What's My Angle?

Well, Becky put us on the right road, and Maryanne got us almost home:

Becky said...

LMAO at the "unknown artists" comment! HA! Ok...how about...original pieces of artwork that Karen owns?

12/13/2005 9:02 AM

And Maryanne eventually ended up with:

Maryanne said...

PHOTOGRAPHED at awkward angles!

I got it, didn't I?

HEEHEE! I'm so happy I'm smarter than I thought!

FINDING ORIGINAL ARTWORK PHOTOGRAPHED AT AWKWARD ANGLES!

Now, I'm really off to sleep!

12/13/2005 8:32 PM

Close! Very close! FOAPAAA was supposed to stand for

Framed <--nobody got that part of it
Original <--Becky got it, and Maryanne confirmed
Art <--Everyone knew that
Photographed <--yes, Maryanne!
At <--Maryanne again
An <--but Awkward is a fair cop. Society's to blame.
Angle <--but if awkward, then angles, plural.

First prize: Maryanne! Second prize, Becky! Thanks for playing. Now I have to figure out the prizes. I'm sure it will be some kind of Karen's creation thing, but I haven't quite narrowed it down yet. Any requests?

I don't think I want to tackle the brain stuff tonight, so instead I'll tell you a little more about the man who drew this pencil sketch of King Hubert.

His name was Marc Davis. He was one of Disney's "Nine Old Men," the major animators who designed the look of major characters all the way from Snow White to The Fox and the Hound. As an animator, Marc Davis is best known for designing Tinker Bell and Maleficent, but clearly, he must also have worked on King Hubert here, for Sleeping Beauty (1959). Davis's sense of humor really shows in his work, even in a production pencil like this one. The date on the certificate is 1955, which is consistent with a 1959 release date for the film. (Some Disney movies took a decade or more to complete.)

Later in his career, Davis worked extensively as an Imagineer for WED Enterprises, the arm of Disney responsible for designing Disneyland. He added humorous touches to the Jungle Cruise, such as the safari up a tree and the bathing elephants. He created the stretching portraits and the changing portraits in the Haunted Mansion, as well as the Hitchhiking Ghosts. He researched and drew lots of pirates for Pirates of the Caribbean, and came up with most of the best bits for that ride, including the dog with the keys. Right before Walt Disney died, he laughed appreciatively at Marc Davis's sketches for what eventually became Country Bear Jamboree.

I got this particular sketch on eBay, probably a year or so before Marc Davis died in 2000. I think I got it for $75 minimum bid, plus framing and shipping. I'm sure it's worth more now, but I wouldn't sell it so it doesn't matter.

Tomorrow: Patterns

Karen

Marc Davis tribute, with links

Marc Davis-related entries, reposted:

Yo Ho!

Haunted By the Mansion