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Snow Queen 2001

17 comments
In 2001, I did this drawing for the Walt Disney Studio. I had lost a copy of this drawing, but just recently discovered a CDR with various images -- and thought I would post some of the artwork.  I'll be posting artwork from that bygone project. Gosh, 12 years ago!!!

It must have had some effect because I've seen other images based on this drawing of mine. 

A little history: I was working freelance for Disney at the time, and I worked for nine or ten months on the Snow Queen project. However, It was a strange time for the industry. After the dot.com crash in 1999, and the attack on September 11th in 2001, the studio tightened its belt and dropped my contract. It was also the beginning of the end for 2D animation. Shortly afterward, the studio began selling its animation desks.

There was no Photoshop done to this image, it is as I drew it -- sans, of course, my name and the added respective copyright.

The good news is that Walt Disney is still planning to release the Snow Queen, but in CG and with a different title.


17 comments :

Ty Carter said...

Wow! This is beautiful Marcelo

Thats really interesting hearing how the .com and 9/11 events affected the studio.

Will Terrell said...

That is absolutely amazing!

Mauricio Abril said...

This is absolutely fantastic, especially since it's traditional, a rare these days. Beautiful rendering in the foreground and just the right indication in the background. Thanks for sharing this piece and the anecdote about that time.

Paul Wee said...

Crazy drawing, Big Moe! Awesome!

Anonymous said...

Wow, just absolutely incredible work.

Mark McDonnell said...

You're HORRIBLY INCREDIBLE!

Beautiful piece,

MAC

Ravi Gupta said...

wow ! i loved it . sense of height to the image is really cool. eye is so wonderfully led to look at the snow palace at top :).

Unknown said...

Beautiful. It reminds me a bit of the old Pinocchio architecture.

Nicholas Hong said...

beautiful drawing! Wish you all best luck in 2013!

Heather Dixon said...

Very pretty!

Andrea Pucci said...

Great Marcelo! Always beautiful...:-)

Daniel said...

Hi Marcelo,

Awesome piece - especially the perspective.

Do you think 2D animation will make a comeback in movies? The computer graphics animation is great and all but it lacks the 'magic' of the moving drawings of The Lion King etc. What do you think?

Barry said...

Awesome image Marcelo! I think it was around this time that you did some freelance concept art for The Learning Company on the Reader Rabbit brand. I was a lead artist there working on that brand and remember being very inspired by your designs which were pinned up in our artist room. Thanks for the inspiration then and now!

Patrick Ballesteros said...

Awesome piece! I love the perspective you used for this shot. Hope some of the initial thumbnails were saved for this one as well :)

Ted Blackman said...

Nice renderment!

Marcelo Vignali said...

Thanks Ty, Will, Mauricio, P-Wee, Mac, Nick, Heather, Andrea, and Ted.

Ravi, that's what's wonderful about 2D, you had to draw the camera moves.

Woulter, that was the inspiration.

Daniel, sadly, no. I don't think 2D animation will ever be a prevalent or as successful as CG movies. And, now, much of the infrastructure for 2D animation has disappeared. Many of the artists that worked on 2D animation have retired. Much of the equipment has been sold or junked, and the pipeline has been dismantled. It would cost too much to restart it again. Instead, we'll small animation houses recreate a look, much like Amblin did when they recreated the vintage looking animation for Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

Although, I think 2D separated into 3D effects like Lion King look fantastic. I'm curious if this might have some lure for investors. But, until some studio can prove this idea is highly profitable, the big studios won't touch it. I'd love to see my favorite Pinocchio separated into 3D.

Thanks Barry! It's good to hear from you. I really enjoyed the work on Reader Rabbit. I remember my kids really enjoyed playing those games.

Patrick, I'm sure I have the thumbnails, question is, where? I kept a great many of my roughs during this period, but many of them are boxed up. The originals were shipped off to Disney.

Grinder said...

Amazing work, Marcello!