These meticulously designed and beautifully crafted models were vitally important tools for animators. Some were left as is, while others were shellacked or lacquered. Models were then finished by the Ink & Paint Department using a proprietary blend of opaque watercolors. During this early period, models were first sculpted in Plasticine and then cast in plaster with an underlying steel wire armature.
Joe greatly appreciated the work of master caricaturists such as Honoré Daumier, Heinrich Kley, and Gustave Doré, and shared the work of these artists with the members of his team, hoping to root the work of the Character Model Department in historical art traditions as they explored new ground in developing what would become beloved classic Disney characters.Īt the Walt Disney Archives, we have some of the earliest 3-D models created by the Character Model Department for Pinocchio.
The department was under the leadership of Joe Grant, who up to that point had been a story artist known for his sophisticated taste and ability to convey personality. To aid in this effort, in late 1937, Walt established the Character Model Department, a group that was responsible for the design, creation, and refining of characters and figural reference models for films such as Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Dumbo, amongst others. And without personality, a story cannot ring true to the audience.” Without personality, the character may do funny or interesting things, but unless people are able to identify themselves with the character, its actions will seem unreal. “Until a character becomes a personality it cannot be believed. He knew that crafting characters with interesting personalities was essential in reaching his audience: In the wake of the success of Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphony shorts, Walt continued to press forward in looking for ways to improve the work of his animation studio.
Let’s take a peek at how Walt Disney created a department to help animators better conceptualize what would become iconic Disney characters. Disney animators have been bringing characters to life for decades, skillfully using various mediums to create exciting, immersive worlds with fully-developed characters that generations of fans have grown to love.
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