Animation Artifacts &Bill Peckmann &Models 31 Dec 2009 08:49 am
More Mickey Models
- Bill Peckmann has generously loaned me another very large stash of character model sheets, primarily Disney. There’s a wealth of Mickeys, alone.
I’ve posted some of them before, many in much poorer condition. Consequently, I’m about to spend some time with Mickey and Minnie, and post some new, some old and some out of this world models of the pair.
Here’s a large number of them. I’m holding back some animation charts from L’il Whirlwind and The Symphony Hour which will come at a later date.
Let’s start with a nice early Mickey.
Then a Minnie and Mickey together.
Here’s a beautiful Minnie model.
1
These are the models from the Disney lecture posted here.
2
3
4
5
6
1
These next four are the model sheets drawn by Ward Kimball.
2
The earlier versions of these Kimball models that I published were
in horrible condition. It’s nice to post such clean versions of them.
3
4
Here’s a fine copy of the Sorcerer’s Apprentice model sheet.
1
These two model sheets from Mickey and the Beanstalk are new to me.
2
1
And, finally, these two charts from Mickey’s last
hand-drawn short, Mickey’s Christmas Carol.
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Now Mickey’s a cgi character and completely off-model (and unwatchable.)
Thankyou, yet again, to Bill Peckmann for sharing these with us.
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There are three interesting model sheets at David Lesjak’s excellent site Vintage Disney Collectibles.
on 31 Dec 2009 at 10:21 am 1.David Nethery said …
Thanks for sharing the model sheets.
By the way, Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983) wasn’t the last hand-drawn Mickey Mouse film.
The Prince and the Pauper (1991, theatrical featurette)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDIjQ6rLZMw
Runaway Brain (1995, theatrical short)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbT7lhl9kpU
The Three Musketeers (2004, direct-to-video feature film, made at Disney’s Sydney Australia studio)
on 31 Dec 2009 at 10:47 am 2.Michael said …
I knew I’d be challenged on that statement, and I’m glad it was you, David. Of course, you’re right. There are also those Asian animated Christmas specials and the tv series featuring the mouse. I don’t know why I wrote that dumb comment; I knew better.
on 31 Dec 2009 at 12:21 pm 3.David Nethery said …
No, I didn’t think it was a dumb comment . The other ones I mentioned are not very memorable. I only remembered Prince & the Pauper and Runaway Brain because I worked on them. But truthfully they all blend together. I wouldn’t blame anyone for passing over them. (of course I don’t think there’s been a truly memorable Mickey Mouse cartoon since “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” , but that’s just me …)
on 31 Dec 2009 at 2:10 pm 4.Will said …
That first FUN & FANCY FREE sheet is a new one on me too. It must be culled from either layout pose suggestions or from story sketches. Those cannot possibly be animator drawings.
The GOOFY model from that show is one of my favorites.
Thanks for sharing. Happy 2010.
on 31 Dec 2009 at 7:21 pm 5.Thad said …
The Beanstalk ‘preliminary’ modelsheet is very interesting. Look at the date on that one: OK’ed by Joe Grant 3-15-41. Weird seeing such a blocky looking Mickey on a vintage modelsheet at any rate.
I never got the inbreeding of the Scrooge and Ludwig mdodels we always get when McDuck is animated on ‘feature’ level. It looks very awkward on paper and film.
on 01 Jan 2010 at 1:52 am 6.Gene Hole said …
wow, what a treasure trove of model sheets! thanks for sharing these!
on 01 Jan 2010 at 8:07 am 7.slowtiger said …
What strikes me most is how elegant this character was. Even the very first versions have a sense of design and style most characters from today would never develop.
on 01 Jan 2010 at 10:19 am 8.Michael said …
You’re right, slowtiger, it’s no wonder babies come out of the womb craving Mickey Mouse. The cartoonists of the thirties were right to build everything off of a circle. How off kilter things are today. Every character seems to be angled.
on 03 Jan 2010 at 3:14 am 9.Mario NC said …
Funny you said that David, because I think Runaway Brain is one of the most enjoyable and unusual Mickey Mouse cartoons. I love it!!
This sheets are wonderful Michael, and after seeing them is painfully obvious why Mickey is so famous. It’s just so appealing to the eyes… the weight of the lines, the form (only circles). It’s elegant and charming, an icon of american animation.
on 04 Jan 2010 at 2:33 pm 10.David said …
This interesting: I was looking at these sheets again today and noticed that the model sheet labeled “Mickey Feature – Mickey Costume Sugg. #2043″ actually has some poses that are traced (somewhat stiffly) from previous Mickey model sheets. That one truly was just a quick costume reference model , not intended as a guide to drawing Mickey for animation.
http://www.michaelspornanimation.com/splog/wp-content/Y/M%26bean1.jpg
on 05 Jan 2010 at 3:26 pm 11.Hans Perk said …
Great stuff as always, Michael!
By the way, as I remember it, Kimball made the modelsheets from Little Whirlwind using Fred Moore’s poses. The scenes the drawings are from are credited to Moore.
As to the later films, I must admit I have never been able to get used to having Mickey be “taken over” in Runaway Brain. Here is the icon of the company, in a new role in years, and he isn’t even himself! Like making a new Paul Newman film (let’s pretend he is still around), and having Jim Carrey play him for most of the film. Give me the films from the early to mid 30′s anytime…
on 05 Jan 2010 at 4:05 pm 12.Michael said …
I couldn’t agree with you more, Hans. I absolute love the earl Mickey between about 1932-1935. This is my favorite model sheet:
http://www.michaelspornanimation.com/splog/wp-content/j/mick4.jpg
I think it was probably done for publishing.
on 06 Jan 2010 at 1:05 pm 13.David said …
Hi Michael…excellent post, as always.
The model sheet referenced above in comment 12, which you linked to, was definitely done for merchandise and publicity. The images on that sheet appeared as illustrations in various 30s Disney related magazine articles, and the images were reproduced on a huge variety of early 30s Mickey Mouse related merchandise. Great stuff!
Thanks for the kind comments re: my blog. I hope to post more art from my friend Dennis’ collection soon. He has some fantastic Kay Nielsen pastels that are beyond gorgeous!
Have a great New Year!
David
on 12 Jun 2011 at 11:00 pm 14.Kyle said …
The first model sheet here just says “Model No. 1″. Do you have any more info about it, such as when it was made? Or for which production it was used? Is it actually the very first model sheet of Mickey ever drawn?
Thanks
on 13 Jun 2011 at 7:38 am 15.Michael said …
The model sheet labelled “Model No. 1″ was probably done around 1932 for a film numbered 771-49. I haven’t yet been able to locate what film that is; when I do I’ll post it.
To see what might be considered the first Mickey Mouse model go to this link at Michael Barrier’s website.
on 14 Jun 2011 at 8:19 am 16.Kyle said …
Thanks for sharing that link. What an interesting article about the origins of the earliest known Mickey drawings.
I did some googling and found a high-resolution version of that image, and it’s a pleasure to see it in such detail.
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz352/loaloauk/mickeyfirst.jpg?t=1254353656