R.I.P. DISNEY Legend Frank Armitage

"Belle's Castle" mural from Beauty & the Beast by FRANK ARMITAGE

Frank Armitage, an Australian-born American painter who created backgrounds for several classic Disney animated films and murals for Disney parks, died January 4 at his home in Paso Robles, California, at age 91. The sad news was announced by Disney Animation Studios’ vice president of communications Howard Green.

Thelma Witmer, Eyvind Earle, Frank Armitage and Walt Peregoy during Sleeping Beauty’s production. Taken from the 1958 book, The Art of Animation by Bob Thomas.

Read the entire article from Animation Magazine HERE .

Nifty Vintage Disney Animation Tips

Found a cool animation blog titled "Blue Monkeys From Mars".
A recent post featured an old Disney Animation Tips booklet, probably from the 1950's.
Check it out here: Vintage Disney Animation Tips

‘Paperman’ Director John Kahrs Departs from Disney

Model Sheet for "Meg" from 'Paperman'

The director of  Disney's 2012 Academy-Award-Winning Short "Paperman", John Kahrs
has parted ways with the studio, according to Animation Magazine.
Read the entire article HERE .

Happy Birthday, Walt!!

POGO!

Today would have been the birthday of WALT KELLY, former DISNEY animator/artist and creator of the long-running "POGO" comic. The award-winning classic comic featured an opossum and various other anthropomorphic characters in a swamp setting. Read more about him HERE.

POGO Sunday Comic

The Simpsons/FAMILY GUY Crossover...? "The FORCE" is Strong in DANVILLE...?

For REAL...?

Simpsons/Griffins slated for 'Duel to the Death' on "Phineas & Ferb"...?

An unimaginable event is occurring. Actually, TWO unbelievable crossovers are happening. BOTH have a connection to DAN POVENMIRE, one of the co-creators of Disney's PHINEAS & FERB.

In a never-to-be-fathomed happening, two of FOX Television Animation's biggest, longest-running, and most-popular shows are having an epic cross-over: "FAMILY GUY" stars The Griffin Family will visit Springfield to meet "The Simpsons". 

Plus, an ALSO barely-imagined merging will take place: "PHINEAS & FERB" will join with "The Force" in a STAR WARS cross-over. (If I were still a 20-year-old fanboy, my head would explode!) 

Ironically, DAN POVENMIRE once worked on BOTH "The Simpsons" AND "FAMILY GUY"...!
Read the PHINEAS and FERB article over at Animation Magazine , and about the GRIFFINS/SIMPSONS 'Battle Royale'.

WOW.

A "Darker, Edgier Mickey"....?

Nice Read about "Characters".....
A good opinion piece about continuity, story, and personality.

Gritty, Icky Mickey

Check it out HERE.

...And ALSo Goodbye to DISNEY Employees...!

The Walt Disney Company announced the layoffs of around 150 employees yesterday, with "fortunately" only a small number coming from the Animation division.

Read the full article HERE .

No "2D" for Disney.... for Now

Walt Disney Feature Animation Studios says they have NO plans in the near future for any traditional hand-drawn 'cel' animation.
Dadgum.

"PAPERMAN" Wins Academy Award for "Best Animated Short"

The DISNEY animated short film "Paperman", which I posted & recommended earlier, won an OSCAR for "Best Animated Short Film".

Character Model Sheet from Disney's "PAPERMAN"

Disney-PIXAR's "BRAVE" won for "Best Animated Feature Film".

Read the entire article HERE.

Talented Disney Designer Seipermann Dies

Harald Siepermann, accomplished Disney Character Designer, passed away yesterday after a brief battle with cancer. R.I.P.

Read the full article HERE ....

"Paperman" Nifty Disney Animated Short

Disney's excellent "Paperman" short debuted along with Wreck-It Ralph. Nicely rendered, with a sweet and romantic subject.
Highly recommended:

GLEN KEANE Leaves DISNEY

Longtime DISNEY Animator GLEN KEANE (Son of BIL KEANE- creator of 'Family Circus') announced while I was in Burbank that he is leaving The DISNEY Studios 'to pursue other interests'...!

Read the entire article HERE
...And his entire letter HERE

Back to the Ol' Drawing Board.....

 Well, after a brief visit out to LA-LA-Land to visit and connect, I am back in my chair-- both at the drawing table and the computer. Mardi Gras is calling, and I must finish in order to accept other commissions.
 Oddly enough, I had been slow and had received no responses to my solicitations for piecework. The day I was leaving for Burbank, I received an offer for a caricature commission. I politely declined, citing my looming departure. I also received an offer for a one-day caricature job, for which I was unavailable.
 The REAL kicker came when, after I had arrived out West, I received an inquiry about a FOUR-DAY GIG ON A CRUISE SHIP, banking SERIOUS bucks!! Of course, it was the same weekend I was away, so I was unavailable for this job, as well.
Frustrating.

But I DID get to see CONAN.

Trip to DisneyTOON Studios!

Recently I made a trip out to L.A. to visit with my sister and her kids and to re-connect with Dan Povenmire of Phineas & Ferb fame. We toured the studio, watched an editing session, and sat in on an actual pitch meeting with the writers, animators & producers. Fascinating stuff...!!

L-R: Me, Jonah, Dan Povenmire & Hannah

My sister Gwen, Jeff "Swampy" Marsh, me

Here I am, posing with Dan's "EMMY" for Phineas & Ferb.

'Phineas & Ferb’ Duo Cements Big-Screen Plans

DIRECTLY from ANIMATION Magazine:

After their project Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension delivered cable TV’s highest-rated movie of the year, Dan Povenmire and Jeff Marsh are on a roll. Hollywood Reporterrevealed today that the dynamic duo have made a deal with Disney TV to produce another season of their blockbuster animated series for Disney Channel and to develop a feature film as well. They will also develop a pilot for the cabler, which will likely be a spinoff of Phineas & Ferb.

Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh,
Creators and Executive Producers of Phineas and Ferb

On August 5, Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension attracted 7.6 million viewers and won the time slot on all broadcast networks in the ad-friendly adults 18-49 demographic.

Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension

A THRILL To See My Name In The Credits...! Busy, Busy, Busy...!

Well, the "Phineas & Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension" movie has aired on The Disney Channel, Disney XD, and ABC. I was privileged to be a (VERY small) part of the production, and tickled to actually get a screen credit for my tiny contribution!

I rendered some early-stage storyboard roughs for the musical number early in the movie where Dr. Doofenshmirtz meets his even MORE evil doppelganger from the 2nd Dimension. He is the ruler of this universe, and they perform a song-and-dance called "I've Found a Brand New Best Friend (And It's Me!)"

Working on a poster for The Order of LaShe's, one of the Mobile Mardi Gras krewes. Also roughing out comps for a "Queen's Train" for next year's Neptune's Daughters queen.

Getting ready to start the year's final parade, the Children's Floral.

Old-School Animator Draws on Tradition

Nifty article about ERIC GOLDBERG, animator of "Rabbit" on the new "Winnie the Pooh" movie:

Old-school animator draws on tradition

"Phineas & Ferb Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension" Debuts in August!

Disney's Phineas and Ferb will be featured in a full length movie this August on The Disney Channel and Disney XD. "The Phineas and Ferb Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension" will premiere on The Disney Channel on Friday, August 5th.

Read the press release and see the trailers HERE .

Disney Legend, Bill Justice, Dies at 97

Bill Justice, one of the legends of Walt Disney animation and imagineering who contributed to 57 short films and 19 features, died in Santa Monica of natural causes. He was 97.

Read the entire article HERE.

Justice worked for Disney for years, and drew everything from character designs to storyboards and even to designing character costumes for the Parks, an example pictured below:

BIG-SCREEN "PHINEAS & FERB"..??!!

From disZine:

"PHINEAS and FERB", the Disney animated series created by Dan Povenmire and Jeff 'Swampy' Marsh, is currently being developed for a big-screen theatrical treatment!

Read the entire article HERE !