Goofy: HOW TO DANCE

These modern, lean yet stylish backgrounds are from Disney, and the Goofy "How To" series.





Here's a huge digitally re-created pan background:

So you can better enjoy the details, here's the left side...

And the right side...

THE RESCUERS (1977)

Beautiful B/G art from the scene: In search of "the Devil's Eye..."

DUMBO

This wonderful background art from DUMBO was provided by our friend Andrea Giglio. Enjoy!

OSWALD is back at LUCKY Brand!

Oswald the Rabbit is happily receiving "star treatment" once again, after decades of obscurity. While not exactly related to background art, I trust you'll find this of interest. I know I did!

Oswald starred in a series of 26 silent cartoons made by Walt Disney between 1927 and 1928 for Charles Mintz, who contracted with Universal for the distribution. When Walt lost the rights to Oswald, he came up with the character of Mickey Mouse. The Oswald character was later continued by Walter Lantz. Sound was added by Universal, the copyright holder, to some of the Disney Oswald cartoons in the early days of television. Oswald was the first Disney character to generate merchandise: a candy bar, a stencil set, and a pinback button. Not long ago, Oswald "came home" to the Walt Disney Company through a trade with NBC/Universal.

Here's the official press release:

LUCKY BRAND JEANS AND DISNEY ARE WELCOMING THE LIMITED EDITION T-SHIRTS INSPIRED BY OSWALD THE LUCKY
RABBIT BACK TO LUCKY BRAND

(New York, NY) March 12, 2009 - After their first season of the sell-out collection, Lucky Brand, America's neighborhood jeans store, and Disney Consumer Products today announce that they will give rebirth to Walt Disney's first icon, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. The predecessor to Mickey Mouse, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit returned to The Walt Disney Company in 2006, long after his original theatrical debut in 1927. Just in time for summer, this limited-edition collection of T-shirts, featuring Oswald will be sold only at Lucky Kid, Lucky Brand stores and online at luckybrand.com.

About Lucky Brand Jeans

Rooted in rock 'n' roll and vintage-inspired, Lucky Brand Jeans designs and produces denim, sportswear, knits, wovens, outerwear, t-shirts, active wear, handbags, and jewelry, and has recently launched Lucky Kid. Additional Lucky Brand licensed products include swimwear, and accessories for men and women. Lucky Brand Jeans has over 175 neighborhood jeans stores nationwide and internationally. The Lucky Brand collections are carried at better department and specialty stores and at luckybrandjeans.com. For Lucky Brand products or more information, please visit

luckybrandjeans.com.

HAMPA STUDIOS

I recently received a note from Diana Rodriguez, of HAMPA STUDIOS in Valencia, Spain.

The company has an 11 year history, but only 3 as an animation studio.

“Margaret” is their very first short film. It is a story about leaving our daily routine and being brave enough to chase dreams.

The story is inspired by an original poem call “Margarita” written by Ruben Dario, a Nicaraguan writer of IXX century and a highly regarded exponent of the modernist movement.

Hampa Studio chose this poem because is "a travel thru the reality and a magic world, where a really young princess leaves her perfect world just to follow her dream: go up to sky and cut the most perfect and beautiful star she has ever seen."

Their animation team is comprised of 4 animators, 1 background designer, 1 3D technician, director Alex Cervantes, and adnd Diana Rodriguez herself who is in charge of the production department. You can “meet” the artists on their blog which contains a lot of information about the production process:

http://margaritashortfilm.blogspot.com

They also have a website (http://www.margaritacortometraje.com/index_eng.html).

They have come up with a new and original way to finance their film. Since the story is about following a star, they started a “STAR SALE” where everyone its free to make a donation thru PayPal in exchange for one star of Margaret’s sky.

I love everything about this story. It is through the passion of artists like this that animation remains a great art form.

I've not seen their animation, but the background art is lovely and remarkable.

Here's wishing HAMPA STUDIO and its artists great success!

Today, a first - background art released to "ANIMATION BACKGROUNDS" directly from a studio, from a film in progress.

Thank you Diana!