In the days of hand-drawn animated films, the animator’s vision was first doodled, drawn and re-drawn in pencil or pen on sheets of paper. (Even today, in the age of digital animation, artists will often envision and draw their characters by hand first, as their concept comes together.) Some drawings were “model” images used as reference guides during the production, showing a particular side of a character or how the character appears in motion. Others were drawn to show artists on the creative team how a scene might be animated, while others may be production art, conceptual art or story sketches. These lively drawings – which were often discarded after (or even as) the film was created – are highly valued today by collectors for their nimble, inventive, impressionistic qualities, and for their sense of an artistic vision captured in the very process of creating.

Mary Platt, Director

Image:
Walt Disney Studios
"Aladdin and Jasmine"
Walt Disney's "Aladdin"
Graphite on paper
The Hilbert Collection