Academy to Celebrate Disney’s Milt Kahl

From ANIMATIONMAGAZINE.NET:
Academy to Celebrate Disney’s Milt Kahl
Thursday, March 26, 2009By: Thomas J. Mclean
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will celebrate the life and career of animator Milt Kahl, one of the famous “nine old men” of Walt Disney Studios.
The event, titled “Milt Kahl: The Animation Michelangelo, A Centennial Celebration,” will be held April 27 at 7:30 p.m. in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. The event will be hosted by animator Andreas Deja and will feature a panel discussion moderated by critic and animation expert Charles Solomon and featuring Kathryn Beaumont, Brad Bird, Ron Clements, John Musker and Floyd Norman.
The event also will feature rare film interviews with Kahl, who died in 1987, an analysis of his drawings and clips from his work on such classic films as Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Bambi, Sleeping Beauty, Mickey’s Circus, The Jungle Book and The Rescuers.
Tickets for the event cost $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. They may be purchased online at www.oscars.org, in person at the Academy box office or by mail. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. All seating is unreserved.

Aragon, Layout Artist on Sleeping Beauty, Dies

From AnimationMagazine.net:
Aragon, Layout Artist on Sleeping Beauty, Dies
Thursday, March 26, 2009By: Thomas J. Mclean
Ray Aragon, an animator who did layout for such classic films as Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmatians and Yellow Submarine, died March 15, according to Cartoon Brew. He was 83.
A veteran of World War II, Aragon studied illustration at Chouinard Art Institute and began working in advertising. He later returned to school and met Disney animator Marc Davis, who steered him to a job at the studio.
He went on to work at a number of other animation studios, including UPA, Hanna-Barbera, TMS, Fred Calvert Productions, Sanrio, Tom Carter Productions, Filmation and Warner Bros.
Aragon’s most recent animation credits include production design on Happily Ever After and visual development on The Iron Giant. He also taught at CalArts and did other entertainment work, such as designing the El Rio del Tempo ride for Epcot Center at Disney World.
Aragon is survived by his wife, Lena; daughters, Victoria and Lorena; and two grandchildren.

This Is For REAL...!

You have sympathize with them. I guess, if you knew things were gonna be tough for a while, you would hang your hopes on ANYone.



The irony is that he hasn't won ANYthing. (Or did they bother to check his record...?)

Stop Obama or U.S. Will Cease To Exist

This is an interesting video clip:



Thanks to Joe Shanabrough for the heads-up!

"New BAMA Twins" Almost Toddling

Cole and Wade Ellis, (aka "The New BAMA Twins") turned 11 months February 28th, and are almost toddling. The twins, who sometimes stay with Aunt Alice and Uncle Brent, are becoming quite mobile.

Cole (seated) and Wade (cheesin')

The funny thing is that when they crawl, they lead or favor opposite legs! It is quite humorous and entertaining, especially when they are heading for the same target....

Cole(standing & smiling) and Wade(seated)

Looks like they will be a handful for their little Mommy when they actually start walking....!

Disney Says They Will Make More 2-D Features

Disney Plans to Make 2-D Features Every Other Year

Sunday, March 01, 2009 By: Thomas J. Mclean
Walt Disney Animation Studios visual effects supervisor Marlon West told crowds at WonderCon this weekend that the studio plans to make a 2-D, hand-drawn feature every other year.
The comments came after a presentation on The Princess and the Frog, the first 2-D animated film from the studio since 2004. Due out at Christmas, the film is directed by Ron Clements and John Musker.
Disney also is planning a digitally animated Rapunzel featured, due out in 2010.

Post-Construction, Pre-Completion Float Designs

Okay. I had an odd request. One of the Mobile Mardi Gras organizations wanted a rendering of a new permanent 'title float'. A float that was already near completion.
Usually, the floatbuilder (In this case Mirthco, Inc.'s Steve Mussell) approaches me with the concept, and tells me what he wants. We work from 'thumbnail roughs' to decide on a final design. This time, he had already completed the design, and was nearly finished with the final phase of construction before painting. The Mystic Society then requested a pair of finished design drawings of the float: one for the outgoing president, and one for the organization to keep and hang on display.
Since he was in the middle of finishing several parades, the builder had no time for this commission. He gave me a call, I went down and took a few pics of the float, and we talked about the color scheme and specific colors. I then went home and knocked out a couple of finished drawings.
Here is a shot of the sculpture, already mounted but not yet papered, primed, painted and and sealed:

Here is my interpretation of what I conceived it would look like after our discussions:

Of course, the colors changed, but I had already completed and delivered the finished drarrings..........