Beautiful juxtaposition of colors and shapes depicting diversity, culture and joy make this “Small World” concept piece by Mary Blair beautiful and meaningful. There aren’t many artists in history that have had as much visual influence and creative contribution to the world of animation (and Walt Disney Feature Animation in particular) than this legendary illustrator.
“I begin with an idea, but as I work, the picture takes over. Then there is the struggle between the idea I preconceived… and the picture that fights for its own life.” — George Baselitz
All too often animation artists get way too confined and limited when it comes to our influences. We might look to our peers, industry greats, and existing animation or live action films for answers and inspiration but we seldom go beyond that. Unfortunately, by limiting our exposure we end up not only recycling what has been done before, but we fail to find new ways of seeing and re-interpreting the world around us.
The history of art is immensely grand and thus extends far and wide in terms of medium, culture and geography. Sometimes it’s best to move away from our world and into other worlds — such as the realms of painting, sculpture, comics and illustration — to see what we can discover and learn from them. Each individual art form may be particular and uniquely challenging, but at the same time they all share many of the same attributes in terms of appeal, creativity and connection.
“Great art is the outward expression of an inner life in the artist, and this inner life will result in his personal vision of the world.” — Edward Hopper
When exhausted from one’s regular routines it’s refreshing to switch gears. Entering the colorful and expressive worlds created by other artists is a great way to remind ourselves that there’s an everlasting supply of inspiration all around us. And it’s always good to be shaken and stirred once in a while by artists whose contributions to their craft have altered the way we see things.
Here is (only) a small selection of visual artists who have inspired me and countless others:
The work of Michelangelo Buonarroti is so common, that his creative influence has almost been forgotten among everyday working artists. The weight and power of his work goes way beyond the mere materials of paint or stone. The immensity of his art — the depiction of weight, bulk and torque — demonstrate a deep vision behind his craft and his respect for the medium. Like other masters of the renaissance era, he held his work to the highest possible standards, his own.
Max Ernst‘s artistry is fun, absurd and immeasurably creative. His playfulness with forms, color and shape I believe would lend itself beautifully to the animated form. A brilliant surrealist who worked in a variety of medium, Ernst always delivered the unexpected, something sorely lacking in film and animation today. Wouldn’t you love to animate that thing, whatever it is?
Argentine comic book artist, Alberto Breccia is a legend in the industry. His work is wild, immense and beautifully stark. His powerful imagery and brilliant composition have had a huge influence in the comic book industry.
One of my favorite artists of all time, Edward Hopper is an icon of great American art. Built upon elegant compositions, bold colors and rich humanistic themes, his paintings capture a time and place in American life like no other.
Arthur Rackham is a master of children’s book illustration. His depictions of ancient folk tales and children’s stories set the benchmark in pen and ink work. This gorgeous illustration for Alice in Wonderland is elegant, frightening and magical all at the same time.
George Baselitz is a post-modern German Neo-Expressionist whose work often depicts things upside down reflecting his difficulty in celebrating humanity in the wake of all the tragedies that have taken place in the world. His art is controversial, magnetic, colorful and bold. As one of the most celebrated living artists today, he has worked as a painter, sculptor, printmaker and draughtsman. Great artists are often diverse artists.
Bernie Fuchs is a master illustrator from the 20th century whose artistry influenced numerous artists of his time. Working in a loose yet deliberate style, his work displays unique and beautiful compositions that not only create balance and appeal, but are able to depict even the most subtle atmosphere and story. Because of his marvelous arrangement of shapes and colors, I never tire of looking at his art.
Gerald Scarfe‘s wildly expressive pen may help make his work unique among modern day illustrators but it’s really his creativity that truly shines. Between those wonderful scratches and flicks of ink, are ideas bursting with satire, flavor and fun. He’s another great illustrator that Disney (for the film, Hercules) used in hopes of introducing a new style and look to their library of films.
One of the favorite exhibits I’ve ever experienced is that of the work of Henry Moore. His organic shapes and play with dimension, line and form are so incredibly beautiful, you feel involved – you don’t just see the work, you experience it. The massive size and boldness of the work invite your curiosity and you feel at once welcome and alienated at the same time.
The fact that Dino Battaglia is one of lesser known comic book illustrators in the world is a great tragedy. His compositions are so distinguished and the imagery so fantastic, that to this day, I’ve not seen anything like it. His use of perfectly balanced black and white values, and interplay of thick and thin scratched lines and patterns give his work an immensely pleasurable texture. His adaptations of many classic novels and short stories are true collector’s items.
The creativity of Salvador Dali still hasn’t been fully explored. An artist of immense classical skill but with a wild and fantastical mind, Dali created work so distinct that his work came to define what is now known as surrealism. Walt Disney himself was a huge fun, and tried hard to bring his genius into the studio. Perhaps it’s time to try again?
This fantastic drawing by Eugene Delacroix is exactly the kind of work that relates well to animators. The search for form, movement and feeling are regular occurrences in the work of this French master. Artists working in our modern tool of 3D computer technology would do well to both study his art and find ways to bring that kind of vitality into their work.
Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti is a giant among sculptors. His work has such great energetic quality to it despite its seemingly fragile form. He makes such wonderful use of open space — creating an unexpected void — that helps transform both the art piece itself and the space surrounding it. Why haven’t we (in animation) dared to play with such extreme shape and caricature in a craft whose most distinguished principle is exaggeration?
Pablo Picasso‘s work needs to be studied and learned by all artists. You don’t have to love him or his work, but you’d do well to respect his artistry. At a time when art had been so complacent and institutionalized for so long, Picasso came out and shook the world, breaking one taboo after another, challenging the way we see things and the way we do things as artists. He truly is the ultimate “father of modern art.”
In summary, this is just a small sample of the many artists that I’ve looked up to and found inspiring. You need to search and find who and what moves you. I always recommend that all animation artists visit as many shows, galleries and exhibits as possible to see in person the great works by artists world over. There’s nothing like seeing the real thing. Museums are the treasure troves of history — a physical (yet hopefully not final) resting place that remains a record of our most valuable contribution to mankind, our art.
Animation, as an industry, is at a place where we’re beginning to get very tired of witnessing the same stories, imagery and execution. Help re-boot and re-fresh this craft by looking back and elsewhere for inspiration.
“All the sculptures of today, like those of the past, will end one day in pieces…So it is important to fashion ones work carefully in its smallest recess and charge every particle of matter with life.” — Alberto Giacometti