Original Production Animation Art
Traditional animation, also known as cel animation, or hand-drawn animation, is a technique where each frame of the film is drawn by hand. The process begins with producing a series of storyboards to map out how the film will look. This is followed by 'layout'-drawings which provides camera moves and background information to the animators. The animat then begin 'rough' animation. This involves using simple lines-of-action and shapes to get the timing working. Once approved, the rough animation drawings are cleaned-up and put 'on model', meaning the clean-up artist uses a model- sheet ( character-turnaround) to make sure that each character is the correct proportion and scale. The key (main pose) drawings are cleaned up first, then the halfway (break-down) drawings followed by the 'inbetweens'. The clean-up drawings are then traced onto acetate and the reverse side is painted.
'Ducktails the Movie' colour model sheet.
Richard Williams 'The Thief and the Cobbler.
Promotional Brochure; 'The thief who never gave up'.
20 pages of art from 'The Thief and the cobbler'
An unfinished animated fantasy film co-written and directed by Richard Williams. Originally devised in the 1960s, the film was in and out of production for nearly three decades due to independent funding and ambitiously complex animation. It was finally placed into full production in 1989 when Warner Bros. agreed to finance and distribute the film.
When production went over budget and behind schedule, it was heavily cut and hastily re-edited by producer Fred Calvert without Williams's involvement. It was eventually released by Allied Filmmakers in 1993 with the title The Princess and the Cobbler. Two years later, Miramax Films, which was owned by Disney at the time, released another re-edit titled Arabian Knight. Both versions of the film performed poorly at the box office and received mixed reviews.