Designing 'One Hundred and One Dalmatians'
19 days ago
- #Disney
- #Animation
- #Film History
- One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961) was a groundbreaking Disney film, notable for its unique visual style that differed from traditional Disney aesthetics.
- The film's design featured angular shapes, color blotches, and visible pencil lines, embracing the medium of animation rather than disguising it.
- Ken Anderson, the art director, played a pivotal role in the film's modern look, drawing inspiration from cartoonist Ronald Searle and modern art movements like abstract expressionism.
- The use of Xerox technology was a cost-saving measure that also became an artistic tool, allowing animators' rough lines to be directly transferred to cels, preserving the energy of the original drawings.
- Walt Disney initially approved the experimental style but later expressed dissatisfaction, leading to a strained relationship with Anderson and a conservative shift in subsequent films.
- The film was a commercial success, becoming the first animated feature to earn over $10 million on its initial release, despite Disney's personal dislike for its modernist approach.
- Animation news includes the passing of Disney legend Roger Allers, new projects by animators like Sasha Svirsky, and ongoing investigations into pay dissatisfaction in Japan's anime industry.