VIGNALI STUDIO

A Couple Roughs...

While working on the Snow Queen in 2001, I did a variety of various drawings as we were all searching for a style for each of the sequences. In this case, I wanted to create a more naturalistic approach, and then contrast that with a stylized approach when the character falls in love -- hence the stave church in the background, nestled among the trees.

These drawings were looser and rougher than the previous drawing I posted, but drawing this way allowed me to cover more territory quickly. If the directors wanted me to I would work up these sketches into a more polished drawing, but I guess these drawings were sufficient and they remained this way.

All of these drawings were done as freelance work, while I was living and working in St. George, Utah. I would email them to the studio, at a time when emailing a file would take over an hour. It certainly was difficult when I had a lot of sketches I was trying to email in. Sometimes I would start sending files around 8:00pm, and keep sending files until 2:00am! Ah, the good ol' days.

These drawings were drawn in graphite on ledger paper.

Snow Queen 2001

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.