to be based on movies or IP.
✨June 12, 1999 - 24 years ago - Disney's TARZAN premiered at the El Capitan Theater. Cast and crew prototype maquette from collection.
#Disney
#animation
#history
#Disney100
Walt Disney was always cordial and respectful of others, so it is confusing when I come across professed Disney fans that don't practice the same. It is disturbing when our investment in fantasy becomes more important than our interactions with the real world. Seek kindness first
It’s
#Thanksgiving
and I am grateful for each of you. To celebrate the magic of family and the release of
#Encanto
, let’s giveaway this 10x17 collectible concept art lithograph! To enter: follow me & retweet this tweet. 1 random winner chosen on 11/27! ✨
#Disney
#animation
The special short from Walt Disney Animation is titled ‘ONCE UPON A TIME A STUDIO.’ ✨️
Per DEADLINE, the short “sees Mickey Mouse corralling a gallery of legendary Disney characters for a group photo.”
That used to be Papoo’s Hot Dog Show, a favorite of Walt Disney’s. In fact, Walt enjoyed Papoo’s so much that he asked for it to be snuck into him when he was in the hospital. Sadly, it was his last meal.
#Disney
#history
Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas released in 1999, is 20 yrs old, & the first time I was officially asked to draw Mickey. To celebrate I'm giving away a cover art print that I'll sign for the winner! To enter follow & retweet. 1 winner chosen on 11/12!
#Disney
#animation
#history
Throwback Thursday: It was 1990, I was 19 years old. Horizon management in NY had reached out to me about creating a portrait for a new young singer whose album was just being released. That young lady was
@MariahCarey
. 1/
Organizing the office and found a whole box of stuff to giveaway that I forgot about. So if you want a magic grab bag of some of this stuff, follow & retweet to enter to win. Winner(s) will be chosen on 9/19!
#Giveaway
#Disney
✨
#fun
October 5, 1949 - Today marks the 73rd anniversary of "Walt Disney's The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad"! 🎃🪦💀 ✨
A few of the many cover art designs I illustrated for the title.
#Disney
#animation
#history
Call me crazy but what if... and just go with me here for a second... what if theme park attractions weren't necessarily based on a pre-existing movie property? What could that be like?
Opened a box and just discovered a trove of original vintage 90’s fast food collectible character cups: Jurassic Park, Batman & Batman Returns, Aladdin, Hook, Terminator 2, MTV Awards and more! ✨
Hey, it’s the 20th anniversary of MULAN, so let’s bring honor to us all and celebrate by giving away this art print that I’ll personalize & sign for the winner! To enter: Follow & Retweet. One winner chosen at random on 6/23!
#Disney
#animation
#giveaway
#history
From my collection: I had wanted
@Michael_Eisner
& Cynthia Harris (Pres. of Disneyland) to sign this. They declined. Legal informs me only Mickey Mouse signature is on there. Duh. So I asked Roy. He said "Happy to!" and did. Corporate vs. Family.
#Disney
#History
So very sorry to hear about Disney Store closures including one of the last remaining original styled stores at
@NorthridgeMall
in my hometown of
@cityofSalinas
. Such decisions are never easy. I took these pics during my last visit in 2016.
#Disney
#history
#flashback
Fun night celebrating the 20th anniversary of MULAN at
@gallerynucleus
with the real-life Mulan herself,
@MingNa
! As she said: it only took 20 years for us to meet! Thanks to everyone that said hello and got an autograph or sketch. I was truly surprised by that!
#Disney
#Mulan20
✨Here's another colorization experiment. Walt and Roy outside the Disney Bros. Studio on Kingswell Avenue in Los Angeles, CA. The color really brings the lack & white images to life. Dig on Roy's popped collar.
#Disney
#animation
#history
Throwback Thursday: Some early CG models of Mickey for a game. Was recently discussing with a colleague about challenges of (and cheats required for) translating the mouse into 3D, as certain poses/angles are not optimal.
#Disney
#animation
#history
#TBT
February 15, 1950 - Walt Disney's Cinderella was released. To celebrate let's have a
#giveaway
with a sketch lithograph by two Disney Legends: Andreas Deja & Ollie Johnston! To enter: Retweet & Follow. One winner chosen at random on 2/22!
#Disney
#animation
#history
Haven't done a
#Giveaway
in a while! Who wants a PIXAR mini sketchbook, pencil & COCO button? To enter Follow & Retweet! One winner will be chosen at random on 12/3!
#Disney
#Pixar
#animation
With the world sorely needing a bit of pixie dust right now, here's Miss Margaret Kerry
@TinkerBellTalks
with her slippers she wore in 1953 when she modeled for Tinker Bell in Walt Disney's Peter Pan. (She had 2 pair: black & pink, only pink endured)✨
#Disney
#animation
#history
Hakuna Matata! It’s the 20 year anniversary of Lion King II: Simba’s Pride! To celebrate I’m giving away this cover art print that I’ll sign for the winner. To enter follow & retweet. 1 random winner chosen on 10/30.
#Disney
#animation
#history
1970's Fisher-Price View-Master with "Walt Disney's Lonesome Ghosts" & "Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" cartridges. Some of my earliest animation fascination included watching "Lonesome Ghosts" forward & backwards, over & over again.✨
#Disney
#animation
#history
My world became less this weekend as my 99 year old grandmother passed very early Sunday morning with my uncle and myself at her bedside. Wanted to write something but I hope you’ll understand if I just don’t have words now.
June 13,1997: Disney’s Hercules first released. From Zero to Hero! To celebrate let’s give away this vintage 90’s original sketch that I’ll sign & personalize for the winner. To enter: follow & retweet. One random winner chosen on 6/18.
#Disney
#animation
#giveaway
#history
Puh-puh-please Eddie! Got a bit toony on a recent visit this week to the former Maroon Cartoons studio from “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” in Hollywood. (Pic by Kevin MacLean)
#Disney
#animation
#history
Not many people realize, before they were introduced to the park, Walt Disney spent time hand-training each of the many animals for the Jungle Cruise.
#Disney
#History
Going thru some boxes and rediscovered a few vintage German Rescuers Down Under posters (or as it is known in Germany: Bernard & Bianca Im Kanguruhland) ✨
#Disney
#animation
#history
#Disney100
Selection of some of my name tags thru the years. The bottom right was my first one. The pin back came loose while crossing the street one day and a car ran over it. Now most come with a stronger magnetic clasp.
#Disney
#history
The Bare Necessities: Walt Disney’s The Jungle Book released October 18, 1967. To celebrate how bout we giveaway these vintage limited edition 1993 Frank & Ollie lithographs! To enter just follow me & retweet. 1 random winner chosen on 10/22!
#Disney
#animation
#fun
#history
Just had an incredible encounter at Pasadena Comic Con with a rediscovered gentleman who stopped by my table, Stan Alexander, the original voice of Flower from Walt Disney’s Bambi! ✨
#Disney
#animation
#history