Nobody ever talks about the unpleasant reality of working with reindeer. That being said, run Rudolph, RUN!
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Animals Art: Inking Art: Painting Art: Photoshop Cartoons Character Designs Illustrations
Category: Art: Painting
Dr. Seuss first unleashed his wonderful Christmas creation upon the world in 1957 in the book How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Nine years later, the great Warner Bros. director, Chuck Jones, adapted the story in animated form for television that itself has become a classic enjoyed annually by children and adults alike to this day. It has since been translated into two feature films, one of which is currently entertaining people in theaters right now. For me, the Chuck Jones version remains closest to my heart.
The Jones one is the version that introduced me to the character before I ever saw the original book. The Grinch was delightfully mean, the Whos down in Whoville were pure and innocent, and stuck in the middle was the Grinch’s faithful companion, Max the dog. In the end, there was genuine redemption for the green meanie.
When I was young and had first entered the business, I wrote Mr. Jones a fan letter, telling him of my affection for his version of the story. I mentioned that I had even held Christmas parties at my home where I had my guests take a Grinch quiz, and then we would watch the film to mark off the correct answers. (I also had mentioned to him my love for his other Warner Bros. cartoons.) He responded by sending me a sketch of Bugs Bunny dressed in the Grinch’s Santa outfit which I treasure to this day.
So, just because I was feeling a little nostalgic for the ol’ emerald one, I worked up a little piece to post here this holiday season!
Well, the mouse turns a ripe old 90 today. All those years of doing his own stunts, pratfalls, and ghost hunting have taken their toll on the germaphobe (he ALWAYS wears gloves, but refuses to wear shirts – weird). All of that actually made him retire about 25 years ago. Most people don’t realize that ever since, there have been a series of stand-ins for Mickey, while he just stays in his trailer signing 8x10s for anyone who will take one while wondering where his yellow dog has gone to. (Dog years were NOT kind to Pluto. The original Pluto died back in 1951.)
By the way, today also happens to be the big 9-0 for his gal pal Minnie, and his nemesis, Pete. Both co-starred with Mickey in that first cartoon to hit theaters.
So, happy birthday you ol’ long-in-the-ear one! Hope you enjoy gumming your cake today as you celebrate your birth in Steamboat Willie. It was an honor to be a small part of your legacy when I worked on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for a few years.
While one might not consider a pig to be a traditional monster, this one qualifies due to his indiscriminate use of that axe, and the fact that he smells pretty foul.
Inked traditionally in my sketchbook, and painted digitally in Photoshop.
This week, one of the bastions of my childhood chose to retire. Caroll Spinney, the Muppeteer behind Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch for much of the past 50 years on the show Sesame Street, filmed his final scene yesterday.
I have been fortunate to have chatted with Caroll a number of times right here in my town of Burbank, California. He told me that when he was a young man, his aspirations were to be an animator, and even applied to Walt Disney’s studio. He said Walt offered him a job, but not very much pay, so Carroll turned ol’ Walt down. Not long after, he got into puppetry which led to meeting Jim Henson, and the rest is history.
Caroll still enjoys drawing, and I am proud to have five pieces of his in my collection, this one being my favorite. My very best to Mr. Spinney and his wife, Debra. Thank you so much for filling my childhood mind with wonder, and broadening my imagination.
Be sure to seek out the wonderful documentary I Am Big Bird to learn about Caroll Spinney’s fascinating life.
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The distant foreboding peel of the distant clock tower was morosely muffled by the early morning fog seeping between the dark alley ways and lonely streets of ye olde London masking the nocturnal movements of those that go bump in the night. Do you know where YOUR children are?
Trolls aren’t so bad. Sure, they may eat you, but they like tasty cuisine just as much as the next foodie out there.
Trolls will prepare their meals with the best seasonings they can grow under billy goat gruff bridges where they hang out, and are sure to cook at just the right temperature for just the right amount of time for maximum tenderness.
Who can blame them, really? No one likes to have to throw out a dish and start all over again. It’s so wasteful of food.
I’m still playing around with some digital brushes in Photoshop, and recently worked up this painted sketch with a gouache look.
It’s kind of fun trying to play around with broad strokes and tones rather than the endless noodling I do when I paint traditionally. Also, painting digitally allows me create subtle color builds MUCH easier than when trying to paint traditionally. However, at the end of the project, there is no original painting. It only exists in the ether.
For this drawing, I reached back into my brain thinking of the style of great European comic book characters such as the original Smurfs and Asterix for inspiration. I always LOVED that kind of art style, which seemed to be seldom utilized by American cartoonists.
Jack is a super tiny Englishman being confronted by the giant who really is the victim of a home invasion when you think about it. You’d be upset, too, if some punk kid slid under your door to eat your food and steal your golden goose all from right under your nose. Fe to the Fi to the Fo to the Fum.
